My Review

Originally submitted at REI

Nice

By jay pee from Boise, ID on 4/30/2010

4out of 5

Gift: No
Pros: Comfortable, Good coverage, Cute

What a comfortable piece of clothing to run in. No binding, chafing, pinching, squeezing or cutting. Several times I have run in extreme wind, yet the skirt stayed down and covered "the bits" the whole time.

Due to the waist size it sits low, which is comfortable but makes it a bit too long and loose on the leg. I fold the waist down and pull the whole shootin' match up, which tightens and shortens the skirt, and I have no problems. I do wish it didn't run big though. I am rectangular in shape with just a tiny bit of curve. Maybe someone with curvier hips would do better with it. I still love it though.

(legalese)

EDIT:  I may have led the public astray - is this skirt or my other the "too big" skirt?  Yikes...

Bibles & Buttons

Another successful non-snoozer morning!

It was more difficult to get up today.  I was late getting to bed last night, as p.j. and I had classes in town until late.  I tried a few visualizations of the morning get up routine, but it was so hard to stay focused!  This morning, rather than jumping out of bed, I flailed in bed until I could get upright on the floor.  Then I went to the bathroom and turned on the light before turning off the alarm.  I did this because I was struggling my way out of sleep and wanted to be sure to have the light on before turning the alarm off.  That's great and all, but it proves that I am still functioning by reason of my conscious (please use the term "reason" loosely here), rather than following conditioning of my subconscience.   That means my sleepy consciousness could turn and betray me in a moment, though so far it hasn't.  I think I need to amp up the visualizations to get the routine pounded into my subconscience, where it's supposed to be.

I ran into another related problem.  I am not conditioned to jump, unquestioningly, into my running clothes.  I looked at the clothes, and although it was decided I should stay up, I was not convinced I should get into my running clothes.  I looked at the clothes some more; I didn't see clothes, I saw cold morning air and effort.  So I didn't; I made some tea, grabbed my Bible and notebook, and spent time with my Savior.  I prayed, read from My Utmost For His Highest (amazing devotional), and read from Acts chapter 3 and studied verse by verse.  Acts is so appropriate for my life right now (well, when would it not be?  but I mean particularly so right now), as I am stepping out in ministry.  It was awesome time.

This brings me back to my original trouble with scheduling running as a priority over scheduling time with God, but hopefully poses a solution as well.  I want to put nothing over God in my life.  As I have practiced intentional living (as evidenced in this blog) and tried to be sensitive to God's direction, I have come to a point where running seems to be established in my life (to an extent) and there is a good space to use for exclusive devotion to God; this devotion has always been immediately essential, but has also been all but impossible to live out.  I plan to use my morning time every other day for devotions and the other days for running.  It isn't perfect, but it's a start.  I hope it keeps me fresh and willing regarding both.  As time goes by and I season in my devotions, I will likely look to increase my time to daily, but right now going from zero to every other day looks like a great improvement.

Tomorrow I have an early morning run, then a morning of yard sale-ing, craft shop & antique store browsing before lunch, all with the gals.  All these things have been fully against my grain, and admittedly antiquing still sound awful, but I'm actually looking forward to seeing the pros in action at the yard sales.  I'm curious.  I have things I want to see at the craft stores - uck, yeah I said it - and I need yarn for my second knitting project.  Or I'll stop knitting and do something else.  These gals have a way of sucking a person in and turning them to the dark side (of crafting).  It's simply because they are wonderful friends, and any activity involving them is good.

p.j. bought a Cannondale MTB, so I now have my Cannondale MTB back.  I am excited to do a little cross training.  I hope it doesn't kill me.

5:30 am Is My Friend

So far, so good!

Last night I ran through visualizations of the morning process, this time including getting into running clothes.  I didn't visualize finishing the dressing process or getting out the door, because I'm far too easily distracted by shiny thoughts to keep my focus that long.

p.j.'s alarm - of the very same radio station as mine is set to - went off half hour earlier than mine.  I jumped up, then got a bit confused.   I was trying to use my conscious thoughts to figure out whether I was properly following my subconscious plans.  Interesting.  I was too paranoid about missing my alarm to just go back to bed (p.j. told me it was his alarm), but I didn't want to get off my schedule.  I had to pee so badly that I had been dreaming about trying to find a place to pee (thank goodness I didn't find one), so I went to the bathroom with the lights off so as not to awaken myself too much.  Then I worried that I would mess up my waking routine by not turning the light on.  Yet I wasn't getting up just then, so...meanwhile, p.j. got up and hit snooze.  Yikes, I didn't think about that.  How am I to train myself not to snooze when I have to endure my husband's multi-snoozing?

