TTT

1.  I looked back through my blogs from last year at this time.  I was at 136 this time in 2012.  Funny how that seems so long ago but it really wasn't.

2.  The reason I looked at my old blogs was to see when I got the synthetic visceral fluid injections in my knee.  I could have sworn it was a year ago and, therefore, time for another series.  As it turns out I didn't get the injections until June.  For some reason I don't want to go back in for more shots until the one year mark.  I probably need to suck it up and go in anyway.  I do love my chirpractor and he is good at what he does but going in to see him twice a week at $30 a visit adds up.

3.  Today is a run day.  I am going to try not to push it, may only do 2 miles, it depends on how things go. 

4.  As I was packing my running bag last night I had an overwhelming feeling that I was forgetting something.  Instead of looking in the bag to see what I had, I just kept stuffing things in it.  This morning I picked up my overstuffed bag and the strap broke.  We had a good run, me and my lug puddle jumper, but it is time to move on. 

5.  I ordered the above bag to replace the old one.  It is an Adidas and has a 5 star review on Amazon.  It sounds and looks like it will have plenty of room for all my gear and it has a waterproof bottom for locker room showers.  I hope the Amazon Prime fairies hurry up and get it here.

6.  I hate football, there I said it.  Dennis hate pretty much all sports.  So we go out to eat on superbowl sunday.  It is deserted and you have the place pretty much to yourself.  This year we are going to Sante Fe because I have a groupon.  Then we can sit at home and watch the cuteness that is the puppy bowl!!  I want to be the ref so bad!!

7.  I think our crazy lady drama at work is over but no one is talking.  There were boxes, security, and union reps involved but we are only told that crazy is on leave.  Hum.  I was tempted to bring in ding dong the witch is dead donuts today but I didn't because I didn't want to have to eat one.

8.  I have been thinking it is one day later then it really is all week long.  When I have to come into work tomorrow I am not going to be happy since I have to keep reminding myself today is THURSDAY!!

9.  I am getting a facelift.  Well not me so much as my blog.  I just couldn't stand looking at everyones cute blogs any longer with my plane jane one. 

10.  Is it time to go home yet?

Rest day

I broke out the kettlebells yesterday when I got home from work.  I was careful not to do anything that required lunges or squats to try and keep the IT band and knee from getting irritated.  I ended up bonking poor Dexter in the head during the first exercise.  He yelped and ran to the bedroom.  I felt really bad but I knew he wouldn't come out of the bedroom until I called him, so I finished up (about 20 minutes) before I checked on him.  I am a horrible mother.  I knew I didn't hit him hard though, he is such a drama whore, takes after his grandma.

Today I am taking a rest day.  Tomorrow is a planned run day but I might do the stat bike at the gym. 

My eating is kind of out of control.  The fill I got a couple of weeks ago really didn't help at all.  Dennis brought home two big bags of peanut butter M&M's about a week ago, when he saw the stash was getting low he bought two more.  This is so not helping me.  Someone brought donuts to work yesterday and I ate one.  Then there is the jar a week white chocolate peanut butter addiction and the almost daily trips to Taco Bueno for two tacos.  The thing is, when I am at a good level I really don't crave this stuff.  I go back in to see him in a few weeks, I hope he can give me another small fill to try and level off the snack monster.  My weight has been pretty much holding at 115.  I did have a few 113.6 days, but they didn't last long.  Maybe I just need to come to terms with the fact that my body wants to be 115?  I was at 112 for so long though that I just want to get back there.

Maybe getting the freezer meals and actually planning dinner ahead will help me keep the snarf monster under control. 

I am starting to get frustrated again.  Such a horrible feeling.

What? me run?

Got good news at the chiropractor yesterday.  He agreed with me that my pain was all IT Band related and that he could fix it with some laser therapy and acupuncture.  It feels much better today, or at least it did until I walked into the door frame in the bathroom and banged the f*ck out of it.  Yep, I'm that graceful.  Anyway, Dr. Z told me to bike the rest of the week and I should be ready to go.  He also said that I jacked it up from running almost everyday and increasing my speed all at the same time. 

