Home Sweet Bed

We made it back from Miami. Back from our fancy suite at the JW Marriott to my own sweet bed. Back on Southwest, even though we had to wait on the tarmac in Ft. Lauderdale because the only runway was closed down for awhile (and why was that?). Back even though the snacks were honey peanuts and plane crackers. Back from the sunny warmness to the slight chill in the air. Back home safely, soundly, and so thankful for a great weekend.

The only question that remains is this: will butt camp commence with or without me tomorrow morning?

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Today's blessings: Beautiful day on South Beach with chairs from Clarence; lunch at Houston's with Steve; safe, smooth flight home; sleeping in my own bed

Never Give Up

From my vantage point of my hotel room, I could see the split for the Miami Marathon and Half Marathon. After Steve had finished and we returned to our room, I would look out periodically at the finishers. After a certain amount of time, the marathon organizers closed off the marathon route and only the half-marathoners were the ones to watch.

After about five hours, I looked out the windows and saw this scene. There were only a few stragglers coming down the course. Over to the side, there was a small group of supporters, no doubt cheering those walkers to finish. At this point in the race, the walkers had about one-quarter of a mile to the finish.

By this time, these walkers had been out on the course for five hours. They had walked twelve miles. They had gotten by on water, gatorade, and whatever snacks they had or were given to them. All they could think of was getting to the finish line.

Likewise, those supporters had been out for hours, just waiting for that moment when their walker went past. When they caught the first glimpse of their person, they began yelling and encouraging and jumping up and down. All they could think of was how exciting it was to see that person, and how proud they were of this great accomplishment.

Nearly all the participants in the half-marathon (around 16,000) had already finished and gone home. Nearly all the supporters had packed up their signs and gone home. But these people who had yet to finish and had yet to see their friends and family kept going. They didn't quit, they didn't give up, and they didn't stop believing.

It's good to believe in yourself and to have those who believe in you. It's especially good when it seems as though there's nobody left. We just have to remember to keep going and never give up - not on each other, but especially, not on ourselves.

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Today's blessings: seeing Steve in the half-marathon; lunch at Pancake House; lazy afternoon

Saturday's Ruminations

Just random stuff from today:

*Managed to finish the 5K in a decent time - for me, anyway. Before the race, a saxophonist played the national anthem - a first for any race I've wogged.

* Passed somebody getting CPR'd just before Mile 3 - hoping he/she was okay - made me think that I should renew my CPR certification - just in case.

*Learned a new way to fix chocolate milk. After the race (and 16 blocks later), Steve and I went to Jerry's Deli for breakfast. I ordered chocolate milk, because all us athletes know that chocolate milk is the go-to drink for your muscles after they get a work out. Anyhoo, the dude said yes, they had chocolate milk. He brought it to me, and I think I've figured out the recipe: first you get the glass into which you plan to serve the chocolate milk. Next you coat the entire inside of said glass with Hershey's syrup. Third, you pour white milk into the glass. Lastly, serve the drink to the recipient, whose eyes are bugging out because she's never seen chocolate milk like that.

*Sat on the beach for a few hours - under an umbrella, sort of. My legs were out so I wouldn't freeze under the umbrella, and my upper body was in my jacket under the umbrella so my already sunburned face wouldn't get cooked again. Not exactly a postcard beach scene.

*While on the beach and under the umbrella, I got caught up on my magazine reading. In one magazine, six (yes, six) pages were devoted to choosing the right lipstick between red and pink. And to think I mainly choose based on price.

*Another stellar article told me how the last diet recommendation was pure hogwash - eating fruit and veggies was no way to lose weight. In fact, in this diet, you didn't have to exercise. All you have to do is basically get a side of beef and eat on it all day. But that's okay, because I'm sure the next article I read will tell me how that diet is bad, too. Perhaps this is why I cannot lose weight - I keep eating bad food, which is basically everything, based on which diet you read.

*Got in the shower to wash off race sweat/beach sand, only to realize I did not have my reading glasses and could not read the labels on the cleaning supplies in the shower. Basically I had hair conditioner, which I could figure out. However, the body wash and the shampoo looked basically the same. Didn't know which to wash what with. So, I used both on my hair and my body. At least they're both clean.

*Also forgot to put my old lady face cleaner in the shower, so I used body wash/shampoo to wash my face. Somehow managed to inhale suds into my nose and sinus passages, causing a heckuva burn. Strengthened my resolve to NEVER use a netty pot.

*Had a great burger at Burgers and Beer - it had (among other things), a fried egg on top. Delicious.

Now I am in my pj's, watching TV on the big ole TV in my fancy schmancy hotel room. Tomorrow I hope to sleep in, while Steve is running the half marathon. Maybe I'll even get a new magazine.

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Today's blessings: finishing the 5K, and all things associated with the 5K; breakfast at Jerry's Deli; sitting on the beach and Clarence the chair dude; fruit creation from Maribeth; Burgers and Beef with Steve for dinner

Even Free Gets Old

Back in the day, Steve's job required him to travel every week. When he stayed in hotels, he stocked up on all the soap and shampoo that the hotel furnished. We had boxes of the stuff. We were a one-income family with three young children, so anything free we sucked up with vigor. While it was a good habit back then, now it's become a rather irritating habit.

It's irritating because I have this underlying idea that if it's free I must take it and use it. In the past, I have put bottles of shampoo/bars of little soap/mending kits/shower hats, and who knows what else in my suitcase, so housekeeping will replenish and I'll have more stuff. I ate the chocolates every night and stockpiled the coffee. After all, I paid for it, didn't I?

So now that the kids are theoretically grown and out of the house, I don't need all that stuff. Herein lies the struggle. It's free, so I must take it. But I don't really want it or need it. But it's free. But I don't even like the brand. But it's free. I can take it and donate it to somebody who does need it. But I hate the hassle of doing all that. But it's free.

Last night we got chocolates. I ate both of them, even though I didn't really want them. They were free and needed to be eaten so we'll get more tonight. Even though I could do without them.

So I'm taking radical action. I've decided that even if housekeeping brings in the entire cart and dumps it in the middle of the room and says, "Take it all," I'm not. I'm using what I need for this stay and leaving the rest. For now, somebody else will have to supply the homeless with soap and shampoo. I need to simplify and I'm starting small. Sometimes small and free gets to be too big and burdensome. Sometimes free comes with a price tag, and I've decided to stop payment.

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Today's blessings: Breakfast in the lounge; sitting on the beach with Steve; lunch at Jerry's Deli; race expo; dinner at the crepe place

There's Always Something To Complain About, But Why?

Steve and I are at the JW Marriott Marquis in Miami, Florida. We got a really good rate, and it's right at the start/finish of the half-marathon that Steve is doing on Sunday. Because he's got eighty bagillion Marriott points, Steve got us a room on the concierge floor, meaning we get free snacks.

The hotel was under construction last year, so it's a brand new hotel. It has a infinity pool, a knockout workout room, a 2-lane bowling alley, a 3-D media room, and a basketball court, just to name a few of the amenities. And when we checked in and found out our room wasn't ready, we got upgraded to a suite, complete with two (yep, count 'em - two) 50-inch televisions and a television in the middle of the bathroom mirror.

So what if the heating system in the bedroom drowns out the 50-inch television and the concierge lounge only serves Pepsi products? Are those two things going to sum up this luxurious experience?

I didn't think so. Sorry - got to go lounge around now and eat my evening's chocolate delivery!

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Today's blessings: Last day of butt camp for the week; safe, smooth flight; sweet suite upgrade at Marriott; Original Pancake House with Steve; OPH Waitress; concierge lounge dude making me coffee