I moved from Maine to Virginia/DC a few years ago - which already leads me in another direction to ask the question of when can a person say they live in their current city, without having to say, "I'm originally from Maine or California or the Moon?" Seems the conversation always circles back to where you began in life, not so much of where you are today. Anyway, back to my story. When I moved, I left behind most of my immediate family, co-workers, friends and a few very close girlfriends. One of those gal pals is the Accessory Queen of New England...the Chick from Chickieville...Simply Jules Accessories President/CEO - Julie, Julie, Julie. But, for some reason I cannot explain or have forgotten in my Alzheimer moment, she and I call each other Chickie. Images of cute, yellow chicks come to mind? Sometimes it is just The Chick, Chick-a-licious or Chicka but NEVER Chicken. That takes on a whole other meaning.
So, The Chick came for a visit a couple of weeks ago. This is significant for one main reason - it's her first visit in a very long time. She has three gorgeous children, two jobs, a husband...need I say more? Not much "Chick" time, but that all changed when one of those great birds in the sky flew her straight to the Nation's Capitol. I convinced Hubby to spend a nice, quiet weekend with the Pup and Kitty in Prendaville (after I also provided him with a Honey Do list that would require hammers, paintbrushes and even a power washer) and I was ready to "Paint the Town" with my Chick. Before Hubby left the city, Chick asked for some Ibuprofen, Tylenol, whatever I might have on hand. I knew Hubby had some pills, so I grabbed some Ibuprofen out of his nightstand and fed them to The Chick. This piece of information is important. We shall come back to this throughout this story.
The first night, we explored Penn Quarter in D.C. Walked around, stopped at a wine tasting, went to a couple of happy hours and had some yummy munchies. Was a little disappointed that the City wasn't a little busier, given it was a Friday night, but a good time was had by all the Chicks and we continued our own wine and cheese tasting at the apartment. The next morning, The Chick was commenting on how well-rested she was. This is significant because she sometimes has interrupted sleep or just wakes up very early. So, Day Two had begun. Now, The Chick likes to shop. Me? I have to be in the mood. On a weekend, I would prefer to run, shower, eat, drink some red wine for lunch and continue the food and wine theme throughout the day. I should add that the food part is usually very healthy. I happen to be one of "those" women who love what's good for you - fish, avocado, eggplant, tomatoes, chicken breast, peppers, etc....Yummo...all doused in olive oil. We love olive oil. On just about everything. I would bathe in it if I could...again, that is another story. Back on track. The Chick - Shopping. So, off we go on a Saturday in the City. But before we left, those pills I discussed earlier? I took some and so did Chick.
We didn't get too far from the apartment when we ran into an Asian street festival. Three hours and two sundresses later (and a kimono shirt for me), we were on our way to Union Station to peruse a few shops and find a place for lunch. YES, FOOD and WINE! Did I mention that I was feeling quite tired and even had a few moments of vertigo? Thought it just might have been the late night, etc. Not like me to be unmovin' and ungroovin' throughout the day. So Union Station was good - found a kick-a-- pair of black, open-toed high heeled shoes, and few other articles of clothing at one of my favorite stores - Black and White - yes, black and white for my wardrobe, although my opinions and life revolve around shades of gray. We made it back home, oh - after we stopped back at the festival for one last look. So, we wore some of our new clothing...I actually wore a GOLD and black dress...and we went back out on the town. In D.C. On a Saturday night. A busier night but still kinda quite for D.C.! I mean, for real? We still had fun. Chick found a new 65 year-old friend but he also comes with free drinks and special deals at happy hour, so that made me happy.
Day Three - it was the Chick's birthday today! Woooo! We spent the morning in the City and drove home to NoVa to spend some time by the pool and to go to a wine festival! Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate and Chick had to borrow galoshes and an umbrella, but we (plus Hubby) still went the to the wine festival. We are like the postman - rain, sleet, snow or shine - we deliver (or in this case, imbibe!) Did I mention that Chick took more Ibuprofen before we left the apartment? The drive is, unfortunately, about an hour on 66...for those living close to the Beltway - need I say more? Chick was ready for a nap when she reached Prendaville.
Back to the wine festival. So, it really was raining quite hard and the festival was in a field, so it was muddy, sloshy and..well, wet. Which really meant less people and more wine for us. What more could you want?? Wine tastings in two big tents, SHOPPING (Chick was thrilled) from everything from wine t-shirts to new windows and lots of samples of cheese, chocolate and crackers. FOOD and WINE! We found this one Virginia winery that had pepper jack wine. No joke. We took a swill of cheese whiz (which the guy put on our hand) and we ate the cheese and drank a shot of the wine. Really??? Sound like a type of drink we might all have tried at least once? Except this was cheese whiz and hot wine. Only in Podunk, America.
