Monday, July 18, 2011

Fast old ladies

It happened. I had another birthday. Yes, they come every year, but this was an important one. To me, far more painful than 30, or 40, or even 50.
I'm now 35.

When I started running at the age of 12 or 13, it didn't take long to learn about the BEASTLY female age group at 5k races... not the competitive high school runners, not the college age girls... But the 35-39 year old ladies.

Also known as the fast old lady age group.

This was not a title of derision... It was a title given after being schooled by these old ladies, race after race. And, believe me, they were OLD.

It was easy to spot them. Different from the aerobics queen and health club runners, these ladies had grit, a glint in their eyes, and saggy knees... And very often really cool outfits. (Much better than my 5k t-shirt from the previous weekend!). Inevitably, they would pass me in the last half mile or so, looking strong. At the finish, while I was crying or crumpling, they would nonchalantly stand around and talk to everyone... Because they seemed to know everyone.

Somehow or another, it has happened. I have gotten old. I don't think people even use the phrase "schooled" these days. My knees are definitely saggy. And now...

I AM a fast old lady... Maybe not so fast, but definitely in their category!

And to top it all off, I have strained my Achilles or lower calf. It seems that when you are in the fast old lady group, it is not a good idea to run 18 miles and weed eat for three hours one day, and then clean someone's house for 6 hours and try to go on a 6 mile run the next day. The injury description says "common in middle aged people."

The trainer is hopeful that we can get it well in time for the marathon. In the meantime, I get this cool kinesiotape on my leg. I'm thinking I might just get the outline tattooed on... It looks pretty cool. A friend of mine said, "it's kinda tribal, but the colors make it femine..." Maybe when I join the masters age group!

Sarah's quilt

I am going to allow my mother-in-law, Kay to narrate this post with an email she sent me during the week!


"She's completed the center of the sudoku quilt. Hannah is familiar with the routine. Yesterday we purchased, washed, and cut fabric. We went to Bright Hopes Quilt shop in Mandeville. Everyone there was charmed with Sarah- remembered her from applique society last year. She was very clear about her fabric choices. She picked her focus fabric immediately and built her pile from there. We also sewed some yesterday. Today she finished piecing the center of the quilt. Three borders to come, then we will put it on the long arm. Wait until you see the backing fabric. It's totally sixties tie-dyed. Sarah is a careful and precise sewer. She is always alert to when things start to go awry and stops sewing immediately to ask what's up. Of course, there was the time she sewed perfectly for several minutes without bobbin thread. Hannah can relate...

We also went to the beach this morning. Got there right after nine am and left a little after eleven when all the "tourists" started crowding the beach."

Here is the quilt before the borders....


Here is the completed top- ready to begin long arm university!




Summer fun!

We have had a busy summer, but there's always time for fun!


Especially some good, country fun, like playing in the hog feed barrel!


A friend of ours in town, Shelley Trout, has been diagnosed with breast, bone, and brain cancer. The town put on a fundraiser called "Night out with the Trouts." Hannah was at Nana's making her quilt, but Sarah and the boys participated in the 1 mile run. Sarah ran 6:45, Will ran 8:53, and Josh ran 10:41. Afterward, we stayed until dark-thirty and watched Megamind on the blow up screen.


It was a lot of fun! By that time it was reasonably cool, and we had snacks and drinks from the concession stand. (above: Christine, Will, Brayden, Avelee, Sarah. Seated: Josh, Scott, Savannah)


Several people from our church came, and we enjoyed the evening together! (above: Elizabeth and Hannah there was a great turn out, and over $30,000 was raised!

The boys went to basketball camp at BMC this June, and they learned some great skills... They also learned that they need to practice! Since camp, they have enjoyed shooting hoops in the gym when we go to the school for weight room duty.


Below: Josh, Men's Coach JD Parker, and Will


Will made a friend during the week, and they are hoping to attend some Topper basketball games together this winter!


During the week of basketball camp, we had a special visitor. Grace Orrick, Sarah's friend from when we lived in Kentucky, came to stay a few days. She would ride to Kentucky with Hannah and Scott in a few days.


My sister came one day to order her school curriculum and visit, and she brought tie-dye stuff! So fun!


We went swimming at the Autry's one day, and the kids had a great time practicing dives and tricks.


Hannah


Sarah


Will


Josh


And all together now...


The next week Scott went to spend his "man week" with Jim Orrick and Josh Bullock in Kentucky. Hannah went with him to spend the week with her friend in Louisville, Drew.

While they were gone, we stayed busy around the house and then took Sarah to Kay's for her turn at quilting camp!

Swapping rooms

We gave the girls the upstairs room and moved all of the school stuff downstairs. This was definitely easier said than done....



We painted the boys' beds, painted both sides of the upstairs, and did a major purge!


I turned the school desks into a new sewing table with fabric storage underneath, and removed fabric shelves from the closet (so girls can hang clothes). We hung shelves to display all of the crafty Spartan creations in the sewing room.





Downstairs, we turned the girls' room into our new school room. It got a coat of paint, and I put extra shelving in the closets for school books. I brought a shelf down from the upstairs to hold literature, and we got desks, chairs, and blinds. (Happy birthday to me- thank you, thank you mom!!!)


The school room is now definitely more like a traditional classroom. I'm sure we will continue to do our read allude sprawled all over the couches, but it will be nice to have a setting a little more conducive to structure.


The boys wanted the loft beds, so we took them apart, Scott took off the desk part and cut a foot off the bottom (they were too high), and we painted them. While the room was empty, I decided it needed a coat of paint too... We put blinds up and took their dresser into our room (part of our bedroom furniture anyway).


Tada! Welcome to the dragon lair!