Travel Day and A Visit With The Boy

Busy travel day yesterday.  After two days at home catching up, running errands, etc we headed back to the coast with a little stop to see the Boy and take him to dinner.  He looks like he needs more sleep.  He says he has been getting about 4 hours of sleep at night.  Not enough!  He is doing good though other than the sleep.  I had to clean the bathroom in his dorm room.  Sorry couldn't control myself.  It just needed cleaning!

I ran with the Running Nazi Wednesday evening about 5 miles and Thursday morning at 6 am about 6 or 7 miles. (hey, 6 at 6!).  I also went to the gym both days and got on the exercise bike for about 30 minutes.  Today I slept late and then went to the gym and did 15 minutes on the bike and then swam about 800 yds.  I am as ready for the race tomorrow as I am going to be.  Picked up my race packet this afternoon.  The place is packed with triathletes!

Up All Night

Last night Ed decided he was going to sleep with us so he jumped on the bed at some ungodly hour waking me up.  Then the Murph knocked him off the bed so he disappeared for awhile.  Long enough for me to fall back to sleep before he jumped back up on the bed and started walking on me.  At least he didn't purr loudly in my face like Phantom does or slap me with his paw like Cadence.

Ed pretending to be innocent.

The other night Cadence kept jumping on the bed and pawing at my face and then Phantom jumped up and scared Cadence.  Cadence dug his claws in the bed, in me and in the Murph as he fled, jumping all the way across the bed to the floor to get away from Phantom.  Then the loud purring started and kept on for a while, in my face.  Phantom looks and sounds like a large overgrown bumble bee. After Phantom decided to jump off the bed (with a loud thump that always wakes us up if we aren't already awake), Cadence jumped back on the bed.  This lasted pretty much all night until we got up around 7 a.m. to feed the little bastards (that's what the Murph calls them).

You can tell just by looking at him that Boo doesn't miss a meal!

As we were leaving the condo to go workout, little Cadence was looking at us with sleepy eyes waiting for us to leave.  He was ready to catch up on his sleep after we were gone.  After all, he had been up all night playing on top of us.  The Murph told Cadence that he would be back in 15 minutes to wake him up.  Revenge!  He didn't of course, but when we got back from our workout, he did make sure to find Cadence and wake the little "bastard" up!

 Poor Boo doesn't have any of these bad characteristics.  He just behaves and makes sure he doesn't miss the soft food he gets for breakfast.  I think I will kittynap him and take him back with me to the condo. 


Tonight the Murph informed me that the cats are locked OUT of the bedroom!  Sorry guys!

Ed sticking his tongue out at me...

No Singulair... HELP! (and I'm not being over dramatic)

I forgot my Singulair prescription and it is at the coast and I am 4 hours away.  I have to take one a day for my allergies/asthma and have been on them for about 6 years.  I tried to get the pharmacy to refill it since it is almost time anyway, but the prescription has expired.  They faxed my doctor, but he still hasn't responded.  If I don't get my pills I think I will die!  The Murph says I am being over dramatic, but he just doesn't know what happens to me when I have to go two days without my pills.

Luckily, if I can't get them today then we will be back at the coast tomorrow night so maybe it won't be that bad.  The last time I tried to go off Singulair I regretted it.  After a few days I had a really bad headache, then sinus congestion which went into my lungs which gave me pneumonia.  I finally recovered two months later after rounds of antibiotics, steroids, and shots.  Learned my lesson.  

I already have a headache and I think my lungs are hurting and it's only been a day...

Pilates

I did Pilates class this morning for the first time.  It's not as bad as I thought it would be.  It really works the core and I need that.  I am usually not at the gym early enough to do the Pilates class, but today the Murph and I got up early because we had to get on the road and head home.  I did some weights before the class, but other than that, it was my only workout of the day.  No cardio today.  I will make up for it tomorrow and Thursday running and spinning.

My legs are not as sore today and I need to keep them that way so I will be ready for the race this weekend.

Home....

Today we had to come "home" for a couple of days.  I can't say I am that happy to be back here.  The Murph and I are both ready to leave here for good.  He is originally from up north (yes, a Yankee!) and I have unfortunately lived here all my life.  Right now we are going back and forth from here to the coast. We have two houses here, mine is on the market and we plan on getting his on the market by spring.

I really don't know why I feel so depressed being back.  I know it's only for a couple of days and we do have some things to do, but without the Boy here and the Jazz Cats, it just doesn't feel like home.  The Murph says "well what about me??"  That's true, but he's with me here and the coast and he's going to be with me wherever we move.  I'm just ready!  I think I have been ready to get away from here for 20 years!  I guess I never really knew how much I am ready until now that I have been away.

