I'll Have a Blue Christmas

Right now we should be at my mom’s house celebrating Christmas with my family. We didn’t leave yesterday because of the dense fog and fear of our basement flooding when the rain came. At 4:30am our fear became reality as Chief went downstairs and had to suck up water with the shop-vac. The water had got from the front of our basement to the middle. He got to it just before it got to our carpeting and furniture. Looking out of our windows there is a river going down our driveway. With the temperatures in the 60’s and the rain coming we have very little snow left outside.

Needless to say, I was not so happy this morning. I was so hurt that Chief couldn’t go with me to Wisconsin and for some weird reason I was really, really, mad at him. I know it is not his fault that the basement gets wet. I know it wasn’t his fault that it was warm and raining. I guess I thought he would understand how upset I was and somehow could have done or said something to make me feel better. I cried most of the morning and talked to my mom several times. Chief ran out to the post office and informed me that there were some streets closed near our house.

What was I going to do? Sit here while Chief sat in the basement watching TV and sucked up water every 15 minutes? Should I try to get home for Christmas? The weather guy keeps saying that the worst is coming and that tonight a cold front is coming through and the water will change to ice! Great, maybe I could make it up there but could I make it home?

Lately, I have been reminding myself that life is making choices. So, I could stay home and be miserable or spend Christmas with my family. Upon my own advice I decided to try to head up to Two Rivers alone. I decided I would drive up, have dinner, and exchange gifts and head back to Illinois hoping to be home by midnight. I showered, put on a cute Christmas top, loaded the car, and headed for the toll-way. On my way to the toll way the first street I needed to drive on was closed due to flooding. I guess Chief wasn’t exaggerating. I finally got to I-88 and there were lower areas that definitely had too much water so the far right lane was closed. Okay, I then get on the ramp to I 294. Other than the pouring rain and occasional thunder all seems okay. I am driving along and I hit a pothole. Oh, there are so many potholes. I called Chief to tell him that there were a lot of potholes and I was concerned about not being able to see them on my way home tonight. He didn’t offer me much suggestion other than to say the toll way is pretty well lit. Well, it is not dark out and I just hit one! Then a minivan hits one, swerves, and cuts across all lanes to pull over. His left back tire was completely flat. Okay, now I am getting worried. I didn’t bring any extra clothes or shoes. What if something happens? I am driving along and all I can see or seem to focus on is the damn potholes. Then I counted 4 cars that were pulled over and changing flat tires. So, I called Chief again and decided to just come back home.

My mom wasn’t home so I called my sister Jodi. I was crying and she was trying to console me. My mom called me back too and said she felt better that I was going to be safe. I was a total wreck! Nothing left to do but drive back to my house.

Coming back home would be tough because on my way past the airport I noticed that the southbound traffic was totally stopped. So, I exited in a north suburb headed west and picked up I-53 to I-355. Then the rain came. It was raining so hard you couldn’t see anything in front of you. There were some potholes but not nearly as bad as I-294. I eventually made it home. Chief was on the couch and I quickly asked him why he wasn’t in the basement sucking up water. He said it had slowed down a while ago. I was mad! Well, then the rain came and he went downstairs and hasn’t come up since. I hear the shop vac sucking up water about every 15 minutes or whenever there is a commercial on TV. He said he has emptied the 16-gallon container 6 times in 12 hours. So, we will spend the rest of our evening probably on different levels of the house not talking much. By the way, I am appreciative that he is tending to the water issue. I just am mad at the situation and the timing of it all.

I made chocolate covered peanut butter balls out of boredom and self-pity. Maybe that will cure me my broken spirit. All I have done today was cry, drive to nowhere, and make candy. Not one of my better days.

My family should all be at my mom’s house by now. I wish we were there. I thought I would share some pictures of Christmas 2004, 2005,and 2006. You can see why I miss them so.

Merry Christmas

Our families live in Wisconsin and since I worked on Christmas Eve and we both work tomorrow we decided to stay here for Christmas. Yesterday, I went to work and we saw patients until 12:00pm. It can be so frustrating being a nurse. Our office has openings for “sick calls”. Basically if you are sick or have an acute issue we can get you in to be evaluated by the doctor on the same day you call. This does not apply for chest pain/shortness of breath or trauma such as injuries with bones sticking out or if you shoot your eye out with a Red Ryder BB gun (you get my drift). Those are emergencies and those people need to go to the ER. Our physicians don’t typically just write out prescriptions for antibiotics. If you think you are that sick that you need one, we want you to be seen. That being said, on more than one occasion, I was screamed at, hung up on, and told to have a “Merry Christmas” in a not so “merry” way. Apparently, people are too busy and too sick to come and see the doctor. They just want antibiotics, muscle relaxants, narcotics, and hypnotics and really can’t understand what the big deal is with just calling in these medications. You can tell that I had a lovely morning.

Chief went running with TL and then he helped the neighborhood make 800 luminaries and then distributed them down our block. He said that there were 8 “crews” in all so that the whole surrounding neighborhood around Randall Park made and put out something like 6000 of these things. Later last night we went out to Giordano’s for pizza. Giordano’s was very busy. They had every booth filled and people coming in and picking up for carry out. I think this will be a new tradition for us. This morning Chief and TL ran again. Did I mention they are training for the Illinois Marathon in April? Their running schedule is messed up this week. He ran three days in a row! I bet he will be glad to get back to his Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday schedule. Besides running he has been doing double dog walking. I am usually in charge of morning walks but because of the cold and ice he has taken over for a while. I am so afraid of falling (broke arm exactly one year ago when I slipped). After showering we took a road trip to Dunk’n Donuts for bagels and coffee. It is so icy and cold. We have had some crap weather so far this winter. Snow, ice pellets, rain and now our driveway is a frozen river. I heard that we are going to warm up, get rain, and potential flooding. This makes me worried because there is a chance we won’t get to Two Rivers on Saturday.

Santa came for the boys. They are so funny when they unwrap presents. Chief and I just giggle. Dusty takes off the tiniest pieces. It takes him forever to open a gift. JJ is a pro at this. Santa was sneaky and wrapped some of their old toys. The boys would take out the old toy and keep pulling at the paper because they knew something else had to be in there. After Christmas pictures, every one found a spot (even Chief) to curl up and take a nap.

We made a ham and all the fixings for Christmas dinner. For the rest of the evening, I plan on opening a bottle of wine and will need to finish gift-wrapping for Saturday’s Christmas at my mom’s. We have a movie to watch that we rented from Blockbuster’s called “Joyeoux Noel”. It is supposed to be very good and is about Christmas Eve in 1914 on a WWI battlefield. It was a quiet and lazy Christmas Day at our house and this evening will be the same. We will need all of our energy because Christmas in Wisconsin is still coming.

We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

How am I doing?

I get this question a few times a day. I am doing all right. I am working on my poor attitude and I am trying not to be so pissed off or depressed. Being mad and sad has put my diet on hold for now. I have been eating whatever I want and feeling guilty about this too. I am trying to be better and I will work harder on this after Christmas. I might as well enjoy Christmas treats this year. I have no idea of how much weight I gained. I know my jeans still fit. They just aren't as loose at they were before. I don’t like wearing belts anyway. I really don’t want to know how much I weigh so I refuse to step on that scale until December 29th (the day I can start to work out again). Really I don’t need to be anymore upset right now.

I have come to the understanding that if I don’t continue to exercise I will get fatter and that will hurt my knees worse than running on them. I have come to understand that I don’t like the stuff I have been eating. I felt much better on a healthy diet and daily workouts. I am really sick of being sedentary. I miss working out. I am so tired since the surgery. The good new is that it is only 10 more days until I can try to swim! I have been researching beginner swim workouts and I found one that is called “From zero to one mile”. I am excited to get in the pool. It is good for me to have a plan.

