Going Round in Circles

Going Round in Circles

You may remember the post that I wrote when I first got to Missouri. I was just getting back into running. I had just arrived in Columbia and had found a great running trail: the MKT. The day I wrote that post, I ran 2.5 miles at a 9:33 pace. It was not easy. At the same time, I set a few goals for myself. They were:

1. Find a training program
2. Get in Shape.
3. Speed up pace.
4. Sign up for a Fall race. 

After the day of that run, I was sent to Cape Girardeau, which is about 4 hours south of Columbia (and also the home of Rush Limbaugh). I didn't get to run on that trail but that once.

Tomorrow, I am leaving Missouri. Remember the change I was talking about? It's changed again. Instead of moving to a different place in Missouri, I will be heading home for a while to see some friends and family and regroup and wait for the next job to come along.

The job here has been good. I have met and worked with some interesting people and been involved in some interesting situations. I have to say I am not totally sad that I am leaving at the onset of winter. I spent a winter in Iowa and as much as I love snow, I do not love -47 degree windchill. But I was not quite ready to go home. Oh well. I am now.

Before we leave, we have to check out through our office in Columbia. So I drove to Columbia to get all the logistics taken care of. After taking care of that, I took my last run (ever? for a while?) in Missouri. It was a lot different from the one I took 4 months ago. The weather was about 30 degrees cooler and the fall colors are out. I have satisfied all my goals from above.

1. Find a training program Hal Higdon
2. Get in Shape. lost 10 lbs
3. Speed up pace. current average: 8:45
4. Sign up for a Fall race. (x3)

What wasn't different was the trail. I went back to the location of my first ever run in Missouri and did my last run in the same place. It was very therapeutic. It felt like a place I already knew.

I have come full circle. 




Goodbye Mizzou-rah.

Have you ever been to a place that you just can't wait to go back to? That has a special place in your heart? Where is it and why did you love it?
Running Amongst Mountains

Running Amongst Mountains

Yeah, I said "amongst". Shoot me. It sounds fancier.

You have all probably watched Sound of Music, and if you have, you have heard this song a bunch of times:

"Climb every mountain, search high and low
Follow every byway, every path you know.
Climb every mountain, ford every stream,
Follow every rainbow, 'til you find your dream!"

If you haven't, Shame on You! You need to Go and watch it RIGHT NOW! 

This week, I went home for some much needed R&R and wonder of wonder, joy of joys, cooler weather. Weather I can run in without dying! Weather I, wait for it, WANT to run in. I know. Crazy, huh?

Since I started running more often (and longer distances), I have lived in the hottest, most humid places you could live in the US. Florida and Louisiana to name a couple (and the worst). And remember how I was saying in this post that sometimes I don't like to run. Well, now I see why. I have been running in the wrong places.To "find my dream" I had to go back home to the "path I know". And it was great.

The only problem about where my parents live is that there is not a very good place to run. They live right on a (scenic) highway in the middle (literally) of the mountains. So, the choices are...the highway, where there are blind curves and NO shoulder or...straight up the hill via old logging roads. So, up I went.

Oh, there IS another problem. Snakes. As you may remember in this post, the last time I went for a walk in the area, I ran into a not-so-little friend. Luckily, I know what to avoid. Unfortunately, where I was running, some of those things were unavoidable. Snakes love to hang out in all these places, so I watched my step here!!




In addition to having to be on snake lookout the entire time, the run was HARD. Luckily it was not too hot!! My total elevation gain was 1375 feet.



The mountains were brutal. The road I took was an old logging road and was not in the best condition. It was very rocky, so not only was I worried about snakes, but I also feared I would twist my ankle.


 I went pretty high!


To get to the top, there are something like 39 switchbacks. I DID NOT get to the top!


Here are a couple Google Earth Images just becuase it's kind of fun that you can see a) the road, b) all the switchbacks and c) the mountains! I made three markers (which turned out kind of small). One for the top of the mountain (~4500 ft), one for how high I ran (~3100 ft) and one for where I started (~2000 ft) What's really sad is that 4 years ago there was a massive fire on the same side of the river that I ran on and so now all the trees are burnt (these images are from 2006).