Ok, I am going to suck it up and make the most of it!  I am looking forward to running with the Running Nazi tomorrow and Thursday.  We are running 5 miles tomorrow and 8 miles on Thursday.  She's tapering for Chicago.

Other than that, I can't wait to get back to the coast!  It is getting harder and harder to come back here!  ICK!!  DOUBLE ICK!!

My Favorite Place After A Hard Workout

 This is my favorite place to hang out and relax after a hard morning workout.  I think I made this sea gull a little nervous when I started taking pictures of him.  The water was calm and perfect yesterday, but a little windy and rough today.  Not bad though.  Not bad at all!  I love it that this is my backyard now!

Triathlon Training

I had a great workout Sunday morning in preparation for the sprint triathlon coming up this Saturday.  I rode 20 miles on my bike as hard as I could and then got off and ran a mile and half.  It was hot and tough! My legs were still a little sore from Saturday's lower body weight workout and a 4 1/2 mile interval run on the treadmill. I need to increase my bike average to at least 2mph for the race.  It's going to be tough.

Today I did weights (upper body only), then ran a mile on the treadmill as hard as I could and then I got in the pool and did some fast 50's and a timed 600 for a total 30 minute workout.  My 600 was slower than what I wanted.  It was about 15 minutes instead of 12 minutes, but what can I expect when I haven't been swimming much since last summer.

I haven't done a long run in almost two weeks so I will probably wait until after the triathlon Saturday to do a 13 mile run.  I'm not doing a run longer than 8 miles this week.

I feel like I am ready for the race this weekend, but don't know if I will improve my speed much more than what I did in 2009, which was the last time I did the race.  It is a 600 yd swim, 18 mile bike, 3.2 mile run.  My time to beat is 1 hr 37 minutes.  I am hoping to get in under 1 hr 30 minutes.  Fingers crossed!

"V for Vendetta" and the Jazz Cat Giving Me the Stink Eye...

Last night the Murph and I watched a movie that the Murph said was REALLY good.... and he was right!  It is called "V for Vendetta".  I loved it!  It starred Natalie Portman as Evey and Hugo Weaving as V.  GREAT Movie!  I highly recommend it.  It sort of reminded me of "Phantom of the Opera" with the mask thing and all.  Jazz Cat, Phantom is named after the "Phantom of the Opera" because the Boy was reading it in school at the same time we got Phantom and Phantom does look like he is wearing a mask.

Stink Eye!

 Unfortunately for the Jazz Cats, we had to turn off the John Coltrane jazz we were listening too (it was Coltrane's 85'th birthday after all, if he were still alive that is...) to watch the movie.  Phantom and Cadence are soooooo predictable when the jazz starts playing. Here they are before we turned Coltrane off.  It looks like Cadence was giving me the "stink eye" but he was really just saying "leave me the hell alone, woman!  It's Coltraine!"  I don't know where they disappeared to after the music stopped.

They were very, very mellow before it stopped though.

Embarrassing!

Big Stretch!

Amazing Sunset

I took this picture this evening off the balcony of the condo.    The sunsets here are amazing.  Very beautiful!  Just had to share.....

I Can Relax Now...

Our new rocker was delivered today from Ashley furniture.  Give me my snuggie, my ipod and a margarita and I'm good!  Cadence kept trying to sit in my lap and couldn't get comfortable.  He was a little suspicious of the new leather chair smell too.  Finally, he just gave up and crawled inside his carrier...

Spinervals and Jacksons...

Thursday was, of course, Spinervals day.  I was informed that I was shrinking fat cells and increasing red blood cells and reassured that this was perfect training to get ready for the upcoming sprint triathlon I am doing next month.  All that and I even ran about a mile afterwards before it started raining.

Just got back from eating at one of the best restaurants in Pensacola...  Jacksons.  I got the wood grilled salmon with asparagus and cheese grits.  The Murph got crab cakes.  Very good!

Jazz cat, Phantom is sitting here watching me type, probably wanting a pork chop or something.  Sorry Phan man, I already ate and it was DELISH!  Go eat your Purina cat food.

The Murph and I stopped for drinks on the island on the way home.  I decided to try something new and got a cucumber and sage white sangria.  It came chock full of cucumbers.  The Murph laughed and said I was getting my daily allowance of vegetables.  See... even my nutrition is on track as well as my exercise training plan....

I am doing good!  Right??

Mike's Margarita... Just What I Need!

This is just what I need tonight after spending most of last night skyping with The Boy and helping him write a paper for one class and then this morning helping him again on another paper for a different class.  Thank god for skype and copy and paste!