The weather was unseasonably warm yesterday, like 80's and humid warm.  I decided that it was just to nice to sit inside so I would go for a walk.  I walked for about 3 minutes (according to run keeper)until I broke into a slow comfortable jog.  It took me a couple of minutes before my brain kicked in and said "wait a minute, you aren't supposed to be doing that".  But it was not hurting and I was going at a pace that I felt I could sustain for a long period.  So I continued.  Please don't tell on me.  When I got home I iced my knee like a good girl and besides the bruise from the door frame, it feels okay.  I will ice it at work.  Today is supposed to be another warm day but it is supposed to rain.  My plan is to do kettlebells while I watch Dr. Phil when I get home.  Say a prayer that I don't knock one of my dogs in the head ;)

I went to a new place yesterday that has made ahead freezer meals and picked up a few to try it.  I got chicken delight, which is chicken with white wine sauce, swiss cheese and a little bit of dressing, chicken lasagna and chicken bruchette.  We ate the chicken delight last night and it was so freaking good.  We used to have a bunch of places like this but they slowly went out of business.  I really hated to see them go.  I am not a good cook, I can do the basics but that gets pretty boring, plus I don't like it enough to learn anything besides the basics.  Then there is the time aspect, by the time I get off work and get a run or workout in it is too late to start anything major.  I like to have my last meal eaten by 7:00 at the latest.  And I start to get resentful when Dennis gets home and it is just expected that despite working the same amount of hours and me getting a workout done, I am supposed to fix dinner.  What can I say I am not much on traditional roles.  So, when I get home tonight I will have to look at the freezer in the garage and see if there is room to store 12 meals, which is the minimum to order.  They have some really good stuff on the menu for February and the price really isn't that bad!!

regroup

OK, first off let me just say that Jekyll & Hyde was amazing.  I would say it is my new favorite Broadway musical second only to the Lion King.  Granted Constantine Maroulis isn't an actor, he changed accents so many times you would think you might have changed plays, but his singing voice has improved since the American Idol years.  The female lead, Deborah Cox was amazing too.  There were a few people who left at intermission because it was "racy" but Marry Poppins was the last show here so there ya go.  I enjoyed the change.  Peter Pan is coming next with Cathy Rigby.  I can't say I am too excited about that.  Something about a 60 year old woman playing a little boy who never grew up maybe?

So, on to the regular blogarreah.

I ran almost every day last week.  When I got home Friday my glute and knee were tender.  I figure there is something up with my IT Band.  I have had a couple of incidents where my knee would "catch" as I was standing up causing shooting pain.  I put something on facebook about rather I should run or not and my chiropractor posted and told me NO.  So I actually skipped my long run this weekend.  It felt kind of strange after a few weeks of almost daily running.  I called my chiropractor and made an appointment for this afternoon.  I hope that it is just my IT band and that he can get it loosened up with ART and a few needle sticks.  If not I will have to look at getting back into the ortho to have another series of synthetic visceral fluid injections.  Google said they are only supposed to last 6 months but it has been almost a year since I had mine.

Weight is starting to come back down.  I was at 113.8 this morning.  I would be happy at 112, though I like to be at 110.  My pants don't feel like they are cutting me in two today, that's a plus.  I am afraid to try on some of my smaller sizes, but seriously I know it has to be mental.  Can 2 pounds make a difference between a size 2 and a 0?

It is supposed to be almost 80 for a high today.  Almost too hot to run, but I really would like to.  I have decided to cut back the miles this week and just run 3 times total; maybe 10-12 miles total.  There is always the stat bike as an option but lord have mercy I hate that thing. 

Pretty sure we are going to do the relay in Oklahoma City, so I don't have to train the distances I have planned.  My only half marathon for the spring will be Joplin in May.  Oh and Austin 10/20 but it is only 10 miles.  I hope to meet up with one of my CalorieKing friends and run Saint Louis half in October.  It gets expensive, so I have to cut back on the number I run this year.  My bank account need a rest as badly as my body.

Friday!!

I don't think that last fill helped me at all.  I go back in late February and if my weight hasn't changed I will ask for another.  I know my appetite is still the same but if I am down any the doctor won't fill me. - Get your minds out of the gutter, seriously!!  Yesterday I was still at 115.6.  I really want to be no more than 112. 

I got my 3 mile run in last night; 37:45, it was kind of just miserable because neither one of us wanted to do it.  I am going to do some kettlebell upper body stuff today and give my legs the day off before a 7-8 mile run tomorrow.  I am not sure how far I am going to go or where I am going to run just yet but I will figure it out.  I don't want to run the group route this week because it is a lot of short out and backs.  Those get really boring.  I need to get on their website and see what other loops they have done for this distance.  Of course there is always map my run too.

I got my vitamins delivered yesterday.  Dr. Atkins thinks that it will help me with some of my muscle cramps and my B-12 issues, it also has D3 and folic acid in it.  My insurance paid 100% and they don't charge for delivery, should have done this years ago.  The medication is sublingual and it tastes kind of like a sweet tart so it isn't bad, a little much for first thing in the morning but I will get used to it.

I am leaving work at 11:30 today for no other reason then I was tired of trying to find a project to charge to (our military funds haven't been sent yet and I am the lead of military projects).  I have plenty to do, go to the grocery store, target, Ulta, and the mani/pedi I scheduled when I decided to take the afternoon off. 