So, I can’t run but I can walk, swim, spin, and be active. I can control my weight by making good choices. That is what it comes down to choices. So, I choose to be happy and healthy. I am choosing not to dwell on the outcome but rather on what I can become.

Seriously…I am doing okay.

Healing

I went to my appointment ready to protest (I wore my New Balance "I Run" t-shirt). He went right to the point, explained every arthroscopy picture, showed me how extensive the damage was, and with that being said I have to accept that running is not an option. There I said it...my option is not to run. Not ever. My knee is indeed very messed up. If I weren’t 37 Dr. E would have scheduled a total knee replacement tomorrow. I am a canidate for total knee replacement. That is so hard to hear and harder for me to understand.

My scope showed a lot of damage. I have bad arthritis – bone on bone throughout my knee. Mostly on the femoral and medial sides, and some lateral. There were some problems at the tibia but not as bad as the rest of my knee. I had frayed cartilage and floating pieces. I have erosion. He did a lot of cleaning and smoothing stuff out but the damage is done. He can’t fix bone on bone wearing. I asked him if I can’t have a TKR now when will I? How will I know when it can’t wait any longer? The best answer is that when I can’t walk, stand, and do activities of daily living with out pain. That’s what I have to look forward to. That was hard to hear. It’s hard to think about what will be. It should be enough for me to suck it up and figure out what to do instead of running. I asked about other activities. The best things are swimming and spinning. No stair climbing, no squats, no lunges, and elliptical is even in question. I have to keep the weight down. Dr. E hopes I can make this knee hold out until I am 50. For now my job is to rest, ice and elevate. In a few weeks I can swim. In 2-4 weeks I might be able to hop on my trainer. In 4-6 weeks I can try elliptical but if swelling or pain that will need to be crossed off my list. In 1 month I will follow up with Dr. E and we will see how things are doing.

My pain was fairly under control. I have not taken any narcotics! I am super proud about this. I have needed Ibuprofen and it seems to take the edge off the pain. I have calf tenderness. If this doesn’t improve in the next few days I need to get an ultrasound to be sure I don’t have a blood clot. I don’t think I do but I was honest when I reported that the calf pain at times is worse than the surgery pain.

I went to work today. I wish I hadn’t. Dr. E didn’t want me to go back until Monday. But I am tough and bored so I begged Dr. E to let me go in today and I promised I would sit at my desk and just call patients with results. I ended up with pain, swelling, and hurt feelings because I left 20 minutes early and I didn’t even make it for four hours. What happened? I was feeling so great at home. Why did I swell? Why did my calf pain get worse? Why was it hurting? I swear I was good. I just sat at a phone with ice on my knee. I called his nurse on the way home and she said no more work until Monday. She faxed me a note excusing me from work for the rest of the week. I will wait and see what tomorrow brings. I want to be this tough girl and prove to me and everyone else that I can take this. If I go to work I am keeping my mind busy. I don't want to think about me anymore. My nurse said trying to work when I shouldn't wouldn’t help me heal. Being tougher than I need to be won’t help me. I need to heal.

Recovery

Maybe deep down I knew the outcome would be bad. I had talked myself in and out of the surgery at least a dozen times. Maybe if I hadn’t done it, I wouldn’t know, and I would be running today.

My outcome was not what I wanted to hear. He couldn’t do the lateral release because of the surface damage that was there. It would have made my ITB much worse. He could only clean up the frayed edges and smooth the cartilage as best as he could. When I awoke from anesthesia he told me that my knee was “really messed up” and that running wouldn’t be an option anymore. He told Chief that I had the knee of someone twice my age and I would need a knee replacement in the future. He told Chief that I am not a candidate now because I am young. He wants me to get 15 years out of this knee. In 15 years I will be 52. Why can’t I run this knee out and just get the darn replacement in my 40’s? Okay, I know the answers and it isn't fair. Am I supposed to just wait? Am I supposed to not enjoy my life in my 30's? I am supposed to preserve this knee so that I can enjoy my life in my 50's and 60's. What about now?

I have not accepted this yet. I have not been able to see me not running or not even attempting to run. I have considered power walking but that lasted for about 5 minutes. I just bought new shoes and winter running clothes. I just ran an awesome 10K! Everything was so good when I ran. It was my release. It was my therapy. It made me happy. I am scared that I will get back into bad habits of food being my comfort. I let it comfort me for the past few days but my body wants to work out now. I am trying to keep my chin up. I am trying not to dwell on this until I know more at my appointment tomorrow. I am still hoping.

A good friend just called me. She is also a nurse, very logical and brutally honest. I know she is right. I know I need to step up, get over this, and find new challenges. I know I only have one body and one shot at this life. I just need to figure things out.

All About JJ

Five years ago, Chief and I started talking about getting a dog. We agreed that we wanted to adopt or rescue since there are so many that need good families to join. So we started our search at one of the local humane societies and we basically were told that we couldn’t own a dog because we both worked full time. I was heart-broken. Because we worked, they judged us as being incapable of taking care and loving our dog! Chief decided to look at the Australian Shepherd Rescue Group. He had an Aussie in his college years and she was a very nice dog. We looked at their website and filled out an application. Next, there was a telephone interview and finally they called us with two possible choices that seemed like a good fit for us. We were interested in a one-year-old dog named Journey. He was a small tri-colored beautiful boy with very good house manners. He was good with cats, kids, and he liked horses. We were told that Journey was given up because they wanted him to do agility and was diagnosed to have seizures. They did not want to invest the time into him with the medical condition. Fortunately, his foster mom’s dad is a veterinarian and worked him up and found no evidence of seizure disorder. We think he was given up because he is not very coordinated.

On December 6th, 2003 Journey was to come to our house to meet us in person. The rescue group prefers this because they can observe our surroundings and us while we interact with the dog. He came up the front steps and when Chief opened the door he let out a few barks. We told his foster mom that we were comfortable with him roaming the house. I showed Journey around. He particularly liked the long and low to the ground windows we have in the hallway. It was great for him to look out and see the neighborhood. He went upstairs to check out our bedroom. He seemed to be okay with the house. We were told that he was shy around men. Well, within five minutes of being petted on the floor by Chief and I he was on his back getting his belly rubbed. It was then that his foster mom said that if we would like to adopt him she would be happy to consent. It must be hard to be a foster mom. She gave him a goodbye hug. I could tell she would miss him.

The first night was rough. Journey cried in his crate and I wanted to get him out. Chief is good for me. He is the reasonable one in our relationship. Eventually, he did go to sleep. By the way, he sleeps with us now! The next day was a Sunday. All three of us spent the day getting use to each other. We didn’t really like his name. It didn’t seem to fit him so we changed it to JJ. JJ didn’t know how to walk on a leash. He was a country boy turned city. Every house that we would pass he would want to walk up to the front doors. He would pick up everyone’s newspapers and carry them proudly. I am glad we are over that stage. Initially, we had other and bigger problems with him. The first is that he was very food aggressive. I couldn’t go near him when he ate. He would just growl and devour his kibble as fast as he could. To correct this, we hand fed him for a long time. It is rare when he acts like this but if he does, we do go back to hand feeding him. The other problem we had is that he hated me. Chief will say that I am exaggerating but JJ really didn’t like me. This was so hard for me because I really loved him and I was becoming afraid of him because of his almost continuous growling at me when Chief wasn’t around. I think it had a lot to do with the fact that I was the one who had to kennel him before going to work. He was around 48 pounds when we got him and he was so stubborn about going in his kennel. There were days that I would actually have to pick him up. His only defense was to growl. Well, this progressed to growling when I looked at him or when I walked passed him. One day, Chief witnessed his lovely attitude and gave him a major correction. Chief worked with me and I worked with JJ. And yes, on occasion JJ will give me attitude but it is rare. I am so glad we got through those times.

