Saturday, In My Life

Friday evening I hung out with C.R.M and O.D.M while their parents went out on a 'real' date. We ordered pizza, baked cup"capes," watched Cinderella, pretended to be spooky ghosts, took baths, and read books all before bedtime. (Human-sitting Tip #1: Never take movie-night for granted. Be infinitely grateful for the 85 minute break planned by the parents.) After six hours of human-sitting, Mom and Dad came home. Life has been chaotic on both ends--allowing us little time to catch up; we took advantage of the opportunity, though late, and talked away the next two hours. It might have been 1:30 am, but my night was not over, in fact, my morning had just began. I am in charge of the dogs living in the M's basement (Nana's apartment) for the week. These are two high-maintenance dogs--refusing to do their business unless they are walked, so we set out for a 15-minute brisk stroll. Quickly after we returned, I dozed off in hopes of a decent night sleep.

But the day began at 7:24 am, after roughly five hours of sleep, when C.R.M.'s little fingers and raspy voice woke me from my slumber. Bless her heart, she has come downstairs each morning this past week looking for me, succeeding for the first time Saturday morning; I had either been out running with Latte Woman or already out walking the dogs. (She normally enjoys breakfast with her Nana--I am a horrible substitute.)

I was up and not exactly happy about it. By 7:30 am, almost five-year old C.R.M. was demanding waffles... and delightedly playing fiesta music from the boom-box for some dawn ambiance. Right after breakfast, C.R.M. lost a tooth, which meant she lost interest in me(!!!). As she headed back upstairs to show her parents, the dogs and I were off on our extended morning walk. Upon return I realized...

it was Saturday--long-run day, and as badly as I wanted to skip out, excusing myself for accumulating four hours less sleep than my normal nine-hour requirement, I shutdown my brain... and hit the road running, soaking up the glorious fall weather. My non-running mom recommended a loop-route awhile back, equipped with courage and a bit of excitement, I had the time to give it a go. I have been craving a new route, after all the out-and-back hilly recent runs. Hills are manageable if you run up them, down the backside, and then far away from them... or to the next, more painful, one, which is not the case on an out-and-back course.

So I'm running and running and running and running (down a picturesque road--crunching gravel beneath my heavy feet surrounded by reds, oranges, and yellows with deer literally trotting alongside) and wondering when I am going to reach my turn point, confident I have not missed it. An hour had passed when I could see 'my light' in sight. Only it was the wrong light... and I had to keep running, about a quarter mile further; eventually I made it to the road of my left turn... and quickly there after ran out of gas. (I had four more miles to go, and I am not in shape.) When has my mom ever correctly estimated distance? Oh right, never. 

I switched my iPod from the iRun playlist to an audio version of Harry Potter and my gears to power-walk mode. Two hours after departure, I was greeted by two frisky dogs awaiting another walk. The clock read mid-morning--I was in desperate need of a shower and a cure for my wretched stomach ache.

I headed to my home where I proceeded to nurse the screaming pain from my stomach while watching the first half of the Clemson game. Expecting a win, I allowed myself to doze off for an hour during the second half. (Clemson University has exceeded my expectation--undefeated at 8-0, go Tigers!) After the game, the dogs were walked for the third occasion of the day.

I rejuvenated with carrot sticks and chai tea...

and realized the extent of my unproductively throughout the day, considering it was four in the afternoon. I booked plane tickets for upcoming journeys, sent a couple of emails, wrote a letter... convincing myself those were items of importance to cross off the 'to-do' list I am painfully behind on.

At 5:00 the dogs needed their dinner and another walk. And at 6:00 when that task was accomplished, I needed dinner myself. The rest of the night included words of affirmation between family and friends, more football, of course, including a Michigan State Spartans win, and, you guessed it, even more dog walking.

All was not prefect... but, honestly, life happened here today. I am recovering a sense of 'normalcy' in just doing life with my people on the day-to-day.