Friday, July 25, 2008

Of Summer Joys and Things That Crawl

The thing about hanging your wash outside to dry is, it comes back with a few bugs that have caught a free ride when it comes back inside. Yesterday, a pincher bug was sitting on my jewelry case taking a nap before I ferried it to the great outdoors.

I was thinking the other day about this summer, and comparing it to last summer when I realized: I am having a good time. Why, I wondered? I think it comes from knowing more people, feeling more comfortable in this place, and having a backup plan in emergencies. That was probably the hardest thing about moving someplace new and where we didn't know anyone. Who will be your "in case of emergency" contact? What about a babysitter I can trust? Who, outside my immediate household, can I cry in front of? These are important people to have in your life. These are the kinds of people who make you feel like you are a part of something, instead of on the periphery, an outsider.

So, yeah, things are much better this year.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

The Girlie Show

Last week was too taxing to post more than once. Or twice. Or whatever lame number I managed to eek out of the keyboard before I melted into multiple dentist appointments, calling the jury information number, and packing for both girl's weekend (me) and sleepaway camp (OC).

Woe is me.

I didn't know what to do with myself (watch) when (many) that (episodes) daughter (of) of (Sex) mine (and) went (the) to (City) camp (and) for (stuff) a week. I managed to keep myself busy.

(Also, running at Smith Rock. It was hot, hard, and fun. Ohhh, dirty!)

I have some great pictures from girl's weekend, including bare leg from the hot tub shots, mid-stride bee escapes, and posed group shots. (A little dirty.)

I've not gone away for good, just needed a little blog vacation.

Monday, July 07, 2008

Happy Birthday

My dad's 67th birthday would have been July 4th. I thought about him as I ran the Butte to Butte 10k that morning. It gets a little easier every day to remember.

We were in Eugene, and that was where he went to meet my then-six year old brother, who he would adopt. I remember how he said they went to the duck pond and talked, and Ric was such a sweet little kid, and how he knew he wanted to raise him after meeting him that day.

Things have settled down for me, living here. I am heading back to college in the fall and it feels really good to have a goal. I will accomplish something big with that and by taking control and doing something it makes me feel less lonely and lost. So over feeling those things.

Speaking of things being easier, running 6.2 miles was not so bad. Last year was our first year at it, and it felt hard. This year was a little easier. I shaved 11 minutes off last year's time, and OH was 8 minutes faster. That was pretty cool. Although we are nowhere near superfast runners, who gives a fat frog's fanny?

Oh, and while enjoying a local beer at the Steelhead Brewpub in downtown Eugene, we sat next to Sanya Richards. She was there with her fiance, NY Giants cornerback Aaron Ross. She is beautiful in person. I couldn't stop staring. I didn't know who she was except that she looked like one of the track athletes in town for the Olympic trials at Hayward Field. We went home and I saw her face on the cover of the sports page. The day before, she had won the 400 meter race with a record time of 49.89. She is already the American 400 meter record holder, and she is 23 years old.

This is the closest thing to a celebrity sighting I have had, except for when Charo was in line just ahead of me at LAX customs. I heard Sanya say when she ordered that she doesn't like guacamole or sour cream. OMG!

I wish I had known who she was, I could've gotten an autograph. I didn't want to ask for one without knowing who she was first, because that would've made me look stupid. Instead, I just stared at her until she turned to look at me, then I blogged about her food dislikes. That is way better.