Of course tomorrow is a run day, not sure when/where/how far but at least 6 miles.  Other then that I am really not sure what the day holds.

Sunday I am supposed to go see Jekyll & Hyde with HMF.  I have mixed feelings about going.  I don't know much about the show, it does look good, but I am irritated with HMF yet again.  She volunteered her and her training partner to run the OKC marathon relay.  I sent her a message early this week and told her that WRF wants to do it also so we would have 4 people and only need to find one more to have all legs covered.  She never even acknowledged the email.  I finally sent her another text the next day to see if she got the first one.  She sent a message back that just said "I did".  She suddenly realized she had something planned that day.  I swear she is so freaking jealous of my other friends.  You would think that since she has found a boyfriend it would be better, but it isn't.  So now I have to find 3 people to do the relay with us.  Regardless I am training like I am going to do the half, just in case. 

Lazy

And just like that the weather gets cold again and I don't want to run tonight.  I keep telling myself that my knee is hurting, my back is achy, well they don't know that I am going to run anyway.  I am telling myself that I only have to do 2 miles but once I get dressed for the 30 degree run I might as well do 3. 

Yesterday I had to go in the field for work to a location about an hour away.  When I first started working for the Government I worked in the area as a Park Ranger so I drove all over the place.  I found some of the neatest places.  One of those was a tea room close to the project office I worked out of.  I loved the golden cheese and parsley dumpling soup they served and for some reason I remembered they served it on Wednesdays.  So I went there for lunch.

It was just as good as I remembered.  I forgot all about the homemade bread.  Unfortunately I remembered how yummy the desserts were and they sat me at a table with Italian Cream Cake at eye level

totally unfair.  I bought a piece of cake and took it home to split with Dennis.  There is still a half of a piece left, it is so rich and yummy.  The owner told me they are doing a Valentines Day dinner with prime rib or Italian stuffed chicken breast, a three course dinner for like $25 each.  Totally worth it.  I talked Dennis into taking me.

On the way back I drove by my old house.

I loved that house.  It was built in the 1920's, had arched doorways, hardwood floors, and a claw foot tub.  It was also freezing cold in the winter and like a furnace in the summer.  It was just a rent house but something about it just reminds me of simpler times.  That is were I lived when I brought Hunter home and I have so many good memories.  I am sure there are some not so good ones too but I don't really remember any.

And seriously, no punking out on the run.  I will do it!!

found my exercise mojo - for now

I so enjoyed my three day weekend.  I really think that work weeks should be 4 days long and weekends 3 all the time.  Not 10 hour days though, just regular 8 hours.  It would get so much more done at home.

I saw the band doctor yesterday.  I was up to 116!!  He told me that if I got up to 115 he would give me a fill.  Honestly, some of the weight is probably hormonal and part of it is because I ate with reckless abandon all weekend.  I know I need a feel, I can eat almost like normal.  He gave me .2 and I go back in 4 weeks.  I really can't tell a difference at all.  I am not sure if it might take a few days to kick in?  Or maybe my body needs more food because of my workouts?  Who knows, this band thing has a mind of its own.  He made me promise that I wouldn't get under 110 and that I would come in for an unfill if I had any problems.

I took my stuff with me to the doctor and went to the gym after.  I did the pyramid treadmill thing but cut it back .5.  I was kind of tired for some reason but I finished it.  I am still having some trouble maintaining the 7.5 speed for any length of time.  I hope I can continue to do this workout on the treadmill on Monday nights.  It should help with my speed.

While I was at the gym I ran into my old trainer.  I don't think most of you were around when I trained with him, but when I told him that I was having the band surgery and he threw a fit, told me I was taking the easy way out.  He really made me feel bad about it and told the receptionist at the front desk about it and about how I was taking a short cut.  I really got my feelings hurt because I worked out hard and was not losing, he of all people should have seen that.  Of course I stopped going to him.  I had sessions left but I just couldn't work out with him anymore.  I just didn't feel like giving him my all when he didn't believe in me.  I ran into him at the gym some time after my surgery.  He freaked out and told me that I looked really good and he couldn't believe how far I had come.  I ran into him again around the time that I hit my goal weight and he actually tried to talk me into letting him post before and after pictures at the gym.  I asked him what was in it for me and he said he could get me a month free at the gym.  Um, NO!  When he saw me yesterday he said that he was glad to see I hadn't gained my weight back.  It just kind of went all through me.  What an ass. 

Saturday morning I sort of ran with the group.  I actually got there 30 minutes early and did the route they had planned.  I met up with most of the group as I was finishing up.  It was nice to see everyone and wave as they ran by.  I still don't like being last to finish though so going early is a nice change up.  I was supposed to do 5 miles, and that is what the route was supposed to be, but my Garmin only measured 4.55.  Not sure what was up with that.  I try not to look at my Garmin while I am doing long runs so I didn't realize I was short until I got back to my car.  I am not going to stress out about it.

