Pro-cras-ti-nay-yay-shun...

is hitting me full force. Oh well, it's to be suspected. The result is that I'm fretting about how crummy the weather is:

I could just cry; I'm SO ready for warmth and the blasted winds to cease and desist. On a lighter note, I'm also SO excited for my wedding ♥ There was a lovely shower for me at work today - thanks very very much! - and we're slogging through the details and will hopefully get most things squared away by the time I leave for Costa Rica...I'm chaperoning a school trip at the end of July and go straight to Tahoe when I get back and then have about a week until school stuff revs up again so everything really just needs to be done before then.


Anyway, Mr. Mikey and his brother are trekking through Machu Picchu whilest I do things I detest (grading...laundry...being alone) so I at least have plenty of personal time to do said things.


Back to the grind stone.


xoxo, natty ♥

PS
I just looked up how to take a screen shot of my hello-phone and I like that!


PPS
Their church website FINALLY posted information on me beloved Greek Festival. It's this weekend...OPA! Check it out HERE and print free entry coupons and go forth with strong appetites. Don't let the weather gods scare you away, go bundled up and bring some $$$ for the food. Did I mention how good the food is? Greek food isn't super intimidating, in case you're concerned, there's some pretty delish mild stuff for folks who swing that way. By the by, this is not an endorsement, they know not of who I am, but a vociferous devotee. That's all, folks.

Guest blogging lovliness...

Good morn to you all...in the midst of my grading, laundry, not-blogging, finishing school year blitz, I give to you, a beautiful post on marathon running by my ever so talented friend Becs. She just joined the blogosphere with her own place here: Becs' blog ♥

Her writing sang sweet music to mine ears whens I read it, so here it is for you to enjoy...
 

The road to marathon weekend in Fargo, North Dakota was a sort of anticlimactic one. Before I even began the Fargo Marathon, I had the odd feeling of wanting to be past the race. It wasn’t that I wanted the race to be over, exactly, but I didn’t have the typical slush of excitement and nerves in my mind.  I was calm—or rather, I wasn’t feeling much of anything. I had put in the miles, missing just a couple of runs in my 18-week training cycle. When I look back on it, it felt like I was slogging through the Minnesota winter until practically taper time, when the major work was already done, and I was surprised to be so close to race day.

I got to the FargoDome on Saturday morning plenty early, ate my breakfast and drank coffee before finding a spot where I’d camp out for 15 minutes or so before moving to the next spot. I was still expecting rain. Other runners had garbage bags covering them as a precaution. Many of us wore hats.  It was a small, cozy race, and it was a tiny miracle to me that I noticed it was 7:10 or 7:15 and figured I should head over to the starting area in time for the 7:30 gun, instead of the usual incessant reminders blaring over the loudspeaker.  I stood in the crowd, stretching and thinking about how my running had evolved since October 2009, when I ran my last marathon. 

For three races in a row, I had badly wanted to run a 3:40 and qualify for Boston. My training indicated that it was a longshot but that if stars aligned gently, I could get there. I haven’t yet, and after each race, I’m embarrassed about how hard on myself I was about what went wrong and what I didn’t do well enough. Leading up to Baystate Marathon in 2009 or even during the race, I ended up with a stress fracture in my foot, with the subsequent six weeks totally off running and then a long, long, long, slow build-up back.  It was frustrating and boring, and as I racked up magazine subscriptions for my long workouts on the stationary bike during gorgeous late fall weather in Minnesota, I remember thinking I’d do anything to go out for a run of any length.

As I recovered over the next year, I felt the marathon bug creeping back into my mind—for a spring race, not wanting to wait until fall 2011.  All of a sudden, during some random and unspectacular run, I had an epiphany of sorts, the kind that you can read and hear about over and over but have to figure out yourself for it to stick. I could train hard and be excited for a spring marathon, but run it for fun, without rigorous time goals.

This was liberating to me. I realized that I train for these fiendish races not just for the finish time, but because I truly love the process of preparing and training my body for a challenge like this. It’s really—excuse the cliché—a labor of love. I love conversations with Molly during a long run, I love my podcasts, and I love finishing a workout in the best humidity blizzards rain weather Minnesota can throw at me. I love seeing improvements in a workout from one month to the next. I love how strong I feel during a great run. It makes all of the early wake-ups, tired miles, and lackluster days totally worth it.

