Kristen Visits and Runs the Princess

Last week Kristen arrived from Michigan to pay us a visit.  Because she was our ONLY adult visitor so far this year we tried our very best to make her feel welcome.  We aired out the hammock.

Put chocolates on the pillow, stocked the wine cellar, and ordered 80 degree weather for the duration of her stay.  We even took a couple boat rides but unfortunately the dolphins were at a convention somewhere.





We took a cruise to Frenchies in Clearwater and had lunch.

And beer...and we took a cruise to the Pub and had more beer...all in preparation for the 'Princess' half marathon...
Arriving at Disney Kristen and her sister Erica were greeted by a couple guys dressed in tights...they apparently had recently lost their hair because they had new wigs which didn't fit very well...Kristen tried not to laugh but didn't succeed!

On Saturday Cindy and I went to Epcot were we had coffee at a French Cafe...(I messed up and forgot the coffee pot)...

We met with Tiger and Poo...

And had dinner with Kristen and her brother Paul and Sister Erica...WE also drank a lot of Beer...

On Sunday Kristen got up at 2:30 am (called to wake me up at the campground) put on her running tutu and headed for the start line with her sister Erica and 25,000 other women.

I put on my old t-shirt and headed to the start line with about a thousand guys...I felt out of place because I didn't have a tutu...next year...

I finished alive and in the upright position...I did notice that most of the medical personnel stationed at the finish line asked me how I was doing and kept asking me how many fingers they were holding up...

We had a wonderful time and feel truly blessed to have Kristen in our lives...When she went back to Michigan she took the sunshine with her in more ways than one...today it's in the mid 40's and we're confined to the house...Next week it's warming up considerably...my cousin from Australia is arriving for a three day visit in April but Bag End remains open for reservations and all are welcome!

GRAND CHILDREN (God's gift for not strangling your own kid when they were young!)

Based on the posted comments, I have only "two" readers for this blog (including my older sister and toughest critic ) so I darn well better write about what she wants.

For all of Monday, Tuesday and most of Wednesday I was in pain because of the previous weekends events.  (Sadly it had nothing to do with beer.)  That's why its was a blessing when Don and Carol offered to drive the grand kids to Largo.  I was so sore I had trouble just walking to the car let alone driving.

It took Don and I two hours to unload the car and u-haul he had to rent to get all the kids stuff inside.  The ratio of kids to stuff when Sarah and Joel pack is roughly one hundred pounds of stuff to every pound of kid.

We got to sit and talk for a long while which was really nice...Not sure what the kids were doing but there were no screams from the neighbor or splashes from the channel.

Then we sat down to a very nice meal.  We really enjoyed having Don and Carol visit and even managed to fanagle an invitation to visit them at the Villages this winter.  (Been looking forward to a rematch on the bochie ball court.)

Cindy and I did notice they smiled a lot when they left.

Eliott immediately headed for the lanai where he grabbed a lighter and turned on the gas grill.  He then began pulling bottles from the wine rack.  Cindy and I scrambled in his wake and only caught up to him when he got stuck in the cat door. (He got his feet through but his head is just too big.)

Adeline was our translator for "Eliott" although we did pick up a few words and phrases.

NumNum = food,
dewa dewa = Mickey Mouse,
nana = banana and or grandmother,  (Whenever I heard nana I let Cindy take the call..ditto for poop poop)
qui qui =water,
and  "oh oh" = " Oh shit...I really didn't think that thingee would break and I probably should not have pulled it off the table...but hey I'm so cute and your can always just get another thingee!"

 He ran laps pretty much all day occasionally slamming into a wall or piece of furniture.   At first we were concerned but I reminded Cindy the walls were reinforced cement and most of the furniture was from the goodwill store.

When we needed a break all we had to do was turn on "Curious George" and the boy was immediately in his chair.  Apparently the exploits of a monkey and the man in the Yellow hat work better than Valium   There had to be some kind of a subliminal message code thingee buried in the signal!

It generally gave Cindy and I enough time to haul the wreckage to the curb and put braces on the walls.

He did have a strange "going to bed" ritual.  Apparently pounding on your older sister with a toy car is his way of saying good night.

But when we got him into bed things quieted down considerably.

We did not have a translator for Adeline and had to rely on the Oxford English Dictionary (revised).  We learned a lot.

She never felt tired but did explain "I'm feeling somewhat lethargic".

When I asked if she was pooped she calmly explained that she had been using the bathroom for some time.  (After nana whispered in her ear she did apologize for being "so condescending".)  (After nana whispered in my ear I didn't have to look it up.)

 Food did not get stuck in her throat but rather "it lodged in my Trachea."

She played with the puzzles.

And at night (when the wall stopped shaking) we played bingo, checkers, go fish and a version of old maid.

Badger and Nana also spent a lot of time playing Crystal Portal, (no idea)

We went for a ride...Eliott gave us directions and Badger laughed at joke she made about the Panda who 'eats, shoots and leaves'....(I didn't get it.)

 We went to Turtle park where the kids got to pet lizards...

 We took a long walk...

And fed the turtles....

 On Saturday it was time to meet mom and dad at the airport...I messed up and put Eliott's teething medication in the big suit case which was immediately checked through....sorry...but we did make up for it by promising to get him a Harley for his 16th birthday....(if he has a permission slip from his mom.)

They are all safely back in Michigan...it's in the mid 70's today....very quiet...and of course we miss them...the dictionary is back on the self and the contractors assure us the walls can be repaired...

We are truly blessed by our children and grandchildren...life is good....

