OBX Half Marathon Event Report

What a fantastic weekend this was!  The weather in the Outer Banks was perfect for an outdoor weekend.... and I was still spinning happily that my husband had decided to do the 5K event with me.  His idea to join me – so I smile.  Our trips away are more of an adventure now since we go by ourselves... it’s fun to discover each other again when it’s ‘just us”

We drove to the Outer Banks on Friday, stopping to meet one of my imaginary friends (this is a term my kids gave to my internet friends a long time ago).  I try not to pass up a chance to meet some of these special people who have been so important to and supportive of me for the past several years!  The race directors had asked that runners bring food donations for the food bank because it was recently emptied due to Hurricane Sandy and my friend offered to send some with us... thank you, Sara!

Then lunch out and a beautiful drive to one of our favorite places :-)  We visit the Outer Banks several times a year – it’s like home away from home.  This time we found our favorite hotel chain (more home away from home) – brand new in Corolla.  We LOVED staying in that area!  SO much more peaceful and wooded.... much more our style :-)   Anyway, I digress!

We headed to pick up our race packets first... so some locating and driving around... and then wandering around the crowded EXPO to see what was there.  I am proud of us that we didn’t buy anything that first night.. except Body Glide because I was OUT.  We just wandered and looked and noted a few things to think about and maybe purchase the next day.  Once we were finished, we headed out to find where we would be starting the next morning... and then off to locate the hotel.  The Hampton Inn in Corolla is gorgeous!   A little difficult to locate but, in my book, that can be a plus!

It was dark already by the time we checked in and we weren’t sure which restaurants were still open in this post-Hurricane Sandy off-season.... so we headed for a grocery store to pick up salads, celebration wine coolers and snack-type items to enjoy back in the room.  After we left, we headed back to the hotel and almost missed it – it was SO DARK.   We located a parking space and noticed that there were no lights on in the hotel either, except dim ones in the lobby.  Obviously a power failure but we went in to see what was going on – and, at that time, no one knew.... so we went back to the car and had a picnic :-)  An adventure!  And the night was crispy cool.... so we couldn’t stay outside too long – but the stars were magnificent!   Serendipity – a few hours to chat and plan and just be together.   It turns out that the entire Outer Banks was plunged into darkness for several hours that night... it happened just AFTER we bought our goodies.  Thank heavens we weren’t in a restaurant or anywhere else.... What a blessing to be right where we were :-)

We finally thought that the emergency battery lights inside looked like they were dimming and we figured we’d better get back inside before they failed too – so made our way in and up the stairs to our room.  Propped the door open with the coffee table since there were no lights inside at all.... and began to locate our possessions.  About that time, the lights were restored and this part of our adventure was over :-)

Saturday morning was beautiful and kind of lazy for us.  The start of the 5K was not until 10am so we had a leisurely breakfast and headed out when we were ready.  Just a 3 mile walk, right?  We do that all the time....  for Don, yes!  For me, NO!  I was a wreck.. I have no idea why.  Maybe jitters for the half the next day?  I’m not sure yet – but I know that I should have paid more attention to my fueling and hydrating!   The whole event was set up as a family weekend so there were lots of activities for kids of all ages – including a climbing wall.  Of course, I wanted to try it but we decided to deal with it AFTER the race.  We wandered around a bit until it was time to line up.  Don, of course, is all ZEN... no worries, unflappable... never mind that it is his first race.  It is ME that has the butterflies.. so we start!  And he is walking faster than ever.... and I, never one to be left behind and keeping right up with him.  (If he ever decides to train to run, he is going to leave me in his dust :-)  We were fine until the end.... he decides to run the last bit on the school track.... and he is off!  I try to jog and keep up but my stomach said NO WAY!  I felt it seizing up right away.... I do have to say though – that these legs never stopped.  I made my way over to the side (just in case) and kept going.  Fortunately the heaves were dry so I didn’t embarrass myself too badly.... and I was only a minute behind him :-)

After that, I was way too shaky to even think about a climbing wall.  We walked it off.. rested, drank and ate a little of the food provided.  Then we went back to the EXPO to purchase some items we decided we needed... and then headed off for lunch and a wandering kind of afternoon – especially locating the start for the next morning.

Up Sunday early... well, early for Don.... I have a hard time sleeping the night before an event.  I just make my body lie there until at least 4:30 before I give it up :-)  We had packed up the night before and loaded the car so we prepared pretty quickly and headed out.  The start was at 7am and I was there and ready to go a good bit earlier.  I am always the calmest right before the start... when I am where I am supposed to be and lined up.  At that point – for me – there are no more worries... there just is a task to be completed.  Before then I die a thousand deaths in the throes of WHY OH WHY did I make this choice... but at the line?  Nope, it’s a done deal so I go forward...

Anyway, he dropped me off and headed out to find coffee and wi-fi, knowing that he had 3-4 hours to read and surf and chill out while I walked!  And walk, I did :-)  Mile 1 & 2 are always a bit hard for me while I wonder why I am here... especially when my muscles were already talking to me.... especially when I don’t feel like I have been serious about my training!  But here I was – and here I was going to stay until I got to the end – or at least THE BRIDGE.  According to the website, Miles 6-8 were pretty flat and Mile 9 was THE BRIDGE.  I know that bridge and it is TALL!  It gives me the creeps when I have to drive it....  but I had already decided that it would be an opportunity to be there on foot. 

