Peace Out, Bitches!

I met all my personal goals for the 5k I ran on Saturday and I have to admit, it felt great. There’s another one in October and I am going to sign up for it just because I know the next few weeks are going to be filled with eating lots of fast food and sitting on my ass. But after that one, I think I either need to move up to a 10k or find a triathlon I can enter.

Anyway, now that the race is over, I am pretty much ready for vacation! In what I am sure will be a humiliating decision I will regret forever, I agreed to go out with a guy I do not know while I’m home. I don’t want to call my ex-boyfriend and I thought hanging out with someone else seemed like a good way to keep my mind off him. I’ve talked with this blind date guy and I was honest with him about the fact that I live in Alaska and I’m leaving at the end of the month. He seems nice. But is there ever anything that isn’t awkward about set ups? I’m already sort of dreading it. I’m sure it will make a fantastic blog post at least. Sigh.

I’m as ready as I’m going to be for this trip. I have the weddings covered and I already got tickets for a Brewers game. Unfortunately, it’s a game against the Cubbies, so the odds are it is going to be a painful game, but at least there will be racing sausages. I don’t think I’ll get too bored and it looks like the weather is going to cool off a bit right when I get there so I won’t die. Basically, I’m totally ready. Check you all on the flip side.

Run, Forrest!

I am a horrible runner. I don’t even think you would technically classify what I do as ‘running’ - it’s more of a jog. I have been very slowly getting the teensiest bit better this summer but I’m never going to win any races. That’s actually what I like about running though, I don’t have to beat anyone else and I can still win if I improve my time. I’m running a 5K next Saturday. I ran my very first 5K ever back in June and it wasn’t pretty. I had to walk for part of it and it took over 39 minutes. Ugh. I’m not sure what my goal is this time. Originally I wanted to get below 35 minutes, but I ran 3.1 miles at the gym last night in under 34. Yes that was a treadmill, but I usually go faster outside as long as it’s not too steep and this course is super flat. Considering I only signed up for this as something to keep my mind off my vacation, I think I am going to not set a goal and just run for the ‘fun’ of it. Also, don't tell George Lucas, because he is a copyright Nazi, but the Star Wars bachelorette party invites are pretty much done. BOOYA!

Epic Sun Days!

Juneau is nestled between mountains right along the ocean. I have never lived anywhere more beautiful and when it is sunny out, I think it's almost a sin to stay inside. This weekend was epic. Not a cloud in the sky and temperatures reaching close to 80. While most of the town was out on the water for the Salmon Derby, I decided to fit in a few last hikes of this summer. It's not often we get this much sun this late in the season and I wasn't about to waste it!

Devils Club is a bitch to hike through. It's covered in brittle spines that leave crazy welts if you don't watch where you are going. It makes good syrup though...

Starting up Mt. Juneau, a trail that eventually kicked our ass. I have never been so overwhelmed by bugs in my life...
Looking out at Douglas Island and Spuhn Island from John Muir cabin. I can't believe how lucky I am to live here sometimes.

Less than 36 hours to go...

As a going away present, they went 24 hours without one accident. Hallelujah. I can't wait to get my life back.

Pugatory

Accident count to date: I lost count on day 4. There was one day with only a single accident, but they are averaging around three each day. I actually hope for poop because it's a lot easier to clean up. It is sick and sad and wrong that I actually hope there is shit on the floor when I go home. Sigh. I had to trim one of the pug's nails (or are they claws?) because they were so long they were starting to curl under and make it hard for him to walk. I don’t get how people who spent thousands of dollars on doggie chemo can ignore the simple stuff like that. Now that I am getting to know the dogs better, it is getting a bit easier. They are sweet dogs, I just want to sleep for more than 3 hours at a time.

The plus side of this dog sit is their DVD collection. We have the same taste in books and movies, which I am basing solely on the fact that they have a bunch of Guy Gavriel Kay books and all of Battlestar Galactica. If I have to be stuck inside hovering over a pair of decrepit pugs, at least I can have The West Wing on in the background.