There are so many stories to tell you. He eventually gained trust to have the house to himself. We found out that he was a very busy boy. Let me make a list of some of the things he got into: chewed the ends of our running shoe strings, chewed the kitchen cabinet corners, got locked into a bedroom and took all of the Kleenex out of its box, and my personal favorite moment…he chewed open a case of cherry cream soda, punctured one of the cans so that he was covered in evidence when we got home. Other things he has done that are note worthy: upon arriving to Pet Smart he jumped out of the car window before the car was in park, broke into his Rubbermaid kibble container and ate until he was bloated, tackled a kid in a snow suit, brought us a loaf of bread in the middle of the night, brought us hot dogs that were thawing on the counter, and brought us his bag of treats when we packed for vacation.

He despises rain, loud noises in the house, and the snow blower. Chief finds the last one strange because he doesn’t mind the lawn mower or the leaf blower. He is protective of our car and will “mean bark” if you approach the car. He loves toys, playing chase, tug, and ball. He will wake you up in the middle of the night to tell you to move so he can jump back in bed. He is not a fan of mornings. He and I both like to sleep in. He loves to eat and play in the snow. He really loves our neighbors and, thank God, their kids too. He has an Aussie girlfriend Maddie and his best bud is Roy. He is very social! He likes to mess with his brother Dusty and also likes to take naps with him. He likes to take naps with us too. He is inquisitive. He seems to have an “old soul”. He seems to really care what we are talking about. He is nosey. He has to inspect any bags that come into the house.

In 2006 he became ill. He would vomit daily and eventually would vomit up blood. He was in so much discomfort he stopped eating. Through an endoscopy and biopsy he was diagnosed with gastritis related to food allergy. He was put on medications and his food was changed to KO (Kangaroo and Oats). Through out the year, we would be in close contact with his vet. If he had flair up we would increase his medication. In May of 2007, JJ was very sick. He became toxic to one of his medication and almost died. This medication attacked his central nervous system. He became paralyzed and had tremors. He lost control of his body and body functions. He was rushed to VCA-Aurora animal hospital and we were told that the antidote was Valium and there was a chance we could get him back. We just couldn't lose him. I kept thanking God for the time we had with him. I got a phone call from Dr. Barnes (neurologist) that he made it though the night and was able to stand. He was wobbley but he was standing! JJ fought back and is 100% normal today.

Adopting JJ is the best thing that we ever did. He is our buddy. He is good to us and to his brother. I love his personality. I love that he wants to be near us and when he has had enough of us he goes up to bed or hangs out in his house (kennel). He is always trying to please us. He is easily corrected and remembers! He really is a good boy. He is our best friend. If Dusty could talk he would say his brother is the best! We are lucky to have our JJ.

Thanksgiving Day Run

We drove up to Sheboygan, Wisconsin on Wednesday night after work. It is so nice to be able to stay with family! My sister and her husband have a beautiful home and are always so willing to let us come and stay.

Thursday came rather fast. The weather was awesome. It was in the 20’s with a light breeze. We got up, got dressed and drove to the YMCA to register for the 10K. Let me tell you how cheap this was. We chose the no t-shirt option and paid $12.00 each. We waited in the car for a while and then we decided to go inside the YMCA to use the bathrooms. It was very nice not having to use a port-a-potty! This race was also a 2-mile fun walk/run for families. I found it enjoyable watching the kids and parents get excited. I found it very fun to watch the parents bundle up the kids in snow suits, boots, and mittens.

Chief and I went outside around 9:15 to wait for the start. I didn’t get too cold waiting. They had a strange start. There was no gun, no sirens, no one said “go” (that we heard). At 9:30 am people just started to run. And run we did!

Chief got in front of me and I was chasing while fussing with my watch. I have no idea if I started it when I began to run or if I hit start when I crossed the timing mat. Since we were chipped I didn’t really care too much. I just like to have an ideal of my mile splits. The race was an out and back along Sheboygan’s Lake Michigan coastline and nearby neighborhoods. I kind of wanted to stay with Chief as long as I could. Being that he got a head of me so quick it took me a mile to get on his heals. Unfortunately for me that is when I got to the bottom of the big hill. Chief is very strong with hills and I am not for two reasons: ITB and hills just suck! The course was not flat. There seemed to be endless rolling hills. I couldn’t get back to Chief but could see him in front of me for most of the first part of the race.

My splits seemed fast. I saw Chief go around the cones at the 5K-turnaround. As we passed by each other he gave me some encouraging words. When I got to the 5K-turnaround, the guy shouted “26:28”. Could he be serious? I looked at my watch and we matched. Holy Cow I never ran a 5 K this fast! I could no longer see Chief so it was up to me to keep up the pace. At mile 4 there was a small water station. After I gracefully choked on my drink, I decided to see how hard I could push. I felt so tired. My heart rate was around 93-95% and I really wanted to be done. I was happy to see mile 5. I latched on to some guy and toward the finish he thought we should “take it”. We picked it up and I saw Chief cheering me on the side of the road. I crossed at 53:07. Later I would find out that my pace was 8:33. Holy crap. Chief did well also. His chip time was 51:21. (Thanks for pacing me babe!)

Other than wanting to puke I felt okay. My knee held up and I was warm enough. What more could I ask for? How about water? Nope, they did not have enough water at the finish line. There was Gatorade and two kinds of Donut Holes but no water! They need to change two things about this race: more water at the end and a person at the start with a megaphone, starter pistol, whistle, air horn, etc., just to let us know when it is time to go. I guess that is why the race was so darn cheap.

After the run, we went to my sister’s to shower and pack up the car to head up to Manitowoc for Thanksgiving dinner with Chief’s family. We had good eats and “feats of strength” – Chief arm-wrestled his nephew. We are lucky to have a great family to stay with. This time we slept over at my other sister’s house. They recently moved to this very pretty home. I enjoyed staying there because it gave me a chance to catch up with my niece and nephew. I wish I lived closer. They change so fast and I really had a blast seeing the kids again. Friday morning came early and I got up at 4:00 am to drive to Green Bay and shop with another sister, niece, and mom. My niece and I had a fun time in the back seat snacking on jelly beans, pretzels, Pringles, and what ever else we had brought or bought. That night we drove back home to Illinois. We don’t usually get home for Thanksgiving because I normally work the day after. I am glad we had the chance this year. It was fun.

Keeping Busy

It is definitely getting chilly outside. You know you like to run when you get up at 4:50 am, turn on the weather channel to see the temperature and wind report, spend 10 minutes figuring out what to wear and then finally get out there and run. This is now my routine on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. I have built up the distance and speed to run with Chief and TL. We do a 5-mile loop starting at TL’s house. If I feel okay at the end, I add a little bit and run home. It is really awesome that JJ is able to run with us too. I think the trick was building super slow. The problem is that I get so competitive with myself that I want to keep adding distance or running more frequent then I should. Take today, we ran 8 miles in 81 minutes yesterday at Waterfall Glen. I was ready to run with the boys this morning even though my knee is a little sore and I am physically tired. Chief woke up with me and said he would go with us if we would walk. So, we walked and I enjoyed talking and looking at the neighborhood. I think the boys like the break as well.

Yesterday the run was great at WFG. We got there at 5:45am. Chief bought a headlamp from REI and it worked really well. He lit up the path for all three of us. Dusty got a new running jacket (looks like a yellow Superman cape). He is a little guy with less fur than JJ so we are careful with cold weather and running him. He ran in his little jacket and he had absolutely no issues. When Chief got home, Dusty followed him to the den to hang it up. It was really cute.


Today I am returning to “Hot Yoga” class with my friend. She invited me last weekend and it was my very first yoga experience. I loved it. I am not flexible but that didn’t matter. I just did as much as I could. I admit when I was done I felt so relaxed. I got home and wanted to sleep. Today, I need to drink more prior to class. I think that will help me not feel so dehydrated later tonight.