The weather was glorious!  Sunny and bright but so early in the morning that it was still a little chill.  I really loved walking by all the places that we drive by regularly.... it was just fun!  I took a lot of photos.... one bonus of walking instead of running!  Of course I can’t see the screen anyway so it might not matter :-)  

By Mile 4 I had met a friend that stayed with me to the finish.  And I was glad!  I was starting to hurt a lot by Mile 7..... and I was close to quitting by the time we got to the bridge.... but I had promised myself THE BRIDGE and my new friend really wanted a picture on the top of it... so I knew I had to go that far :-)  Of course, once you are on top of a bridge.... well, you HAVE to go down it, right?   We stopped an stretched at the bottom and moved on.   And she kept saying – it’s only a 5K and a fun run from here, right?  She was right – and I knew I would keep going at this point. 

And I got a lot of new information about half marathons because it seems like my new friend is a half-marathon fanatic.  She does them every few weeks somewhere.  Good incentive for me, I think!

I felt better after that but close to the end?  Yikes!  The last Mile point 1 was pretty rough.  By that time my knees and ankles had started to complain and I was visibly limping (but still keeping the 15ish minute pace :-).  We got to where we could see the end... and sprinted for it!  But oh wow.... once I crossed the line, I was bent over and winded!  The medical people checked on me but I really felt that some liquid and walking it out would be enough.  And, for the most part, I was right.  My friend met up with her people and I sat down to try and contact Don.  Two things then... my legs seized up tight AND I found that my cellphone had lost all power.  Uh-oh.

Not knowing about the layout of the end.... we had not made plans to meet, exactly – but I knew that if I stayed somewhere visible at the end, he would find me.  Unfortunately that was all sunny.  I got more drink, wandered a little.... then hunted down a little shade, hoping to find someone I recognized that I could borrow a phone from.  By then, I was starting to feel a little dizzy, the cramps weren’t leaving... and my swollen Minnie Mouse hands were starting to cramp too.  I sent a quick prayer that Don would find me and decided to go find a Race Crew person to get me to medical.  I figured at least I could rest and they could re-assure me that I was fine.

So I located a person to help – and Don found me at the same time.  So I went off with him to rest and re-hydrate.  The biggest problem was that I felt dizzy.... and every time I tried to rest or put my head down, the rest of my body would seize up in a great big full-body charley horse.  He decided that medical would still be a good idea so we went back and got some attention.  Ultimately I was right that I needed to cool down and rehydrate.. but it was good to get it checked out.  By resting with them – and they did make me eat a banana (YUK!) – and an ice bag to the carotid... everything settled back down and was fine.

We wandered back to the van... and went to eat lunch.. and then headed back home!  Both of us are a little sore but that is to be expected.... but let’s see... what did I take away?

a)     Training starts tomorrow (with a rest day :-).  I have a recovery plan but I do need to find a good ‘regular plan’ that will keep me in a good condition to race.

b)     I will eat a stupid banana after every race.  I might even have to learn to like the things.  I was shocked at how quickly the cramps subsided after I ate half of it.

c)     I will work more on drinking FEWER dehydrating drinks (coffee specifically) or making sure that I drink water in a 2:1 ratio instead of the 1:1 that I drink now.

d)     LOVE the ice bag to the carotid tip!  Cooled me down quickly.... I usually put it on the back of my neck – but no more.

e)     And, I need to be willing to stretch more DURING the race.  I get so caught up in my time that I don’t take care of myself.  When I already know I will spend hours on a course, it doesn’t make sense to NOT take a few minutes every hour and stretch out the legs!

MOST of all.... what I take away is that Don and I need more weekends away for just the two of us :-)  So I will work with him to make this happen again soon!

Final stats:

  Saturday's 5K:

        Don's chip time was 42:56; mine was 43:57

 Sunday's half:

        My chip time was 3:33

and,of course since I did both (the Rum Runner's Challenge), my total time was 4:17  and I get an extra medal.... it IS all about the bling, after all, isn't it?  Or maybe the shirts... I got 2 shirts out of the deal...

Road Trip .. Day 7... on the road again

My last morning in a hotel room for a while!  While I love the Hampton Inn.... I am ready to do something else with my day!

I have enjoyed having no distractions in the morning... to write, to do my office stuff...  I will have to see what I can do to re-create this schedule when I get home.  You'd think as a home manager that I would be able to set any schedule I choose - but not so much!  Somehow I have more interruptions than ever!  But maybe it's ME getting distracted..... I'll have to think on that...

BUT..... with everything packed & in my husband's car except the laptop & my book.... it was an interesting few hours.... no crocheting, no office work :-)   Whatever shall I do?  LOL!!  I am sure it is good for me! 

The plans for the day are to meet with a friend at the local mall around noon for lunch.... and a joy that turned out to be!   We've 'known' each other online for several years but this was a first time meeting in person!  It is so much fun to travel to places and end up meeting friends you've known for a long time already... and I continued my culinary adventures.... I am such a small town kid!

