For many this wouldn't be a big deal, but for me this is huge. Today I ran 5k (a little over 3 miles)- I've never done this EVER-I think I ran 2 miles in college over 20 years ago.... This is particularly sweet since I was out of commission for 6 months with a bum heel- and only started running in small amounts a month ago.

It wasn't a pretty run- in fact it was more of a jog than a run- and there were at least a half dozen times I wanted to quit, but I pushed through. just over 32 minutes- which is about 6 miles an hour. Definitely no speed records, but I can only improve.

Red letter day for me,

Reb

Ate well until... TYEE sabotaged me. *sigh* Seriously I ordered innocently enough- steak caesar salad.... came with FRIED onions on it! argh. Ended up eating most of them because they were yummy.

Felt sick and too full even though I didn't eat the whole thing.

I did lots of walking plus a hard workout with Christian, so I know the damage is negligible.

warm up

dumb bell swings. overhead squats, lots of stretching. push ups. 10 reps of 70# deadlift- good for form.

sore from yesterday's abdominal workout.

workout

3 rounds:

bike ride down and up the hill in back of coupeville (from gym to back of methodist church) .6 mile?
15 25# dumb bell swings
10 elevated push ups

14:49.

had me gasping at the end.

Reb

Sunday: 2 miles
Monday: 3 miles

a cartoon I had to share now that I have my scanner working:


( squeakectomy )

Ranger is quite the athletic dog and there's nothing he likes more than running full tilt or hunting prey. Yesterday I took Ranger to one of my local beaches which is also an off leash dog park - It's called Double Bluff. Yesterday he was even more rambunctious than usual - climbing cliffs and rolling in stinky dead things.

Thank GOD for one of the newest creations (new to me anyway) - the "Dog Wash". It's kinda like a Car Wash self serve. You take your dogs in, wash and dry him yourself. And given that I needed to have him clean and smelling nice before my company arrived today, it was a life saver.

Here's a picture of one of his accomplishments yesterday:


( Ranger )

I got a request to help locate a GH fanfic - this sounds familiar but I can't place it. Is there anyone else who knows the fic?

I don't know if you can help me but I'm going to try anyway. I'm looking for a fanfic that I discovered about a month ago. I had it saved to my favorites but then my computer crashed and I lost everything. I can't remember that name of the story or the author. I remember that the story was about Lucky Spencer. It's about his life after he comes home from being kidnapped by Faison. Laura is a complete bitch who is sleeping around on Luke and abuses Lucky. She is also sleeping with Stefan and Stefan abuses Lucky until Luke kills him after discovering all that was going on. Fast forward a few years and Lucky is older and not able to deal with all that has happened to him. Luke is in jail and basically his whole family has turned against him. Lucky is living on the streets, doing drugs. Elizabeth has left him. Emily had been in another country, being a model then she comes back home. In this story, she and Lucky get together. Tony is the one that takes Lucky off the streets and gets him some help. Most of the story is about Lucky struggling with his addictions and what happened to him. In the last chapters, Faison comes back and poisons Lucky, and Lucky believes that he has killed Nik, which sends him back into the psych ward.

Back to frantically getting ready for Christmas company.

Reb

At franwi's recommendation, I watched the first episode of 1 Litre of Tears and it was very well done, but now I'm afraid to watch the rest. Should win the Most Appropriate Title Ever.

VERY sad already...

On a positive note, I just got a note from the library to tell me the first two books in the manga Fruits Basket are waiting for me to pick up. FINALLY!

*sigh*
Reb

As I wait for the long downloads for the Taiwanese drama "It started with a kiss", I decided to watch a couple episodes of the anime called "Fruits Basket". franwi made the recommendation and I have to agree it's very adorable. I'm relatively new to the anime, so what does the tear drop on the hair mean? embarrassment?
Reb

At franwi's urging I've started to watch Peach Girl! I just finished the first episode and I have to say that Vanness Wu is very cute in it. But so far the lead girl ?Xaio Tao? is pretty naive. I just hope she wises up soon. I'm not hooked yet, but I'm going to watch another episode.

Looong downloads though. Anyone else go to the jdramas?

Reb

On the off chance that someone finds this interesting: ( About Ranger and Clicker training )



Next stop, teaching him to bow.
Reb

Okay, I realize that a good number of people in the US live in places where a lot of snow falls every winter. However, I do not. I live on an island north of Seattle and We might have one snowfall a year, usually no more than a few inches and it rarely sticks around for more than a day or two. Some years we have no snow accumulation. We have icy roads, but again, it usually doesn't last more than a day or two.

But it's not even December and we've had snow 3 out of 4 days! Our normal temperature range during the winter is 40-50 degrees. Since Sunday we've had two days in the low 30s and now we're working on the second day in the 20s! The kids have already used up their snow days. My hubby, who is a teacher, has already EXCEEDED his snow days for his school.

And it's not even December. I hope this isn't a sign of what kind of winter we're going to have.

Reb

If you can't use your journal to make a shameless plug for votes for your dog, then what's the point?

So, my kids noticed on Thanksgiving that there is a general dog competition and we decided to enter him:

http://contest.dogshowusa.com/portal/dog/29433.html

Course, there are lots of other cute dogs there, feel free to vote for them too. Or better yet, enter your own dog.

http://contest.dogshowusa.com

:0)

Reb

This has to be one of the wettest Novembers on Whidbey Island that I can ever remember. ( continued )

I can't wait. I love Thanksgiving. I even have two built in slaves to help with the dishes.


Reb

URGENT ASSISTANCE - FROM USA

IMMEDIATE ATTENTION NEEDED : HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL

FROM: GEORGE WALKER BUSH
202.456.1414 / 202.456.1111
FAX: 202.456.2461

Dear Sir / Madam,

I am GEORGE WALKER BUSH, son of the former president of the United States of America George Herbert Walker Bush, and currently serving as President of the United States of America. This letter might surprise you because we have not met neither in person nor by correspondence. I came to know of you in my search for a reliable and reputable person to handle a very confidential business transaction, which involves the transfer of a huge sum of money to an account requiring maximum confidence.

( Read More )


Okay, so it's more of a parody ..... :)


Reb

http://www.markfiore.com/animation/glad.html


A must see for any democrat :)

By the way, whoever sent me nice weather last night, thank you! It's now sunny and almost warm outside. Can't wait to take Ranger for his outting.

Reb

I don't know why this song came to mind, maybe because it's STILL windy here and it's the intimidating kind. You end up feeling pretty insignificant when a wind gust nearly knocks you down. Excuse this rather disjointed rant, I'm working on about 3.5 hours sleep. ( Read more about my Windy story )

Anyone out there with good weather? Send me some- all I see in our forecast for the next week is rain and wind.

Even with all the complaints, I'd still take this over snow and ice....
Reb

Today was an unusual Sunday... For the first time our family went to church (for something other than a special event).
( More about this... )

On a secular note, My dog Ranger got his first big knuckle bone today and ran whimpering around the house with it in his mouth! I think he was trying to find a place to hide or chew it up, but given that it's kinda gross at this point, I'm relegating him to the tile/wood floors to keep the grossness off my carpet.

Reb

Maybe everyone else knows about this, but today is the first time I found this:


Ebay Song on Google Video

Reb

Check out this site on Sand sculptures. Brings Sand Castles to a whole new level:



http://www.greatervancouverparks.com/HARRISONSandCastles01.html

the site is picture heavy.

Reb