This is Thanksgiving week and I have a lot to do. Normally, I work the Friday after Thanksgiving so we make a dinner for just us two and put up the Christmas tree. This year we are headed up north and I already have some time constraints. After working and a manicure on Wednesday, we will be driving to Sheboygan to stay with my oldest sister. We are planning on doing a 10K turkey trot in Sheboygan on Thursday morning. Then we have to drive to Manitowoc and get our butts going to be at Chief’s family gathering. We are staying at my sister’s house (different than the one referenced above) and she has her dinner at noon, which we are invited to as well. I told her we would just snitch a piece of turkey because we have to be at Chief’s brothers house by 2 pm for dinner at 4 pm. I will be going shopping with some of my family on Friday morning. I have never done the day after shopping thing. I am not a real lover of shopping but I wanted to spend some time with them. We are driving to Green Bay and Appleton for this. My mom’s dinner is on Saturday night, but we will already be back in Illinois because we are picking up a friend at O’Hare Airport on Saturday afternoon. Sunday, I will be getting started with Christmas decorating. Wow, we will need a vacation after this.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving.

My 10K Race Report

On Sunday Chief and I ran a local 10K. I was worried because my knee was sore from probably too much spinning and I was also concerned about the weather. It was suppose to be windy, cold, and a chance of snow.

The day started early. Chief got going and took the boys for their walk. I got to "sleep in" until 6am and had to figure out how to dress. I had bought a few new cold weather running things as a birthday present but I wasn't sure if it was quite cold enough to wear them. With the temp being around 38 I decided on layers of 2 wick shirts and a pull over Sport Hill running jacket. I had my gloves, hat, and a layer of tights. I do have a heavy pair of tights but the zipper has dug into my Achilles and I haven't been brave enough to wear them again.

We got to the race, picked up our timing chips and waited in the car. About 30minutes prior to the race we decided to find a potty and wait in the tent for the call to the line. I was a little chilled waiting. I loved watching people before the race. I felt like a dork because I don't have a ritual. It was obvious to me that there were some very serious runners. I saw some use foam rollers and the stick to loosen up. I saw people doing crazy stretches and some weird duck walk thing. I was getting nervous. Why was I here? What did I sign up for? This was crazy. It was early, cold, and I just wanted to be done and go home.

We finally walked to the start. We went to the middle. The gun went off. Funny, how as soon as the gun went off my nerves went away. I told Chief to run ahead and have fun. I knew I was going to be slower and I didn't want to drag him down. Truth be told I am pretty much a loaner when I run. I don't mind running alone.

I was running comfortably. I felt that I was warm enough. I took off my gloves at the half way point. I started to realize that I was turning out 9 minute miles. I got to where the 5K and 10K course splits. For a moment I thought about bailing but I didn't. I figured I was out I might as well get in a good workout. It was with 2 miles to go that I knew I could get this race done in under an hour. I just kept telling myself to keep turning my legs. Keep the pace. Only 9 minutes until the next mile. I picked up some dude and he was running faster than me. He spoke Spanish and he would wave for me to pass him. I told him I was coming but I couldn't catch him. I was just past the 6mile marker and I saw Chief. It was cool to see him at the finish line. I ended up running in 56:12. I was so happy with my run and I am glad that I didn't bail at the 5K split!

They had great post race treats: bananas, apples, oranges, bagels, soup, hot dogs, McDonald yogurt parfaits, coffee, hot chocolate, and hot cider.

I chilled pretty quick so we grabbed a bite and left. I was pretty tired for the rest of the day. My legs were tired at spin on Monday and Tuesday my knee was sore with running. I went to spin today and it wasn't too bad. I hope to run with Chief and TL tomorrow. They plan on doing 5 miles.

My "Diamond" Day

On Tuesday, I drove up to Wisconsin to pick up my mom and sister and head to Green Bay to see the Neil Diamond concert. I was a bit cranky...long week at work, hard work outs, PMS so I guess my mood sucked from the moment I woke up. In fact that morning I ran with JJ to meet Chief and some friends. I over dressed for the run which made me hot and not happy which I am sure was a great impression. I took a ride home with Chief and felt guilty for not running longer. I changed into dry clothes and went back out for another 5K. On my second run I was thinking that I probably could get Chief a Green Bay Packers umbrella for his birthday. I knew he needed a new umbrella and he is also a Packers fan. So, when I got home I made a phone call to Dick's Sporting Goods in Green Bay. With my great mood I loved our conversation.

Me: Do you have GB Packers Golf umbrellas.
That guy: Yep, we have two.
Me: Could you hold one for me and I will pick it up tonight.
That guy: I really don't think we are going to sell 2 umbrellas on November 4th.
Me: Please, just put it aside. I don't want to drive 4 hours from Chicago and one not be there when I get to the store.
That guy: If you live in Chicago, why do you want a Packers Umbrella.
Me: It's a long story. We relocated and he is a Packers Fan.
That guy: You would never get me to relocate there.
Me: So, could you leave one for me? I will be up around 4pm. I should be able to swing by before we go to the Neil Diamond concert.
That guy: Neil Diamond eh.
Me: Yes. Do you need my name.
That guy: Nope, don't think we are going to sell 2 umbrellas today.

I was now late to get on the road. I quickly showered and packed. I headed to the tollway. The ride was uneventful. I was thrilled when I got to Milwaukee and I found a 24 hour Christmas music station. I totally love Christmas so this was helping me feel better. I got to Chief's parents house to pick up my tickets which I had left when the first concert got cancelled. Poor Chief's mom. I told her about my bad mood and just listened. She is such a sweet lady. I am lucky to love my in-laws. I then got to my mom's house. She was so excited. We had about an hour to spare before leaving to pick up my sister. There isn't much to do up there. I suggested we go to the local grocery stores. My mom thought this to be strange but I like to see what they have that I can't get here. I bought Chief some cookies and salted nut rolls. And off we went to Green Bay.

My sister, mom and me had a nice time catching up in the car. My sister is so funny. We made it to Dick's and my umbrella was waiting for me. We then found the Resch Center, got an awesome parking spot, and enjoyed the "Diamond Dinner". Because of my diet I only ate the roasted chicken and some carrots. There was also beef tips with mushrooms and gravy, mashed potatoes, rolls, and lemon torte. Oh, I did taste the torte. It was really good. My mom and sister said everything else was really good too. We thought we could walk around the venue until the concert started but we were wrong. They don't let you find your seats until one hour before the show starts. Since it was only 6pm we had some time to wait. I really wanted a beverage and when it was 7 pm my sister and I found the booze cart. We both enjoyed a cold one. Time to find our seats. Our tickets said section 219, ZA, seats 19-21. Okay, I knew they were not the best seats but I didn't think they would be the worst ones. This is not a lie. We were in the highest row. There was nothing behind us but the concrete wall. To make things worse, my mom is deathly afraid of heights. I had no clue that she was so scared of heights. We go to sit down and I could see how uneasy she was. She was a trooper but I could see she wasn't right. Later she tells us that she was dizzy just looking down and really thought she would die.

Now the good part. Now my mood gets better. We are waiting for the concert to begin when some guy named Jim comes up to us to ask if we would like to upgrade our tickets. Me being ready for a scam said that I liked these seats. My sister asked where the new seat would be and he said "that section down there". We are so high up that we can't tell what the heck section he is talking about. I asked how much it would cost and he said it was free. I wanted to know if we moved and I didn't like the new seats could we come back up here. He said we would not be disappointed. My sister asks to clarify which section and Jim tell us the section is where there is no one sitting now right next to the stage. Okay, say what? Right next to the stage. My sister then says to the guy "you can have our crap seats" and we gave him our old ticket and off we went to the good seats.