This mall had a HUGE food court (huge to me!)   All the usual fast food suspects..... but also Japanese, Thai and Indian.  I've tried some different Japanese and Thai foods recently so..... Indian, it was...  Thank goodness they had a catering menu there that explained what the foods were!  Chicken Tandoori, I've tried before.. this was good, but not what I expected.... chana masala.. a slightly spicy chickpea dish.. I LOVED that one :-),,, fresh nan (like a pita - hot and puffy - who can complain about fresh bread?).. sweet jasmine rice.... and vegetable samosas, which were my favorite, I think.  They are spicy little turnovers filled with potatoes and peas...  Anyway.... lunch with a friend and new food for today's adventure!

 My husband ducked out of his class early and joined us... took one look at my tray and got his usual steak and cheese.  His mind was on hitting the road and heading home!   I can't  blame him.... adventures are fun.. but home... well, home is best!

My friend and I parted a bit reluctantly, she to go back to work and I to hit the road.... but we share the fun memory and maybe fates will conspire to help us do it again!

 So.... we got back in the car and started driving... traffic was pretty nasty for a but but soon evened out.... one thing I forgot to mention... my face & eyes had been itchy and stinging for the last day or so.  I didn't pay too much attention because I DID sit in the sun and had a little bit of a burn.... but as we drove, my neck started itching..... enough that I put cool water on it at rest stops... and pulled out some lotion for the whole area as we drove along.

The more I thought about it, the weirder it seemed until finally it hit me!  Couldn't be food allergies... not JUST on my face and neck....  There are two products that absolutely drive my skin nuts.... Tide and Olay (sorry, but true).  And my FACE is what gets the most exposure to linens in a hotel.  It didn't show up until late because I use my own pillow and for the first part of the trip - my own face cloth.  But I started using their clean cloths on Wednesday.... I settled on the cause while I was washing my face!  I am careful and use my own products but forgot about the dumb towels....  so now my poor face is puffy and my neck is itchy... BOO!  It will be fine in a day or so.... but it is aggravating!

At any rate... we drove until about 10:30pm.... and I was crashing hard!  My husband is a dear and stopped for the night.... and tomorrow.. we should make it home well before lunch.  I can't wait to see my family and pets and be home again, puffy face and all!

Road Trip... Day 6 in Boston

Today was supposed to be sunny and record-breakingly hot..... but we woke to a bit of rain!  

Laundry first thing for me this morning.... and a long chat with my daughter.... man, I miss my kids!  A wonderful chat with one of my girls & grandgirl yesterday.... what a lot of fun!  The little one doesn't even form words yet but LOVES to talk on the phone.... so grandmom happily obliged.   And keeping up with my boys at home.... texting with my oldest...  I'm a lucky mom to be so connected with my gang!

Then to pack up a bit....  gathering the things I won't need for the rest of the trip..  we start driving tomorrow afternoon... so there is quite a bit that I am finished with.

With the rain gone... it was sunbathing by the pool again... reading the novel my son wrote.... fast and furious texting back and forth with thoughts & ideas...not so much with the grammar and the spelling... his work is great!  I'm going home pretty tan, too :-)

Severe thunderstorms later on.... the news channel was full of concerns about them.  Apparently the freak tornadoes that went through the Boston area last week have everyone's nerves on edge!  But it turned out to be just thunder & lightning.... much like we see all the time at home.

We had plans to revisit the Flatbread Company but by the time we got there.... there was a 30 minute wait.. and we didn't want to wait!  So we headed to the nearby mall.... and spotted a little hole-in-the-wall pizzaria along the way.  It was perfect... we just ordered a gooey cheesy pizza.... ate most of it and headed back to our room for our final night.  Nice and quiet :-)

I discovered that another internet buddy of mine lives near and we have tentative plans to get together tomorrow before I leave..... we'll have to see how that goes!

Road Trip... Day 5 in Boston

So I got up early - as usual :-)  I almost rolled over but then I remembered that I am my husband's alarm clock and didn't want to take the chance that I would oversleep by being too lazy!

We had breakfast together and then I saw him off to class!  One of the many things I like about Hampton Inns is that they usually have a great breakfast selection (and FREE :-)... they all feature a fitness center and pool too... I think they are one of the best hotel values.  The first day I snagged enough 'breakfast' to cover lunch but since then I have had tons of leftovers from dinner the night before!

I planned to catch a shuttle for the 10:30 train to Boston... so had a couple of hours to spend working on writing... and I took the time to BEGIN the hand quilting on that infamous quilt strip.  Go ME!  It's not hard.... and there are only 4 small areas to cover before I can attach it to the rest of the quilt... I just need to DO IT!  So, this morning..... I did ONE of the four.... a start :-)  Hmm... if I do another one tomorrow morning.... I'll be half done with this portion....   

I am excited about catching the train - and nervous too... I am still not used to doing things by myself.  Somehow I had a lot more courage when I was dragging little people to educational sites.... now it's just me wandering around with no agenda.   Kind of strange!

But it's a little like riding a roller coaster.... ALL I had to do was get on the shuttle to take me to the train..... anything after that was as much trouble to go backward as forward.... so it kept me moving FORWARD!

I'm really not an adventurous soul... I mean, I have an adventurous MIND... but my emotional self is a big chicken... a SEVERE homebody... I can as easily sit in a corner watching people and taking notes as I can breathe.... Actually doing something new... getting involved in an adventure...is a little bit harder :-)

At any rate, there I was... on a train..