As soon as the gun went off in Fargo, all of the emotions that I had been shoving down cropped up, and I completely choked up for the first minute of the race, thinking about my recovery, the first run post-stress fracture, the slow buildup and all of my made-up re-injury scares along the way.  After hundreds and hundreds of miles, here I was, on a start line I wasn’t sure I’d ever stand on again last year. 

I settled into an easy pace with the hope that I’d find the first 10 miles very easy and be able to rachet up the pace in the second half of the race. By mile 10, though, it started to feel unlikely that I could hold that pace. My face was hot under my hat, but I didn’t toss away my hat for fear that the sun would pop out right away.  Later, I found out that while the temperature stayed low enough—mid-60s—the humidity was 92 percent, and it didn’t rain for more than five or 10 minutes that morning. I touched my face, then my collarbone, then my shoulder, and all three were salty with dried sweat. I decided to start drinking more powerade and water as I started to run more by effort than pace, and each time I grabbed a cup of powerade, I tasted the salt in it and that tasted like paradise: a bad sign. 

The course meandered along out-and-back sections around the city, mostly on concrete roads, with lots of great spectators. My favorite signs were “Finish before the rapture!” “You’re so not almost there!” and “Worst parade ever!”  Some runners later mentioned someone dressed in a Grim Reaper costume at the end of the race holding a sign that said “The end is near,” but I was in such a fog of fatigue that I barely glanced at him and then didn’t want to see him again.  There were bands at every mile, too.

The miles were ticking by quickly, but I just wasn’t having fun with them the way I wanted. My splits started slow and got slower, and my legs just felt heavy. All along, my goal was to pick up the pace halfway through, but instead I shifted my eye toward mile 17, when the single-digit mile countdown began.  I started walking at every mile marker, and then more toward the end. I ate a freezie, a chunk of watermelon, and a lot of blue powerade. (Gross.) Everyone around me looked like how I felt, and the course intersected with the last few miles of the half-marathon, which faded to a lot of walkers by the time the marathoners overtook the course. The energy of the race started to lag and feel more like a grind—as most marathons often do around mile 23. Toward the end, I looked at my watch and figured out I could walk the last mile in 20 minutes and finish under 4:30, but then decided to try to shuffle under the 4:20 mark.

As soon as I got to the FargoDome and the course began curving around the stadium toward the finish, I started to move more quickly and felt lighter. I noticed someone holding the “You’re so not almost there” sign with “so,” “not,” and “almost” crossed out, and I remember saying “Oh!” out loud. Among all of the cheers, I heard a man yell “385 yards to go!” and all of a sudden I realized I made it. You turn a sharp corner, and you squint into the tunnel into the FargoDome and see bright lights and a huge “FINISH” banner with a clock. I started moving as fast as I could toward the finish line and all of the emotions hung on me again in the last 100 meters—that I had done it, I came back, I finished this race. I had an impossibly huge smile on my face when I crossed the finish line and then, as soon as I stopped my watch, I burst into tears, for the first time ever after a marathon.

I’m left now with the feeling that the race itself didn’t matter. I worked hard to prepare, but what happened out on that race course isn’t so memorable or special to me, and it’s telling to me how sharply my heartbeat at the start and finish contrast to the dull feeling in my legs for the rest of the run.  The start and the finish and what it symbolized are what I’ll always remember: the heightened joy and pain, how heavy a finisher’s medal feels on my neck, and the miles of preparation that helped get me to the finish. After every other marathon I’ve run, I’ve felt drained and disinterested in running for weeks and sometimes months.  By the car ride home, I was already brainstorming about summer training and how best to prepare for Chicago in October. I had moved on.

Until I'm sane again...xoxo, natty ♥

Put a feather in your cap hair...

Last week I did something that might be a bit too youthful for me. After seeing it at school (teenagers) and then on my hair lady (grown-up), I decided that I could have fun and do something different for me; I put feathers in my hair! They're kind of like hair extensions, not the weave-y ones but where there's like a little loop she pulls my hair through and then pinches it with pliers. Anyway, they're for summer and fun and being my version of "edgy"; ha!

Don't mind the headphones and bad lighting; I'm pleased I even got any pictures at all since I was so blasted from work last week!


Mr.M and I are finishing up Mad Men season 4 right now and I'm mourning it since season 5 isn't slated to start until 2012 and we'll most definitely wait until it comes out on DVD to watch it. 


