It's amazing what all one can do...

...if one is retired (thus not working 50-60 hours per week as per one's former life),
...if one's children are grown, independent, out-of-the-house happy adults
and
...if one is not training eight hours a day in preparation for some sort of crazy run.

For example!

One might make a summer wreath for one's 92-year-old mama who loves to decorate her home for every season but who was unable to find her summer wreath this year!

Paula & Deb - fun with crafts!

Holy smokes! We actually made a wreath!

One might be able to spend a few days cooking and planning for a visit from one's cousin who was going to be in the state for an Architecture Convention!

Kendall, Marcie & John, picnic at Chautauqua

Campus Tour (Fine Arts Building) (Marcie, John, Paula & Paul)

Campus Tour (Varsity Pond bridge) (Kendall, Marcie, John, Paula)

Dinner at the homestead (Paul, Kendall, John, Marcie, David)

Taz has a new best friend - John feeding him peanut butter cherry dog biscuits. fresh from Glen Arbor, Michigan!

One might tackle long-overdue home improvement projects! (Kendall's shorts used to be tan and his socks used to be white, I swear!)














 

One might be able to relax in the evening and gaze at the super moon with one's true love!













....and, of course, if one is a runner (says I looking in mirror), one might be able to fit in a lovely little run that included the excitement of a giant snake!

Ya' never know

You figure you've got all (most?) of your ducks in a row, you're (semi?-)successfully herding the cats, and then blamo! something goes unexpectedly, bizarrely awry at the zoo.  Say wha????

When such a thing happens (and given we really don't have control over everything do we, so such a thing is bound to happen some one day), one might be able to learn a lesson or two.  Here are my lessons of late:

1. Enjoy what you've got when you've got it.  The sound of birds singing, sunshine, rain, waking up in your own bed, choosing your own schedule, the chance to get out and sweat... whatever it might be, enjoy!
2. If an idea pops into your head - especially if there's repeat popping - act on it!!!!!  Ya' just never know what hiccup might derail your plans, ideas, inspirations...big or small.  So far today, seven (yep, count 'em, 7) check marks off the to-do list!
3. Look brightly to the future.  Right now might not be a bed of roses - may even be worse than a bed of thorns - but keep looking up.  So very often, the body, mind, and soul go where your attitude is pointing!

Meanwhile, yesterday was Kendall's birthday.  We happily woke up to eachother's smiles as we have for the last 40 years, enjoyed an early morning walk with Taz, ate ice cream for lunch, rendezvoused with Paul, skyped with Devon, had a scrumptious Mexican meal for dinner (followed by more ice cream!), and simply delighted in each other's company. 

Kendall - my anchor in the storm. Pic from the north shore of Lake Michigan, 1268.5 miles into my 1400 mile run to Petoskey

Hills and Books

Today Amie and I tackled the NCAR hill.  It's been a while since I've charged (or moseyed) up that hill.  It's quite a fantastic workout.  We ran about 22 minutes to the branch library then continued west up Table Mesa Drive, up the NCAR hill, around the NCAR parking lot, then back down past the branch library at which point I trotted on home.  From the library to the top and back is 5 miles round trip and a whole lotta hill.

But life is not just about running.  After the workout Kendall and I put the finishing touches on the Little Free Library we're building, called for reinforcements (son Paul), loaded up the library, the books, and the tools and headed for the neighborhood school where we had a post just waiting for a library to top it.  A few saw cuts, some grunting, a bit of drilling, and a whole bunch of book unloading later, we've now got a Little Free Library at 3740 Martin Drive in Boulder.  Weehaww!

Blooms along the trail

Today's run was why I run - and why I am so grateful I am able to run.
'Twas long, slow, and lovely.
The kind of run that livens the body, refreshes the soul and calms the brain.

Here it is in pictures (with my meager phone camera...sorry about that...) - from the Bluestem trail to the Mesa Trail and the Shanahan trails.  A simply wonderful day to be in the Colorado great outdoors.

What a bit of racing will do for ya'

I much prefer training over racing...I simply love to run...
However, during today's training session, the benefits of the occasional race were made clear. 

My running buddy, Connie, is building off of her Bolder Boulder training and race in preparation for running the Steamboat Classic in Peoria, Illinois where she will be visiting her son and his family in a couple of weeks.  Thus we met up for a bit of speed work on the trails this morning.  Having had that recent 6.2 miles of racing ingrained in my muscles and brain just five days ago really seemed to make a difference!  My body and brain both knew just what to do when we took off on our repeats at 5k and 10k pace.  Not only were body and brain able to tackle it, they were ready and raring to take on the challenge.  Way fun!  I should oughta remember this the next time I'm waffling over a race entry form...

1985 Bolder Boulder - 4-mo-old Devon in baby jogger, bro-in-law Andy on my left shoulder - back in the days I raced a little more often