I’m finally starting to feel human again after getting sick just two days into the year. I don’t know if it was the flu or a virus or what but it really took me down.
how most of my first 2 weeks went down. First tea with lemon and eventually back to my beloved coffee
I went hiking that night and just couldn’t keep up with my group. I felt lightheaded and tired. The next morning i was full on feverish and achy and that lasted a couple of days before the head cold and chest congestion folded into the mix. Yucko!
Let’s just say it was a lovely “extra” gift from Mr. SOTSS this holiday. He was sick first. But he did give me another gift for Christmas that was AWESOME!
He booked us a ski weekend in Vermont for that last weekend of 2018. I felt bad that he was sick but he was a trooper and we had a great time.
snowboarding and sniffles
We are both super grateful that I didn’t get sick until AFTER the trip because I am not the a trooper type when I am sick. I’m actually the biggest mope and whiner you’ve ever met when I”m sick.
All smiles waiting for the lift up for our first run of the day
Skiing always makes me feel like a big kid. Oh wait, maybe it’s the pigtails 😉
Well hello again. I’ve been on vacation this past week (just a staycation) and finally took it down a notch to regroup. Coincidently, it’s been exactly a month since my last post so I figured I share a little from the last 30 days in pictures because honestly that’s how I remember my life these days….I just scroll through my phone’s camera roll :).
Aside from this past staycation week I’ve been doing lots of sign design and production 🙂
Now that the weather has been warmer, Mr. SOTSS and I have resumed our Thursday night walks to get ices. That’s rainbow cookie for me and coconut raspberry for him.
I discovered this amazing combo: Sweet and Salty Kettle Corn AND Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. So delicious!
I ran a race! Yep, the Spring Lake 5 miler the last weekend in May. It was super hot and I thought I might die. I ran the whole race with my friend Lisa and we had a great time catching up on life. I also got to see my friend Jane. And after the race, I had brunch with Lisa, her cousin and his wife. And if it couldn’t get better than that, I got a medal and a glass. Woot!
Happy feet!
For the 2nd year Mr. SOTSS and I attended a local fundraising event called the Blue Jean Ball. Such a fun night! And with our crazy work schedules it was really nice to get out on a weeknight and relax.
Props for the props.
I picked up Chester and brought him back to my house last week and snapped this pic just before we started driving. So cute.
I also made him pose for a pic just like I do with Duncan.
Speaking of duncan poses here’s one!
and another
oh ok….one more 🙂
On the Friday before my staycation began I came home from working at Fastsigns and passed out for 2 hours. I woke up and felt like running….and so I did…at 8pm! Fresh pavement and honeysuckles…it was awesome!
Speaking of honeysuckles, I walked a whole lot during my staycation just to be around the honeysuckles….they smell soooo good!
I went hiking and these ferns stopped me in my tracks.
Ran 3 slow miles yesterday and then took this selfie. Note to self: I need more running tanks. I only have ONE!
The view on my first walk of the day today
and then a second walk this evening with Duncan
And I made my bed! This is a big deal because I am not a regular bed maker. But I need to get in the habit because tomorrow I’m listing my house for sale! That’s my big news 🙂 I’ll be moving in with Mr. SOTSS for a while before we start house hunting for something together. I’m a bit freaked out as I’ve lived my entire life (44 years) here on Staten Island and I’ll be moving to New Jersey. But considering I basically pack a duffle bag and go there every weekend anyway I guess it won’t be that big a deal. And Mr. SOTSS is a GREAT bed maker so I’ll have that to look forward to 🙂 But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t emotional about this. I bought this house less than a year after my husband died and I have been here for 18 years. It’s been my serenity. I’ll miss it. But I’m looking forward to this next chapter.
I just got back yesterday from a last minute road trip with Mr. SOTSS. We both love road trips, the architect Frank Lloyd Wright and we also love to tour cities. Just outside of Pittsburgh are 2 well known Frank Lloyd Wright homes—Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob. So we not only got to tour the 2 homes but also spent an entire day in the city of Pittsburgh. (A couple of years ago for my birthday we flew out to Chicago to tour the city and also to tour the home and studio that Frank Lloyd Wright designed for himself.)
The drive took us about 5 1/2 hours. We stopped to see Cucumber Falls on our way out. It was very pretty. I love the beauty that nature gives us.
ta-dah!
Cucumber Falls
It took a while for me to navigate to this spot thanks to slippery rocks and my injury track record 🙂
After Cucumber Falls we checked into our hotel which had the most beautiful view.
The view during the day
The view at night
The Summit Inn is a historic hotel that’s been around for over 100 years.
The next morning we set out to tour the first of the 2 Frank Lloyd Wright homes. Fallingwater got it’s name because it was built cantilevered over a waterfall.
The entire home was integrated so well with nature.
After our tour was complete we headed into the city of Pittsburgh to do the tourist thing. I was told by a friend who grew up in Pittsburgh that there are 2 things we must do in Pittsburgh—go to Primanti Bros. for a sandwich and take the Duquesne Incline to the top of Mt. Washington to get a view of the entire city. Done and done!
corned beef, provolone, cole slaw and french fries. First time I ever had french fries IN my sandwich
Primanti Bros.
Just before sunset. What a view!
We also walked across many of the city’s bridges and did a walking tour of some historic buildings.
just a few of the bridges
So this is what happens when you rely on your boyfriend to take an Insta worthy yoga pose pic. I almost died laughing when I saw where the water fountain looked like it was spraying from!!!!!
And then we discovered this place.
This was cold brew coffee poured over vanilla ice cream with crushed oreos, whipped cream and chocolate covered espresso beans. The most delicious thing I’ve tasted in quite some time
Before heading home the next day we made one last stop at Kentuck Knob, the other Frank Lloyd Wright designed home we wanted to tour.
The house is literally built into the hill.
You can see where the roof almost touches the ground here
Lots of hexagon skylights in this home.
The dental molding on the home was carved by hand taking 2 years to complete! That’s nuts.
And of course when I saw the view from the property I had to become one with nature and turn myself into a tree 🙂
It was a wonderful trip that I’m so grateful for. We really weren’t sure we’d be able to get away for a while due to work situations but we made it work!
Big Day
Tomorrow I will begin my foray back into the world of running. I have a 10 minute easy run planned. If all goes well I’ll be adding 2 minutes to each subsequent run for the next month. I’m hoping to run 3X a week so that I can get to 36 minutes by the time the Trenton 5k arrives. This will allow me to run a nice easy 12 minute pace as it will be my first race since May and since re-injuring the toe back in June.
How to Sweat Out the Small Stuff Block Island Style
I spent 5 days on Block Island. It small island off the coast of Rhode Island. And Mr. SOTSS’s daughter K-Corn (my nickname for her) drew it so accurately here. It kinda looks like a duck.
We were there to celebrate Mr. SOTSS’s dad’s 70th birthday and the 4th of July.
J-Beans (my nickname for Mr. SOTSS’ other daughter) wearing her patriotic blue cat ears.
The one thing I can say for certain is that there are no bad views anywhere.
adorable houses with flowers and picket fences
There is only beauty out of each and every vista.
Heaven
I would go for walks and take in the view only to turn around and see something even more beautiful.
I want to marry these flowers!
So I figured since this blog is supposed to be about running and stress relief (and doing any exercise that makes you feel less stress really especially when unable to run) I would design this post to highlight that stuff. More »
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