Article in Paper

I seen this article in the Chicago Tribune Sunday paper in the Metro section and right away I thought of Melissa over at My Back Pages and I wanted to put it into my journal today.

It is called: The rhyme and reason of running

(With marathon day dawning O'er the streets of old Chi-town A runner and non-runner Both decided to sit down)  The marathon was on Sunday

To talk about the meaning

Of the long and winding race

Which to the one who didn't run

Seemed like a senseless chase.

"Please tell me," said the non one

"oh please tell me why you run

That huffing and that puffling!

Oh please tell me why that's fun.

"I look at all the joggers

As they trot along the street

And all I think is man oh man

That's murder on their feet

"They're grimaching and grunting

And they're limping like lame ducks

My friend, I have to tell you

Why I think that running......"

The runner took offense then

And he cried, "How wrong you are!"

He laced his new New Balance shoes,

He munched his Balance bar.

He'd loaded up on carbos

And he'd quaffed some Gatorade

He didn't want to hear this whiner

Pout on his parade.

"I run to feel I'm flying."

said the runner: full of glee,

"It's only when I'm running

That I feel I'm really free.

"I know that when I'm jogging

I may look just like a dork.

But thanks to all this exercise

I've trimmed off pounds of pork."

The runner tapped his belly

It was lean and hard as stone

He winked at the non-runner:

"Maybe you could use some tone?"

"Oh, hush," said the non-runner,

"I am not done with my rant."

She finger'd the top button

Of her strangely shrinking pant.

"I used to run the big ones,

Oh yes, I was once like you

I thought that bliss when I was young

Lay in a Nike shoe."

She flet her heart rate rising

Tho she hadn't run an inch

It's true her waist had widened

And her jeans begun to pinch.

She went on:

"Two dozen miles and then some

With my wing-ed feet mid-air

I floated like an angel

As I ran away from care.

"With spurs that pierced my heels

Just like a thousand tiny pins

With toenails that were blackened

And with splinters in my shins.

"My knees were crushed to gravel

And my hamstrings tight as wire

Oh yes I still remember

Running's rush and thrill and fire."

A teardrop filled her eye then

Did she miss her running days?

Oh no! She must resist! She

Must resist the running craze!

She sniffed:

"Your running is not healthy, dude!

You're hooked on runner's high!

You ought to switch to yoga

It's good even for a guy."

The runner gave a chuckle

While he did a runner's stretch

He pitied the non-runner

She was such an old kvetch.

He said:

"You say that I'm addicted but

I'll tell you what I think

An overdose of milage

Is far better than a drink.

"That pounding on the pavement

Sure beats knocking back the booze

It's also a lot cheaper

Even with these pricey shoes.

"I live to run!" he carried on.

"My running keeps me sane!

So what that when I'm sixty-five

I'll hobble with a cane?"

And just like that he sprinted off

And left her in the dirt.

She watched him with a wishful gaze:

She'd miss the race-day shirt.    

I hope one day to be able to run in a marathon but first I have to start walking. LOL I hope you like it Melissa.                                                

                         

Finally Relaxing

I am finally sitting down and relaxing. I did take a few breaks to get on the computer a few times today but all in all I was busy. I did about 5 loads of laundry and made my hubby a nice lunch of pepper steak over rice. I have been going through some of my daughter's toys. We still have about 10 big rubbermaid containers in the garage but I don't think I will go through those until after the holidays. It has been very hard for me with all these toys because that means she is growing up and not into playing barbies and bratz dolls anymore. I did get a picture of her and her friend Abby playing with the polly pockets I was going through. They were like come on don't take our picture and I told them I have proof now that they still like to play with toys. LOL

 I was going to go to a adult Halloween party tonight but I am just to tired and it is about an hour drive to get there. It is at my sister in law's summer trailer homes. It is always a good time. They had the kid party next week. I won't miss that one because I love sitting in the lawn chair and passing out the candy to the kids and see all the great costumes. We carve pumpkins with the kids after that and at night we put candles in them and line them up on the front deck. I will try to get pictures of them. I kind of fixed my digital camera. I just love all the Halloween graphics out there.  My daughter doesn't want to dress up this year. I told her in order to go trick or treating at the trailer next week she has to wear something. She said she might go as a baby. That is fine with me. Nice and easy.  I might wear my pumpkin costume while passing out the candy to the kids. We go through about 25 to 35 bags of candy. It is crazy. My sister in law always wants us to bring a few bags.