And, of course, Mikes Margaritas!

What the Murph "Puts up with"

Last night the Murph took one look at Cadence sleeping on the dining room table, picked up the camera and said, "I'm taking a picture of this to show what I have to put up with!  Cats sleeping on my dining room table, bloggers... hissssssss!" (he's been hissing at me a lot lately, poor guy)

Short Open Water Swim (the creepy kind with fishes)

Spinervals was canceled today since I was the only one that showed up and I wasn't even all that committed.  I really needed to swim so instead of Spinervals, I got on the regular exercise bike for 30 minutes, then went outside and swam in the bay for a few minutes.  It's always a little creepy out there not knowing what big fish is lurking around (especially the kind with sharp teeth), but I thought it was a better choice than chlorine.

Will probably run today about 3 to 5 miles.  Short swim, short bike, short run.  Better than nothing!

Should I Sign Up For A Fall Marathon?

I was suppose to do the Chicago Marathon with the Running Nazi next month, but I waited too long to sign up and it was full.  I thought about racing with a charity slot, but if I didn't raise enough money I would have to come up with the difference.  The Murph was a little concerned about that (especially since he would be the one coming up with the difference).  The idea of spending thousands of dollars just to run a marathon didn't appeal to him even if it was for a good cause.  I tried to assure him that I would be able to raise the money and the Running Nazi said she would help.  Didn't work.  The Running Nazi told me I should just sign up anyway and not tell the Murph until I had raised the money.  I didn't think that would be a good idea!

I am considering running Pensacola Marathon in November even though I haven't really been marathon training.  The Running Nazi and I have also talked about doing Mardi Gras marathon in New Orleans in February.  She wants to qualify for Boston.  I ran Boston in 2003, but would like to do it again for a faster time.  I was injured when I ran it last time and so far it has been my slowest marathon.  I need to do it again, one more time at least.  We would have to do under a four hour marathon in order to qualify.  I think that's doable.  Of course, before I do a four hour marathon I need to actually sign up for and TRAIN for a marathon.  These little 3 to 10 mile runs aren't gonna do it!

Bar Hopping with the Babysitter

This bird went crazy over the Babysitter's hair.  He totally ignored me while I was taking his picture.  Then when he saw the Babysitter he ran over to her side of the cage.

Leaving Crabs...  didn't know the Murph was taking this picture.

Me and The Murph

Me and The Babysitter 

Had fun yesterday with the Babysitter.  We started our bar hoping at the poolside bar with frozen swirl margaritas, then moved beach side for a while.  Later in the evening, we went to one of the Murph and my favorite spots, Crabs, where we drank margarita on the rocks and then on to a couple more places before heading home.

The parrot at Crabs ignored me as usual.  He really seemed to be attracted to the Babysitter though.  She said birds always seem to like her hair.  The Murph says the parrot's going to bite me if I keep poking my finger in his cage.  He hasn't bitten me yet though.  What is it about a bird in a cage that just makes you want to poke in your finger?  Especially when you know it's only a matter of time before he bites the crap out of you!

Bike training with the Babysitter

Rode 20 miles with the Babysitter today.  She and I both are getting back into some sort of consistent training schedule again.  I have been on again, off again.  She has been off her training schedule for a couple of years now, but is ready to get back.  It won't take her long to get back into competitive race mode.  She's pretty tough!  She's done several ironman triathlons and marathons.

We were a little late getting started because I was a little hung over from going out with her group last night.  A little Advil and I was good as new.

We rode along the road next to the ocean.  Going out, the head wind was brutal.  We crept along under 15 mph.  Heading back we were flying with the wind at our backs.  That was the fun part of the ride!  It was a great work out.

I have gotten better and have been consistent in my run training with the Running Nazi the past two years. I did Memphis Marathon two years ago, Ironman Canada last August and Hawaii 70.3 this past June.  Now, I just need to stick with it.  Get faster.  Keep up the long stuff.  Running is always easier for me to keep doing than biking and swimming.  I'm a LONG way from being fast enough to qualify for Kona.  Gotta start somewhere though.

Another Perfect Day!

Today was a beautiful day at the coast.  Worked out with weights in the morning and then later ran 5 miles in the evening.  Perfect beach day!  Went to the beach for a few hours.  Very nice!

The Baby Sitter is down with some friends.  Went out with them tonight.  Just got in.  Fun!  

Spinervals without "Sylvester"

Today was Spinervals with J.  I was surprised last week at how sore my legs were after doing this workout.   It involves getting on the spin bike for about 15 to 20 minutes and then getting off to do weights, lunges whatever and then getting back on the spin bike for 15 minutes then off again for weights, etc. for about a 50 minute total workout with three sets of weights/lunges.