Oh my God, we got to sit at stage level row 1 for the cost of the crap seats Chief bought. We were so excited. My mom wasn't going to die now. I was so happy I had tears of joy. The concert was awesome. We sang and danced. I just wanted this to be special for my mom and I could tell she was happy. Neil was incredible. It was so cool seeing him up close. He even walked to our section and sang. I never thought I would be a crazy fan but I couldn't help myself. With my sparking Neil Diamond t-shirt I shouted "I love you Neil" and by God I know when he put his hand on his heart and mouthed "Thank You" it was meant for me. My day was complete. Great concert, awesome parking spot, spent time with mom and my sister.

I woke up the next day in the best mood ever. I went for a long walk in town. I hadn't done that in years. I walked to Jerry's Bakery and ordered some treats for work and for Chief. I also got Chief's dad a treat and dropped that off on my way out of town. I got back home in record time. I took out the boys, unpacked and headed to work. If I ever figure out how to get my pictures off my cell phone I will post them.

So, if you are in a bad mood maybe, just maybe, tomorrow will be your best day ever.

Beautiful Weekend

Gosh, it was such a pretty weekend. I looked at the trees today and I think we are in the peak of the fall season. It's suppose to rain this week and that will probably make the leaves to drop. That gives us yard work to do for next weekend.

Being that the weather was so very pleasant we ran on Saturday morning. JJ and I did 7 miles! I am so happy with my progress. I stopped my watch at 6 miles and it was on 59 minutes. This is a very nice time for me. After running I hurried home to take a shower. I had a manicure appointment at 10:00 and then we had a birthday party to go to at 11:15. A friend of Chief's turned 60 along with her husband. Their children gave them a wonderful birthday party at a banquet hall in McCook. The meal was awesome. We had soup, salad, rolls, pasta, beef, chicken, carrots, potatoes, and cake and ice cream for dessert. I made good choices but I also enjoyed a taste of Chief's chocolate cake and a bit of carrot cake. By the way, the cake was from Sam's Club and it was really good.

Today I went to Arlington Heights to meet some old friends for breakfast at Walker Brothers Pancake House. We meet once a month. My good friend and I share a birthday. She will be 60 and I will be 37. It's kind of cool how when you are an adult the age of your friends does not matter.

When I got home we took out the mountain bikes and went to WFG. My first loop on the year on the bike. We decided not to do 2 loops because both of us are tired from the run yesterday. Chief also is still riding his bike to work and he wants fresh legs for the morning. I think that he plans on riding just a few more days because it gets dark earlier now that the clocks changed. My knee was a little sore riding. I have noticed that it is bothering me just a little more than last week. I have been spinning more and I think I need to go lighter on the resistance. The pain is more lateral which is the ITB stuff. Where Dr. E injected it is fine.

We got new cell phones. I just spent an hour trying to find a ring tone because the ones that came with the phone suck. So, when you call I get to hear "Spirit in the Sky". I love that song. I have told Chief that when I die he has to play it at my funeral. I am not joking.

I just have to get through Monday and then I get to drive up north to see Neil Diamond with my mom and sister. I seriously can't wait.

It's Been a Fun Day

What a great day! Chief and I went out to Waterfall Glen. He took Dusty and went running with some of his faster friends and JJ and I headed out for 3 miles and doubled back. JJ was a pain in the butt for the first mile. He gets so excited when we start. He has to pull and cut behind me because he is too nosey and needs to meet everyone. He wants to see who is behind us and wants to catch up with whoever is in front of us. Eventually he settled in and by the time we got to the 3 mile mark we seemed to run like a fine oiled machine. That is until he saw the deer! JJ ears perked up and off he went to get a better look at it. The problems with this is that I was being pulled so hard while running down a hill. The only way to stop him was to literally stop. I was glad when the deer jumped back into the woods. JJ of course wanted to follow but with me giving him strong "no's" he figured it would be best to listen to me. Now because of his extra work his tongue was hanging out the side of his mouth. Thanks to TNT (team in training) I got him a drink of water. The last 3 miles went fast. In fact we finished in 64 minutes which is good for us. We then walked about a half mile or so and met up with Chief and friends. I was glad to give JJ's leash to Chief that way I could run a little bit quicker. I had a great workout today.

After showering we picked up a buddy of Chief's and drove to Aurora to the "Wurst Kitchen". This is some sausage place that Chief really likes. They have all kinds of flavored brats which being from Wisconsin you know he was like a kid in a candy store. We bought tequila and lime brats, regular brats, atomic sausage sticks, southwest chicken brats, and a big pickle for me. We then finished the morning by shopping for new rugs for the house. Linens and Things is going out of business so we got some runners and throw rugs at reasonable prices. I can't wait to scrub the floors and put them down. It should look really nice.

We went to Cooper's Hawk in Burr Ridge for lunch. It is a restaurant and wine bar. It was very good. Chief was on call so we didn't have any wine or beer. I am sure next time we will be taste testing. We ended our afternoon getting a new toaster. I hope this one will be the "best toaster ever". I have toaster issues.

Chief got called into work so it's time for me to work on the floors, walk the boys, make out a grocery list, possibly go to Trader Joe's, and maybe have a glass of wine. I had a really good day.

Busy Days

I have been busy these past days. On Monday, I volunteered to work at our new after hours care clinic so I put in my regular work day and then went to the clinic until 10:00pm. I like to do extra stuff. I feel getting involved is a good way to meet new people and help me advance in my career. Tonight I went out to dinner at Hugo's in Naperville with friends. They have the best steak. I am told their fish is wonderful. They have HUGE dessert servings. So if you go be prepared to share! I brought home some of my steak and broccoli and I brought home my key lime pie to share with Chief. He had good left overs! The rest of the week is going to go by fast. Chief is also busy at work so we have not had a ton of time to talk lately. I can't wait for the weekend.

My diet is coming along. I have been eating more fruit lately and sometimes I go a little crazy on the Pringles. I guess when you have cravings you just have to go with it. I don't want to end up not eating what I want to. I think that cutting out everything that is "bad" will shoot me in the foot later. So I did have my fill of those evil Pringles and I am satisfied. I ate a few malted milk balls which tasted really good. There are days when I make bad choices. What can I do about it? Nothing but try to do better the next day. I know that I have lost most of the weight that I need to. I don't weigh myself often. I don't care about how much I weigh. I just want to remain active and I want my jeans to continue to fit me. I've been getting comments about me being "too skinny" or that I lost the weight "too fast". I am becoming annoyed at these comments. People don't understand that I work out at least an hour a day. I eat a very healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I don't eat the candy, cookies, pie, or fat and carb loaded meals brought from the drug reps. Maybe I need to let comments roll of my shoulders but it is hard not to say back "what did you do at 5:00am for your workout?" I don't like to be judged by those that are not in my running shoes.

I can report that my running is coming along. I was at Waterfall Glen on Saturday and ran/walk over six miles! On Sunday, I ran 3 miles and today I ran too. I have also started going to spin classes on a regular basis. I feel good about my progress. I hope that I can keep this pace and not get re-injured.

The injection has helped my knee. I guess I will be needing the surgery. I will be seeing Dr. E in 4 weeks to discuss this. I hope that the injection will last a few months!

Chondromalacia Patella

I saw the orthopedic surgeon today and was told that my problem is not so much my ITB but something called "chondromalacia patella". I guess as time goes on and with over use the cartilage starts to wear and fray. Dr. E told me that my ITB is only mildly tight at this time. I was happy to hear that all my stretching is helping. I did get a steroid injection into the knee joint. If this helps...arthoscopic surgery . If it doesn't...that is the question I didn't ask.

