Hello Dolly

This week's run was perhaps the most difficult to date. As Miss B and I were running with the Nike running group she inquired with the team leader as to where we should be at with mileagle for this week seeing as the race is only a few weeks away. Tara (a lovely Canadian who is really nice!) told us that it was 12 miles this week and then time to taper off. Next week 8 miles, week after 6, and then race day. I was less than thrilled to hear this news. The start of the run felt good and the hills weren't even as bad as the week previously. However something happened in the last 3 miles of the 10 mile loop and I fell behind. Not just a bit behind but significantly so where often times I lost sight of Miss B's cute ass. It was partially due to inconvenient timing of the stop lights and also because I was just slow. My knees and ankles felt as though they were going to explode. The last half mile of the 10 mile loop I was on the verge of tears and had clearly mentally checked out. I wanted to cry so badly. It just hurt. Miss B was waiting with the team leader to finish up the last two miles and I told them to go ahead stating that I couldn't do it. I feel terrible for not pushing myself to take on the last two miles. It was only an extra 24 minutes, why couldn't I do it? I wanted to complete the training as planned. I guess for now my longest distance will be 10 miles. I did go buy new running shoes this weekend. Can't wait to try them out tonight. They feel like a dream compared to my old ones which had about 300 plus miles on them.

It was a good weekend to do a whole lot of nothing else. Miss B had her usual schoolwork to do on Sunday which means I need to leave the house as not to be a distraction. A few times recently I have stayed home while she works and have done a pretty good job of staying out of her way. Prior to "separate time" we went to Savor for brunch with Mistycans, Ted, and some bears. It was a good way to start the morning and the food was much better this time around as compared to the last time we went. Still had the Noe Valley vibe of dogs, baby strollers, and BMWs everywhere. Oh well, every once in a while it's ok. Just don't expect me to live in it every day, OK? It was then time to head over to A's neck of the woods to make the pilgrimage to Dolly Parton's performance at Golden Gate Park. Yes, it's true, Dolly played the park, and for free! There were tons more people than I had anticipated and at one point I almost bailed due to the number of back packs knocking me over and drunken idiots falling on me. I just don't like big crowds. Scott Frick was nice enough to look after me and we moved to a clearly less hostile area while A remained with the mean people guarding their blanket. She did an outstanding job with their ridiculous requests while hearing Dollycans sing "Here You Come Again", among others. This, and Dolly's comments about the "great smells coming from the crowd", meaning the weed, made it worthwhile. On our way out Emmy Lou Harris was performing and we caught some of it as we stood in line for kettlekorn. That stuff IS crack, I don't care what anyone else thinks. It's the perfect combination of salt and sweet and it keeps you coming back one handful at a time. Super yum! I got the nickel bag and took some home to Miss B. Of course I ate half of it on the way home and had a bellyache last night. It was worth it.

Speaking of crack, the picture posted is of our three babies, Sammy, Zami, and Little Green. This was one afternoon after I loaded up the cat tree with cat nip. They go absolutely mental for the stuff and can't get enough. Although it really mellows Little Green out which is no easy job. When Miss B and I moved in together it was a gamble to see how these three were going to get along. Sam had been an only child for so long and was such a people oriented cat that it was clear that he thought to be human, not a feline. When he was found at the SPCA after months and months of searching for the perfect cat, I lived with the boys on Lundy's Lane. We all worked such different schedules that someone was always around to play with Sam. He got very used to that and eventually when I lived alone, so did he and it wasn't to his liking. Sam would follow me everywhere in the apartment and start meowing at me the minute he saw my car pull up outside returning to the abode. Miss B and I read several articles about how to best introduce new cats to a new household and it all paid off. These three totally dig hanging out and can often be seen chasing one another up and down the hallway like the Indy 500 of cat races.

Speaking of which, can someone tell me when it became cool to follow car racing? It's embarassing how much the US of A has embraced it. There must be something I am missing.