I've got boatloads of grading from her until eternity June 7th but I'll try to post here and there. The Mr. is going to Peru next weekend for two weeks so at least I'll have plenty of free time to work (there's some justification; I'll totally miss him!).


Happy Friday to you all!
xoxo, natty ♥

PS
This was us last Friday, living it up 1920s style for a school fundraiser. This is a picture of the actual picture, so it's not great quality, but it's cute still ☺

 

We had a blast!

I suppose I should be grateful...

for longer days...but (that's a big 'but'), it's so dang un-spring-like here! It's been in the 50s and low 60s and windy, rainy and cloudy; boo! However, it is still getting lighter and lighter every night, which I adore, and those skies are just gorgeous, if you ask me. 

Pretty skies!

Wisteria and gray sky...

Front yard sycamore trees from the back yard.

We grilled a bit tonight, veggies and sausage. My new best friend is this:

Mr. Mikey got it for his birthday from his parents (thanks!) and this is some quality lemon pepper, not just the stuff from Safeway. I've been putting it on everything, but it's best on grilled asparagus that's been covered in some olive oil...delish! 

I've been enjoying this glass that I bought a few months ago. 

I ♥ garage sales/Goodwill/Salvation Army/etc. and, thanks to the eyes of my aunts and grandmother, I can always find something (that I think is) good. As mentioned, I've been loving on this hilarious glass. It speaks to the part of me who wishes she were alive in the 70s and could have a paneled romper room or den with shag carpet (& a rake for it). Alas, I live my dreams through thrifting. It's not all vicarious past living, though, it's surprising how much Banana Republic and better stuff I can find, though it's more often the funky home decor...
In that same vein, the next post will showcase a few things (mind you, showcase is a bit too fancy a word for this type of thing, but oh well) that I picked up last week. Most of that haul is, as of now, meant to go towards wedding decorations, but one never knows where life takes us. 
I will leave you with one picture of a rummage sale find. I often pick up a stuffie (stuffed animal) that doesn't look too cute or quality, one that is maybe a bit tired and costs no more than $1; it will go to the dog since he just loves ripping them up. I try to pick ones that don't make me feel too bad about letting them be destroyed and this one spoke to me. It was some promotional gig for a nasal spray company.

Don't mind Mike playing soccer with the dog...or the recycling can...

It is was a nose.
xoxo, natty ♥

Addendum to Mother's Day...

My lovely auntie Jeanne hosted a mother's day brunch and I told her I would post the pictures so that she could steal them...what a pretty spread!!! Thanks Jeanne, it was great ♥

How CUTE are those cans full of utensils??!!??

Mike's mom was here too, adding to our celebration. His folks came for a few reasons, mostly just to visit and hang out but also to take care of some wedding things before summer is upon us and all h*e*double-hockey-stick breaks loose (read: the wedding gets closer and closer and there are more things to do; albeit things we're so happy and excited for!). We had a blast sampling food everywhere from a downtown San Jose food truck gathering (click HERE for information on the next one...) to a Oaxaca style restaurant. It was a great weekend that culminated with Mike's work's major spring event. Said evening focused on student speaker's in Mr. Mike's program and they were wonderful and inspirational; a great reminder of what there is to be grateful for and also of how resilient people are.


I have about three more posts that I need to get out, maybe later tonight (I am aware that more than one post in one day ain't a good thang, but I gotta do what I can yo) or possibly later this week. The major grading starts to pile up tomorrow and it's all said and done by June 7th, so here we go for the final push...wish us luck!!
xoxo, natty ♥

My cup runneth over...

My cup of grading and other things to do, that is...sigh. There's only  a week and a half of classes left, though, so the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter and brighter. As for posting, not much has been going on, just a whole heck of a lot of work...hopefully I can do a real post later this week =) Love to all and happy start to the week!
xoxo, natty ♥

(I know what you did) Last weekend...Part II

First off...Happy Mothers Day to the lovely and loved mothers in  my life ♥♥♥. Mike's parents are visiting this weekend and I've been such a naughty blogger, having taken zero pictures of the fun things that we did...and that stuff will have to wait anyway since I need to finish last weekend...