My restrictions are no running for 2 weeks. I honestly couldn't decide if I should get the injection because of the running ban. I know it is crazy but I would rather run in pain than not run at all. Dr. E totally understood my dilemna and waited patiently while I sweated out an answer.

The injection was not bad at all but then again I have a really high pain tolerance. He said I could resume spinning, elliptical and walking tomorrow. I have to admit that after working all day post shot my knee did hurt a little. It also feels weird like something is under my knee cap and it feels like I want to pop/crack my knee.

So, I will be very good and I will not run for 2 weeks. Chief is going to walk the boys tomorrow because on Tuesday I normally run and I don't want to be tempted.

I guess I am glad I rejoined the YMCA. Elliptical and stinky dudes here I come.

By the way, I have arthritis setting in on my right knee (the one I had the ACL repair on when I was in highschool). The knee that hurts has no arthritis, go figure.

Frustrated

Time to update on my running or lack of running. While on vacation I did 5K's on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. We biked the other days. When we got back home I continued with the running and biking. I was feeling really great. I was able to do 6 miles at WFG on September 1st in 84 minutes. During the following week I was mostly running and only walking hills. My last visit to WFG was on September 6th. I did the 6 miles in 72 minutes. As you can see my times improved. On September 9th while on my way home from a 3 mile run I felt the old familiar pain. I have not run since.

I see that I probably over did it again. I just can't figure out how to hold myself back. I LOVE to run and I love to challenge myself. It is so frustrating to have to walk when I know I could run, be done, and feel great. After I felt the pain I took 3 days off. No running, no walking, no nothing. I took Advil, I iced, I stretched, and I am terrible at being patient.

I made the appointment to see the Orthopedic Surgeon for October 6th. I don't know what to expect. I've seen the sports medicine physician, had a cortisone injection, did two rounds of PT, and I had the MRI. I hope he doesn't say "let's do more PT". I just want this thing fixed for good. I have been dealing with this since January 2006 and I just want to be able to run. I don't really want to have surgery but I don't want to have this problem anymore. I wonder what my options are.

A Little Rain?

We definitely got a little rain. A little too much! The county we live in is listed by the Governor as a "disaster" area. Fortunately, we faired well. The rain started Friday during the day and by Saturday morning at 3:00am, Chief was putting together the 15 gallon Shopvac. We have a foundation that is roughly 100 years old. Needless to say it leaks. Thank God the sump pump works and thank God we did not lose power or we would have had some problems. The good ole Shopvac sucked up over 60 gallons of water over 3 days!

Here are some pictures of the pond that over flowed near our neighborhood.

This kid is walking/balancing on the railing of the bridge. See the other kids in the background?

This is where the pond flooded across the street. Since the street was closed, kids had a blast riding their bikes through the water.

The pond's bank is actually behind the trees in the middle of the picture.

I am again thankful that we were able to come out of this with just a damp basement. I feel really sorry for the people who are not as lucky as us. We will try to stay high and dry for a while.

Missing Dad

He just turned 48 when he left my mom, sisters, and me. The day he died is forever embedded in my memory. What I seem to forgot is what his voice sounded like or how a hug felt from him. I wished he could have been with us when we played sports, graduated, got married, had babies and lived our lives. I wish we had one more moment.

I believe he was and is watching over us. He has to be. He wouldn't want to miss out on anything. I believe that he is happy that our family is close. He probably would want us to get together more. I heard he liked a good party. I am glad that my sisters and mom are getting together tomorrow night at my dad's high school hangout. I wish I could be there too. Hopefully they remember old times and tell stories.

Girls and boys, have pizza and drink beer. Dad would want it that way. Laugh and talk. Remember and make memories. When you say "goodbye" don't forget to hug each other. Please remember what it feels like. Keep the moment alive.

What To Do About Neil?

I love Neil Diamond. I have loved his songs since I was a young girl. Since moving to Chicago, I have been so fortunate to have close friends that also enjoy him. In fact I have gone to every concert that he has done in since 1998.

I am positive that my mom's love for Neil influenced me. So, because he was going to play a concert in GreenBay, Wisconsin I thought it to be a perfect gift to give my mom. She has never been to a Neil Diamond concert. The good news, mom, me and Terri (sister 2) were going to go see him when I was on vacation on August 28th. The bad news, he postponed the concert to September 12. The good news, I got that day off to drive up North and finally enjoy the concert with my mom. The bad news, he postponed until November 4th.

What to do about Neal? I guess, I ask for November 4th and 5th off and pray for good weather. I purposely left the tickets up there in case something happens. My mom still wants to go but if there is any chance of snow I will not be going. I am sure I could get Chief's mom to take my place. Anyway, pray for good weather and no more cancelled concerts.

Back in the Saddle Again

Having a week off of work was fun. We brought the road bikes up north with us. I was not sure how that would work out for me. My ITB seems to flair with riding but I really wanted to try and ride.

We rode twice to Two Rivers and when we got back to Illinois we rode on the Frontage roads. I have some pain with inclines and so I try to keep myself in low gears and less tension. It is kind of hard to ride this way. I really am a masher but this injury is changing those bad habits. I had more problems with my right arm than my ITB. Last year in December I fell and sustained a slightly displaced radial head fracture. This is the head one of the two lower arm bones closest to my elbow. You could say it was a broken elbow but I like the technical terminology. Anyway, I noticed this to be a problem on the trainer and it has continued outside. I guess this too will take time to improved or get used to.

It is fun riding again. September is here and I know I have a few more weekends to enjoy on the rode. Better late than never.

Homeward Bound and Back

We are back from vacation. Last weekend we packed up the boys, the bikes, and all of the clothes needed for swimming, biking, running, and shopping. We headed north to Wisconsin and had a great summer vacation.

We kept fairly busy. Every morning I went for a run, bike, or walk. I was joking when I said it was like going to "fat-camp". I ate healthy and kept busy with the workouts. So what did we do? We started the trip with a birthday party for my niece, which included a water balloon fight. We got to see my side of the family and we had a good time. That was the coldest of the days. It was in the 70's with a breeze so getting wet wasn't the best. I tried to avoid direct hits.

Monday we went sailing off of Manitowoc with Chief's uncle. Uncle David has a 25-foot sailboat called "Poppyseed". It was a beautiful day. Seeing the lakeshore and being on the lake reminds me of how pretty the area is where we grew up. The wind made the waves 1-2 feet that on a fishing boat isn't so bad but a sailboat is so low to the water. I did get a little seasick towards the end. I started with just a slight headache and then my stomach got queasy. I didn't say anything because I don't know when we will get the chance to sail again and I wanted the fun to last. When we got on land I took some Excedrin and ate some pretzels. Within a hour I was much better. Later that evening we got to spend some time with Chief's family. Our niece who is now a kindergartner had too much cake with extra frosting (Ahhh...sugar-high). She was bouncing around the living room and was entertaining me. She is so cute!

Tuesday we went to Door County. Just Chief and I drove up and spent the day together. We took a picnic lunch and ate at a wayside. I was a little sad because on the way up we found out that the Niel Diamond concert that I had tickets for was postponed from Wednesday to September 12th. I was upset because I wasn't sure if I could get off of work in 2 weeks to come back and take my mom and sister to see the concert. I made a desperate phone call to my boss and a few hours later she called to say I could that day off. (I brought her back apple butter and cherry butter as a thank you.) So, after that, my mood was much better and we enjoyed a day of shopping and sight seeing. We went up to Sister Bay. They have a neat restaurant called "Al Johnson's". They have actual goats on the roof of this place that spend the day in the sun eating grass on the roof. On our way back down we stopped at a cool place called Woodard Orchard. They have lots of home made goodies from pastry to flavored butters. There are also a plethora of free samples. It was a good snack for our drive back.