I found it!  And it was going in the right direction... I DO worry too much...

So I got on...... bought a ticket.... and went to Boston!

I arrived at the North Station and used a generic tourist map to wander my way to the Boston Common and the Public Gardens - my favorite spot of all!

What was fun was the Bruin fever!  Of course, those of you who know me, know that I know nothing much at all about sports... I mean zip.... zilch.... NADA!  I had caught a little about the Bruins (okay - that is hockey) but I only know that from the news last night.  Even George Washington in the middle of the Boston Public Gardens caught the fever....

Hard to see in the photo but George is dressed in a Bruins shirt...

My friend's train was late so I had some time to wander a bit & enjoy the beautiful sunshine.  I really liked listening to everyone complain about the heat.... even with the gorgeous breeze in the gardens.  I think that someone from Boston would get the same enjoyment listening to me complain about snow!

I mean, it WAS hot..... but I've never seen a Virginia squirrel need to chill out on the brick walk...


When my friend arrived, we had a great lunch at the Boston library, an incredibly beautiful building and enjoyed a super Civil War exhibit composed of period maps.... I do like maps!  A bit of a nerd, I know...  but they were absolutely fantastic!

Initially my husband thought his class would end early and he would join me in the city.... but two obstacles.... his class ran late AND the station we were using is also the hockey stadium..... with the 4th game of the Stanley Cup happening tonight!  Hmm..... change of plans!

My friend put me on the right train before she went to work.... and I headed back to the hotel...  An evening in the city with my husband was a great idea.... but not this time :-)  I was pretty tired anyway from all the walking - but feeling virtuous about the exercise...

Another quiet evening.... we re-visited the Asian restaurant and let our not-so-adventurous souls bask in the intrepid tasting of a new food :-)  Gyoza... a Japanese appetizer.... little meat ravioli-like pastries with a sesame-soy sauce...  enough adventure for me for the day!

Road Trip.... Day 4 in Boston

Woke early and saw hubby off to class.....

Good intentions of exercising. early.. but since we returned to the room after breakfast... I sat down to the computer and started to work AND play. 

A few weeks ago, I gave up a game I had been playing to see how much I missed it.  While I DID miss it, and I made friends there (as you do in the internet world), I am finding that it still takes up too much time for me to really enjoy.  If I do not figure out a way to manage the time I spend on it.. I will have to give it up altogether. 

I did spend 45 min on the treadmonster and then a couple of hours at the pool... laying out and swimming!   AND reading my son's manuscript... bless him, I've read so many versions of it..... but it's really pretty good (if I am a judge!)  At any rate, reading it all the way through if one of the tasks I set for myself on this trip - since I have so much reading time.


Hmm.. what else did I do?  A bit of financial planning work.... a charted dishcloth (I brought the yarn & instructions but somehow didn't print out the chart... so had to do it at the computer!).. and worked a little bit on a couple of other projects.  The good part about driving is that you CAN bring projects with you :-)

When Don came back, we went to a nearby Latin restaurant - Pedros Latin Cuisine (thinking Mexican) but were pleasantly surprised at South American food!  Neither of us was very familiar.. and carefully chose things that were a little different (but not TOO much - we are a little adventurous - but not a lot!).... I did enjoy discovering yucca root (much more like potato than I imagined) and fried plaintain (as much like banana as I thought)  So far, we have been lucky with our restaurant choices - they have been great!

We came back for a quiet evening.... Don had work to do both for his job and for his class... and I curled up with an afghan I've been working on..

Tomorrow - I navigate the transit system on my own and go to Boston to meet a friend for lunch.... Don's class is supposed to let out early and he plans to join me.  I can't wait to go there - even if all I do is sit in the gardens... the Boston Public Gardens are incredibly beautiful!

Road Trip .. Day 3 in Boston

It is so weird to have nothing pressing to do for hours and hours at a time!  You know things are off when you are cleaning your hotel room :-)  My daily habits are definitely becoming ingrained...

My husband has a class - and is really enjoying it :-)  I am happy to see him excited.. it's been a long time since he has had work that he enjoyed.   He left at 7:45 and returned around 6pm.

I spent the day reading.... sweet bliss!    I spent a couple of hours wrangling one of my crocheted dishcloths into submission... the last few sets of instructions have been pretty difficult.... I'll have to let them know.  I even gave up on one and did it my way :-)

A couple of hours sunning at the pool finishing off a novel... another thing I enjoy a LOT that I rarely get to do.  I guess that is probably a GOOD thing for my skin.. but I do like sunbathing :-)

By the time that my husband was able to join me, I was ready to go somewhere - ANYwhere.... we decided to try an Asian restaurant near the Flatbread Company we enjoyed last night

The Bamboo was incredible!  The food was amazing..... I had Pad Thai & some incredible spring rolls.

I had to try some new drinks because it is so much fun... a Purple Geisha (blueberry - one of my favorites)... I had no idea there was a blueberry vodka!  And a Blue Mermaid.. with all kinds of rum & fruit (which can never be bad :-)

The other thing that I loved so much was an exquisite Japanese quilt used to make a screen..... I'm going to have to think about that.. I wish I had taken a photo...  it would look really good in my living room!