Tonight I am running with my work friend.  We are going to try to do a slow pace because her back has been hurting.  I don't want her to hurt it worse.  She has a 2 year old and Ms. Olivia would be pretty upset if Mom couldn't pick her up.  Of course she is much faster than me so slow pace for her is my normal 5K pace.

Oh, and they released a picture of the OKC marathon medals last week.  For the first time since I have been running OKC they changed the medal.  So, it looks like I am back in, seeing as how I run for bling and all.  I am trying to talk HMF, a friend that HMF runs with, and work running friend to run it.  I sent HMF a text but she hasn't answered.  Either she is teaching or she is trying to come up with an excuse because she is insanely jealous and, well, high maintenance.  I really hope she doesn't get her panties in a bunch and just agrees to do the relay, then we would only need one more person to do all 5 legs!! 

6 hours until my 3 day weekend

I had a really good run yesterday.  I actually kept up with my speedy work running friend - who in her defense is overcoming a cold and hadn't ran outside all winter - I felt really speedy.  Of course I packed my running bag earlier in the week and put a base layer and like 3 jackets in the bag.  Since that time it went from being 30 for a high to 60.  The Icebreaker merino wool base layer that I packed was just a little warm.  I thought I had put a regular base layer in but nope, and of course you have to have something under a 3/4 zip jacket.  I usually put extra in my locker but I have used it and haven't brought any back.  By the last mile I was ready to just take it all off and run in my bra, that is a scary though.  Must put bringing backup running clothes on to do list.

I weighed this morning and my weight is up to 115.  I really like it to be at 110.  Cross your fingers Dr. A is feeling generous Monday.  My clothes no longer fit the way I like.  It's anyones guess as to if he will fill me or not.

I tried to go online and get on the schedule but they would let me do it.  I called and left a message for them to find out what I need to do.  They have a TRX/Barre class on Sunday that I would like to try and since I run I try to run on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and one day during the weekend, I think two classes a week, one on the weekend and on Wednseday night would be good.  I'm not sure how long I will stick with it, depends on how bad traffic/parking is.  This is in a bad spot for both.  I wish they offered better classes at my gym. 

OK, I'm starving and have no idea what I am going to do for lunch. 

Friday-eve

I was so productive at work this morning and just like that the bottom fell out and I am done.  I have another hour until I get off work.  I am trying to look busy so no one bothers me (see how fast she is typing, must be really important). 

After work I am running with my work friend.  We haven't ran together in a very long time and she is so much faster than I am.  I like running with her but a lot of times I feel like I am just holding her back.  She has been sick so maybe she won't be as speedy today.

Monday I went to the gym and ran a 30-minute pyramid interval treadmill workout I found on a website.  It was tough, the highest speed was 8.0 for one minute.  I started having panic attacks about that speed a few minutes before that interval started.  I felt like one of those cartoon characters where their legs are moving so fast it looks like they are on wheels.  I only lasted for 20 or 30 seconds.  I think I am going to start going doing that workout on Monday nights, since I am paying for a gym and all.  After the brief visit I really want to do PT again.  I just can't figure out a way that I can afford it.  I could always buy some after tax time but I know I won't weight train on my own so I am not so sure it is worth it.  I am always afraid I will hurt myself.

I ordered kettle bells off of Amazon earlier this week.  With Dennis being gone I wanted an at home option and since I have had a gym membership for eons I don't really have any weights at home.  They were less than $30 and had a 5, 10, and 15 pound bell.  If I use them the way I plan and they are cheaply made I can always upgrade. 

So ready for the weekend to get here.  Saturday I have a haircut scheduled.  I got very brave and bought a groupon.  We will see if I regret that.  I have been going to the same girl for years but she opened her own shop and is having financial problems and tells everyone that comes in about it.  She also had her water turned off while HMF was there getting her hair dyed.  I would have had a freaking fit.

Anyway, I am off work Monday and have an appointment to see the band doctor.  I would like to get a small fill but we will see what he says.  I gained a little while I was sidelined with my injury.  I also have a facial that afternoon.  I plan on going to the gym when I wake up and doing the pyramid workout and then maybe going to a barre class that afternoon.  I bought the barre classes on a groupon (yes I love those things) and haven't been yet.  The first time is always the scariest, and you have to schedule ahead of time so they know they will have enough space.  I tried to talk my sister or HMF to go with me but no dice.  Just going to have to suck it up and go solo.

After 3 months of having spotify on my iphone, I finally figured out how to make playlists.  If anyone has spotify and are willing to share their playlists I would appreciate it.  I am always looking to expand my running playlist.  I didn't realize how cool this app was.  Hey, no one said I was bright.