Wednesday we took the boys to the beach. JJ knew exactly where he was and pulled to the water. He jumped right in and swam. He also drank. He drank a lot!!! Dusty did not want anything to do with the lake. We tried to coax him in but he was too smart. I carried him in and gently put his back legs in which was like putting a cat in water. Needless to say Dusty watched from the comfort of the towels while his brother played. Chief said it was one of JJ's best days ever and Dusty's worst. By the way, JJ pee'd a lot that night.

Thursday and Friday I spent with my mom and sister. We went shopping in Appleton and Green Bay. We even got a free lunch at a microbrewery because after waiting over an hour for our food my sister told the wait staff we were going to leave. Apparently she forgot to put our order in. The manager came over and told us that if we stay the meal would be free. So, we waited and ate a very nice lunch. Chief and I went back to the beach on Friday night. We took my niece with us. She is in 8th grade and I gave her the "safety talk". I was glad she went because I was a wimp and didn't go in past my waist. For one, the water was cool and for two, I am a chicken about "under-tow". She and Chief swam way out to the 2nd sandbar and I took pictures and played in the sand. We had a really nice time.

Saturday was our last day. We went for a walk to the local farmers market. I bought corn and apples. We went for our last bike ride to Two Rivers. There is a paved trail that runs along Lake Michigan called Mariners Trail. We took it to TR on Wednesday. It is only about 6 or 7 miles to TR. We really enjoyed the view and it is flat and fast. Some local groups plant gardens and it is just beautiful. In the afternoon we went to a Roncalli High School football game. Chief and I went to Roncalli and my nephew plays for them. They lost but it was a good game.

We drove back to Illinois later that evening. It was the Harley Davidson 105th anniversary weekend in Milwaukee so we saw a lot of interesting people riding bikes.

Now that we are home we are trying to get out of vacation mode. We pick up my sister and brother in law at O’Hare Airport on Tuesday. They are coming back from Germany and I can't wait to hear about their vacation. Then it will back to work on Wednesday.

I had a great time up north. I wish I could see my family more. It's fun spending time with everyone even if it is only for a few hours but I always feel that there isn't enough time. Mostly, I enjoyed being with Chief. We had quality time together. I need to make us a priority more and this was just the beginning.

All About Dusty

About a year ago Chief and I considered adding to our family. We thought JJ could use a brother and we had the itch to have a little excitement in our house. So after much discussion and research we decided to adopt a little mini Aussie named Dusty.

Dusty's story is that he was given up because his previous owners moved to an apartment that had a 20 pound weight limit on pets. He came from Minnesota and was brought to Wisconsin to be fostered by his temporary mom Sandy. Sandy and her family brought Dusty in and took great care of the little guy. He had a cyst on his head which had been infected, he was underweight, and he had worms. He had a very shy personality but was the sweetest dog.

We corresponded with Sandy for many days trying to figure out if he was a good fit for our family. Dusty needed confidence. He didn't know about toys or how to play with other dogs. He was non-confrontational and afraid of some dogs. Would we be a good fit for him? Would JJ be a good big brother and teach him about play and toys? Would JJ resent us for bringing home a new dog?

We decided to drive up towards Milwaukee and meet Dusty. We took JJ with us too that way we could see how they would interact. It was a rainy and cool August Saturday. We got to Sandy's house and minutes later we met Dusty. She opened her garage door and there he was. The cutest little dog ever. He was so very shy and he was skinny. He had this cute little face and he knew how to look so sad. I bent down as did Chief as we petted him and tried to get him to trust us.

Since JJ was still in the car waiting to meet this new guy, Sandy thought it would be a good idea to let the boys play in her fenced back yard. Just like Sandy said Dusty had no idea how to play. JJ tried so hard. He tried to play chase but Dusty wouldn't run. He would lay down at Dusty's level but Dusty had no interest. We could see that there would not be any problems with fighting between the two of them. JJ got bored after a while and decided to sit on Sandy's deck and watch the Aussies inside of her house from her patio doors. Chief, I, and Dusty tried to figure out if he should come home with us. We spent a few hours there and decided that we could give this a try. We adopted this little guy and away we went back to our house.

He has been with us for a year now. The first months were not easy. Dusty has separation anxiety and after many nights of not sleeping he made it into our bed. At first JJ would not have anything to do with Dusty, even going upstairs, but I think he too was tired of the crying by his brother at night. Dusty didn't do well in his kennel when we went to work. We figured he cried all day and by the wetness outside of his kennel door he was probably barking too. He also had accidents in his kennel and just when we were about to give up on him we decided to leave he and JJ in the kitchen while we went to work. Perfect solution. He never had a problem after we got rid of his kennel. JJ was a trooper for staying in the kitchen. Before Dusty was here, JJ had the whole house to himself. He didn't seem to mind regressing back to one room all day so he could hang out with his new brother. Eventually, Dusty graduated and now when we leave they get to have the entire house.

His favorite things to do are: sleep on the couch, watch squirrels, bite JJ's ankles, run with dad three times a week, steal toys, play fetch, go to school at Doggie Depot, car rides, walks, and anything to do with going outside.

Dusty has come a long way. With Sandy's encouragement when things were tough, Dusty found a forever family. With the help of Brian and Colleen at Doggie Depot, he has more confidence with other dogs and his play skills are exceptional. Because of JJ, he knows all about toys, how to pee in the yard, and has new friends (canine and human) in the neighborhood. He is a good little brother and a good little dog. He is Chief's little buddy and my little guy. We love Dusty and he is a perfect fit for our family.

Lazy Sunday

It seems to be a lazy Sunday at our house. Except for Chief who ran 2 hours today. I walked the boys to the pond and went to breakfast with some friends. Today is an "off day" for me. I did my 5K walk/run yesterday and was not excited to get that work out in. I woke up tired and unmotivated. I was also feeling rushed because I had to get to the farmers market, shower, and get to work by 9:00am. I tried to talk myself out of the 5K but Chief is either the devil or the angel on my shoulder. I listened to him and off I went. I felt pretty crappy in the beginning but still decided to run earlier than usual. My usual rule is walk for the first 10 minutes and the last 5 minutes. Anything in the middle is fair game. Because I was rushed for time I ran after the first 5 minutes. I still try to walk the hills because of my knee and I was so happy to have an excuse to walk! When the flats came I ran again. I found myself to be very lethargic and at times it felt like I was running in place. I had to tell myself to just find the rhythm. I got to a part of the 5K that I normally run and I had some ITB pulling. Knowing I should walk I did. Obvious I put too much running in the beginning and now the middle was suffering. I was happy to turn onto our street and finish. My time was improved but I felt like crap. Sometimes bad workouts seem worthless but for me it was a lesson in pushing myself. So to the devil on my shoulder I thank you for talking me into going yesterday. I am so enjoying my "off day".

Go Cubs Go

I had not been to a Chicago Cubs game since my sister's God parents took us when I was 18 years old. So, when some tickets became available Chief and I jumped at the chance to go to Wrigley field.

Dr. Ed and his wife picked us up and we drove to Chicago with very little traffic. Parking was easy and off we go to the stadium. It was around 11:30am so we decided to grab a bite and some beer before heading to our seats. Chief had to suffer with Old Style Lite. I laughed because Old Style was my dad's beer of choice so I told him that he was having one for dad. When we were walking to our seats we did pass a beer hut with Corona, Heineken, and other good choices...poor Chief. We walked very high and guess what? Our seats are in section 516, row 9, and 101-104. What does that mean? We sat in the final and highest row in the stadium. There was nothing behind us but fence to hold us in. Us girls were cold! It was a breezy day with the wind off the lake. The actual temperature was 80 degrees and sunny but up there it was freezing and shady. I didn't think I would ever experience a wind chill in August!

The game was uneventful and I was secreting hoping for it to speed up as I was really cold. I also was getting annoyed at the people needing to exit the row for beer, food, or bathroom. You have to know that the seats are very small and our legs are cramped. I have big feet so whenever anyone had to get passed me I would have to point them sideways so not to get stepped on.

