Crying...

I have been battling this infection for years. We have been trying to pinpoint when it all started and I was not sure. While the Levequin has its miserable side effects, my head is unlike any recent history I can recall. So clear!

Today I was making several homemade burritos. I have a vacuum (food saver) and make several and freeze them. Use whole foods like made from real beans, tomatoes, rice, green chili's, organic cheese, avocado, shredded zucchini, and onion all rolled in a spinach tortilla. For the first time in years, I CRIED CUTTING AN ONION. Wow, that is a switch. I can not recall the last time an onion made me cry. Same type, nothing different. The infection must finally getting it's bottom kicked and my senses improving? There is hope...

Another 7 days of the medicine. I leave for Kalamazoo for tennis Thursday and will return Sunday. Should be fun. Looking foreword to getting clearance to workout again by mid - august. Just in time to be cooler?

That is about all. I think I will go cut another onion... What a welcomed feeling!!!

Carry on!

I hate that!

I know the economy is tough and I hate to complain about street maintenance, but this year I have found the roads are so rough to bike on compared to last. I have been experimenting on various ways to commute, especially at night, as the main roads I ride most frequently are just plain worn out. I have never broke a spoke twice in 6 weeks and only found out because my bike tire was a little out of balance, otherwise I would not have known. Now this is not from hitting a pothole or jumping a curb or anything like that, just from ordinary riding.

This has really been a deterrent as the rides are less enjoyable. I have completed several 20 plus mile rides the past few weeks and will do more in the future. I just do not enjoy them as much as it is like trail running, keep the head down and take action to miss the holes and other imperfections on the road.

Besides the roads in the area I ride, a coworker, who drives from Minneapolis (uptown area) recently was told that in less that 50,000 miles, her shocks and struts are totally worn. They said this is more common with the poor condition of the roads... I guess we ill pay it one way or the other...

Enough complaining but it really ticked me off yesterday! Plan on some good rides and a few runs this week. Leave for Kalamazoo next week, then I get back and head to Colorado. It will be August 27 before I finally have a weekend at home, able to rest and relax, but then I really would like to have a few 6 miles runs by then?

Hope all is well and everyone enjoyed the great weekend! Carry on...

Update...

Last night I did a 34 mile bike ride with stops throughout the ride including a concert at Lake Harriet. This was after a few 3 mile runs over the past week. I am feeling pretty good. Staying away from the scale as I just have enough reasons to feel bad, so i will eliminate that opportunity. Just working out regular will take care of the weight, I know it. When I work out, I automatically eat healthier. Although I went to the Doctor today and the infection is still there. Not as bad as before surgery but he stated there are medication he may consider which will not allow me to run or workout much for a few weeks. That would suck but if that ends this multiple year downgrade, I would embrace it fully!

I must say that what has been a problem is stress... Just like many in this economy there is stress which impacts everyone. One thing that can be stressful is relationships. Especially when I think I am dating someone, but I am not sure... Talk about being confused.

Amazing how stress free one can be, all-be-it lonely, when there is no relationships in life. But then I see some friends who are not in a relationship who are so stress free and other who are just burring in a hole. I see the same with married couples. I will never understand it, and may never want to understand.

You know, I am not talking only about male/female relationships exclusively, but those with others like a sister, co-workers, sons, ex-wives, friends, etc... They all are wonderful to have and add benefit to ones life. There are times, however, you just want to be alone.

My son recently blew his top with regard to me just being here, grandpa calling, his girlfriend calling, his friends calling. He just yelled "I just want to be alone and have time by myself". It was a great example of what I mean of the impact of a relationship, we love them, we hate them.

My next few weeks are busy. This weekend a junior event that has National Points. Then my son and I may head to the Superior Trail next weekend, dependant on the weather. The following weekend I am in Kalamazoo, MI. The weekend after that, Colorado. The summer will go fast.

I am pretty sure I will be up at the Superior 100 as a volunteer, if needed. Either was if I go I will be taking a few hundred photo's. I will know in a few weeks if I get the time off from tennis to go up there. It would be so enjoyable!

I think I will go for a walk in the woods. It is very hot but a few miles with the camera is nice.

Until next time, carry on...

Grave visits?

Since there is little running going on in my life (finding a slow recovery from Grandma's), I have been letting the mind wonder. Although, this is not an uncommon thing, for my mind to be all over the place. Could be ADD?

My son is back from Alaska. It was funny, he did not shave the whole time and as a first for him, shaving 8 days of growth was an experience... I could only smile. He did have a great time... I am so proud of him and the comfort he has in travel and life. Now if I can only get his car out of the garage.

Now what was this post about... Could be many things... my weight is now over 270... ouch. But I still did several runs of 3-4 miles each at 12 minutes miles... So not all bad! I really need to get this under control!!! Stress is a big reason. But that is not what I was writing about.... Oh yea, grave visiting.

I was watching Forrest Gump Sunday and near the end of the show, I was really struck by something. He was standing at the grave of Jenny and talking to her like she was there. He left he a letter from little Forrest for her to read. Made me think.

When I visit Fort Snelling or other graveyards, I always get the strange aura. I read the markers and so many thoughts go through my head. Some wonderful, some sad, some strange. So I was thinking, I have never as long as I recall, visited a grave site of someone I know... I was really struck by this.

I started to think of Dana and how she was taken from this earth early. Then again, was she. I often think of the words from the Pastor when my 3 year old nephew dies. His words were Gods plan for Aaron's life was three years or Dana 36 years, they lived those years fully. That pastor emphasized that life being short is all do to the expectations we place on life.

Do I buy into this? I do not know. It is all confusing...

What watching Forrest Gump speak to Jenny make me think is how life can change at any time... I makes me want to take a trip to Portland. To visit a grave old a dear friend. Just to talk... I miss her and need to talk to her... It is strange to have this feeling, but Kayak.com has some good prices... Now I just need to coordinate the tennis and work and maybe, I will be happy and a hole in my chest will be less of a hole...

Isn't it strange how the littlest thing can trigger emotions... But without emotions, where does that leave us? Well for me fat... Emotional eating. Well, I am felling positive about the steps I am taking and that gives me hope...

Hope all well in this hot July as you train for many races. I am thinking I will not race at all this year and look forward to Superior 100. I am trying to get out of a tennis assignment so I can volunteer!

Until then or another post, carry on my friends...