RUNNING WITH DONALD AND GOOFY

I begin with an apology to all of our friends and  family (with the exception of Joel and Sarah)!  I apologize for our constant talk about training, shoes, blisters, sciatica, knees, pulled muscles and the merits of  tylenol, aspirin and bag balm.  I apologize for our constant ramblings about training schedules, weather conditions and most of all our persistent and not too subtle suggestions that you join us in our 'madness'. 

In the interest of full disclosure I will now relate the events of the last 48 hours.  But first a brief review of the last 8 months.

Joel and Sarah worked their voodoo reverse psychology  mind  meld and forced us into signing up for the DONALD (13.1 miles) and the GOOFY (39.3 miles).  Cindy (who is not cursed with a "weak mind") was able to avoid going over the cliff.

We bought a new set of running shoes and began training in June.  Cindy logged over 300 miles in training and I did over 500.  At least three times a weeks we jogged to Chippewa  Lake and back.  Beginning in late August at least once a week we increased our distances and I began doing back to back runs culminating in a 23 mile run from Big Rapids to Reed City and back.... in the snow with a howling wind in my face (both ways).

Our last training run together, on an outdoor track in Traverse City, was 13 miles. We did great. The next day I was supposed to do 26 but pulled a muscle after only 15....I was crushed...Again I apologize for constantly talking about it!

Now for the last 48 hours.

On Saturday the 'wake up' call came at 2:45 am.  Dressed and clutching a cup of coffee we got on the bus at 3:15.  Around 4 we were dropped in the Epcot parking lot and got in line with 26,000 other runners.  After walking 3 miles we were in our assigned corral (H...the last one) and awaited the start signal.  It's now about 5 am.

The wheel chairs go off at 5:30 and the corrals (each containing over 3,000 runners) are given the start signal at 10 minute intervals.  As each corral was released we moved forward (another mile to the start line).  Finally at 6:30 we cross the start line.

Our first sight is a man sprawled on his back being worked on by EMTs.  Ouch!

Cindy was the "mother ship" and set the pace.  Joel, Sarah and I followed in her wake.  Around mile 3 the sun came up and at mile 6 we ran through Cinderella's Castle....really cool.  At mile 12 we entered Epcot and cruised though the park finishing well ahead of the "Goofy Bus'.  (Yes there is a bus that follows and 'sweeps' up any runner if they fall behind the pace.)

Cindy laughing and grinning.  The rest of us were grim.

Sunday up at 2:45...ditto on above start information for me (Cindy grinned and went back to sleep)
Also I didn't see my first body until mile `14....

Cinderella's Castle Mile... 6... (70 degrees),  NASCAR race track,  Mile 8...(began dumping water on my head and drinking power aid) , Animal Kingdom Mile...13...(75 degrees),  ESPN sport complex.... Mile 18, (Got a stone in my shoe on the baseball field)

Hollywood Studios... Mile 22...(80 degrees)...(Discovered the wonders of Bio Freeze...distributed at every medical tent...which was where most of the bodies were laid out)....

Mile 23 got confused and dumped power aid on my head and drank the water...didn't give a shit...

 Blessed Mile 25...EPCOT...entered the park at the PUB...bastards...85 degrees...one mile to go, no gas in the tank and thousands of tourists lined up and cheering...Mile 26...Huge choir singing gospel music...thought "this is it I'm dead"...Finish Line...Upright position....Cindy smiling...Kiss...Joel bought me a beer...Life is good...

Xmas And Our Migration To Florida

Cindy turned in her last grade the week before Christmas, cleaned out her office, surrendered her key and officially retired.  In celebration of the season and the occasion I spared no expense and got the best Christmas tree I could find!

Sarah, Joel, Badger and Eliott arrived on Friday night.  Apparently they have recently joined a local charity dedicated to providing Christmas trees to the elderly.  I guess ours names came up on the list so they delivered a 20 foot tree.  They even brought lights...(Nathan, Heather, Kristen and David brought ornaments!)

'Lovey', the special Christmas Elf assigned to the Mulder's knew that Badger and Eliott were traveling to 'Nana and Grandpa's' house and decided to come along.  Otherwise Santa would not have know where to bring the presents.  Also apparently 'Lovey' is required to report back to Santa on how everyone is behaving.   

The "Elf Home Insertion Program" (code named snitch) comes with several important rules...one of which is that you must never ever 'touch' the elf.  Thus it was that Nana in her never ceasing effort to keep the house neat almost blew Christmas.  Badger had to be reassured that grandmother's get a 'pass' from Santa's elves for 'touching' Lovie.  Fortunately for all, Santa did arrive that night with presents!  Nana  received a stern warning and promised to do better next year.

Eliott got to take several long rides and didn't fall off once!

Badger served as a 'beta tester' for Uncle David's newly released App (Gridlock Empire...99 cents)....apparently Uncle David didn't know many 4 year old with Droids...

Nathan and Heather got to sit in Cindy's chair and I waited 4 hours to ask about more grandchildren...A personnel record!

Nathan had to go into the Jail Sunday morning to visit some people...but Aunt Heather got to reconnect with her niece and Badger got her nails painted...

David and Kristen settled into their new couch...They did promise to pick it up in the spring....ditto for Sarah and her new recliner....

We opened presents and ate way too much ham...

Eliott helped in the kitchen....

By Sunday afternoon the presents were open and the kids were gone....I was running a fever and wondering if my lungs would come up with my next cough...we looked out the back door and saw this....two hours later we packed the car...turned off the water...turned down the thermostat....stuffed the cat in her carrier and  left for Florida...(I'm pretty sure we turned off the coffee pot).... 23 hours later we were sipping coffee in our back yard...dressed in shorts and t-shirts...We are truly blessed by God...life is good...