Sunday, July 22, 2012

Sunday Salon: Princess Training

 Well, I have two feet firmly planted back in reality.  We returned home from 2 1/2 weeks of vacation on Wednesday night.  Granted, it was nice to get back to the cooler Florida weather (seriously, what the heck is going on in the Midwest?) but is always a huge downer to come back to the drudgery of life...laundry, cleaning, cooking, and the 30-odd things on my to do list like back to school shopping, energy efficiency improvements provided to me by Progress Energy before we left, making appointments for stuff, blah blah.  I need a vacation to recover from my vacation!


The kids and I did take time to pop out and see the new Batman movie.  We had been waiting for this one for awhile and were REALLY excited about it.  Even though how on earth could you top the Heath Ledger performance in The Dark Knight?  I'm going to review it tomorrow, but just a little hint...we thought it was amazing. 


I do miss my family back in IN...don't really know when my parents will be back down in FL.  And I miss the tiny baby girl kitty that was saved from the jaws of disease and eventual death.  She is so tiny - barely over a pound, and needs lots of attention because she was abandoned by her mother as a newborn.  I would have stuck her in my pocket and brought her back with me, but there is this think thing of having six cats already...

















On the other hand, we returned home to fat, lazy, bitchy kittehs who think that the world owes them something, like this one.




















Anyway, predictably, in my running around trying to make my life "normal" again, my reading has screeched to a halt.  Again.  I did finish Mary Roach's "Stiff" on audio and I just loved it.  It was better than "Spook".  I'm now listening to the very popular "The Chaperone" by Laura Moriarty.  I'm just saying, Elizabeth McGovern is an AMAZING narrator.


And in print I finished Gillian Flynn's "Sharp Objects" - wow, for a debut novel, it was pretty intense.  And at Rhapsody Jill's urging I am reading "Jellicoe Road" by Melina Marchetta...it is really good so far.  Amazing writing.


But I've saved my big news for last.  Well, it might not be big news to y'all, but to me, it is like I have agreed to climb Mt. Everest or split the atom or run for President of a small country.  At the behest of Dawn (She Is Too Fond of Books), who will be down here in February 2013 for a family vacation, I have agreed to run the Disney Princess Half Marathon with her and her daughter.  And whoever else wants to join the fray!  Just to clarify, yes that is 13.1 miles.  And yes, three months ago I couldn't run ONE MILE.  I'm a little scared but I have seven months to train and barring a knee blowout or something equally as horrible, there is no way I'm going to accept defeat on this one.  I'm finding that running is seriously FUN, it makes me feel good, and I'm getting better at it slowly.  Pray for me.


On that note, I'm headed out to put in a few miles before it gets hot.  Have a great Sunday and I promise I will try hard to come see you at the blogs next week!


23 comments:

christina said...

Sandy the Disney Princess yay! A friend from work mentioned that being one of her goals this coming year. I laughed and said I would stick to Jazzercise. :)

bermudaonion said...

I ALWAYS need a vacation (or an maid/assistant) after my vacations. Will your daughter run with you?

rhapsodyinbooks said...

OMG re the marathan!!! Wow! I couldn't even run ONE mile!

Carrie K. said...

I know what you mean about needing a vacation from your vacation - it always seems that way, doesn't it? Glad you're home - and good luck with the half-marathon training.

I really want to read or listen to The Chaperone, but not sure if I can listen to it, because Elizabeth McGovern plays my least favorite character on Downton Abbey. :P

Unknown said...

Just stopping by to let you know that I got Gone Girl this week. I'm looking forward to it.

Jenny said...

That is AWESOME that you're going to run that!! I've always wanted to run a Disney marathon. You can definitely do it though. I ran a 5K once... LOL... and I had very little training and did it so I KNOW you can do the half-marathon with the crazy amount of working out you've been doing, hahah.

I actually have Jellicoe Road out from the library right now because of Jill's amazing review, LOL! I haven't been doing too much reading lately though... =(

We loved the Batman movie too. =) And I love Joseph Gordon-Levitt hehe.

Alyce said...

That's wonderful! Good luck with your training!

I completely sympathize with the vacation recovery and back to school shopping. Bleh!

Anna said...

Sounds like you had a great vacation...now good luck with your training! :)

Heidenkind said...

Aw, that kitteh is so cute.

Anonymous said...

The kitten is precious! The cat? Ummmmm...

And I'll tell you what I told Dawn...you're crazy (obviously, I'm not a runner).

Kimberly (Reflections of a Book Addict) said...

I'm in love with that kitty!!

Beth(bookaholicmom) said...

A princess marathon should be only a mile...a princess shouldn't overexert herself. Just saying...good luck. It does sound like fun!

That kitten is stinking cute!

Zibilee said...

I know there is no way that I can run that far, so I will be the water and snack provider, and just generally cheer you both on. I want to be the first to congratulate you on your success at the finish line! And that picture of your white kitty doing yoga was just the kind of awesome that I needed today.

Julie P. said...

I'm up to four miles a day now and I think I might be able to run a half marathon. I sure wish I could join you and Dawn!

Jenners said...

Hey that is awesome that you're going to attempt the marathon!! I KNOW you can do it. Once Andre knows about it, you're going to train and you'll breeze right through it. You know what comes after a half-marathon though, right….

Beth F said...

That's one cute kitten.

I hate to run. Always have. Ugh. Now, get me hiking or power walking and I'd go all day without a break.

Have fun.

JoAnn said...

A half marathon - WOW!!! You are amazing and inspiring. I'm close to signing up for a 'no boundaries' program this fall (a couch to 5K thing), but still kind of nervous about it. I am not a runner...yet.

Ti said...

I love that bitchy cat. LOL.

Yay on the marathon. I wanted to be running at this point. Well, limping along at a pathetically slow pace but the numb hand, which has nothing to do with my feet or legs is causing me all sorts of grief and this week was the first time I missed gym for the day. The numbness is making me unbalanced. Don't laugh. Plus, I am on the devil drug of Predinsone which is a last ditch effort to reduce the swelling. I am eating like a pig and off balance. Not good.

Unknown said...

Sorry I'm behind with my commenting - entertaining my boys is hard work!

Good luck with the half marathon - I can't even run one mile so I really admire you for signing up. Hope the training goes well.

Dawn @ sheIsTooFondOfBooks said...

Re: GONE GIRL -- I must read this! Several of my colleagues have, and it's on my list (during next month's vacation?)

I am SO excited about the Princess Half!! Am working to convince BookingMama to join us :)

Natalie~Coffee and a Book Chick said...

Sandy!! A half marathon!! You ROCK! I totally know you can do it and it's amazing how addicting running is, isn't it? I started running about seven weeks ago and I don't want to stop. You have plenty of time to get ready for the half marathon, and before you know it, you'll be a marathoner and will get the tattoo of 26.2! :) That's one of my goals and I can't wait to hear how your training is going!!

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Woo hoo for your marathon news! Good luck with training. And yes, the Midwest's weather is insane right now. What is going on!?!

The Bumbles said...

I met my life's running quota on the track team in high school. But kudos to you for finding a fun way to challenge yourself in your new passion. Who knows, in a couple of years I could be cheering you on in the Boston Marathon!