Letterboxing, Mr. E. P. A.

Checking out a hunch.

The very cute but wrong bridge.

A cool tree on the creek.

Narrowly escaping death from falling branches and muzzle loaders.

The right bridge! Two successful first finds!!

Thoughts from the Road - #1130

Running Away From Home

When rushing to get out to run, don't forget your gum.

I love the feel of my calves being splashed with the thin layer of water that I kick up from the road.

Soaring red tail hawks lift my heart.

A grey fox killed by traffic and lying dead along Rock Rd. breaks my heart.

When you run in the cold rain no one can tell if you are crying or not.

The Perfect Meal

The weather forced us to slightly alter our plans this Thanksgiving day. Freezing rain and sleet made us begrudgingly punt on running in our first Turkey Trot this morning.

We knew the weather might have an impact even last evening as we shopped for a few groceries. No, we didn't stock up on bread and milk but bought a single TastyKake Pumpkin Pie to split today with what ever meal we pulled together.

We didn't have the scent of hot turkey fat to wake up to like I can remember 40 years ago. As Jim decorated our indoor Norfolk Island Pines, thus dubbing them our our Yule Trees for the year, I threw together a lunch of left overs.

Left over Tofurky sandwich slices on some seeded rye with a healthy pile of mixed greens, a few wedges of tomato, a dollop of spiced butternut squash, perfect avocado slices and the condiments of Vegenaise® and a cranberry apple chutney made the most perfect Thanksgiving meal.

No, I fibbed. What made it perfect was the company. We weren't surrounded by every member of our loving family but Jim and I had each other. We munched a Dagwood sized sandwich and smiled as we did the best we could to make the holiday feel festive. I am thankful for Jim's heart that lifts me on the gray and gloomy days. Redefining each stage of life is a challenge but with him I am up to it.This is a similar sandwich, the real one disappeared before I got it photographed.

A Close Approximation

Kinda like a holiday but still not the same.

I Don't Like Piña Coladas

What I really don't like is the number one song that brought in 1980, The Piña Colada Song. The lyrics tell of a guy that decides to cheat on his "old lady" because he is bored with her. In the end (the double double twist), the song makes out like it's all cool because the personal ad he answers turns out to be hers. I think this song and whole attitude is as sickening as the syrupy farce of a tropical beverage it's named after.

Mountain View

One calm day last week.

Crazy November

I will start with a Happy Wedding Anniversary wish to my favorite young folks. I know they will both enjoy this photo of their favorite cat and Dadzmo.Miles completely relaxed.

Nights have been quite chilly but days like today are warm enough to take advantage of airing out the down comforter and drying some laundry on the line. Not every day is sunny, warm or long enough to dry clothes fully but I got an early start today.

Fresh scents infused by nature!

Turkey Day

In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt changed Thanksgiving from the fourth to the third Thursday in November to create more shopping days before Christmas. Would you be ready today?

DL>DNF>DNS

Firstly - kudos to Jimmy the Eye for completing his first 10K race in the 10th annual Big Valley 10k!! His time was a smart 59:09!

I got second place in my women's age category for my time; it was a PR*. It was the first time my 10k time was under an hour in a race and this beautiful course was loaded with hills.


Funny thing is, I also placed last in my age category since there were only 2 of us that ran. That gave me a chuckle and made me think a little about what the silver medal I held at the end stood for. Everyone who ponied up an entrance fee got a t-shirt. Even though I have a policy of not wearing mine until I cross the finish line, I still got the shirt just for entering. Not everyone who entered got a medal nor did every finisher.

I remembered a post from a running message board about a fellow who knew he was probably going to be last in the race he entered. He was dreading being followed the whole route by the ever present ambulance and the course clean up crew. A wise master runner told him that DL* was better than DNF* with is even better than DNS*.

I chose to enter, run and was able to finish. I wasn't dead last, I was stride for stride with Jimmy the Eye right up to the finish line. There were even a few more runners that came in during the next 13 minutes. My medal, I decided, might be for last in my age group of women who finished but well ahead of those who didn't toe the line. I have worked hard to get where I am and I am enjoying the journey.

***
DL = Dead Last
DNF = Did Not Finish
DNS = Did Not Start
PR = Personal Record

Good Eats!