The Murph said he was going to start doing more cardio and I thought he might do Spinervals today since he didn't do it last week.  He even told the spin instructor last week that he was going to start doing the spin class.  But just not today...  The closest the Murph got to the spin bikes was to give me a kiss goodbye and then he was off to the weight room.  It was probably a wise decision because for somebody who doesn't do a lot of intense cardio, that class will KILL you.  I told the Murph he would breeze through the weights part, but there's absolutely no way he would last through the spinning part.  Instead of considering that a challenge, the Murph said he would just come in and do the weights with us and go back out when we get back on the bikes.  Then he laughed and said "the dumbbells we use were just paper weights for girls and wimps."  (He said this followed by a Sylvester Stallone he man kind of laugh.)

After the class, the spin instructor came up to the Murph as we were doing crunches and in a deep, Sylvester Stallone voice, mocking the Murph,  said she thought the Murph  had said "I'm going to start doing spin class.  I need more cardio".  The Murph's mouth dropped open and he said "Hey, do I really sound like that??  That's what Kristy always does!  I don't really sound like that, do I??"

We just laughed.  Yes, he does sound like that!   I'd love to see his ass in that Spinervals class!  He'd never make it all the way through!

Just Relaxing

Relaxing day for the Jazz Cats!

Running with the Running Nazi, Rocking chairs and Snuggies...

My triathlon training is going REALLY well right now.  I actually did a 10 mile run today with the Running Nazi.  It was my first long run in over a week (last long run was when I did 13 miles with her over a week ago).  I did do a few hard 3 to 5 mile runs at the coast last week.  The Running Nazi did a 20 on Sunday and a 7 miler yesterday, then a 10 miler with me today.  She will probably do another 10 to 13 miles tomorrow after spin class.  She did spin class and weights today before she ran with me.  I feel like a slacker cause I just did weights before the 10 mile run.  I am soooo lazy!

The Murph and I are back at the coast.  We decided to leave Ed and Boo at the house with a sitter for now.  Ed's happy and not getting bitten and attacked by Phantom, so that's good.  Ed was doing "wierd" things to Boo, but they are "just playing" according to the Murph (yeah right!).  The Jazz Cats, Phantom and Cadence were happy to see us.  I am happy to see them and get back here for sure!

Tomorrow we go shopping for a bicycle for the Murph and a rocker/recliner for me.  It's a necessity.  I can't sit still for anything!  I have had the same wooden rocking chair since I was a teenager.  It has followed my everywhere for the past 25 years.  It was the only piece of furniture we had when I married my first husband.  He didn't dare try to sit in it either buddy!  Sadly,  I decided to leave the rocker at the house instead of lugging it down to the condo.   The only problem is, I can't sit still without a rocker.  It's the only way I can sit through a television program or stay in the same room for over 15 minutes.

Go ahead, call me Granny.  Call me whatever!  I'm burning more calories while I watch tv than you are and YES, I have a snuggie too!  A pink one, of course.

The Wedding Color Scheme Decision

Since it looks like a  January wedding for me and the Murph, I'm thinking we will have a silver and white color scheme.  We got engaged in January and were hoping to have a May wedding.  Then it turned into a June wedding, then a July wedding, then an October or January wedding....   We will only have been engaged a year and it gives us more time to plan.  January seems to be a good month for a silver, metallic and white color scheme.

In trying to pick a color scheme for the wedding, I wanted to match colors that are popular for that season.  When the wedding was going to be in May, the colors were more a blush or light pink.  In June, it was fuschia.  In July, it was more toward coral, but maybe with some pinks thrown in as well.  October was plum, eggplant or even orange, although I'm not too crazy about orange it does match the decor at the country club where we are planning on having the wedding.  January will be silver and white.  Sparkly metallics like a winter wonderland.

The bridesmaid dresses will be silver now, not coral or fuschia.  My two bridesmaids are my friend, the Running Nazi and the Murph's daughter, who is 21.  We really didn't have that much luck looking for coral/fuschia dresses this spring and summer.  Hopefully, we will find a spectacular silver dress this fall.  It's been decided there will NOT be ruching (makes you look fat) or anything that looks like something you'd wear at a square dance, not a wedding.  Strapless isn't a really good option either.

 I already have two wedding dresses picked out.  One is a Reem Acra strapless, ivory gown that is very fitted with an overlay of tulle for the ceremony and an Ann Bowen short, ivory dress for the reception.  I found both dresses with the help of my friend Steph when the Murph and I were in Charleston a few months ago.  I need to decide veil or no veil.  Sparkly jewelry definitely!  Shoes?  Silver, strappy Jimmy Choo's that the Murph bought for me at Saks Fifth Avenue in Atlanta a few months ago.