I have my DVR set to record the Oprah interview with Lance Armstrong.  It is so silly, but I am so nervous about watching it.  I have loved Lance Armstrong for so long and I just hate to see him go down like this.  To me, he is the closest thing to a super hero in real life there is.  Even if the man took PEDs it takes someone pretty hard core to be able to have that kind of drive and determination and it takes talent and ability to compete at that level, drugs will not give you that.  The fact that he survived cancer that had metastasized to his lungs and brain with less then a 50% chance of survival is amazing.  It is a miracle that he came out of that with the lung capacity to ride a bike period.  And then there is the attention he brought to cancer awareness.  I know I am an idiot and if it was anyone else I would probably be on the lynching committee but I have a soft spot for Lance. 

OK, I'm off to run.

finally feeling it

I sucked it up and went to the gym last night!!  I looked up some treadmill workouts on google and found one that I thought I would try out.  This is the one I used;

0-5          4.0
5-6          5.0
6-7          6.0
7-8          5.0
8-9          6.5
9-10        4.0
10-11      6.5
11-12      5.0
12-13      7.0
13-14      5.0
14-15      7.5
15-16      4.0
16-17      6.5
17-18      5.5
18-19      7.0
19-20      5.5
20-21      8.0
21-22      5.5
22-23      7.0
23-24      6.5
25-30      4.0

Obviously it was 30 minutes and I ran it on a 1.0 incline.  It was a lot tougher then I thought it would be.  I don't get anywhere near an 8.0 on the speed and I have to say, it gave me some anxiety.  I think I lasted about 30 seconds before I had to dial it down.  I think I need to start going to the gym once a week and doing this workout until I can it without any anxiety.  I think it would make me faster.  I normally run about a 13 minute mile outside so this is for sure out of my comfort zone.

Today I am sitting at my desk with a frozen bottle of water under my foot.  It doesn't really hurt but I don't want it to start hurting again either.  Plus it kind of feels good to roll it under my arch.

Tonight I would love to do something on my Wii but I don't think we connected it when we got the new TV.  I will have to see if I can figure it out and then maybe do 30 minutes or so on it.  If not I will figure something out.  My work running friend said something about running after work today, and I brought my stuff, but I have a feeling she will go to the treadmill instead of running outside because she has a cough.  I will just leave my bag up here and run on Thursday when the weather is supposed to be in the 50's again.

I am off work on Monday and am going in to see my band doctor.  I haven't been in to see him in a very long time.  I would love to have a tiny fill but I don't think he will give it to me.  When I weighed at the gym last night after running with clothes but no shoes I was up to 115.  He said he would consider giving me a fill if/when I got to 115 so we will see.  I am also going to get a facial.  Really looking forward to that.  I should get up early and go to the gym that morning since my appointments don't start until 11:30 but it is so hard for me to get my ass in gear!

All this talk about exercise is making me hungry. 

My four (and three legged) family

So I really have nothing to talk about.  Maintenance is kind of boring, not easy mind you.  Work sucks; as always I work with a bunch of drama queens who will finish a good tidbit of gossip themselves if they don't know the real ending. 

A few people have asked me about my furry family.  I have 7 rescued dogs.  Yes 7.  I am what they call a foster failure.  I love all of them to pieces and just couldn't imagine losing any of them.  However, there will not be a number 8!!

This is Hunter with his Daddy probably 5 years ago.  Hunter is the real love of my life, probably his daddy's too if truth be told.  He is the best dog in the world.  I found him in a park when I was a park ranger (ha, Dennis too) and he was a very sick little guy of maybe 3 months old.  We got him all fixed up.  I swear this dog can read my mind now.  Is it possible for your soul mate to be a dog?

This was the little guy the day I found him.  Brings tears to my eyes still.

And one more, he is probably almost 11 in this picture, it was taken May 2011, right before my surgery.  He has a lot more grey now.

This is Sidney, our little cuddle bug.  Dennis found him running loose at a busy intersection and chased him down.  He had a collar but no tags and we never found his owner.  Hunter and him became BFF and since Hunter was less than a year old, we were more than happy to give him something else to chew on.

He was a over a year old when we found him and hadn't been neutered so he really like to run off in search of greener pastures.  We got that nipped pretty quickly and he decided it just wasn't worth the chase.  He is the reason I am late for work most mornings because he loves to sit with me in my chair while I am getting ready and go back to sleep and snore.

And his daddy gave him a bad haircut, that doesn't help the poor little guy. Who could leave those big brown eyes?

Next is Libby

she literally showed up on my front door in the middle of the summer.  She is a beautiful girl but she is not a very clingy dog.  She pretty much just stays to herself and only comes around for a kiss or a snuggle when she is good and ready.