Back to Prendaville, a fire pit by the pool - the rain did stop just in time for that - and a restful night was had by all. Unfortunately, Monday came too soon and it was time for Chicka to fly back to Maine - the way life should be. Fortunately, she did NOT take the magic Ibuprofen before she left. She was stuck in New Jersey for a few hours due to weather. She might not have made it home still. As you may have guessed, the pills were not just regular pills. Nope. I took two on Monday as I went to lounge by the pool. Hubby asked how many of those we took over the weekend. Just before I passed out, I learned they were indeed night-time sleeping pills.
So, I basically drugged my Chick in the City. And myself. We still managed to stay awake (for the most part) and had a blast. And maybe the next time she is here, we will try that "other" lick the hand and drink the liquid shot.....
Monday, June 7, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Life After the Boston Marathon
It's been almost three weeks since I ran the Boston Marathon and I happen to be fully recovered and already planning for my next running adventure. Actually, recovery time was only a couple of days for me. I just started the P90X program, once again I might add, and the first day or two is totally a killer. I feel like an old lady trying to stand up and sit down for a couple of days after the core program from P90X and yet I ran 26.2 hilly miles and was fine the next day. Go figure! Trying to decide what marathon to do and where...I'm thinking about the Mount Desert Island marathon in beautiful Bar Harbor, (or Bah Hahbah as those Mainahs like to say) Maine or Dublin, Ireland. Hmmmm....quite a contrast I guess! The good news for me is I can run Boston again next year and, yes, I want to!! I feel so honored to be in the Club and it was an amazing experience for me but I am on a mission to speed up my finishing time and get back to business! It was my slowest time for a marathon and I could list a dozen excuses - blah, blah, blah...bottom line is - It's Boston! It's the Mother Marathon! I did it!! And I'm gonna do it again next year! Boston Marathon or Bust, Baby!
So let's talk P90X for a moment - Tony Horton, if you are reading this, and I am SURE you are - free advertising for you! Hubby and I started the program a couple of years ago. It's a 90 day "muscle confusion" program that works ALL body parts. It has daily programs that include cardio, plyometrics, strength training, kenpo and yoga and are all about one hour in length. Honestly, this workout is a great endurance builder and it really does tone and tweak your muscles in places you didn't even know you had them! We actually stretched the program out over a year, and did the 90 day program twice. It is time consuming, especially if you are supplementing any other activities, like running for me but I really think it helped my stamina and time with my runs. So, go buy it. And do it. And like it.
On the home front, the pool is open and ready for swimmers! So, the deal is my niece and running partner, Amanda (and my twin...she was born on my birthday...you can still be twins even though you are 11 years apart, right??) signed me up for a triathlon in September. Running - check. Biking - check. Swimming - question mark. I can swim, but not that well. I really would rather not drown competing in a race, so I am excited to have the pool open for practice! Laps will be great, but I really need to be comfortable with my face in the water. This will entail nose plugs and goggles, and maybe I'll finish out the look with a bathing cap and an old fashioned swimsuit. I was just reminded of my mother's look when she used to take us to the beach when I was like 5. Those were some good looking swimsuits back then, ladies!
Reese, the Wonder Pup, doesn't like water. Not even a little. Aren't dogs supposed to love splashing and swimming, and then coming into the house soaking wet and shaking and shimmying so everyone else gets to be soaked too? Not this pup. He runs...very fast....in the opposite direction anytime we are in the water, or when we try to give him a bath. He actually hides in the mornings until he hears the hair dryer, signaling the fact we are dressed and he has escaped the dreaded bath once again. He would rather be curled up under warm blankets and held. Just like a little baby. Oh boy.
The weather has been so warm the last few days and rumor has it no snow in sight! I know, I know - it's May after all, but with this wacky weather pattern the world is experiencing, who knows?? All I do know is that running in shorts and and a tank is such a pleasant thing, and one I won't take for granted in the near future. I finally have put my winter gear away for another few months. As hot as it has been lately, maybe we should all just run naked. Then we could really be like the early marathoners from Greece. Hey, it was just a thought! You wouldn't have to worry about tan lines.
It's five o'clock somewhere, so you know what that means.....red, red wine....
So let's talk P90X for a moment - Tony Horton, if you are reading this, and I am SURE you are - free advertising for you! Hubby and I started the program a couple of years ago. It's a 90 day "muscle confusion" program that works ALL body parts. It has daily programs that include cardio, plyometrics, strength training, kenpo and yoga and are all about one hour in length. Honestly, this workout is a great endurance builder and it really does tone and tweak your muscles in places you didn't even know you had them! We actually stretched the program out over a year, and did the 90 day program twice. It is time consuming, especially if you are supplementing any other activities, like running for me but I really think it helped my stamina and time with my runs. So, go buy it. And do it. And like it.