What would we do without good friends to provide us with delicacies? Our palates would be bored indeed. First Angrist blessed us with a quart (now down to a PINT) of home made kimchi. The next treat came from the Rh Factor - a full stalk of fresh brussel sprouts!!

The best part was how it was presented! Rh marched the staff of life into Authur's bar at Otto's! The rest of the patrons were green with envy as I sat with it like a porn... oops... PROM queen and her bouquet. J, Pipe and I had to all try one fresh off of the stalk. We all agreed they were scrumptious, especially with the stout!

Here is the green man before we harvested many for supper...

... and the boys checking things out.

Thoughts from the Road - #1105

False Summits & Divine Stubbornness

A plateau I am on has not given way to anything other than more gradual uphills. Looking back upon the third week in October when everything seemed to be coming together seems like a fabrication, a dream. Then I had speed and endurance and never felt better.

After the Dry Valley Half I have been struggling with so much. Recovery has been longer and less successful. The colder weather that has finally set is like lead weight strapped to every part of my body. I have no real goal, nothing to look forward to, nothing to dread enough to keep me moving.

It's hard to keep on when I can't perceive progress. Even when it feel like I might have a little victory or a spark of something to shoot for on the horizon it tends to disappear like a cruel mirage. It's uphill all over again.

I am looking for a way to keep at least a snail's pace of forward momentum. I am looking for my divine stubbornness that can look past the obstacles. I need the patience to heal before forging ahead. I need the guts to stick it out for the long haul instead of quitting because the grind of it all is just too much.

Lack of sunlight, the death of my only living aunt, family unrest, my sister's illness, my swollen joints, my pulled muscle, computer woes, property management, no glittering holiday to tempt me, and extra financial burdens feel like hill upon hill in front of me. As I crest each one, hoping for a downhill, I find each is but a false summit and I must pull myself together to keep climbing. They are a never ending line of fierce beasts that need to be tamed.

Today I choose to step out of the way of the brutes and will them to devour themselves. I am casting a spell to let these tigers turn themselves into butter. Maybe not today, but soon, I plan on having pancakes. Then I will enjoy the view from the top.

Add a Zero

FedEx made some odd choices in how to ship a package this week. The item of origin was (on Friday) from Middletown, PA and the destination is (still) Lewistown, PA. That's 70 miles.

Viewing the tracking progress, it has been perplexing watching the item ship over the weekend. First it went to Lancaster, PA then Newark, NJ! It then was shipped back across the state to Pittsburgh, PA and this morning was just leaving State College, PA to it's final destination. When it finally settles it will have logged 700 miles!

I can make no sense of this wasteful shipping route.

I’m But a Stranger Here

Rest in peace, Aunt Esther. The memories I have of you are warm and fond.

I’m But a Stranger Here

I’m but a stranger here,
Heaven is my home;
Earth is a desert drear,
Heaven is my home;
Danger and sorrow stand
Round me on every hand;
Heaven is my fatherland,
Heaven is my home.

What though the tempest rage,
Heaven is my home;
Short is my pilgrimage,
Heaven is my home;
And time’s wintry blast
Soon shall be over past;
I shall reach home at last,
Heaven is my home.

Therefore I murmur not,
Heaven is my home;
Whatever my earthly lot,
Heaven is my home;
And I shall surely stand
There at my Lord’s right hand.
Heaven is my fatherland,
Heaven is my home.

Group Hug!

The men in this household need to stick together.

I can haz Peanutz?

nomnomnom, kthxbai

Scary Seven Mountains Wine Cellars

Fricken scary Mrs. Lovette!

Inside Seven Mountains Wine Cellars. A Halloween Party!

Mrs. Lovette serving up some hot meat pies! YOW!

Her customers!

Into the (bat) cave.

Adopted casks making the wine. BatMan over sees when not wasting his time making stupid ass video games.

Pee Wee Herman! He really did his dance! Honestly!

A cockroach in my white wine!

Gomez and Morticia Adams communing at their private table.

The ghoulish couple at the wine tasting station. They loved the Cab/Sauv.

Poe Paddy Troubadours with guest John Maninno on mouth organ.

Lazy Samhain Sunday

Three cats snooze as their "Frank" enjoys Dr. Sacks' new book on a lazy Halloween afternoon.