She loves the snow and cold.  She rolls in it like most dogs roll in mud.

So now we come to Dexter.  He too showed up in my front yard.  I was leaving for work and this little thing ran from under my truck.  I remember it like it was yesterday, I was wearing a new pair of khakis and he got them all muddy.  Should have seen the road ahead from that moment.

He was still a puppy and had mange (like Hunter) but I was confident we would be able to find him a home.  He was so cute; even if I do have a soft spot for little black puppies.  We soon found out that he had been abused badly and had some serious emotional problems, possibly schizophenia. 

It is really hard to get a picture of him because we can't take him into public places...he is known to find the biggest dog and try to challange them.  He also doesn't like to be very far from his mommy.  Poor thing has serious anxiety issues.  Pretty much made it impossible to adopt him out knowing this.  Didn't have many options.

This a charcoal drawing done of the picture above by a 16 year old kid I met at an art event.  I gave him free reign of my flickr account and let him pick what picture he wanted to do.  I am scared to death I am going to come home from work and find Dex stroked out from stress.  No one deserves that.  So, he is spoiled rotten.  He doesn't get along well with the other dogs but he sure loves us.  He has a really old soul.

Cassidy came next.  My little Hop Along Cassidy AKA Sassylashes.  The biggest ham to ever live.

I came across her as a volunteer for a local rescue.  I was NOT happy with the vet in charge or how Ms. Lashes was being treated (or most of the other dogs for that matter but Cass and I had bonded).  I had been on the board of the organization, so I adopted my little lashes and resigned.  The back story on her; she was brought in after a lady saw her get hit by a car.  She had previous wounds and was infested with maggots (imagine finding that in your car!!)  She was very sick and they weren't sure if she would make it. 

They gave her 3 days before they gave up on her.  She was on IV antibiotics and was running a really high fever.  On the morning of the third day she was standing up in her cage telling everyone her life story.   So they sent her off to have the back leg with the dead tissue amputated.

You can see how spoiled she is.  She is on special diet medication through the vet.  She will eat until she passes out at the food bowl if we let her.  There is no doubt that she could have been a sled dog if she had that fourth leg.

She OWNS the backyard but I have hard wood floors in the house and she isn't as fond of that so she does a lot of this in the house...

She might be the goofiest dog in the world.  She will also sit in the middle of the floor and stick her toenail in her mouth, after she makes sure we are watching of course.  You can see Dexter's eyes behind me making sure she doesn't get too close to me.  I swear she can say MOMMY in that husky "bark" of hers. 

Foster is all Dennis' fault!!  He found her days before I was deployed to help with Hurricane Katrina.  He called me in a panic that he had found a hurt puppy.  I won't tell you what the first word out of my mouth was but it started with an F and it wasn't fine.

So I went and got her.  She was so tiny and so hurt but so trusting (sorry for the hairy belly picture).  We don't know what happened to her but her back leg was broken in 6 pieces.  They put a metal rod in and have her a 5% chance of keeping the leg.  I left pretty soon after her staples came out and I told Dennis he had to find her a home while I was gone.  Thus the name Foster, I told him we couldn't even name her.

She was such a cute puppy....

Then she grew up to be a demon.  She thinks she is a lap dog.  Her tail didn't wag for the first month we had her but once it started it hasn't stopped.

We call her Foster Monster now.  She can be a big bully and her and her little sister get in some serious fights.  She thinks she has to be touching someone if we are at home.  Oh, and the leg healed up fine.  It is about an inch shorter than the other three legs and she will always have a limp.  Nothing slows her down, she is the one most likely to get in trouble.

Last but not least is my little Marcy AKA Marcy Pants, AKA Ms. Pants

I saw her for a week straight running loose close to work.  She was a wild child and I couldn't get her to come near me.  Until, I went to Carabba's one day with a friend and bribed her into my car with Chicken Marsala.  She has had a fat bloated tummy ever since.

She is a lot like her sister Libby, not to fond of a lot of attention.  I love to kiss her big fat belly, she isn't so sure about that.

She just isn't too sure about this whole thing.  She is a grumpy little girl but very smart.  She figured out how to open the back door when she was tiny.  This is how she got her name...smarty pants turned into Marcy pants, turned into pants.  I get some looks when I am calling "Pants" around the neighborhood.

I had her adopted out but they brought her back because she nipped at their 2 year old.  Like I said, grumpy girl.  She doesn't like it when rain or snow falls from the sky but when there is snow on the ground she is determined to find the hole it came up from if she has to eat all the snow from the yard.

Partners in crime.

All 4 girls

I could seriously sit her and post pictures all day.  I know you have had an eye full and I need to get going.