(click on each photo to enlarge)

(click on each photo to enlarge)

I miss the pines!
So to butcher paraphrase the words of the Rodgers and Hammerstein,

"I Climb every mountain, I search high and low (for snakes)
I Follow every byway switchback, every path you I know (while trying not to trip on rocks).
I Climb every mountain, I ford every stream (while waiting for a snake to jump out and bite me),
I Follow every rainbow unmaintained logging road, 'til you I find your my dream second wind!"

Can anyone tell me -- when running hills, what is the "normal" elevation gain? What is the normal procedure? I have never done hill training runs before. This one was kind of forced, and I had to take it pretty slow! And most importantly, have you seen the Sound of Music?

This post is linked up with Jill at:
Fitness Friday Blog Hop
Very Glad to Meet You

Very Glad to Meet You

Being back home is so great. While traveling, you kind of can't wait to be back home, while at the same time, you really, really don't want your travels to end. So I usually don't go straight back home. I go and visit with friends and family before heading home to start working, errands and chores a few days later. Then I go home and the work starts. My mom says I have a whole (huge) BOX full of mail to open. Ug. I also have a To Do list about a mile long. So I put that off for a few days.

Little A
I got home on Mother's Day. Unfortunately, I didn't get to spend time with my own Mom, but I got to have brunch with one of my best friends, KJ, my Other Mother, C (KJ's Mom), and my other "cousins" and friends, as well little A, who I haven't seen in about 5 months. She is getting so big!  She is KJ's daughter and it was great to spend mother's day with three generations of my favorite ladies.

KJ, Bro and A on Shattuck Ave
Next, I had a great time with KJ and my brother. We went to Berkeley for a food extravaganza. Unfortunately, The Cheese Board Pizza shop was closed, but we went instead to the Imperial Tea Court on Shattuck Ave, which has great pulled noodles and a fun dim sum sampler. As well as an amazing selection of great tea, served in the traditional cup with the lid. My pulled noodles were actually not as good as the last time I was there, but hanging out with KJ, A and Bro was fun no matter what.

After that, my Bro and his lady and I spent the day out on the coast near Jenner, attempting to catch some fish. Unfortunately, we didn't catch anything, but we had a great day, and an uncommonly sunny one (although it was not warm) at the coast. This was my first time fishing from the shore into the ocean, and I don't think I am very good at it! My arm was super tired from the heavy weight and the long pole, and I was soaked up to the waist, since I went too close to the water to make a cast and the wave came up and hit me. I kept losing my bait. I think I spent more time reloading my bait and trying to stay out of the way of the waves than actually fishing. I actually did catch a couple things -- seaweed and someone else's fishing hook. Score.

Here are a few photos of our fishing extravaganza.

Bro and I -- ready to catch some fish!

Bro and Lady -- FISH ON!

Bro tries to (unsuccessfully) start a fire
We also saw THIS SIGN -- I mean, I am back in CA, but the signs are still not spelled right? Funny.


Oh and my brother got me a Kindle for my birthday! Yay. I am excited to start using it. Any eReader pros out there have any tips for me? I already have some classic books downloaded for free from Amazon. Any other ways to get cheap and or free books? Did you guys know you can lend books to other Kindle users now?

Do you like coming home after being gone for a while? Who is the first person you visit? Dose (haha) anyone have any off shore fishing tips for me?

V is for Very. A-Z is almost done. Only a month late.
To My Mother

To My Mother

Today I was born. Okay, that's not the complete truth. Actually, I WAS born on Mother's Day. However, Mom's Day changes every year; it is the second Sunday of May, and therefore each year is different. Well this year, it is NOT my birthday. However, the day I was born WAS on Mother's Day. That year. I don't need to tell you WHICH year that was. However, here is a picture of me and my Mom. Happy Mom's Day Moogle!

In New Orleans on a Bright Day
But. This year is not the day I was born. This year Mother's Day is the day I arrive. Back home. I fly into the LA airport on the 7th at 8 pm and then fly to Sacramento and arrive at 12:20 AM. I will have arrived home. Happy Mother's Day Mom.

Note: I am writing this in advance, because once I arrive I will be tired and sore and grumpy and I will meet up with friends and not have time to get online.

Of course, now that my vacation is over, it is time to get back to work. First off: a little fun. I meet up with my friend and her family (my second parents) for Mother's Day brunch. I will be wearing my scrubby backpacker's clothing, because that is all that I own. It will probably smell a little (or a lot). But it won't matter, because these people are my family.