"Millie" interrupted with the flashing-clicker-box. "Maybe she will give us treats!"

The Passing of a Good Year

Here I am on Samhain (summer's end), reflecting on the solar year. Samhain is the Wiccan New Year and the Feast of the Dead. It is a time to honor and to say goodbye to loved ones who have passed on, especially if their deaths have occurred within the last year. Samhain is also a time for reflecting upon the last year, making plans for the upcoming one, and especially for banishing weaknesses or other undesired qualities within us.

The beginning of November 2009 was a low point for me. After a couple of years of sitting much more idle that I had been used to (along with general aging) I set myself up for and incurred a pretty bad injury. I injured my back just before a camping trip with very active friends.

I can remember being so depressed about the injury (and re-injury a couple weeks later) over the next few months. I was constantly sitting with a heating pad on my back. I missed a friend's birthday party and I was very worried about how I was going to be able to attend my son's wedding. Standing for periods of time were difficult, walking the streets of New York City were even harder and doing it in dress shoes was excruciating.

I healed and gained strength as December progressed but as the new calendar year approached I still had terrible fatigue in my lower back after walking only a mile. Family and some friends were very kind in celebrating our 25th anniversary but leave it to the tradition of New Year's resolutions to kick me into gear. In the dead of winter, I got myself out of the house every other morning for at least a 1/2 hour of cardio work. I am proud to say this has been able to continue to date.

Along with poor general physical fitness I also started to make a real effort to banish a lot of cynical attitudes I had taken on. I had been terribly embarrassed, months before I injured my back, when I accidentally sent a harsh and assumptive email to the person I was writing about instead of the person I was ranting to. I apologized, sincerely, and hoped they understood. Privately, I have never forgiven myself for immediately assuming wrongly about someone and still use it as incentive to keep my mouth shut and think carefully before thinking or writing. As Thumper's mother said, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."

I haven't been as successful with working out other unhealthy patterns. I have a lot less control over actions of those around me than I do with myself. Removing myself from negative situations doesn't always work out. I am doing my best to examine how I seem to get overly enthusiastic about hobbies, interests, friendships, and topics only to have them blow up in my face. As a wise Raven frequently reminds me, "Everything in moderation, even moderation."

The warmer months this year brought on new challenges which I feel I met head on. I was prepared for being guardedly more healthy without unrealistic expectations. Some challenges, the physical ones, I took in stride and accepted my limitations and even failures. Many interpersonal challenges I thought I would have to deal with never really presented themselves. Once I was prepared to try to communicate with a friend with whom I had lost touch but the moment didn't allow for it. I resigned myself to let it pass and move on.

During the summer I think I failed most with trying to breathe life back into some of my interests which had waned. Partly is was because the time was filled with so many other wonderful moments with family. Another factor was a general clashing of ethics that made it very easy to back away from the reoccurring disappointment.

As the wheel turned to Autumn, despite some noise from an old toxic friendship or two, I have been very excited to have found a nice balance. Part of this was getting up to date with a physical and all of the follow up testing that was required. I am pleased to know that all of my physical quirks, like my heart, are all things I can deal with. My doctor assured me that I had no physical limitations. For the first time in about a decade I feel like I have a handle on things for myself.

I have less time to invest in things that don't benefit myself and family. It feels good to share gratitude with those who have supported me rather than pouring endless energy into activities, groups or individuals that felt like an emotional abyss or vortex sucking away my life's energy. I am still enthusiastic about activities but am not whole hearted into becoming a part of any group associated with them. I appreciate many people but realize I often don't make a very good friend because have a habit of feeding into very unbalanced friendships.

I have had more victories than failures this year and can look back on my choices with satisfaction. I apologize to anyone who has been neglected or been left in the wake of this personal transition. I am sorry to let some hobbies go but the time and energy that has been freed up has more easily allowed me and my family to flourish. I will try to be mindful of this next year and hope to enjoy the same satisfaction again.

Elk Creek Cafe

Trick or Treat!

If we get any kids tonight they will get a cool treat.

I just painted the front window in a fun and colorful way. The moon is in glow in the dark paint, I hope it looks cool tonight.

I tried not to make it too intimidating from the street level. I am not unrealistic in knowing things like barking dogs can make a family decide not to come to the door.