It's Fun to Run in Different Places

I found the above advertisement for JetBlue in one of my husband's running magazines and I liked it so much that I pulled it out and hung it on my closet door. And you know what? It IS fun to run in different places! I know it's been almost a year since my last post so let me catch you up to date.

Alas, the marathon never happened as we were assigned to Ketchikan, AK rather than the Anchorage area but I'm happy to report that I've continued to run. I am nowhere near gazelle status, in fact, I've hesitated for a long time to call myself a runner at all since, to watch me in action, you'd think I could probably make more progress at a fast walk but, screw it, I AM a runner. I wiggle into my skirtsport capris, strap on my running shoes, grab my visor...and I run...in different places...and, most of the time, it's fun!

Old US Hwy 2, Libby, MT

I've run on trails in the mountains of Northwestern, MT...

Salvage Trail, Ketchikan, AK

I've run on trails in Ketchikan, AK....

Beach off of Pierpont, Ventura, CA

I've run on the beaches in Ventura, CA....

Palm Desert, CA

And I'm currently learning to run on the streets in Palm Springs, CA.

Riley leading the way

I've run with my dogs, without my dogs, with bears, with seagulls, with eagles, past dolphins and orcas, surfers and golfcarts and cacti and pine trees and totem poles. And there are days when I'm just downright discouraged in my ability, my body, my...running. But through it all I've learned alot about myself and the beautiful thing is I'm still learning. Who knew trail-running would be a passion of mine, that I can get rid of a side stitch by concentrating on my breathing and taking deep breaths, that when I'm miserable and all I want to do is sit down...I can actually keep going, that even though I'm "not built for running", I'm doing it, that my legs are strong and the rhythmic crunch, crunch of my feet on gravel is a wonderful meditation in itself? So, I might not be winning any races anytime soon, and I still have to slink over to the "Large" clothing section in the running store but, so what! I'm a runner and I'm proud of myself and I'm going to keep running in different places because, damn it, it's fun!

Marathon Training (aka What the Heck Am I Thinking?)

I’ve always admired runners. Real runners, the ones that gallop along covering mile after mile with spines erect and toned arms pumping. Those sleek gazelles, muscles contracting then stretching out in a ballet of mechanics, making the effort look almost…well… effortless. My husband is one of those gazelles and he has a multitude of friends just like him who think nothing about going out for a quick 20 miler….up the mountain…in the snow (and if you think I’m exaggerating, just check out his blog http://www.fishbikerun.blogspot.com/).

I have to admit, I have always enjoyed hanging out with these superhumans. They have this camaraderie, this connection, that’s infectious and yea, ok, I have secretly hoped that by just hanging out with them maybe some of their athletic prowess would seep into me, like osmosis. But, alas, to no avail. They’ve always been more than willing to include me in their after-run breakfasts, the after-race BBQ’s, or the night-before-the-marathon carbo loads. Unfortunately, they could then go off and burn 600 calories by sneezing while I’m left holding the caloric bag (or saddlebags, to be exact).

So, with summer coming and a desire to squeeze into a bikini at least once more before things start sagging so low I’d need a crane to get them back into place, I have decided to really get serious about exercising. Wow, you might think, you are so lucky to have access to all of these athletes and all of that knowledge but you, I will point out, are forgetting one simple fact. They are not mortal! What is a warm-up to them would land me in the hospital. I waddle, they fly. I jiggle, they stride. I wheeze and hack, they breeze and whack…palms together in a high five after completing that 50 mile trail run and then head off to get pizza and a beer. Do you see my dilemma?

Erik's Exercise Log I’m sure you can then understand that it was with some trepidation that I mentioned to Erik, after he told me that he was planning to run the Mayor's Marathon in Anchorage, that I might, and I stress, might, want to run the half-marathon. Having been married to me for awhile, unfortunately he has become wise to my ways and knows of my aversion to any sort of athletic endeavor, and the first thing he said was, “You know you’re going to have to train…and that means running”. Hrrmph! But, once he was sure I wasn’t drunk and just spouting off, he actually got excited and came up with a training program for me. Gulp!

So, here I am, on the brink of becoming a member of a group I’ve so long admired…a runner. Ok, wait, let’s not get carried away. More, like, a jogger. Yea, a jogger. I can embrace that for now. And I’m happy to report I made it through 2 days of Erik’s training program….and I didn’t die, or cramp up, or collapse on the trail. My dogs did wonder what new game this was as I tentatively strugg…I mean, strode, down the trail, but, heck, I was doing it and I believe there was even a slight breeze in my hair and a trickle of sweat on my brow. Now, I certainly won’t be high-fiving anyone anytime soon and I do still have 10 weeks and 5 days of his torture training left to go but I will cautiously admit that my first tentative foray into this scary new world was, dare I say….fun?

First Day Of Spring

Spring is definitely springing here in the beautiful Sierra Nevadas. The weathermen are threatening more snow but I'm going to my happy place and will believe these 70 degree days aren't going to budge. All the local stores have started putting out their hardy annuals, varieties of bagged mulch and soil amendments and I have to admit I'm like a crack addict when it comes to that first sniff of rich, dark dirt. I want to grab my trowel and start digging! I knew I was in trouble when I caught myself with my nose pressed up against the glass of the local garden center wondering if I could possibly keep a hybrid tea rose alive in our rolling tin can that we now call home.