After that, we wandered around the Burlington mall for a little while and I got my CVS fix..... funny, I am hooked on getting CVS values :-)  I did bring my coupons with me so I will prob create a "CVS shopping" package and go there again tomorrow night.  I am definitely finding deals by regular drugstore shopping!  Nice to be travelling in a car so I can still shop :-)

My main focus for this trip is to hang out... relax.... read and crochet.. catch up on paperwork.... have my own silent retreat, if you will.  And to be available for my husband.  It was so nice of him to ask me to tag along!

I thought about figuring out the train schedule and visiting Boston... I will do that for one day - but for the rest of them, I think I will putz around and catch up on some of the mental work and paperwork that I keep putting off.  One of the blessings (or curses?) of working for yourself is that your work is pretty portable!

Road Trip... Day 2....

8 hours of driving yesterday... 4 hours ahead today... riding - not driving - for me :-)

Lots of talking and dreaming and planning... thinking of the next 5, 10, 20 years.... thinking about which direction we want our lives to go....  what fun!  Though we are in our mid-50s, with luck, we have at least another good 30 years together... that's a LOT :-)   And, God willing, we will be able to do the work to keep active and healthy.... sooo... what do we WANT for this next chapter? 

We haven't taken the time to really think about the decisions we will need to make about the next years.... do we stay in our home.... do we look for a home that will be easier for us to manage as we age ... what will we need to fix or renovate in order to sell.... (or to enjoy ourselves!)...   where would we like to travel...   how long to continue working....  what to do NOW for residual income later...  how much money do we need AFTER we get the last children through college and settled....  what health issues do we think we will be facing... It's a new thing for us to have the time to actually get specific about what is coming next!

What a blessing to have a partner to dream with and a chunk of uninterrupted time to do it!

In yesterday's post, I talked about the trouble I had LEAVING home... and got myself sidetracked into talking about the difference in packing and planning between the time when my kids were younger and now....  but what I DIDN'T say is that when I get myself out of the house....  with that last item packed...  just as soon as I lock the door.... and get in the car... playtime begins!  I feel the stress of daily living roll off my back....

There is a freedom in leaving the daily habits behind... it's a great time to reconnect (both with my husband and MYSELF!)  I am looking forward to some serious dreaming :-)

What do you want for the next 30 years?   What can you do today to get there?

Road Trip!

I LOVE road trips!  My husband has a business trip and asked me to tag along.... and, as an almost empty-nester..... why not?

I detest the LEAVING part... with all the preparations.. and the worries about food that will go bad... and taking care of the pets.... and the plants..... what to bring... what to leave.... it used to take me FOREVER to get ready.

But now?

Hmm.... my life has changed....  still plenty of preparation.... but some of it is just habit, I think.

I mean.. I'm only packing for me.....  my kids are grown and staying home.

It's Mom and Dad who are taking off ... shaking off the household responsibilities and heading out to play.

Who cares if I forget something?   No favorite stuffed toy to remember....  no bags of toys to keep little people occupied in the car.... no need for a cooler full of food (though I WILL be taking the last few items that I KNOW my guys will let DIE in the refrigerator :-)

It's kind of weird actually..... I am so accustomed to packing entire environments to move along with us.... and now I feel kind of footloose.

Okay - you would laugh if you saw my bag of work and my bag of crochet projects.  But I also took the time to pack some bubble bath and spa items that I own but never, ever use....

The week stretches before me.... an empty slate...

My entire agenda today is to leave the house and get in the car..... and ride... (and crochet a dishcloth or two, of course!)

How WILL I manage?

Day 5 - Sunday

Surprisingly, physically, I feel great!  I expected to be pretty sore and tired but really - just stiff when I sit too long - I am ready for another adventure.

We started out with a lazy morning... coffee on the porch - one of our favorite things to do at home, too!  The sky was heavy with clouds.. and, every so often, there are tremendous 30-second BURSTS of showers.  After the showers, the world is freshly greened... the flowers just a shade brighter... and the birds and butterflies more aggressive in seeking the new moisture before it evaporates.  I tried to catch a hummingbird with my camera but they were just too fast!

Plans for the day never quite materialized.  We sat on the porch most of the day, chatting back and forth between long stretches reading.   It was a super time to recharge and dream about and plan for the future.  We are so busy in normal life!  There doesn't seem to be enough time to connect with each other... even when we try to schedule it in!

 It is kind of fun to just sit and watch the world.... at one point, a large iguana crawled out of a palm tree and sauntered lazily across the road.  You don't see THAT every day.

This trip has been more than an opportunity for me to participate in a race.  For my son, it was re-creating the trip we took down here a couple of years ago - the first time I participated in the 8 TUFF Mile race.  But more importantly, for me and my husband, it was a chance to re-connect... to relive that honeymoon we took down here in the Caribbean 20 years ago!   What a blessing to return in our 20th year of marriage!

This trip has been an emotional whirlwind with the family death in the middle of it.  Knowing we can't be at the viewing tonight or the funeral tomorrow is really hard.  At the same time, I feel incredibly blessed knowing that my children have gathered 'round... together... to take care of each other.

I think that THIS is a part of my vacation that I need to take home with me... a day here and there.. to sit on the porch and dream with my husband :-) and to remember - no matter what the maelstrom whirling around us - we are blessed!

