A Run, A Car and A Walk

Saturday started off with the last of the Y Running Class. The group was scheduled to run 30 minutes - with NO WALKING TIME. This is always a big mental leap for these beginner runners to make. I had a small group - as usual. I can usually keep more of the summer class which goes over 12 weeks - there is less of a drop out rate. The fall class, though, over only 8 weeks is so much harder and people drop out at a much higher rate. So they had to run 30 minutes. And they did it. It wasn't easy, I hung in the back of the pack, talking, trying to get their minds distracted and the front runners kept circling back to pick us up. Hey, we practice a 'leave no runner behind' policy in my classes. My theory (as a slow runner) is if you can run faster, you can run longer and come back and run us in :-) No one has ever had a problem with this and it seems to really make the group cohesive, self-motivated and bonded. Anyways, the running classes are done until next spring. We are now just going to try to run on our own Saturday mornings at the park. Most are signed up to run the Jingle Bell Run in two weeks time and are calling their team The Other Greyhounds! You can even sponsor them if you like. They are all getting Greyhound Walking Club of Central New York t-shirts to run in from Bridge, Jen and I.

After the run, Jen came into town, and we all (meaning J and Bridge and me) took off to test drive the Scion XB. It is pretty much the only car that met all of Jen's requirements - fit the dogs, economical gas mileage, not an SUV, not used, etc. I think she liked it because she bought it! Woohoo! The car drama might just be over. It is black, very urban and cool looking. So, I am very excited for Jen. Her very first brand new car!

My parents and sister came over that evening. My sister is normal but my parents get stranger every time I see them. My dad is 73 and my mom will be 70 this spring. She made and brought over Texas Dump Stewp. No I mean Texas Dump Souw. It was Texas Dump Stew but she could never say it right :-) My mom used to be a great meat and potatoes, grease frying, southern cook. I mean, when I was a kid, we ate good but ate like crap if you know what I mean :-) Then my dad got sick and she had to completely change her cooking style. And I think she also got tired of cooking. I am a believer that most women have X amount of dinners in them. When they reach that number - they are done. I am almost there, especially in terms of big family dinners. Just don't want to cook or go through the hassle. So I can definitely understand where my mom is coming from when she says she is tired of cooking, especially when her cooking during my childhood, was so different and more labor intensive from what I do now. I cook in my kitchen with ingredients that are fairly easy to find in any store nowadays. When I was a kid, my mom's cooking consisted of gardening, preparing, canning and freezing, etc. all before even getting to any cooking part. I don't begrudge my mom not wanting to cook but honestly, that Texas Dump Stew she brought over was not good and there were no biscuits, cornbread because my dad can't eat them.....

Sunday was the monthly GWC walk. Weather cooperated, lots of people showed up, hounds and people comported themselves admirably. It was a very nice time :-)