On the home front, the pool is open and ready for swimmers! So, the deal is my niece and running partner, Amanda (and my twin...she was born on my birthday...you can still be twins even though you are 11 years apart, right??) signed me up for a triathlon in September. Running - check. Biking - check. Swimming - question mark. I can swim, but not that well. I really would rather not drown competing in a race, so I am excited to have the pool open for practice! Laps will be great, but I really need to be comfortable with my face in the water. This will entail nose plugs and goggles, and maybe I'll finish out the look with a bathing cap and an old fashioned swimsuit. I was just reminded of my mother's look when she used to take us to the beach when I was like 5. Those were some good looking swimsuits back then, ladies!
Reese, the Wonder Pup, doesn't like water. Not even a little. Aren't dogs supposed to love splashing and swimming, and then coming into the house soaking wet and shaking and shimmying so everyone else gets to be soaked too? Not this pup. He runs...very fast....in the opposite direction anytime we are in the water, or when we try to give him a bath. He actually hides in the mornings until he hears the hair dryer, signaling the fact we are dressed and he has escaped the dreaded bath once again. He would rather be curled up under warm blankets and held. Just like a little baby. Oh boy.
The weather has been so warm the last few days and rumor has it no snow in sight! I know, I know - it's May after all, but with this wacky weather pattern the world is experiencing, who knows?? All I do know is that running in shorts and and a tank is such a pleasant thing, and one I won't take for granted in the near future. I finally have put my winter gear away for another few months. As hot as it has been lately, maybe we should all just run naked. Then we could really be like the early marathoners from Greece. Hey, it was just a thought! You wouldn't have to worry about tan lines.
It's five o'clock somewhere, so you know what that means.....red, red wine....
Monday, March 1, 2010
Boston Marathon Bound!
I've been running for years. I run most days of the week and have competed in all types of races, including a few half marathons. I just recently added marathons to my portfolio. To date, I have only raced in two - the Country Music Marathon in Nashville in 2008 and the Chicago Marathon this past October. I'm also not all that disciplined about training properly...I have a hard time with those looooooooong runs preparing for the big day. So, I was more than excited and totally thrilled to have qualified for this year's Boston Marathon at Chicago...with 24 seconds to go. Yes, I barely squeaked by with my time to get into Boston - but who really cares? It could have been 24 minutes or 2.4 hours...I MADE IT! However, if those two bathroom breaks (and all you runners out there know what I mean...) had caused me to miss those precious seconds, then this Chicka would have cared..................well, let's not go to there, shall we?
So, the accomplishment to qualifiy for Boston is almost as exciting as the race itself...right? I have had months to bask in the glow of knowing that I get to run Boston! Woooo! Well, today I decided to get out my calendar, as it is a brand new month, and realized we are 7 weeks away! Yikes! ONLY SEVEN MORE WEEKS??? Forty nine days from now, if all goes well, I will be in the "Heartbreak Hill" club. Is that a club? I'm pretty sure I know the reason for the name and will be excited to see the other side of that Hill when the time comes. And if there's not a club, there should be.
My Mom called me the other day (my parents live in Maine but are vacationing in Florida) and mentioned there was a marathon/half marathon in Tampa. She was very impressed that there were about 4,000 runners competing, and asked how many would be running in Boston. When I told her the race was cut off at 25,000, she was pretty shocked at the number of participants. Chicago was almost double that. Running has become quite a sport/hobby for many of us, and I expect the races to only get bigger. My Mom and Dad live on an island in Maine, where I believe the total population is less than a 1,000 and that includes adults, children, animals and lobster traps - so probably any race looks big. I wonder if there are more runners in the Boston Marathon than there are citizens of the County in Maine where they live? Just putting it in perspective.
Reese had a very busy day today. He chewed the leather sole of one of my hubby's shoes, bit a hole in my bomber leather jacket, and chewed a finger off one of my leather gloves. Do you see a pattern here? He really is addicted to leather. Kitty is lucky she isn't made of leather...although, those two are going to have a showdown at some point. My money might just be on the cat. Reese may be bigger and louder, but he is still a pup and just wants to play. Kitty (which is her name, by the way - very original, I know...how she came to be a part of the family is another story) is actually about 10 now and likes to soak in the sun on her favorite perch. She has no patience and no interest in Reese. None. And one of these days when he is bouncing up and down to play with her....POW!!! Right in the kisser. I guess we all need to learn those lessons at some point.
Happy Monday, Happy March and Happy Merlot!