Flowers?  Probably white for me and white for the bridesmaids as well.  I like roses, peonies and anemones. In July the bridesmaids were going to have white flowers and I was going to have coral and fuchsia flowers to match their dresses.  Now I don't know yet... Hasn't been decided....

If we can't pull it together in time for a January wedding, I'm screwed!  Or maybe I could just start back over at May and recycle color schemes from there...

 March could be a green color scheme with shamrocks and our signature drink could be Irish whiskey.  I'd like to see the Murph in a kilt.  No underwear!

 (he just said he's not wearing any kilts)  We'll see...  ; )

Get this stuck in your head.....

The Boy sent me the you tube video of this song the other day and said he couldn't get this song out of his head.  He asked me if I liked it and I said I really couldn't even understand the words to it so....

He sent me another you tube video of the song so I could read the words.  I think the song's starting to grow on me.  In fact, it's stuck in my head now!

Ed Happy!

This is Ed happy.  No Phantom around to bite him anymore!

Dr. J, My Hero!

Today we are back "home" from the beach.  I'm not really happy to be here, but it's only for a couple of days and we have LOTS to do here.  I just put my house on the market and the yard needed mowing and the Murph had some things to do in his yard.

The MOST important thing I had on my calendar was my appointment with Dr. J for botox!  The Murph and I both went in to see him today for our injections.  Thank god for Dr. J!  Without him, I would still be a B cup wearing those ridiculous over padded Victoria Secret bras  (well, ok, I still wear them occasionally ;) ),  and have hideous forehead wrinkles!

I also had an Avon "Home for the Holidays" meeting to attend.  They have alot of very cute things for the holidays.  I hope I can sell some of it!  It's hard when I'm living half in one place and half in another.  One new product that just came out that I can't wait to try is ANEW Genics.  It's suppose to turn on your youth genes in your skin and make you look ten years younger.  I can't wait!  Wonder if Dr. J is going to loose money when nobody needs botox anymore because they have this fountain of youth cream?  I don't think he's really worried.  There's still the boobs thing.

I know this really toxic person that found out I was selling Avon and was spreading it around that I HAD to start selling Avon.  Why this would be so bad I don't know, but it's really funny because if I was depending on my Avon sales to earn a living I would be living in a card board box eating out of garbage cans!  Actually, I had to officially "unfriend" her on facebook a few months ago.  I've heard she sometimes stalks me by getting on some of my other friend's facebook accounts.  Seriously, she does so much social damage to so many different people (and some of these people consider her their friend) that I decided it was just better to unfriend her!  I don't need that kind of negativity around me.  The "Babysitter" unfriended her too for a different reason.  Guess Ms. Toxic won't be buying Avon from me anytime soon!

Tomorrow it's hair appointment time.  I guess eventually I will have to find other places to go to get these things done, but right now we are not sure where we are going to end up.  Tampa, Atlanta, Mobile, Pensacola??  We don't know, but for sure we'll find some place to get botox.  Or we'll just have to head to the Ham every three to four months to see Dr. J!

Thank you Dr. J!

The Murph, Alpha Male...

We have been living at the beach condo for almost a week now.  Phantom and Cadence, aka the Jazz Cats, have adjusted fairly well.  Cadence seems to actually love it here.  The first couple of days Phantom's favorite place to sleep during the day was our bed.  The Murph didn't really like that at all.  He would walk in, see Phantom, make hissing noises and pretend to slap at him, tell him to get off the bed, etc.  I told the Murph to leave Phantom alone.  He liked laying there and he was having to adjust to the new, smaller place.  Phantom would just give the Murph a bored, lazy look that seemed to say, "you're a fool!"

Then yesterday, suddenly, Phantom is laying on the guest bed.  Today he's in there laying on the guest bed asleep.   I haven't seen him on our bed at all the last couple of days which is highly unusual.  At first I thought, well that's good!  He needs to be in the other room because then when the boy comes home he can sleep in there with the boy.

Now I'm a little suspicious as to why Phantom suddenly "decided" to sleep on the other bed.

I asked the Murph if he did anything to "encourage" Phantom to get off our bed.  He says no.

"Did you squirt him with water?"

"No"

"Did you threaten him in any way?"

"No"

"OK, what did you do, what did you REALLY do?"

"Nothing, really, I LOVE cats, I wouldn't do anything.  I think Phantom just decided he likes it in the other room better..."

Hmmmm......

