Remembering Approximately A Year Ago

At this very moment I could go in about 5 different directions. My laundry (yes the laundry again) is almost out of control, I have a pretty good book I have started, I desperately need a shower after my entire day of outside activities (either exercising or planting) in nearly 90 degree weather, our "take out" remnants need to be discarded, and it is late, 6:30 a.m. comes early. However, Kelley is in New York so I have no one waiting for me in bed, the dinner mess won't take long to clean up, I just started a load of clothes; I have heard it is not good to shower and wash clothes at the same time and the book is just pretty good. I think I will blog. Wow, two blogs in less than a week for me, pretty amazing!

So the idea is to open the doors of "the box" in order. Well, lets just say the hinges on the doors aren't being utilized. However, I think there have been a couple of things in there that have been accomplished without the efforts of opening the doors.

I believe that one was cleaning the garage refrigerator. I actually did this several weeks ago. It was so gross that I was a little concerned about cleaning it. There is noway that God would let something happen to me and leave someone else with that mess. But, luckily, it is in the garage and I just looked around (in the garage) and felt that it was still safe to tackle the job.

The other thing I accomplished without finding it in "the box" (but it is in there) was to send my dear brother Bill a very special photo. I mentioned in my last blog that I would very soon be blogging about something that happened just a bit over a year ago. Well very soon is now.

The very memorable weekend began on April 17th, 2009. All my siblings out there know the significance of this date--my brother Bill's birthday. Kelley and I flew out to Boston where my sister Susan picked us up (no bus shuttle on this trip). After a delightful lunch at a great seafood place (I can still taste the lobster roll)we headed to the Cape. The birthday dinner was at a great Italian resturant Kelley had found in one of his magazines. After dinner we checked into our hotel--the fabulous Chatham Bar Inn. The room we were assigned ranks as one of my top 5 favorite hotel rooms I have ever stayed in of all time. The room was spacious and decorated very light and airy--Cape Codish. The ocean outside right beyond our balcony--icing on the cake. I am not quite sure why, but when I go to the Cape, even though I have never lived there, I feel like I am going home. It must be all the memories. Anyway, we spent Saturday and Saturday night there (another great memory of the weekend--Happy Hour in the lobby with Bill and Cathy where some strangers' wedding was brewing.) Then on Sunday, back to Boston to get ready for the big "event".

Whenever I blog I feel like I have to write as if it is possible that someone might read it that knows nothing about me and have never heard my stories. Maybe it is just the stories close to my heart I feel need repeating. A year and a half before this special weekend I crossed the finish line of the Tulsa Route 66 Marathon in 3 hours, 59 minutes and 57 seconds--I needed to finish before 4 hours to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Thus, the big "event" I am talking about here. I would love to share every detail (from all my supporters who came to watch, to the bus ride out to the start,the long line to the port-o-potty, to the incredible start, to the Brown girls screaming and the couple with Advil,) of the experience, but I'm not, what I am going to share started with just 6 miles left to go when Bill jumped on the course and escourted me in. I was still feeling pretty good but THE HILL was just ahead. I found my people (Bill being one of them) right where they said they would be. I quickly discarded gear, grabbed the Gatorade/water mixture they had made "just right" for me, gave quick hugs and then I was off again, only now with a companion. I had done this for a friend of mine once, jumped in with 6 miles to go, it was quite different being on the other side here. There are many things you can say to a person that has just ran 20 miles. My brother Bill found the perfect words, "I can't believe how strong you are still running." With a comment like that the last thing you are going to do is wimp out. I was running with my ipod with just one of the ear plugs in, a very upbeat song was on when he made this comment. After THE HILL and with only a mile or two left, Bill ask me what was playing now, B.B.Kings "The Thrill is Gone" was my reply, I think he figured something of the sort. The thrill was not gone but it was getting close. Had I not had my brother there for the last bit and for THE HILL, I might not have made it. But I did, and I did. My cheering squad met me at the end,then off to celebrate.

A few weeks later I received, from the company that was hired to take photos along the course, proofs of pics that had been taken of myself, one of them "got me". It was of Bill and I running together. It took me until I received the "last chance to order photos" notice to place my order and then it took me up until almost a year later to send it on to Bill. I believe he received it for his birthday this year. I haven't heard from him though, he is busy making violins you know, but I am sure he loved it, a keepsake of a mid morning run with his baby sister. Thanks again Bill, for the memory.

Thank you to all my cheerleaders, too, that came to share this special time with me.
Can you believe it has been a year already?

(I Started this one night, finished it now. It was not 90 degrees here yesterday and Kelley is no longer in New York. Just in case you were wondering).