Hope you have a great weekend.





gadgets

Have any of you heard of a pear?  No not the fruit silly, the biofeedback training device that is primarily used for runners.

I had never heard of it but saw an advertisement for it on the Dallas Rock and Roll Half Marathon website and it looks really cool.  I am all about gadgets but sometimes I feel I am a little inundated with them (Garmin, HR monitor, gymboss, ipod) it seems like it takes more time to set up the devices to run than it does to just get out there and do it.  This does look neat though......

Regardless, I am true to my Garmin.  I am sure it would be money wasted because I would go right back to the Garmin for tried and tested accurate results.

Besides, I am not even sure they have it in green.

My impression of last night TBL was meh, although I almost had a heart attack when Dolvett called his gym "Dolvett's Dungeon" swoon. 

I am getting tired of Jillian's team and the one person I halfway liked got voted off last night. 

There aren't any stand outs as of yet for me, although I always have to root for the local guy, David. 

The whole kid concept is growing on me as well.  I have decided I want to adopt Bingo.  He is just as cute as he can be.  I will personally bust kneecaps of anyone who dares to bully that sweet little guy.

Alright, I have a lot of catching up to do here at work, and I am stuck here until at least 6:15.  Better make the most of it.

the icks

So the stomach stuff that has been going around has finally caught up with me.  I probably could have gone to work today but I didn't, my stomach is sore and I feel week and dehydrated.  On a good note though my weight is down to 107.6, lol.  Funny how I still feel bloated and gross from the stomach ick though.  I don't expect the weight to stick, I know I need to be around 110.

I went for a short run on Friday, my Garmin wasn't charged but the GPS on my iPhone (runkeeper) said 1.3 miles in 16 minutes and some change.  All in all not a bad run.  I really had to make myself stop.  My foot was ok but it swelled up pretty bad later that night.  I decided I would go to the Orthopedic Urgent Care on Saturday morning and have it x-rayed just to be on the safe side.  There is no fracture but the doctor said that I had "lost" a significant portion of my arch, whatever that means.  He confirmed what the chiropractor said, a mid-foot sprain. He said K-Tape will help.  I asked him about running on it and he said to ease back in.  I told him that I had ran a mile the day before and he just shook his head and said he meant like aqua-jogging and stationary biking.  He prescribed me some wonder cream that is apparently about the same price as gold per ounce, he gave me a sample to try it out.  He said his ironman buddy swears by it.  I am not sure if the cream is helping it or if it feels better from me massaging my arch to help blood flow.

I had planned on running today but I am way too dehydrated.  I have drank G2 all day and only peed once...sorry, TMI.  Plus I have a little heart palpitation thing going on, which I get when I am dehydrated.  Not sure when I will run this week.  I am working OT on Tuesday and Thursday.  I usually run around the neighborhood at work as soon as I get off but I feel bad leaving the dogs so much.  Maybe I will just do another short little jog around my neighborhood. 

I'm not sure how I felt about TBL last night.  It makes me so mad to see people make it to the ranch just to quit in the first day because it is too hard.  It also kind of bothers me to see morbidly obese people pushed passed their limits to the point that their bodies give out, whatever happened to baby steps?  Don't much like the puking either.  Regardless, that show motivates the crap out of me.  Jillian Michaels has the perfect body in my opinion, I would give my pinky toes to have her body.  And Dolvett, omg he is a greek god.  Of course Bob is nothing to sneeze at either.  Oh, and I almost forgot, one of the guys on the blue team, David, is from my home town!!   From the article in the paper yesterday is sounds like he is going to do well.  Danny, the winner from a few season's ago lives less than a block from my in-laws.  Okies gotta represent!! 

TBL

How sad is it that I am super excited for the new season of The Biggest Loser?  I mean seriously checked my DVR twice to make sure it was set to record even though I will watch it live.  Yeah, it's a sickness but it is a very motivational sickness so there is that.

I am getting sick and tired of sitting around feeling sorry for myself because of my foot.  I am going to try a very short test run since I haven't had any foot pain in a week.  If it does hurt during the run I will stop immediately and make an appointment with the Ortho.  Then it is on to plan B and I will go to the gym and use the recumbent bike until the foot is 100%.  I can't maintain my weight without some kind of exercise. 

So I have been looking on the half fanatic site and planning which half marathons I want to run this year.  I am 99.9% sure I will not do Oklahoma City again this year.  I am kind of tired of that one and getting pretty much the same medal every year.  I am also 99.5% sure I will do the Joplin half again this year.  Of course I have already paid for the Austin 10/20 and made hotel reservations.  I haven't booked any flights.  I am not sure if there are going to be 2 or 3 of us going.  If there are 3 then it would be cheaper and easier to drive.  Airplane tickets are $350.  I hate to drive and would just pay for the plane tickets but if the other girl goes she will probably drive and I can just sleep in the back seat.
I also want to do the RNR Dallas but it is just two weeks before Austin and pricey.  Also on my radar is RNR St. Louis, Springfield Bass Pro, Mother Road, and of course Tulsa Route 66.  I have to scale back a little this year though, it gets expensive really fast.  Luckily I have some hotel points that will get me rooms in places like Joplin without being out any cash.