Next, I will go and visit with my brother, who will hopefully serve me dinner and beers as I lounge on the couch watching his Tivo (catching up with Top Chef). Then we will FINALLY go to a Giants game (I have REALLY missed the Giants) with my friend Jack from work. We used to get free tickets from our company, back in the day when we worked together (2002) and we used to always have A BLAST. It will be great to reminisce with him and watch the game, drink a few overpriced beers, have a gross (yummy!) nacho and enjoy the game.

After that, I meet up with my grandma and together we will drive up to my parents' house, which is about a 4 hour drive from San Francisco. I can't wait to go home. The area where my parents live is beautiful and it is going to just be starting summer and it is going to be great! Everything green and flowing water and blue sky. Yum.

After that, the to do list begins. Sorry, that should be The To Do List. It's THAT important. Not only is it my To Do List, which I have mentioned before, and is forever getting longer and longer, but my Dad has one for me as well, which will also be long. However, with him helping me with mine and me helping him with his, we are a force to be reckoned with.

So, getting home is a blessing. It will be great to see friends and family. But it is also a "curse". I have so much to get done (including getting a job) and so will be very busy (and maybe even a tad stressed) over the next few weeks.

To top it off, maybe you haven't heard about this, but Mr. Lovely lives Back East and I live in California. So we will each go back to our own (parent's) homes for now. But who knows what will happen later. But this is another story all together.

Another A-Z. T is for To. You can see more here.
Keep Coming Back

Keep Coming Back

Where My Parents Live (And Put Up With Me Occasionally)
You know how it is when you go on a two week vacation from work? You get home, you go to work the next day and you feel like, ug, you don't want to work, you know that YESTERDAY at THIS time you were _______________ (sipping cocktails, laying on the beach, exploring Mayan ruins...fill in the blank). You have to get back into the swing of things, even though it was really only a couple of weeks that you missed.

Imagine now that you have been gone for a year. I know. YES, I have been gone for a year. Granted, I DID go home for Thanksgiving and Christmas, so it's not quite as extreme as it seems, but man, this time, at the END, I've got it bad! I have the oh-my-gosh-I-can't-believe-it's-almost-over-ITIS. We have about 3 weeks left of a one year trip.

First, I don't want it to end. I have been to so many fun places. I want to see more; I want to do more. I know, I sound like a spoiled child, right? Nothing is ever good enough; nothing is sufficient. But seriously, how does one go from one mindset to the other? It is difficult.

Today, I went hiking in New Zealand. Soon, I will be at home trying to find a job. How depressing is that? I know, real life really comes at you sometimes, doesn't it? But for some reason the last week it all hit home all at the same time. I have to go back to "real" life. I have to get a job. I have to figure out how to pay my bills. I have to figure out my life.

Do I want to go back to school? Do I want to find a permanent job, where I don't have to move around all the time (it's looking better and better)? Will I live on the West Coast, the East Coast, the Middle, Abroad? Will I buy a house? Will I rent? Will I have enough money? Am I smart enough? Should I start over? Do I even want to?

So many things run through your head. It is going to be hard to get back into the "groove" of things. My friends have all forgotten who I am; they know I am never around. I am not always the first one they call anymore (especially since right now there is NO way to get a hold of me!) They are used to me being gone. Will I fit back into their lives? They have kids and jobs and families and homes and....where do I fit into all this?

However, it will be SO NICE to be home! Being in one place for more that two or three days will be absolute heaven. Being able to CALL my friends and family will be a joy. And best of all, I get to hug my Mom. I miss her! (and Dad too...of course!)

Parents are great. They will always miss me. They are always there when I need them, even if I am sometimes not around when they need me. What would I do without them? All my stuff is in storage at their house. They have my checkbook; they pay my bills. My mother is my unofficial stand-in. She makes sure none of my mail is important. If it is she opens it and...pays the bill or whatever needs to be done. It will be nice to go home and relieve her of the duty. She is a superstar.

So I will go home and I will help my dad build something (this is what happens - it's inevitable) and I will cook and bake and make my parents eat "real" meals (they often eat chips and cottage cheese for dinner) and they will put up with me and even pretend to like my food, and then I will go and take a photo journey with my Mom and we will take photos of the same stuff we always take photos of.