Today we head back home for a couple of days and decide if we are going to bring the other two cats, Ed and Boo, to the condo.  Probably not.  This place has enough cats!

Remembering 9/11

Time flies!  It doesn't seem like it's been 10 years since that awful day in New York City when all those people died.  I will never forget that terrible day.

What were you doing 9/11?

I was heading to work, late probably.  I didn't have the radio on so I had no clue what was going on until I got to work.  I worked at a bank back then and my boss, the Chief Economist, was on a trip to New York to attend an economic meeting in one of the towers.  When I get to my desk the phone was ringing.  It was his wife calling to tell us he's all right.  He is stuck in the subway and is going to try to get out and walk back to the hotel.  They had apparently shut the subway down after the first plane hit.

So that's how I heard the news.  Before I even got off the phone, I had a crowd of concerned people around my desk.  I tell them he never made it to the tower.  He's safe in the subway.

The rest of the day we have the television on watching in horror.

Drunk Chicken

Tonight we are having my new favorite thing to eat for dinner (and no it's not the Murph).   I had never even heard of it until I met the Murph.  It is called Drunk Chicken.  I use to laugh when I would see the Murph cooking it.  Back in those days I thought he was just being creative with the ingredients that he ALWAYS has on hand......beer!

Basically Drunk Chicken is just a whole chicken with a can of beer shoved in it's you know what. It stands up on the grill and cooks until the beer evaporates up the chicken's butt and then it's done. I think the Murph adds a little seasoning, but he says it's top secret! ( I think it's mostly just a little salt and pepper.)  Leave the beer can half full of beer.  Drink the other half.  Have a few more beers as you wait for the chicken to cook.  By the time the chicken is done I don't know who's drunker, the Murph or the chicken!

At first I refused to eat it when the Murph offered it.  That was back when I was on a fast food diet and if you couldn't get it at a drive through or out of a box or at a restaurant, I didn't eat it.   I didn't realize what I was missing!  When I moved in with the Murph, we started eating at home a few nights a week and of course he made his classic Drunk Chicken.  I tried it and loved it!  It's the moistest chicken I have ever eaten.  We eat it at least once a week.  If you can get over laughing at a big, naked chicken with a beer can stuck in it's butt, it really is good.  Honest!

My Kind of Day

Today was my kind of day! Slept in a little later. Made it to the gym in time for Spinervals class which is half of the time on the spin bike and half of the time doing free weights. Weather at the coast is PERFECT! After class I did core with the Murph and then hit the road for a short run with my ipod. Later, it was beach time. Then we went out for oysters, wings and adult beverages. Just got back in.

The Jazz Cats are doing great. The Murph doesn't really like Phantom's preferred place to lounge and hang out..... our bed! I told him to leave the poor cat alone. He's adjusting.....We went to see the boy at school yesterday and took him to lunch and did a few errands he needed to do. Then we went to PetSmart and got the cats a climbing tree for the condo. It is fairly large so it took a while to get it in the SUV. I think the Murph was a little embarrassed wheeling it into the condo. Wish I had the camera! Don't know why the cats don't like it. They LOVE the one I bought for them at home. Guess they just need to get use to it.

The boy called this afternoon and said he made an 84 on his first reading exam. Yea!

Overall, things are GREAT!

Let the swim training begin

Yesterday began my "official" swim training from now until I do the National Championship in Hawaii.  I haven't been in the pool since I did a really short sprint race last month at the beach.  I have only swam about a dozen times since I did Ironman Canada last August 2010 and two of those times was at a race___Hawaii 70.3, a half ironman triathlon which was in Kona and Portofino Sprint Series, a VERY short sprint race that only allowed 40 people to sign up and had no awards.

I swam a little over half a mile (1000 yds) and it took about 25 minutes (slow!), but felt good.  My plan is to swim at least twice a week through the off season.  I am also going to start biking again.  I haven't been biking much since Ironman Canada.  I even did Hawaii 70.3 last June with only about 4 bike rides at only 20 miles each.  My splits show it, but I was in Kona to have fun and finish.  It was Hawaii after all!  I wasn't racing for time.

Me after doing a practice swim in Kona the day before the race.  The Murph didn't
know as he was taking this picture that I had just gotten cut up on coral and he was
about to take me to the hospital for stitches in my hand and elbow.
(Glad he didn't have the camera on video!)

Except for a brief period of time last summer (2010) when I was ironman training, I haven't been consistently swim training for at least three years.  That's about to change.....

Woody Woodpecker The Troublemaker

I laugh every time I watch this video that was taken by the Murph with our camera.  The Murph is trying to figure out the camera settings.  Most of the time he accidentally takes videos instead of pictures.  The Murph was trying to take a picture of my friend Stephanie and me while we were visiting her in Charleston, SC last spring.