Tomorrow, we have one more opportunity to visit with my cousins and then will head back home to our little world on Tuesday.  I am more than ready!

Friday Day 3

It is surreal to sit here looking at this view with all the mixed emotions and confusion swirling around.

Original plans for the day?  First a change of rooms because someone else had already booked this condo for the weekend.... and then an afternoon of snorkelling and a visit to the Tektite Project museum.

But first, a mad scramble contacting our children back in the states who will be representing us at the funeral.  It is a strange thing to switch places with our children and have THEM be the ones handling the responsibilities at home while we are the ones out of town.

We moved our belongings early and realized that because of the phone issue.. we needed to stay at the condo and wait for family members to contact us.   So began a day of  waiting. 

Well.... until we went to look for lunch!  We walked to Mongoose Junction thinking to try a different cafe but between the sandwich shop which only took cash and the fancy restaurants ($30 per entree), we had no luck.   So, we walked some more!

Finally ducked into a little mini-mart kind of place to get a drink to carry with us because we were more thirsty than ANYthing at this point :-)  Walked a bit more... found lots of little places to shop in - but this wasn't a shopping expedition!  And then we saw it...JJs Texas Coast Cafe... didn't have a clue what we were walking into - but we all agreed that either burger fare or mexican would be just fine :-)  And was it ever!  Honest to goodness.... the best salsa I have ever tasted :-)  As it turns out, it was homemade - and so were their chips and tortillas,,, no WONDER it was so good.  Not exactly Caribbean food... but a very satisfactory lunch for us (we are a bunch to whom Mexican food is a comfort food!)

And then a hike back to the condo via the market to pick up more water and drinks.  So much for my RESTing my legs before the race in the morning!

We had been frantically emailing and checking prices and so on.  The ONLY way to get us home early would cost an additional several thousand dollars and several plane changes in various airports across the United States.... AND we would not be able to travel together.  So, in all honesty, it is not feasible for us to go back early.

We are so incredible blessed!  I have a dear friend who has offered to watch the dogs for as long as needed... and my adult kids at home have banded together to take care of whatever needed to be done.  I wish things were different.  I wish I could be where I am supposed to be.

But if you believe in a master plan, then you believe that everything happens for a reason.  We will go on with our plans.. because there is simply nothing else rational to do!  And we will allow those at home to take care of each other and take our part when we get back.

And tomorrow.... I have 8 TUFF miles to do in honor of my friends and family!
Check it out...www.8tuffmiles.com

Day 2

At dinner last night, my cousins and I had made arrangements that they would come around 10am to pick me up for a day of rigorous hiking!   My husband and son (who think I am crazy) opted out of this and planned to find a quiet beach somewhere to hang out. All beaches on the island are public so they were going to walk to a nearby resort and check out their beach.

One of the things I really wanted to do was to see some ruins of the old sugar plantations here on St. John.  My cousins chose Reef Bay trail... a trail with pretty rough terrain which included an old sugar mill where cane was ground, sugar made and rum distilled and also some rocks with ancient carved petroglyphs. Two hours hiking in... mostly downhill including a side half mile to see the rock carvings.  Lots of stops to take photos and read the plaques telling about plants and history.

The day was gorgeous... a bit cloudy which kept it from being too hot!  We ate a picnic lunch perched on rocks near the petroglyphs.   Another mile or so to check out the sugar mill ruins and then a beautiful white sandy beach appeared beyond the forest vegetation.

We spent about 20 minutes there... a quick dip and a few minutes to dry out in the sun and we were back on our way out.

It only took us ONE hour to hike back out.... surprising all of us since it was pretty much all UPhill to get back to the car.  But I can definitely say that I got my exercise in today!

We stopped for dinner supplies on the way back to the condo.  My men were there when we arrived back.... and had some really bad news.

We had a death in the family this morning.  It is a hard thing...but not a surprise.. my husband's relative has been on hospice care since the end of December.  But now my poor husband has to figure out how to handle what's next.

And what is next is this:  arrangements have all been made.  The family has been waiting.  It is not realistic for them to wait for us.  Nor, as it turns out, does it appear to be realistic for us to return in time.

His family knows that we are away.  We've checked flights out.. but even with additional fees to change reservations, there simply are not enough seats for all of us on tomorrow's flight... and, because of the race on Saturday... the flights are booked solid for Saturday and Sunday.  Our original reservation was for Tuesday afternoon.  Even once we get home, we must transport our dogs to a friend's house and then travel 5 hours by car.  We have a dilemma as to what to do.

Well.. not much of a dilemma... so far, there is not much we CAN do..   but it is hard to be here and not able to go back like we need to.  Tomorrow we will find a landline and  talk with relatives to find out what the funeral arrangements will be... and we have our own original plans for tomorrow's activities.  I'm not sure how to proceed right now.

So it looks right now like we are STUCK in paradise!  What a mess!

What would you do?  How would you handle this?

Day 1

Okay, it's official.  Either daybreak is an all-day occurrence.. or roosters DO crow all day.  My experience with roosters is limited but they surely crow all day here... incessant rooster crowing is the background sound :-)

I am up at 5.... wanting to use the quiet hours to think and write.  Posting photos has become problematic.  The internet is very slow.. so bear with me, friends!  The internet comes back around 9am... weird from my experience.. usually I find that internet service is faster when no one is awake!  At any rate, I do what I need to do.... and my people are all still asleep!