It will be good. I will have arrived. I will be home.

K is for Keep. See my other A-Z posts HERE. 
I Listed a Little (Halfway Point)

I Listed a Little (Halfway Point)

A while back I wrote a post about what I was going to do while I was home. I wrote the first half of this post about a month ago, when I had completed half the items. Now, it is 3 days left before we head BACK on the road (yikes and yay!) so I am here to see if I completed what I said I would.

1.  Make cookies with my Mom. And Banana Bread. And…. I did this. I also made pies, turkeys and turkey pies. It has been very fun. I still have not gotten the nesting feeling out of my system.
2.   Get the BIG CAMERA (yay!) out of hiding and USE IT. I did this! To see some of the photos that have been the result of this, you can GO HERE.
3.   Cook a Thanksgiving turkey (actually, it will be my first time) Yes! A great Thanksgiving! A non dry turkey breast. Life is good.
4.   Meet K’s new baby A (and see K and A of course) see photos and details HERE.
5.   Have a couple of glasses of wine with my brother done!
9.  Chop down a Christmas tree (it’s a family tradition) We tried, really we did. But it snowed, REALLY hard and we couldn't make it up the road. So we stopped and bought one from the boy scouts instead.
13. Have lunch with Grandma B and dinner, and breakfast, and coffee, and more lunch! and great conversation!
14. Go to the Pig Roast in Acushnet (last year’s photos are HERE) Much pig was eaten, many stories were told. Much talk about the Patriots was to be had.
17. Make/send Christmas cards Call me obsessive, but I finished them before Thanksgiving!  Yay!
18.  Meet N’s new baby (C) and see her new house So colorful -the house. So calm - the baby. We looked through old photos of childhood -- it was a lot of fun!
25. Help Dad with the “winter” cleaning Sheet rock. Check. Window washing. Check. Shelf building. Check. I am becoming an expert with the screw gun. **Added - fix the roof, check! Caulk is my friend! (hehe)
26. Beat my parents at Rummikub. Hopefully. Beaten, they were. Play them again, I will. (I lost to my brother in ping pong though -- there WILL be a rematch!)
27.  Go see The Moth in NYC So FUN! If you ever get the chance to go, do! If you like funny stories told by real people, you would love it! 
28.   Visit my East Coast Family breakfast with Aunt and Grandma! A fabulous time!
As of today, December 24:
6.     Go to the Mission district in San Francisco and EAT a BURRITO. Yum. Went to the Mission but did not eat a burrito. Instead ate Thai, Turkish and Japanese...yum.
7.    Do a photo walk around Tobin (The Muses are doing a “where I live” series I am looking forward to contributing to) I did do this, but have not posted it online yet
8.    Make a snowman NOT YET!!! I am dreaming of a white Christmas!
10.   Drive from Quincy to Des Moines - a beautiful drive! See photos here.
11.   See Lea’s new house - so cozy! and I had a wonderful time!
12. Go to Target to re-up my travel supplies (and to gawk…I havent been to Target in ages!) I love Target!
15. Organize all my travel photos (eeek) halfway done. I did make a slideshow, does that count?
16. Finish my journal (or at least TRY to catch up) got up to August 4th...I guess I am still behind!
19. Day After Christmas breakfast with the girls In the works!
20. Take a walk on the beach on both the East and West coasts. Did it on the East but not the West.
21. Fix the roof of my house (dread) Not as bad as I thought it would be
22. Autograph Sara’s favorite photo Just did it now!
23. Read some books (I have been slacking lately) I read ONE. Review coming up.
24. Try to finally complete one of Katrinas Photo Walks (even though I am months late)

I had a wonderful few weeks at home/visiting friends etc!! Now its time to make like a tree and leave. In three days, I fly back to China for a contination of the adventure!
The Joy of Cooking

The Joy of Cooking

I got home on Monday night. By Tuesday at noon I had made an apple cake, almond cookies and chocolate chip cookies. I hadn't realize how much I missed doing domestic things! And it's the kitchen I missed most of all. I like to cook; I like to putter around getting things ready; I don't even mind doing the dishes. And no, we don't have a dish washer. Well we do actually and it's name is...Me.