I was going through some of the pictures on the computer the other day and came upon this particular one.  I couldn't help but laugh.  The Murph heard me laughing, saw what I was laughing at and said I was trying to stir up trouble.  He calls me Woody Woodpecker.  That's his nick name for me because he says I instigate stuff and always stir up trouble just like Woody Woodpecker.

He still hasn't figured the camera out!

Moving Day with the Travelin Jazz Cats

Yesterday we moved down to the coast to be closer to the boy.  Now we are an hour away instead of four.  We decided to take Phantom and Cadence with us to see how they handle the move and then go back for Boo and Ed next week.  I was really concerned about how the cats would handle the drive.  It was raining and windy the entire way.  Tropical storm Lee was coming up from the coast.

I found this calming potion for cats at GNC.  I got some of it down Phantom, but not so much down Cadence.  It has hops in it so it must be some kind of kitty cat beer.  I am not sure but Phantom seemed VERY relaxed.

I noticed as I was driving both cats were very calm and quiet.  The Murph had left the satellite radio on a jazz station and as long as I kept it on that channel, the cats were fine.  I tried to change it to another channel and the meowing started.  I switched it back to jazz.... silence.  I never realized the cats liked jazz! They prefer Miles Davis and Dizzie Gillespie to Lady Gaga.  I knew they were intelligent well-bred cats. My new nickname for Phantom and Cadence......  The Jazz Cats!

Cry Baby, Snuggle Bunny and Wall Climber...

The last and youngest one in our cat family is Cadence.  He is my little snuggle bunny.  Always on my lap or curled up next to me or the Murph.  He's the only cat Murph allows on the bed.   I convinced him that it would traumatize Cadence if he can't sleep next to us at night.  The Murph was afraid if he allowed one cat in the bedroom then all the cats would be on the bed.  No worries.  Cadence takes care of that!

The Murph calls Cadence "Cry Baby" because every once in a while Cadence roams around the house (mostly around 2 am) and meows pitifully for hours.  He's also called "Little Red".  He's the fastest runner and highest jumper of any cat I've ever seen.   He can climb all the way up a door frame and jump  over half way up a wall in one jump.   He's had to be fast to get away from the "Evil One"!  (Phantom)

The boy and I adopted Cadence from the Humane Society a few months after we got Phantom.  We thought he could keep Phantom company while we were away from home.  Phantom seemed lonely.  I knew it was a mistake immediately.

We bring Cadence in to meet Phantom.  Phantom jumps like he is electrocuted or something.  Then the chasing starts.  Cadence terrified, finally rolls over submissive.  Phantom beats him on the head with his paw.  I finally separate them.  Think maybe this was a REALLY bad idea!  We try to return Cadence to the Humane Society, but they don't want him back.  I try to explain that Phantom will KILL Cadence if we keep him.  I say I have my receipt!!   They reassure me that this is normal cat behavior.  They give me some websites to go on to show me how to correctly socialize cats.  I realize we are stuck with Cadence

(Cadence is stuck with us!).

That was 5 or 6 years ago.  He's alive cause he's FAST!

The Murph says that Cadence would probably be "normal" if he hadn't lived with Phantom all those years...

This One's For The Boy....

I was on the computer earlier today talking to the boy on skype.  He finally convinced me to use it and after several attempts I figured it out.  Well I didn't really figure it out. The boy (I can't use his real name) walked me through how to set it up.  It wasn't pretty, but I did it.

The boy sent me this picture and told me if I put it on my blog then he would start reading it once in a while.  Actually, this wasn't the first picture he sent.  I vetoed the other pics until he came up with this "clean" one which I thought was ok.  I asked him what that thing was attached to the animal's finger and the boy said it was a glow stick.  I hope that's what it really is and it's not something well....   something else.   

I don't understand what happened.  Maybe I shouldn't have gotten the cats when the boy was little.  It was just the two of us and I thought since he didn't have any siblings it would be nice for him.  Most families adopt pets and then treat them like their kids.  I treated my cats like they were my babies and still do.  The cats think they are human.  My boy on the other hand, thinks he's a cat!  He spent most of the summer following me around the house with the other cats, meowing at me.

I took the boy out to eat with a good friend of mine a few months ago.  He started his meowing after we sat down at the table and then started rubbing his head against my arm acting like a cat.  She just stared at him surprised, but not that surprised.  She "babysat" for him while I did Ironman Canada last summer so she knows him pretty well.  He wasn't getting the reaction he wanted from her so he reached over and bit my shoulder.......in the restaurant.  (and did I mention he's 19!)