So, the accomplishment to qualifiy for Boston is almost as exciting as the race itself...right? I have had months to bask in the glow of knowing that I get to run Boston! Woooo! Well, today I decided to get out my calendar, as it is a brand new month, and realized we are 7 weeks away! Yikes! ONLY SEVEN MORE WEEKS??? Forty nine days from now, if all goes well, I will be in the "Heartbreak Hill" club. Is that a club? I'm pretty sure I know the reason for the name and will be excited to see the other side of that Hill when the time comes. And if there's not a club, there should be.
My Mom called me the other day (my parents live in Maine but are vacationing in Florida) and mentioned there was a marathon/half marathon in Tampa. She was very impressed that there were about 4,000 runners competing, and asked how many would be running in Boston. When I told her the race was cut off at 25,000, she was pretty shocked at the number of participants. Chicago was almost double that. Running has become quite a sport/hobby for many of us, and I expect the races to only get bigger. My Mom and Dad live on an island in Maine, where I believe the total population is less than a 1,000 and that includes adults, children, animals and lobster traps - so probably any race looks big. I wonder if there are more runners in the Boston Marathon than there are citizens of the County in Maine where they live? Just putting it in perspective.
Reese had a very busy day today. He chewed the leather sole of one of my hubby's shoes, bit a hole in my bomber leather jacket, and chewed a finger off one of my leather gloves. Do you see a pattern here? He really is addicted to leather. Kitty is lucky she isn't made of leather...although, those two are going to have a showdown at some point. My money might just be on the cat. Reese may be bigger and louder, but he is still a pup and just wants to play. Kitty (which is her name, by the way - very original, I know...how she came to be a part of the family is another story) is actually about 10 now and likes to soak in the sun on her favorite perch. She has no patience and no interest in Reese. None. And one of these days when he is bouncing up and down to play with her....POW!!! Right in the kisser. I guess we all need to learn those lessons at some point.
Happy Monday, Happy March and Happy Merlot!
Thursday, February 25, 2010
To Blog or Not to Blog?
For years, I thought I would like to write. A book? An article? A silly love song? Maybe. I have always decided to begin...tomorrow. Well, tomorrow is here! I thought that if I started with a blog, I would be accountable to myself and my husband....as he is probably the one that will read this. Hi Hubby! Believe it or not, I AM WRITING!!!!
A little bit about me...as the name implies, I love to run. And I love red wine. Oh, and I love my family. I have often thought that my immediate family could be a great idea for ANOTHER reality show. We have five kiddos in college - at the same time. YES, FIVE! I may be broke, but that is what $10 bottles of wine are for - and free wine tastings. I also keep picking up "new" children...I think there are at least three others that refer to me as "Mommah" - do you think they want me to pay for their school bills too? And we now have a puppy, in addition to our cat (who used to be the queen but now eyes the puppy as the Witch did to Snow White). One of the above-referenced children decided to bring Reese (or Piii as my husband has nicknamed him) home for a couple of weeks last summer. He is still sleeping in the bed - quite happily, I might add. He is one little ball of adventure. More to come on him.
Back to running. It always comes back to that. I am happy that the weather is a little better in our area at the moment, so I can get back out there in the cold, wind and snow. Wooo! Who would have thought that D.C. would have THIS KIND OF WINTER??? The good news is that Spring is just around the corner. If I were still living in Maine, I could say that statement in May. There's always a positive side. And the best point of this running season is the fact that I qualified for the BOSTON MARATHON! I think that deserves a blog all of its own! So....until then...I think a glass of Cabernet Franc is calling my name.....
A little bit about me...as the name implies, I love to run. And I love red wine. Oh, and I love my family. I have often thought that my immediate family could be a great idea for ANOTHER reality show. We have five kiddos in college - at the same time. YES, FIVE! I may be broke, but that is what $10 bottles of wine are for - and free wine tastings. I also keep picking up "new" children...I think there are at least three others that refer to me as "Mommah" - do you think they want me to pay for their school bills too? And we now have a puppy, in addition to our cat (who used to be the queen but now eyes the puppy as the Witch did to Snow White). One of the above-referenced children decided to bring Reese (or Piii as my husband has nicknamed him) home for a couple of weeks last summer. He is still sleeping in the bed - quite happily, I might add. He is one little ball of adventure. More to come on him.
Back to running. It always comes back to that. I am happy that the weather is a little better in our area at the moment, so I can get back out there in the cold, wind and snow. Wooo! Who would have thought that D.C. would have THIS KIND OF WINTER??? The good news is that Spring is just around the corner. If I were still living in Maine, I could say that statement in May. There's always a positive side. And the best point of this running season is the fact that I qualified for the BOSTON MARATHON! I think that deserves a blog all of its own! So....until then...I think a glass of Cabernet Franc is calling my name.....
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