I've been extremely busy since I've been back. Aside from cooking the above mentioned items I also made a successful chicken pie (with crust! I'm a little surprised and proud it turned out okay), helped build a lumber rack (yes my dad put me right to work), sheetrocked the garage (another one in dads to do list), gone through my mail (ug 6 months worth of junk) and tried to get some organizing done of things long since forgotten.

It's nice to wear clothes that haven't been worn for the last six months, to sleep in the same bed for several nights in a row and to putt around getting organized rather than stuffing your clothes back into your pack, putting on the same dirty holey outfit and climbing on a smelly tiny bus.

It's nice to be able to bake cookies even though I don't even want to eat them instead if trying to figure out if I am going to eat at that chutney restaurant or make a pb&j sandwich.

It's nice to sit on the couch in a warm room watching The Great Race for the hundreth time, the whole family shouting "push the button Max!" along with Jack Lemmon (if you haven't seen it, it's an oldie but goodie. It's very silly).

It's nice to have my computer and my big camera (I really missed the big lug), to take a million photos of a bug without making anyone wait for me and  to sort my photos right away.

It's nice to visit with friends who I haven't seen in so long and to hug their new babies and to laugh with them and to feel like I never left.

It's nice to be able to pick up the phone and call people whenever I want and we can talk for a minute or an hour or forever.

It's really nice to be home.
Go Home!

Go Home!

All I have to say is....2 days until I go home! Yay. Cookies beware, I am going to cook and eat you.

Today we are in Hong Kong. First, we spent a quick two days in Guangzhou, China, where all we did was walk around looking at lights and dried snake skins and mushrooms. Actually that is a lie. We also ate 3 big macs and a S load of meat on a stick. Funny story - I wanted Cantonese food; I have been dying to try the "real" Chinese food. However, Mr Lovely was dying for a burger. So, we spotted Micky D's and we decided HE would get a big Mac and then I would go get Cantonese. He went to the counter and returned to the table with this story:

Him: I want a number 3
The sweet little 15 yr old cashier: Number 3?
Him: yes, and an apple pie
Her: hm?
Him: number 3

The girl gets the manager.

The manager: yes?
Him: number 3
Manager: 3?
Him: yes

Then he comes to the table with....you guessed it, THREE Big Mac Meals! Three. So I ate one.

Then we walked around and found the best place EVER. Chicken on a stick. Octopus...ON A STICK. Little balls or wieners on a stick. Little balls not on a stick. And so much more. The next day we tried them all. Octopus wins, hands down. 

Now we are in Hong Kong, eating more delicious food and seeing the sights (ie a TON of shopping areas). BUT, in only 2 days (Sunday) I get on a plane and fly home. I am looking forward to being home for a while. Family, friends...see you soon!
Homeward Bound

Homeward Bound

Tonight I get on a plane and go...home...yay! I am very excited to see the family and some long lost friends, get some work done and eat some real Mexican food! First stop will be Sacramento, which is just a jumping off point and a convenient place to buy groceries and to stock up on...well, anything really. Then a bit of a drive home to see my mom...yay! Dinner plans for Saturday night include Sara, Grant and Jay, games and pork loin, cooked by Mr. Lovely.

After putting Mr. Lovely to work, Mom and I will lay around and read and eat bon-bons... hehe... No, I want to show him around the local area etc... Then we will go to San Francisco, which I am very excited about as well, as I have not been there in...seems like years! When I was home last time I did not get a chance to go to the city -- I want to eat and eat and eat!!

Anyway, cant wait to see everyone!! California here I come!
Last Day!!!

Last Day!!!

Today I sat in a speedboat coming from Playa Blanca going back to Cartegena and I felt like the lead character in a movie...who is sitting on a ___________ (pick your moving vehicle) looking out the window, reflecting on _____________ (whatever happened in the movie). Fade to black. Roll credits.
So, today I am fading to black on our 10 country, almost 10 month journey to the South of the Equator (and a tiny bit of North)...starring many main characters and many, many guest appearances.

Roll Credits.... Thanks to the Academy...and to Mr. Lovely, my parents and CK, without whom I would have never been able to make it through this trip. Thanks to S, Grant, KE, Rafe, M and HN who all joined us for part of the action and adventure and with whom I had a wonderful time and can't wait to see again. Thanks to all my friends and family for putting up with my long gaps in phone calls and/or emails. And for the crappy quality of them once they arrived.