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Hello December and what I can remember

11. December 2018 · 5 comments · Categories: labradoodle, recreational fun, running, Uncategorized · Tags: big chill 5k, dogs, Fall Flat 5k, posterior tibial tendonitis, running, trail run

Hello December and what I can remember

I always struggle with a post title. But I like that this one rhymes…so that’s that.

Anyhoo…yet another month has passed and here I am to fill ya in on my little life and take a few minutes to reflect.

So get this? I actually ran 2 races in the last 30 days! There was the Fall Flat 5k trail run, the weekend before Thanksgiving, that I do each year to help benefit the nonprofit organization The Greenbelt Conservancy. They’re the organizers of the night hikes I go on as well and also the Cold Feat 10k trail run held in February. It had snowed a couple of days prior to race day and then warmed up and melted leaving things quite muddy.

What?!!!! Snow?!!!! but this weekend is the FALL Flat 5k, not the Winter Flat.

muddy race course

The entire course had to be tweaked to avoid some completely impassable areas but a good chunk of it was still super slick and I walked a lot of it.

Photo: Run and Shoot Photography

I started to notice some aching on the inside of my ankle just before the race and wasn’t about to make things worse by losing my footing. (foreshadowing….i sprained my ankle anyway shortly thereafter because that’s my life).

The ankle pain seemed to be the very beginning of posterior tibial tendonitis. But since i was only running one or two times a week for short runs it wasn’t really bad and I immediately started looking up stretches and other pt exercises. The day after the race it hurt a bit more and then one night while walking Duncan I rolled my foot on a rock that was disguised by leaves. The sprain healed within 5 days and I was feeling much better but each time I run I’m achy for a few days after so I’m going to rest up the rest of the year and try my hardest to start 2019 healthy.

Photo: Run and Shoot Photography

The other race was just about a week ago…another race I’ve done numerous years in a row now…the Big Chill 5k….a charity run where the entry fee is an unwrapped toy $15 or more. Always leaves me speechless when I see the back wall of the Rutgers University gymnasium just filled with toys that will go to kids who might not get a single other gift.

toys galore

this was the 2nd time we’ve ever run together.

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Moving In Moving Out

14. September 2018 · 2 comments · Categories: labradoodle, Uncategorized · Tags: dogs, moving, moving in, moving out

The last month sure has been life-changing…

Moving In Moving Out

Note: Be prepared for a ton of dog pics.:)

Summary: I moved in with Mr. SOTSS in mid-August, spent the next 3 weeks clearing out my house and finally closed on September 6.

The U-Haul ramp right to the front door

And we’re off

Most of my stuff is just hanging out in the garage until we buy a house together next year (ish)

These are two of the very few decorative items that made the cut in the move. Most went to Goodwill.

And I’ve been taking pictures of Duncan and Chester every 5 minutes since.

I now have 8 paws to wipe on rainy days

hanging with me while i work

eating

snuggling

in front of the canoe and kayak rentals that i didn’t get a chance to rent and now the season is closed:(

by the lake….did I mention we live across the street from a lake?

playing with his toy squirrels

at my feet

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Making a big move and the last 30 days in pictures

16. June 2018 · 8 comments · Categories: running, vacation · Tags: dogs, honeysuckles, running, spring lake 5, walking

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.

So how has your last month been?

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popping in to say hi

15. May 2018 · 3 comments · Categories: running, Uncategorized · Tags: dogs, running, spring blooms, walking, working

I miss blogging! Haven’t been here in a month so I just wanted to pop in and say hi. Hope you are all enjoying your Spring wherever you are located—I love that I have readers as far away as New Zealand!

Real simple, I’ll let you know how my month has been going in about 3 bullets.

I’ve been running 1 or 2 times a week. I’m slow but steady and have adjusted nicely to this new norm of decreased speed, duration and distance. It’s nice to have it back in my life consistently since being sidelined so much in 2017. As for races. They’ll be few and far between. I’ll be running the Spring Lake 5 (miler) in a couple of weeks and couldn’t be more excited for it. Hoping for decent weather.
I’ve been working all day e’ryday. Yup, not lying here. Upwards of 12ish hours daily.
And any remaining hours have been either eating, sleeping—or of course, walking Duncan. There were a few family highlights as well sprinkled throughout. Mr. SOTSS turned 45 and my niece turned 18. She had accepted admission at the University of Pittsburgh but only a week later found out she was also accepted to NYU’s (New York University) Applied Psychology program so she is switching gears and will be attending NYU instead. I’m a very proud aunt.

I’ll leave you with a few highlights of the last month in pictures. Now tell me some of YOUR highlights from the last 30 days!

Running highlights:

This past Saturday I had 59 minutes left to Deena Kastor’s book “Let Your Mind Run” and ran until the book was finished 🙂 I highly recommend the book. As a side note, I heard her on a recent podcast episode say she didn’t run for like 4 months straight while writing the book.