Last night was a horrible food night.  I wasn't even hungry for dinner and Dennis had plans so I wasn't going to eat dinner.  HMF called and had been working on a grant application and asked if I wanted to meet her for dinner and use a groupon.  I hadn't seen her since before Christmas so I thought what the hell.  Well, I ended up getting nachos that weren't even that good and ate half of them.  Not sure why I do this to myself. 

I have an appointment with the band doctor on the 21st.  I really hope he tweaks me a little, my clothes are not fitting like I want them to.  I am not saying that I want to get back down to 105 but I would like to be around 110.  I am really not sure what I weight right, last time I checked it was 114.  The doctor said he would give me a fill if I got to 115.  I am going to hold him to that since I am sure I am there.

Well, I better get some work done before they start getting suspicious that nothing has come off my desk in a few weeks ;) 

Hope y'all have a great weekend.

back to reality

Honey, I'm home!!  Well, actually I have been home, just lazy and a little distracted by life events.

Gosh, where to start?  I haven't been on since last year.

1.  Dennis got sick Christmas Eve.  I would have put money on the flu but they said it was an upper respiratory infection.  He hasn't been that sick in a LONG time.  I ended up taking him to urgent care Christmas Eve night.  Thankfully the place was empty.  The receptionist almost got punched in the throat for making a smart ass comment about Dennis' last name.  The man had 103 fever, shut the fuck up.  She also made a comment to another lady about how many times she had been there.  I seriously thought about calling and complaining. 

2.  Walgreen's at 10PM on Christmas Eve is a scary place.

3.  We were supposed to have a blizzard on Christmas Day.  This made me have a mini-meltdown.  I really wanted to get to my parents house for dinner but Dennis couldn't go and expose my mom to whatever plague he had since she is going through chemo, and I don't drive in that crap.  Luckily it went south of us and we got nothing but wind.  I got to spend the day with my family and left the germ at home in the infectious disease ward of my house. 

4.  I am finally back at work after an extended holiday but I just can't seem to get the motivation to DO any work.  I will have to start soon or it will get pretty obvious I am dicking off.  Then again, my performance review isn't for 11 more months...

5.  New Years Day is the best shopping day of the year.  Dillard's has their clearance and sales stuff 50% off.  I look forward to it all year long.  I bought so much that I am currently living on $20 until payday. I got a pair of purple short Bailey Uggs, two pair of Coach tennis shoes, Terramore base layer running gear (2 sets), 2 bras, a pair of jeggings, 2 dresses and more shirts than I can remember.  The shirts were mostly $4.99.  I almost bought a pair of red sequin Uggs but could hear Dennis making fun of me as I tried them on.  I may be a little old for sparkly red Uggs.

6.  I have no idea how much I way.  I don't feel healthy and my jeans are tighter than normal.  I am not happy about this at all.  I don't have much if any restriction after I had the doctor take some out in November.  I called and scheduled an appointment for the 21st.  I hope he fills me up just a little.

7.  It doesn't help that I am still on the injured list.  I looked online and it said that midfoot sprains or Lisfranc injuries can take up to two months to heal.  Just when I think I am getting better it flares up again.  I have not had my foot x-rayed because I am afraid what I might find out.  It is actually feeling better since I have been home doing next to nothing but anytime I am up walking around for any length of time I starts to hurt again.  It has been almost a month now.  I made a promise that if it isn't better by next Thursday I would go to orthopedic urgent care.  I probably need to go to my normal sports medicine doctor but I don't want to hear the "why are you still running" lecture.  Heck, maybe I should just call him and make an appointment.  I can always cancel.  I think at this point the boot and./or crutches are my worse fear.

8.  My mom had her last chemo yesterday!!!  I took off work and took some cookies from the most awesome bakery up to her to share (I ate one).  I know she will miss some of the nurses and chemo friends she has made.  Nothing encourages bonding like being hooked up to an IV for several hours with a room full of strangers getting the same thing .

9.  By being at work I don't get to snuggle next to this little guy.  He is my little lap buddy.  Funny how you miss that after you have been around it for a couple of weeks.  I really need to quit my job and be a stay at home dog mom.

10.  Next week is going to be so hard!!  Not only do I have to work 5 whole days, I also have to work OT.  Trying really hard not to think about it.