On Saturday afternoon I cajoled Mikey to go to the Eureka Woman's Group's craft fair which made my day. Hand made stuff causes my heart to sing especially if it's knit or sewn. This fair even included some man made carvings and these glorious "dining room centerpieces".  I love how it's labeled (though I failed to get the whole label in my picture) and that it's a VULTURE (this one's for you, Dad)...who wants a vulture with a beak made out of a crab claw for their dining room table? I admit, I just might because a) it's obviously made with love b) it uses found materials (sea detritus) and c) it's so unique.

Regrets that I didn't buy this...

That night we drove across a bridge into the town of Samoa to eat at the Samoa Cookhouse, the last running logger/cookhouse of it's kind in North America (I think that's correct, forgive me if it's not, it's just beyond me to do the correct research right now {I'm tired}). 

I didn't know that it's "ok" to name your chainsaw...I'll have to think of one for ours now.

Old logging tools...

I LOVE this sort of Americana especially if it's California related and includes cooking.I also love how in the pictures Mike and I took of each other in front of the sign, we are technically both in the shot since you can see the other's shadow (did even that make sense?).

We woke early to drive to the race the next morning. It was beautiful running weather, mid 50s and sunny and FULL of ancient, looming, beautiful and strong redwood trees. Not to sound too tree-huggy, but it was pretty inspiring to be running under them. So much so that I kicked out a pretty good time for me. If only I could maintain that for a full marathon and qualify for Boston ;). Mike ran a good race too, though his legs were bugging him a bit. We were ready to hit the road soon after finishing, picking up lunch on the way out, stopping a few times for breaks and buying early-season cherries on the side of the road, and we made it home before dinner.

I was stoked to see these; I love cherries and they mean summer!

We also had fun making Guinness make these sounds on the way home. He's recently been obsessed with invisible things on the ceiling and walls. We do nothing to help this early onset dog-insanity by encouraging and recording said behavior. Oh well, it's kind of...unique.

The week flew by and our weekend with M's parents and my family flew by even quicker. I still need to post about Easter and now about what we did this weekend, which happened to involve a lot of eating, but it's time for sleep and to begin counting down the three weeks left of school and until I can really focus on wedding planning (YAY!)!
Good night y'all and here's to a good week!
xoxo, natty ♥

(I know what you did) Last weekend...Part I

So it's not Sunday or Monday when I said I would post this; it's Tuesday, which is even better! As I mentioned in my last post, Mike-ster and I took the dog up north for a race. This race, if you chose to peruse the link (available again HERE), is a fairly small one as marathons and half marathons go, but it also has a neat-o history and is kind of a "grass roots running event", if you will, and we love stuff like that. So we left Friday afternoon and made it up by 9, enjoying an Applebees dinner (my first) and our hotel room. 

On Saturday we got deli sandwiches and picked up our race packets in the park where the race started (about 40 minutes south of Eureka). I've been lazy and using the phone and many of these (read: almost all) are taken from the car; lazy, I know, oh well.

Stones on the bank of the Eel River

Guinness ate Mike's sandwich which was in the car while we picked up the race packet which resulted in a punitive dunk in the Eel River.

We also checked out the small towns of Ferndale and Scotia. 

Deli/Market in Scotia. I looked crazy just taking a picture at the meat counter, but I loved it.

The Scotia Inn...check out the lobby shots below:

This is Ferndale

Part II (racing and a cool dinner) and that Easter stuff soon to come...
xoxo, natty ♥

Eureka!

Mr. Mike and I, along with doggy dog, hit the road yesterday to drive way North to Eureka, CA, which is a pretty cool California town with roots in the logging industry. It took us about 7 hours to get here, though it would've been a bit quicker had Mike not gotten pulled over for going too fast ha! 

We chose such a distant locale for just a casual weekend because of a race that we're doing tomorrow morning, otherwise I think that we would probably like to come up here and putter around for several full days and be able to drive home in a leisurely manner. We're running in the Avenue of the Giants 1/2 marathon in the morning, which is the redwood state park and I'm excited since it's BEAUTIFUL under those trees.


I'm putting up some pictures of us skipping town and will put up some  later tomorrow night or Monday of our Northern California adventure, including, but definitely not limited to, our dinner HERE tonight, which was awesome. I also have a belated post on all of our Easter follies planned; better late than never!

Driver...

Car dog driving through San Francisco

Wish us luck with the 13.1 =)
xoxo, natty ♥