We can't get hold of my cousin - the cell phones won't work!  Oh no.. what to do!  I know that she wants to help us plan our trip but I was not able to get hold of her last night. The phone keeps dropping the call.   I sent an email to her since the call to her cell phone wouldn't go through.  At 9:30 this morning.. a voice mail arrived... from LAST NIGHT!  Yikes!  I wish I had her land line number!

I sent another email with the number of the condo phone... my guys were moving in SLOW MOTION today... so I deserted them and went to the pool to read and sun bathe.  Eventually my cousin got my email and called the condo phone...   

We decided we would meet for dinner and talk about plans for the upcoming days.

So then my husband, son and I went for a walk to find some lunch.  We headed down to Mongoose Junction - about a mile... and ate at the Sun Dog Cafe.  What fun!  To sit and people watch :-)  I did try some ahi tuna that my husband got in a salad (okay to try - no way to order!) and I ordered a jerk chicken taco that was fine,, but not a repeat.  BUT the important part was the TRY :-)

I won't go into the RUM drinks we tried :-)  Unless you ask!  I did get a recipe for one that was awesome... but only if you like Baileys and Kahlua. It was good enough to be illegal :-)

We walked back to the condo and arrived shortly before my cousins.  I say walk - but this is HIKING!

The gang started cooking while the other took me to get my race packet...well.... race NUMBER, I'm not sure I would call it a packet!

During dinner we enjoyed each others' company and solved all the problems of the world while we watched the sun go down over St Thomas... and decided that tomorrow would be a hike at Reef Bay including a dip and a picnic lunch for me.  My men will be left to their own devices to discover something to share with me later :-)  But I will get my hike and island history :-)

I hope you are making the most of your own adventures...  more later!

To the Islands!

We were up and out of the house by 4:30.... yikes!  But it was an easy leave-taking.

The most excitement was driving onto the airport complex where the traffic patterns have been changed (improved?) once again :-) Finding the long-term parking and our terminal was the first (yet predictable) challenge.

The long faces I was expecting on my trip were all present... though perhaps the hour of day had something to do with it.  Our flight took off at 6:45 and my own traveling companions flinched at my terminal "early morningness".  I managed to stifle some of my exuberance and contented myself with a smile.  It's hard to hang around with someone who makes 'happy' a choice :-)  I think this choice gives me more energy for the most part - which I like... (and other people do in fact find it annoying)

I spent my flying time alternating between my print copies of  St John Off the Beaten Track and St John by Foot and by Car... and my e-reader copy of the Forever Queen.. (all titles on my Reading List page).  I got my e-reader for Christmas and am still learning to use it... something soothing about actually physically turning pages.. but I think I can adjust :-)

Arriving in St Thomas, we had a harrowing (exciting :-) taxi ride to the ferry.  And then the ferry ride to the island of St John.  I read that the island of St John is 20 square miles... which didn't mean a lot to me until I read further... compare that to the 30-square mile Dallas-Fort Worth airport!  

We had a lovely surprise at the ferry.. my cousin was able to come meet us!  We will meet up on Wednesday morning and head out for some fun!  Another short taxi ride and we settled happily in our mountain condo.  My most vivid impression was floral profusion, tiny winding streets (designed, I think, for mountain goats - not vehicles!), and the incessant crowing of roosters :-)  We were settled by 5 and quickly headed out to the market to get some food for the duration.

sunset from the porch... I always did love porches :-)

So.... having done the reading... I set some small goals for myself.

First, I will take LOTS of photos!  It's fun - and, though I can't really see them when I take them, that makes it all the more important to take LOTS.. so I can throw them away when they are not good!

Second, there are two ACTIVE things I really want to do: hike and snorkel.

I am not a strong swimmer so it is a little bit scary.  But I tried to snorkel one time before and it is like being inside a National Geographic special!  The first time I put my face in the water, I couldn't breathe!  But that was because my brain and body had a disconnect :-)  The tube was right there - all I had to do was breathe THROUGH it.. but my body said... YOU are underwater, you can't breathe!  My brain had to kick in and remember what the TUBE was for!  THIS time I will do better :-)

I found a snorkel TRAIL in Cinnamon Bay.  I have absolutely NO clue how that will work but it sounds like something I want to figure out.

There are a lot of hiking trails on the island because of its size.  Driving is best left to the locals, I think... not only do they drive on the left side of the road, the size of the main roads reminds me of personal driveways!  It's enough of a challenge to WALK along the roads :-)

Anyway... hiking... much of St John is National Park.. so there is a lot discover.... from pre-Columbian petroglyphs to abandoned sugar and rum plantations.  I will find history to stoke my imagination!  I want to LEARN.

NUMBER 3 goal: FOOD!  I am a culinary scaredy-cat.  Not so this trip... I want to try local cuisine.. I am sure I will balk if insects of lizards come my way.... but I am eager to try some local produce and FISH (my regular readers will remember that fish is my nemesis).  But I will take some steps to change that.

And 4: I want to check out some local artists and find ONE special hand crafted item to take back as a souvenir.. 