Ah, how I miss my garden right now! I'm certainly having a great time on the road but there is a piece of my heart left behind in the dirt of Missoula. I wonder if my crocus are up or if the tulips have started making an appearance, and if my little magnolia made it through this tough winter. So, to my gardening friends in Missoula, wish I was there to plot, plan, weed and turn that soil with you and please plant a pepper for me!

Happy Valentines Day

The Grand Adventure

For all of those who have wondered where the heck I've been and why I haven't posted for the last few months (by the way, thank you for the emails!), I am happy to tell you that Erik and our menagerie are off on a Grand Adventure! We quit our day jobs, put our house up for rent, bought a motorhome and packed up our 3 wacky dogs and have hit the road.

How are we able to do this, you ask? Well, because I have a kick-ass husband who is a very talented Physical Therapist, he was able to sign up to be a "contract" PT and, thus, can choose from assignments all over the US. The assignments are usually 3 months in length so it's a great way for us to experience an area that we wouldn't necessarily want to move to but have always wanted to get a taste of...like the South or New England or Alaska or New Mexico (can you tell I'm excited?).

So, our plan is to be on the road for the next couple of years and we've started a blog if you're interested in tracking our progress. I will still be posting to this blog but it will be a little more sporadically.

Thanks again to all of you who have shown your support and interest in my crazy ramblings and I look forward to keeping you enteretained as I progress on our Grand Adventure!

Time For Bed

Well, another gardening season is coming to a close and it's time to say goodbye to my good flowery friends and wish them a nice, long, safe slumber. This time of year always makes me a bit melancholy, especially so this year as I am preparing to leave my garden for awhile to travel around on a great adventure, so I've let them stay up way past their normal bedtime. Now, some (i.e. the responsible ones), have already put themselves to bed and are snoozing away in their dormancy, but my roses are like giggly girls at a slumber party and I finally had to go out there and tuck them in and turn out the lights.

Armed with my trusty tools, I headed out into the garden one last time. Now, I know parents are not supposed to have favorites but I will admit that roses absolutely drop me to my knees. When healthy and in full-bloom, they are heartbreakingly beautiful and come in so many luscious colors and scents it's like trying to pick a ball-gown and a favorite perfume when I'm contemplating my next purchase. Ok, yes, they are a bit high maintenance (especially in Montana) but my roses at the end of the season remind me of a queen who has fallen on hard times. Her dress might be a bit tattered and torn from frost, aphids and powdery mildew but she valiantly fights off marauding dogs with her thorns and sends up blooms so gorgeous that there is no question who rules this garden. And as any good serf will, though it's time-consuming, back-breaking work, I gladly kneel at their feet and help them prepare for slumber.

I certainly wasn't alone, either, as I plucked, pruned and raked away. It was a rare sunny, slightly warm day so lots of the neighbors were also out getting ready to button down for the winter. My "challenging" neighbor, the one who is noisy and gregarious with absolutely no boundaries when it comes to helping himself from my garden or inviting himself in to my home, popped his head in to see if I might have any garden leftovers that he could have.

I took a break when he showed up and admired the handiwork on his own little abode. What is it about squirrels' nests that make them look so cozy? As the sun dropped and my little neighbor made his way home, I imagined him snuggled up tight in his little tree house.

Then one of my favorite neighbors dropped in for a little chit-chat and some preening.

And, of course the supervisors were on duty.

( Obviously, the grueling work schedule wore them out.)

So, another year has come and gone. My seedlings, the ones I worried and fussed over, are now done, the tomatoes, peppers, squash, lettuce, etc long since a distant memory and tonight I pulled the last of the carrots. Since the roses have finally gone to bed and the rest of the flowers are safely sleeping, I guess I can put down my pruning shears and call it a day. Goodnight, my friends, sweet dreams and I'll see you soon!

Stories and Stones

Missoula Cemetery

It's a rainy Saturday morning, cold and damp with snow swirling on the higher peaks around us, so I figured I'd grab my fuzzy slippers and another cup of espresso and settle down to blog.

And this blog is going to be about one of our local Missoula treasures...the Missoula Cemetery.


What?!! A cemetery?!, you might exclaim but I say, Yes, a cemetery! Established in 1884, not only is it a lovely place for an afternoon stroll with its ornate headstones and rows of big, old maples but at least once a year, it's as if your history book comes alive.

Every Fall, volunteers bring to life the stories of deceased patrons. From the Missoula Madam, Mary Gleim, to Missoula's very own serial killer, Wayne Nance, to Missoula's founding fathers which range from architects to Civil War soldiers and, of course, the one I'm most fascinated with, Jeanette Rankin, the first woman elected to Congress in a time before women even had the right to vote! Heck, to this day, we even have a lovely store dedicated to her and her pursuit of peace, Jeanette Rankin Peace Center. And, might I add, this makes it all the more dear to my heart after taking part in the most exciting election I have had the honor of participating in...Yes, we can! May our President-Elect carry us gracefully through a new era of peace, compassion and hopefulness. But, I digress...

My good friend Lori, and her daughters, Emily and Audrey, accompanied me on this Fall afternoon to Stories and Stones at the Missoula Cemetery. It was a gorgeous autumn day and we all had a lovely time kicking our way through fallen leaves as we wandered around with the other Missoulians listening to the stories of lives from long ago. There were hay rides to be taken and goodies to be nibbled and they even provided the kids with paper and crayons so they could make etchings of the stones.

Emily making an engraving

This is one of the many reasons I love this little town I live in. Friends and neighbors getting together in a postcard perfect setting to celebrate the lives we share now and the lives of those who came before us. Thanks Lori, Emily and Audrey for sharing your time, stories and smiles with me!