Well, apparently I didn't make it back for the Mixer! But I'm so glad to learn about the Bondiband groupies! It sounds like something to experiment with.
May Numbers! I'll be updating the spreadsheet tonight!
JenG: I think you could do the weekend marathon trip, then, if you've got that cushion before the race. The time change/jet lag would be tricky, of course, especially if you can't shift your training/sleeping schedule in advance. That would be my first suggestion. The second has to do with water on the flights and staying away from caffeine altogether. (I can't remember if you're a caffeine drinker or not, sorry, but I know I'm reliant on it and try not to be for jet lag.) The third tip is general for the marathon weekeend, but will help with the jet lag; plan on taking a nap instead of getting good sleep the night before the race; we have to be at the start so early that you're not going to sleep well anyway. SO, all that said, I hope you get a chance to be there in January! We'd love to see you.
Jackie: My cats are so terrified of the vacuum that I cannot imagine Sienna thinking it's playtime! Any decisions about January yet? And how did you end up liking the Gabaldon series? I received the 2nd one and had to turn it in without reading it because of my trip--which means I'm at the bottom of the list again! And did you see
Up? What'd you think?
And congratulations on your no-longer-a-newbie running moment. You're celebrating, not gloating, and rightfully so!
Maura: Thank you for the explanation, although I still think it sounds like a Monty Python sketch. And
for all your work upheaval. I hope things are settling down into some semblance of normalcy. We flew to DTW and drove through Detroit on our way to Stratford and I so wanted to visit my old haunts. I'll always be a Michigander at heart.
Maura & Julie: And a random note about Edinburgh, since it came up. Its film series is doing a mash up of Shakespeare and zombies, inspired by the popularity of the zombie trend and books like
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (a book I'm on the library wait list for). Zombies are the new vampires.
Julie: Have you been doing your ITB exercises? And your new leaf has turned, hasn't it? Hmmmmm???? And my fingers are crossed for your DS2 tests, too!
Nancy:
Really if I don't have to cook it any place is fine with me.
That describes me, too! If it's vegetarian and someone else is making it, I call it gourmet cooking! I'm so glad you've been out there honing your golf skills and are going to get to play at Disney. (As if there was any doubt, barring weather.) Never seen Jon & Kate, but like everyone else, I'm intimately acquainted with their relationship issues. That's the power of a celebrity culture, I guess. I hope you're having a great trip!
Jeanne: I know you're having a great trip, as well! I love your plan with the pedometer, healthy eating, and the reasonable approach to the vacation.
But both you and Nancy should have a drink, or two, for me while you're having fun!
Maria: Your trip is right around the corner! Are you excited? How are you doing against my arch-nemesis, the diet soda? (Weight loss or not, I know that stuff is bad for me. But like the bad boys of my teen years, I keep turning to it to make me feel good.
) How's the shifted walk-run-walk-run, etc. plan going? Feeling energized? And finally: are you packed for your trip already? (Apparently it's your day for being interrogated!) Great clippie, btw, and
Corinna certainly is talented!
Kathy: Great job with all the mileage and the XT, especially at this busy time of year. And PD to your family at this busy time of year, what with all that's going on in addition to the end of school. I'm bummed you're not doing Baltimore, but can understand the desire to stay local. Me, I'm less than happy about the idea of a hilly race (I can stay in Pgh for that), but DOOD's happy about a new marathon location. What's your tentative half? Is Mike doing it, too?
Richard: I've never heard the term Jack Roodle....there's a joke in there somewhere.... Oh, and I was never able to get my Nike+ to work accurately, either, and it died just after a year.
Mel: I didn't know about your toenails! What gives? New shoes? Hope you're doing all right.
All other
cousins! Sorry if I missed responding to you, and I certainly did miss you during my trip.
Cross posted from the Lean Meaners thread, with apologies:
As for me: Stratford was a good time, but too short. Lots of eating, starting with the decadent layout at breakfast at our B&B. And then lots of sitting for the plays. Even though I got up for a run every day before breakfast, my workouts were abbreviated, etc. Plus, there was the drinking. Turns out our innkeepers make their own wine, and give their guests bottles to enjoy. It wasn't good wine, but it was free.
It had been 7 or 8 years since we'd been to Stratford. We saw Ben Jonson's
Bartholomew Fair, which was the first professional production in North America, and the strongest production we saw (although I think the play is a hard sell, and not Jonson's strongest). We also saw Wilde's
The Importance of Being Earnest (great play, solid production), Shakespeare's
Julius Caesar, and took a warehouse tour. That and the usual eating, window shopping, drafting the reviews of the plays, etc. A nice trip, if a little short and work oriented.
The hardest part was the travel days; we were on the road over 12 hours each day, what with plane connections and border crossings. DOOD caught a cold on the trip, which had fully manifested by the flight home. I've got it now, a less serious version. Getting sick on our trips is one of those couples things we do.
So yesterday I was shot as far as any productive work, etc., as was DOOD. (He spent most of his day on a train to D.C., so he slept.) But he's gone for all of June, finally! I've yet to enjoy the single life, unless you count sleeping in our bed, alone, for uninterrupted hours to be enjoyable. Which I do, so yeah, I'm having a great time with DOOD out of town!
And I'm open to all suggestions for getting myself into single-lady trouble.
LOVE 
... I don't know how anyone lives without one!
I plan to be on the phone bright and early on the 7th trying to book my DVC room
My new workout pattern is working great. Other than my TM debacle the other day, I think I'm doing well. I felt great on the TM running this AM, and I'm down another 2 lbs this week. I haven't had diet soda in a week. I'm not sure I can attribute my weight loss to that, but I have been drinking a ton of water, so I'm sure it's helping. 
I have most of my items laid out, but have not packed anything yet. I'm still waiting on two skorts I ordered from Lands End, a guide book from 
). I'm feeling a migraine coming on and DH is still at work, so I've got to schlep all 3 kids down to the baseball field and then try to entertain a 2 yr old the whole time. Maybe I should try that dance one more time...