 My son wants to snorkel and shop.. but is not interested in the hiking.  My cousins are already preparing for a day of snorkeling and a day of hiking.  My husband is looking forward to relaxing on the porch while we go off adventuring.  And then there is the race on Saturday...

will keep you posted as I go along the way :-)

So here we go :-)

It's a day for traveling.  2 hours, a layover, and then almost 4 hours.... a LONG day......braving airports and all the attendant possible mishaps that this involves.  I find that the best way to handle traveling is to prepare the best I can... and go.. and just relax!  It's a situation where I can do absolutely nothing except DEAL WITH IT :-)

I am always feel surprised at the people who get so very angry at the delays and hassles and rules when traveling.  I wonder what they think anyone can truly DO about their frustrations.

And I find it sad that so many people allow their MOODS to get the better of them.   God bless the people who work at airports... they must have very thick skin!

This is one of situations where you really have two choices.... take a deep breath and SMILE... or make everyone around you miserable.

There are always things that go wrong... forgetting something, setting off an alarm, getting bonked on the head by an impatient traveler trying to get a bag out of an overhead compartment.  We've ALL got airport and plane stories!

And then, let's be realistic, WHO on earth is comfortable either in an airport seat OR a plane seat?  Does anyone really fit into those seats?  We in my family are not large people... but we are TALL people.. and there is not a lot of leg room :-)  And food?  Overpriced in the airport and nonexistent on the plane... Well, we bring our own and are prepared to purchase drinks.

The reality is that EVERYONE is tired and cranky at the end of a flight... so, knowing that up front, why are people so surprised or even outraged when a plane is late or the cabin is cold?

I am ready though...  sandwiches and travel snacks are packed..  IDs at the ready... I have my e-reader with a new novel on it and a skein of yarn and hook to work on a scarf along the way. (I also have a short list of exercises that I will do while traveling - easy strength exercises that take little time or space)

And I have travel books about St John to read.. to make decisions about what we'll see and do and learn some history of this tiny island.  We are planning to hike some ruins of an old sugar plantation, take a submarine ride & visit an aquarium.  We are hoping for an opportunity to snorkel and I will definitely be basking a little on the sand!  And then, of course, the race on Saturday..  You can find out all about that at www.8tuffmiles.com

Our hotel is supposed to have internet capability so my plan is to keep you updated on our adventures this week!  Will check back in as soon as I can :-)  We're OFF to see how the travelers in America are doing today :-)

BTW, I AM on topic for this blog - this trip does in fact have to do with several New Year's resolutions  - DEBT REDUCTION (we've saved for this for trip for 2 years and it is PAID FOR :-) and TRAIN FOR and PARTICIPATE in several races in 2011.

Empty Nest Vacation Prep :-)

I wake this morning with a knot in the pit of my stomach.

Tomorrow  my husband, my teen son and I are leaving home for a week.

I feel the CRUSH of things undone, of half-finished projects, of all the 'home base' things that WILL happen (and I will miss) and of all the things that MIGHT happen that I have not prepared for.  I already feel the anxiety of things I FORGOT and I do not even know what they are:-)

This was such an unusual preparation for me.  No little kids to pack extra things for... no major worries about entertaining or feeding little ones... somebody staying at home to take care of pets and house and mail..... honestly I'm sitting here thinking I could really just hop on the plane with my crochet hook, yarn, book (and mastercard).. and it would be okay.   What an amazing thought!

After years of packing an entire caravan of extra clothing, games, books and food... and feeling responsible for everyone's well-being and happiness...  it's not my problem any more.  I am left a little empty.. because all that time and worry no longer exists and I feel a hole of sadness.   The old patterns of worry and anxiety are still with me.  But my logical mind says.... "SO WHAT?" to most of my concerns.  My logical mind has been exercising a lot lately... what if I forget a toothbrush, a pair of pants, a snack?   SO WHAT?   There will be no toddler screaming for the favorite toy, there will be no child's tantrum for THE snack that must be available, no pre-teen worry about a missing name brand hair product.  SO WHAT if I forget something?

I am used to the excitement and hassle and DRAMA or being responsible for everyone.  I spent years following after, waiting for, depending on all the people in my life.  HAPPY years, mind you... these are absolutely NOT complaints.  I have loved my life as MOM.  This is a change in my life.... an opportunity to grow... nothing more and certainly nothing less.  My youngest children are now throwing off the 'mantle of MOM'... pushing me away as they must do in order to fly on their own.

My challenge now is to be responsible for me.  I wish I had spent a little more time on it earlier in life but am grateful for the opportunity to do it now :-)  I am excited to go to new places and try new experiences and not worry about 'what happens if something happens to mom'. 

My husband laughed when he read some of my blogs... he loves me dearly but neither agrees with nor understands the feelings I have.. particularly the feelings of loss when my workload has changed so dramatically.   I remind him gently that since he is not a middle-aged woman, I don't expect him to understand.  No gender bias here, I promise... in our relationship, I am the one who chose to be and is most suited for the role of caretaker of home and hearth.  I am not sure that he would be able to weather the intense changes of focus that my chosen role demands.

I am done.  I am packed.  The knot is settling out and I will go about this last day as I do all Mondays only with less cooking and cleaning!  I have my lucky clothes for the race next Saturday, my bathing suit, sunscreen, and, of course, since most of my readers know me... you KNOW I have books, yarn and crochet hooks.... so I am good as long as the yarn lasts :-)