It was around the fifth inning that Dr. Ed went to get coffee for his wife. He didn't come back with any because he waited in line for 20 minutes and found out that booth was out. Shortly after that a miracle happened. He found a friend of his who happened to be in the 6th row behind home plate. With a little convincing he took me and Mrs. Ed down to the best seats in the stadium. I kid you not we sat in the sun and the seats actually burned our bums. I could see Chief all the way high and was glad when a few people left and gave us their ticket stubs so now all of us could enjoy a piece of heaven.

I love, love, love those seats! Next time I go to a game I hope I get to sit in the sun and get to stretch my legs out. These seats were awesome. Larger and more room for my big feet. I was so happy there. I didn't want the game to end but it did in the top of the 9th. We sang the winning song and headed back to the car to get some supper.

Dr. Ed decided to take us to Twin Anchor's in Chicago. He said he heard they had the best ribs in town. I had a chicken sandwich because of my diet but the guys had the ribs and they both agreed that they were pretty darn good.

We got back home around 6:30pm and visited a while with some neighbors. I still have that stupid Go Cubs Go song in my head! It was a great day.

Sunday walk at WFG

Wow, it has been a long time since I went out to Waterfall Glen. This is a forest preserve off of I55 and Cass Ave. in Darien, Il. It is about a 20 minute drive to get there. It is a great place to run, bike, hike, walk or do what ever it is you want to do. The path is crushed limestone and the total loop is just about 9 miles with some hills. This is not a flat loop. I ran it a lot when I was training for the half marathon.

I went with Chief today. He usually runs there once a week. With the injury I am suppose to stay on flat surfaces but I felt that since I have been walking everyday for almost a month it was time to give this a try. We decided to go separate directions and I would do a 45 minute walk out and back for a total of 90 minutes.

So, I head out and felt really good. I got pass the 2 mile marker and decided that I would try to run just a little bit. That really hurt but I needed to try it. At about 40 minutes in I was looking to get to the 3 mile marker by my 45 minute turn around point. I knew it was close so as time kept ticking, I decided to jog to find it as I knew it was close. After getting to the mile marker I turned around and jogged back for a few minutes. I knew that I was being stupid with the jogging so I made myself stop. It is so hard to be out there with other runners and only walk. I kept thinking that I use to be able to run to the 3 mile marker in 30 minutes and this took me 47 minutes! Yikes...well, you can't live in the past can you?

On my way back I saw two 6 point bucks. God, they were beautiful and so close! I saw blue jays, bunnies, and heard angry bull frogs. There were a ton of slugs on the trail. That was kind of gross. Chief caught up with me and I told him I would be 4 minutes late. When he was far enough a head of me I jogged some more. I completed 6 miles in 94 minutes. My best run there was 9 miles in 89 minutes. I wonder if I will ever get to run again.

On the bright side the ITB is not too bad. It stings a little but with some stretching I think I will be okay. Also, I walked hills today! There is nothing flat about WFG so I have something else to be proud of!

Progress

Progress has been made be it ever so slow. I have been able to walk for 30 minutes everyday for two weeks. Today I was able to hop on the trainer and ride my bike for 30 minutes. I know it is not running but I am on my way. I even enjoyed the trainer because I could watch an episode from the first season of "House".

I still have pain everyday but I am able to manage it with Advil. I had my physical last week and my doctor agreed with the sports medicine physcian that I should see an orthopedic surgeon. I probably will but for now I feel that since I am making some progress let's just keep going and see how far I can make it.

I am also on a diet. I have lost some weight and I think that is why my knee pain is more tolerable. I need to do some simple quad strengthing exercises and will probably work this in next week.

I know it is best to move slowly and this time I am going to keep up the snail pace. Even though it's hard it is best for now.

Independence Day Reflection

I got to thinking about my childhood and some of my favorite memories are about the Fourth of July. I grew up in Two Rivers, Wisconsin (a small town on Lake Michigan and proudly the "Home of the Ice Cream Sundae") and we celebrated every year with day long anticipation of the fireworks display. I was so fortunate to have a close knit family and tradition. My family...I could go on for days about them. I have 5 sisters and when I was young my mom and dad. Dad died when I was in 8th grade and sadly so did some of the traditions that I miss.

Every July 4th our cousins from the "country" would come and spend the day. They had 3 boys and 1 girl and luckily for me Dawn was my age and I loved when we got together. The day would start with a trip to downtown to watch the parade. Afterwards we played and rehearsed our annual "firecracker boom, boom, boom" cheer while my God-parents and Dad went golfing. When they returned my dad would "fry out" which is barbecuing for the rest of the world. That was always a sight. He had 2 bottles of beer - one for drinking and one for "putting out the flames" which I am pretty sure actually did have water in it.

The town shot off the fireworks from Neshota Park which is near the lake. We had a perfect view from our back yard. The older kids got to climb on the roof of the garage and watch. The rest of us had lawn seats. When it was over we would watch our dads light off our little firecrackers on the street. We always had the crowd favorites of snakes, smoke bombs, and sparklers.

And then tradition went away. I don't know why and it doesn't really matter. There were years that we stopped celebrating the way we had in the past. This year my family got together on the fourth and did things the old way. I just hope that my sisters continue this with their families forever. We don't get up north as often as we used to. We blame this on holiday traffic and there is never enough time to spend with everyone. I guess if I miss it so much it must be time to go home more. It's time for me to pass down the "firecracker cheer" to my nieces. Maybe next year I will be back.

For those who "TRI"

Even though I am not a triathlete I really enjoy following those that are. My husband started racing 8 years ago. When he first told me that he was going to try to do one I remember asking "you're going to do what?". Sure he was a strong biker and his run was okay but let's now factor in the swim. I am sure he was influenced by his friend Kim who had completed an Ironman. Well, he worked at it and he accomplished his goal. Kim is now training for her 3rd Ironman. Chief has been "training" with her by doing the long runs with her on the weekend. These guys get up at 4:30 in the morning to run 18 miles! I get crabby just thinking about it.

When we moved to this neighborhood, we pulled in the driveway with our bikes on the car. We had not met but one family and then down the street comes a woman on a road bike. She would turn out to be a triathlete. She had raced half-Ironman distances. We would become good friends with her and her husband. Eventually Chief and Karen would convince myself and Dennis to try a triathlon. Dennis learned to swim so he could do this! I thought we were all crazy!

My short career, my only triathlon was a sprint with the swim in a pool. I was so nervous. When I went to sign in they didn't have my reservation. THANK GOD! I told the lady not to worry, I would come back next year. My loving husband said she was going to fit me in and that was that, I was assigned a swim start. Actually, looking back the swim was the fun part. I remember it to be so rhythmic. I only breathe on the right so every time I took my breath (one the way down) I would see the crowd. Then came the bike. That was fun too because I think it was my strongest part. Finally, the run. The first part of the run wasn't too bad but being my first triathlon I didn't save anything. I just wanted to finish as fast as I could to be done! I ran and thought I was going to puke but I didn't. I finished the race. I even placed in my age division! It was hard and it felt good to be done.

Through the years I have met other triathletes. One of the toughest people I know is MJ. She truly has passion and commitment for this sport. I met Jennifer Garrision last year through Team LunaChix and I was so amazed at how humble she was. She is an Olympic distance USA National champion and she is amazing. I follow Bree Wee and Jennifer Harrison through their blogs. All of these people are an inspiration to so many others.

I don't know if I will do another triathlon. Maybe someday. For now, I will keep watching and cheering on those that do. As for Chief, he is still racing. He likes the sprint distances and maybe someday with some swim training we will see him do a half Ironman distance! I think Kim can talk him into it.