Alive

Yes, I am still alive. I just am not living my life to its fullest. I have not jumped into the pool yet. I was trying to convince Chief to go with me these last few weeks but he isn’t interested. I don’t blame him, as I am not interested either. I did hop on the trainer and have some medial pain especially in a higher gear. I will be sure to talk to Dr. E about that tomorrow. I have gained some weight but not so much that I hate myself. I just need to get things in control very soon.

I am glad that the weather is warming up. I did take a really nice and long walk with JJ on Saturday. Chief went running with his friends and took Dusty with him. Dusty was very dirty when they got done and had his first bath in our bathtub. He was not happy with this. On the other hand, JJ was thrilled. He just wagged his tail and was watching the whole time.

Nothing is new with me. I have just been a slug trying to crawl out of this hole that I am in. Things are better with my sadness. I am okay now. It is hard to get back into a fitness routine when so much time was taken off. I just need to get motivated again.

I have been thinking of a new name for my blog. Any suggestions? Blogging is good for me so I will post more often. I know it won’t be about me running. Maybe it will be about me learning to be a “real swimmer”. That’s a thought.

BUSTED

JJ has never been allowed on the furniture. He has always been okay with this rule. Something changed his mind. This something was probably Dusty. Now, Dusty has always been allowed a small corner of the couch. Not because we encouraged it but because he is so OCD that it was a battle we couldn’t win. Thankfully he is only 20 pounds and doesn’t take up much space. Plus he is very easy to pick up and move.

A few weeks ago Chief went downstairs in the middle of the night and busted JJ. Our sweet, innocent, obedient dog was stretched on his back, tummy up, on our couch! I didn’t believe Chief when he told me. Well, we have been playing detective and have the pictures to prove it. As you can see, JJ is quite content being up on the furniture. There are times when we are watching TV and JJ will sit in front of us and start “talking”. Mostly it is a whine/moan and we are convinced he is saying, “Move over and make room for me”. Yes, we are suckers. We are dealing with this new behavior by not encouraging it but at the same time we are not kicking him off either. Let’s say that I believe dogs understand the concept of “fairness”. So, we will see what he thinks he is entitled to next. Hopefully, it is not taking my seat in the car!

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.