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Random update
The house-sitting and cat-sitting have been going pretty well. I really wish I had some great accomplishment to brag about but we’ve been doing a bunch of nothing. Well, not really nothing, just nothing especially noteworthy.
I used Bethany’s steam-mop and cleaned her house the first day I got here. Why? Because I could. Not that her house was dirty, but it’s so much more fun to clean someone else’s house than my own. I’m sure the novelty will wear off very soon. Like today. Heh.
I only like steam-mopping because it makes me feel like a superhero. Can’t you see me flying around Bethany’s house, steam mop in hand and my cape flapping behind me? I should buy one for my house. Too bad most of my floors are covered with disgusting carpet that would turn to mud if I tried to steam them—another reason why it’s fun to clean someone else’s house. There is no mud-encrusted carpet here. Just knowing that makes me feel more at peace. We really need to move.
Bug and I walked downtown for a cup of coffee (for me) and poked around the antique shops. That didn’t last very long after I inquired after a glass coffee percolator and found out it cost $72. Yikes. I guess I’m not in the market for antiques. If anyone sees one in a garage sale for $30 or less, buy it for me. I’ll pay you back in graphics. Never mind. What am I saying? I don’t have any room for miscellaneous coffee pots. The French press works great.
We’ve painted some paintings (not enough progress to photograph yet) in Annalie’s garage art studio. We also stopped by the ceramic painting studio to paint some cups and plates. That was pretty fun. I’m really blessed to have a kid who actually likes to paint with me and will sit still for longer than 20 minutes. We made friends with another mom and little boy next to us who were painting ceramic motorcycles (!) for Father’s Day.
You should have heard Bug chatting the little boy’s ear off. I wish I would have made a movie of her yakking away. I think both the little boy’s mom and I were thankful they kept each other occupied so we could paint in peace.
Sometimes when I don’t do much with Bug all day I take her to a park to ease my conscience. I just feel bad because she doesn’t have anyone to play with and I’m not as cooperative with her little games as she’d like. I’m very thankful that Bethany’s cats are so easy-going because they have been her only playmates lately. She couldn’t care less about Annalie’s toys, she’s way more into playing with the cats or me. I think the cousins are going to come down and visit us next week and Toby is coming tomorrow night so he can take us to Sea World on Friday. Whee! We are both very excited about that.
So here are some photos I took while I was bored at the park.
My eyebrows want to join a gang and beat you up.
We’ve also been enjoying our bachelorhood by eating whatever we want whenever we feel like it. Trader Joe’s is awesome for random buffet meals of berries, nuts and junk food. Though it’s biting me in the butt because now Bug thinks she can eat cheese puffs for breakfast. We’re going to have to detox on the snack food next week or else going home is going to be a festival of tears. Which it probably is going to be anyway. The beach is so boring when you have a whole house to run around and orcas to visit.
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Squeezing in a Fun Walk
Before we left for the Actuallys’ for our very serious house-sitting/cat-sitting job, Bug and I squeezed in a two-mile “fun walk” at home. It wasn’t the smartest move. I only had a limited amount of time to pack my car with fifteen loads of dirty laundry and every craft supply I could think of, but a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. I promised the Actuallys I’d take them to the airport so I had exactly 1.2 hours to pack and hit the road. Why not squeeze in a local fun walk too? You know what they say, “If you want to get something done, ask a busy person.”
Pfffffff. I wish that was true. Tell that to the nine people on my waiting list and all the emails in my inbox that have gotten moldy while I take three months to respond to them. Groan.
Anyway!
The thing is, I’m fond of this local race. Remember when I ran the 5K when I was eight weeks pregnant? That was so incredibly fun. I wanted it to be my yearly tradition and Bug and I kept it up that first year. But then I flaked in 2007. I did NOT flake in 2008 however. I just flaked on writing about it.
So here we are at the race in 2009 kicking butt again. Technically we didn’t run it. We walked it. I’m a little out of shape. But we still broke a sweat and I felt like a million bucks when we were done. I really need to step up my game and exercise more regularly. I don’t know why I always forget that exercise feels even better than eating a cupcake.
Wouldn’t it be cool if Bug grew up to love running? I think half the reason I still like to run now in my middle age (besides the fact that I was blessed with knees that never give out on me) is because I used to run with my Dad when I was a kid. Not that my Dad was into running but I was and he ran with me. My Dad is so cool like that.
I probably never would have started running if I didn’t have this crazy fifth grade teacher who was a running nut. You remember those guys in the eighties? He made the whole class run. It was great. A lot of kids whined and complained about how much running hurt but I took to it which was really strange and fun because I was always that kid who got picked last for kickball teams. I might suck at sports but I can run and run and run and run. I was never fast but running didn’t bother me. Slow and steady wins the race, that was me.
Running really helped me deal with anxiety back then. I remember as a kid feeling like I had too much energy and no where to put it. My brain might be tired but my body wasn’t. So I’d go run a couple of blocks with my Dad and come back tired and happy. I wish I could still do that.
Right now I’m sort of stuck in a failure-loop where half the time I’m just too lazy and the other half of the time Bug refuses to ride in the jogger stroller. It’s so hard to get motivated when you have a little person around who would much rather eat waffles with Nutella on them in the morning than go for a little stroller jog on the beach with you. I know, I know. Excuses, excuses. But believe me when push comes to shove those excuses add up!
Except when they don’t! I’m so proud of Bug and me for squeezing in the Fun Walk. We still made it to the Actuallys in plenty of time to get them to the airport and as far as I know I didn’t forget anything in my hasty packing—A miracle really since every other time I’ve visited, I’ve forgotten something really key. Good thing Bethany keeps a stash of toothbrushes here for me.
I almost forgot! Bug got a tattoo at the after-race festivities. It’s air-brushed. But that doesn’t make her any less tough.
She’s super girl tough.