I never can tell about that boy.  The therapist said he's perfectly normal.  I told the Murph what the therapist said and the Murph thinks we should get a second opinion.....

The boy's probably laughing because he pulled one over on his mom again!

MEOW!!

Evil... pure evil...

This is Phantom the Alpha Cat.  He rules the house and makes sure the other cats are in line and know who's the boss.  He tolerates Cadence and Boo, but stalks Ed constantly.  We have water bottles all over the house to spray him when he goes after Ed.  Hasn't stopped him.  We have aluminum foil all over the house in the spots he's decided to leave little "gifts" for Ed.  Such as Ed's favorite chair, the couch where Ed hangs out, etc.  This actually worked!

The Murph says Phantom just has no redeeming qualities.  He doesn't even really like us, except maybe me a little bit.  I KNOW Phantom loves the boy.  The Murph says he really should've been an outdoor cat and maybe we should help him a little by leaving the door open.

I think Phantom is just misunderstood.  He's like a big stuffed animal.... with teeth.... that bites!  I think Phantom misses the boy, but cats aren't allowed in dorms and the boy doesn't do litter boxes anyway.

This is Ed... he's "different"

Ed is Boo's brother.  They are both about 12 years old or so.  Ed and Boo belonged to the Murph before we (me, my son and 2 cats) moved in and became one big happy cat family. When my cats moved in, they were ok with Boo, but Ed... no such luck.  Cadence chases and scratches Ed.  Phantom bites Ed.  Boo's just glad he gets soft food daily and that Ed leaves him alone.

Poor Ed!!  The Murph says my cats hate Ed because he's beautiful and they are jealous.  I went along with that until yesterday when I caught Ed on top of Boo biting him in the back of the neck.  The Murph says that's the way they "play."  I say that's a cat sex act.  The Murph says "no way!"  He's in denial.

My Mom's Paranoid.....

I recently sent an email to my mom letting her know about my new blog.  This is what I get back.

 My email:

Hey guys,

Check out my new blog at  konabarbie.blogspot.com.

Kristy

My mom's response:

   Did you just send this e-mail?????????

   If you didn't send it DON'T OPEN IT....

I called her today to find out what's going on and she said she wasn't sure it was me sending the email.  I finally convince her that's it's really me.  She still can't find blog....

  

Meet Boo... he plays with dolls...

This is old man Boo.  He never meows unless he has a doll in his mouth.  Then he goes crazy.  I tried to sneak up on him when I heard him meowing the other day and get a picture of him playing with dolls. He heard me and dropped the doll before I could get the picture.  I think he's saying nanananana!  And sticking his tongue out at me.

The Running Nazi

Just finished a 12 mile run with my best running buddy, Lisa.  The Murph (my sexy fiance) and I call her the running Nazi.  She is so cute, sweet, outgoing, etc etc... that you would never know she's the Running Nazi.  At least not until you run with her...   It usually goes something like this...

Me:  Lets just do 10 today

The Running Nazi:  Ok, lets do the normal 6 mile loop and add Dester and the cul de sac and "make up the difference down Euclid"  That'll be 10.

Me:  ok...  (Doubtful)  

We ended up doing 13 that day because it was 10 without doing Euclid....I'm always trying to do the math in my head cause I know the course and the loops and I think she's always trying to pull one over on me.  (She usually succeeds dammit!)

         or

Me:  Ok, we're doing 13 today, right?

The Running Nazi:  Yes, I definitely don't want to do more than that.  Let's do part of the Statue to Statue run course.  I think I know how we can do a 13 mile loop on that.

Me:  ( 4 hours later, dying of dehydration, tongue hanging out...)  Do you know where we are?

The Running Nazi:  Sure, I think I just missed a turn somewhere back there but I know where we are....

We did about 18 or 19 miles that day in the heat, mostly lost with no water ...

Not to mention when she somehow talked me into signing up for Mercedes Marathon which is in February and just too cold for this wimp.  I woke up in a BAD mood that morning, cussing the Running Nazi.  That's the LAST time she's going to talk me into a race!  Yeah right..... The Murph laughs....

After our long runs she usually does yoga, zumba and spin class and my "long" runs of 13 miles are only her "medium" runs.  She also runs 15 to 22 miles every Sunday at 5 or 6 am.  I haven't been showing up for those...  Can't cause I'm in bed at 5am on Sunday mornings.

I need to get the Running Nazi signed up for an ironman triathlon.

On second thought, maybe not cause then I might have to swim with her and she will become the "Swimming Nazi".  I am shivering at just the thought of it!