I was so surprised when I woke up this morning. My hubby left me a box of chocolates  a candle and a beautiful card. I totally forgot that it was Sweetest Day. I remember when he used to forget and I would always remember. Oh well, maybe next year. lol I did make him that nice lunch though. I want to wish everyone a Happy Sweetest Day. Better late than never. lol

 

Trick or Treat Thru J-Land

                 thanks Missie from Missie's Magical Creations for the great graphics

So, here's how you play:

Make a journal entry titled "Trick Or Treat Through J-Land" and copy these instructions so others can play along.  Visit as many journals as you can with the "Trick or Treat Through J-Land" title and leave them your link.  Hopefully all those who actively participate will get many trick or treaters and meet some new J-Land pals!

 

                                 

thanks d from D's Designs 

It's Been Awhile

I am sitting here cheering on the Chicago Bears and they are losing. I am hoping they will be 6-0 by tonight. Keeping my fingers crossed.

I can't believe I haven't done an entry in about 2 weeks. Time flies when you are busy. I seem to get on the computer more but I am always reading journals instead of putting in my own entries. I should be going to bed in a few minutes but I don't feel tired. I am still driving my neighbor but it is probably going to end in a few weeks because he is going to be moving closer to his work. I gave him a 2 week notice last week but told him I could wait until he finds an apartment. I want to start taking my daughter to some kind of activity after school since volleyball is over with. They received a 3rd place trophy. I am so proud of them. This is my daughter's first trophy since she started playing 3 years ago.

On Saturday we celebrated my mother in law's 73rd birthday and my great nephew Sean's 4th birthday. There had to be about 30 people there. It was so crowded. Here is a picture of me with the 3 newest babies.

                  I was trying to hold all 3 and I was losing them. LOL Maya is on the left, Jeffrey in the middle and Hope on the right.

 I can't believe how cold it has been here. It snowed last week and left a dusting of it on my back deck. What happened to fall! lol Today it is raining and it is suppose to rain for a few days. 

My sister and her family was in Hawaii for a few days. She left about 8 hours before the earthquake hit. I am so happy they made it home safe. They said they had a wonderful time. She said it was very expensive. I went to Hawaii about 25 years ago and it was expensive then. I would love to go back one day.

Well, I am going to watch a little bit more football before I go to bed.

 

Rain

Happy Wednesday to Everyone.

 

I wish I could use some magic on this weather we have been having for the last few days. We have had some major storms. Power outrages, flooding and thousands of trees down all over the city and suburbs. We are suppose to get more rain tonight. Enough already.

I just love this graphic. I forgot I had it. I was going through all the graphics in photobucket and came across it.

I have been keeping busy cleaning house and putting up all of my Halloween decorations. I put some outside and decided to put the lights on the inside of the house instead of the outside. My hubby would do the outside but he has been so busy doing side jobs on his days off that he doesn't have time for it.

 Here is a few pictures of my great, great nephew Tyler and my great niece Nicole.  My brother finally told my great niece to send some pictures over.

 

I hope to one day to go to California to see him in person. He is a cutie.

Thanks to De's Design for this beautiful graphic. You are so talented.

Well it is time to get a bite to eat and take a shower. I need to be in bed within an hour.

                             

 

Tired

I am so tired. I am not going to cook for a long time. I have been neglecting my house because I have been cooking so much. Starting tomorrow I am going to just focus on dusting, vacuuming and washing floors. I started cooked at about 8 am this morning. I finally finished chopping all of the vegetables that I had sitting on the counter from the garden.

 

I didn't know what I was going to do with all of them. I decided to just make a giant pot of spicy spaghetti sauce that I am going to freeze tomorrow. I love it over wheat pasta. I also made about 15 hamburgers. My hubby likes them with green pepper and onion in them and my daughter likes them plain. I had about 2 1/2 lbs of hamburger left so I made some chili. That is it. No more. Done. Maybe I need to keep repeating that I am not cooking for awhile. LOL

I am so happy that I don't have to get up early tomorrow. I can sleep until 7 am.

My neighbor has his court date. I am not sure who is taking him. My hubby tried to call him but he is sleeping. He mentioned on Friday that he wasn't sure who was taking him. I really didn't want to do it because it is about a 2-1/2 hour drive one way. I guess I will find out either tomorrow or Tuesday.

My daughter went and helped her friend run a haunted house

 

yesterday.She left at noon and didn't get home until 11pm. She was so tired. She said her legs hurt but that she had a good time.

We have added 2 new additions to our family. My daughter is doing a science project with one of her friends and they decided to do mice through a maze. My daughter brought home 2 and the other girl has 4. I couldn't believe my daughter brought them home. She said she told me she might bring them home. Yeah right! Yesterday I went to Petland and bought a cage and some food. They are pretty cute. I will take a picture of them and put them on here. One is named Bear and the other Raskle. I told my hubby that I now want a bird and a cat. He just said ok. LOL We will see.