My poor little frightened bean considered my options, then decided to go back to bed until my alarm went off.  By the time it did go off, I had to check the time to be sure it really was my alarm.  I jumped up, turned the alarm off, went into the bathroom, got a little confused, turned the light on, got dressed, took my vities, brushed my nasty mouth (I had forgotten to visualize the last two steps, but it worked out) and went out to join p.j., chipper and alive.

p.j.'s schedule happened to facilitate a cross town drop off, so we headed out together in the Jeep.  The sky was a deep blue with dark clouds; it was totally dark the last time I had run so early.  I kissed him goodbye then took off, full of energy.  The route just happened to be a 5k, and I ran a sub 10 minute mile average, which is new for me.  Tell me I wasn't excited!  9'46" average mile.  Slow stuff for folks, but I'm new here.

As for the rest of the day, I'm tired!

Reprogramming the Bean

How did I get so busy?  It's a good busy though; my time is sacrificed at the expense of slothery (that's a word now).

It does cause a problem, though, in my "Taking Care of j.p." spiritual and physical routines.  I have no regularly schedulable (this one is a word now too) time until 10pm, and that time slot isn't actually free either, as I have a daily 10pm appointment with bed.  This brings me back, full circle, to the inescapable need to utilize the early morning hours and facing the dread bed addiction.

This 10pm bed appointment would ideally end at 5:30am - 7.5 hr appointment with 5 full sleep cycles.  The ideal isn't realized because that bed appointment is awesome, so I extend it to take up the next time slot. 

I've previously discussed my horribly convincing half-asleep logic, and that its persuasion always leads to more awesome bed time.  The results are:  Oversleep, multiple mid sleep cycle reawakenings, addiction to the snooze bar, wasted time, and a terrible morning rush to get ready for the day.  Hey, that's more horrible than I thought!

Day before yesterday I started visualizing, hoping to create a new neural pathway regarding the alarm (and abandoning the old one) so my sleepy body will learn to automatically follow the new pathway.  I don't know if this is really 'a thing' or not, but it makes sense to me.  I visualized the alarm going off and me jumping out of bed to turn it off, going into the bathroom, turning on the light and doing the morning stretch (makes my head light and my blood feel speedy).

Yesterday morning I awoke and did just that.  I stand amazed.  I don't think there's been time to completely turn this thing around yet, as I did contemplate my options (bed) before remembering to mindlessly follow the new neural pathway to the well-lit bathroom.  This morning I did the same, and the same resulted.  The lack of change is likely due to my visualization yesterday being sketchy.  One thing I've noticed, though, is that I didn't look at the time until after I finished the things I had visualized.  I always look at the clock, but not now.  IIIIIIIInteresting.

This is pretty exciting, but I'm lacking something:  A plan of what to do with my time after awakening.  The alarm was set for 6:30am (I know, I know, but any alarm setting is game for snooze!).  Yesterday I made sure I was wide awake, then got back into the bed with my book club book and stayed committed to staying awake.  This morning, however, I got into the shower right away so as not to toy with the lure of the pillow.

Tonight I plan to set the alarm for 5:30am and plug in my iPod.  Before bed, I will visualize getting up, turning the alarm off, going to the bathroom, turning the light on, doing the morning stretch, then jumping into my running gear.  I guess I should add the visualizations of loosening my joints and getting out the door too, or who knows what might happen after I'm in my running clothes!

Ooooh, I'm pretty excited!

Mind Games

I was starting to contemplate the possibility of p.j. never showing up to get me.  "What if he couldn't get the tires on the Jeep?"  "What if he's been in an accident?"  "What if I was on the wrong road?"  "What if...no, he'll show up."  "I wanted to get in my full half hour run anyway, so this is good...I told him I wanted at least a half hour..."

Finally, far off in the distance, I could see something that resembled the Jeep enough for me to peg my hopes on it.  I had paced my run faster than normal, just because of the possibility p.j. would probably show up before I had my half hour in, so I wanted my run time to count.  It was the Jeep, oh mercy in heaven!  But I was actually only at 36 minutes and I felt pretty great, so what's the big trauma?

Enter mind games.  The plan was:  I run straight out into the countryside on a specified road and p.j. would leave the shop 'soon' and come home via that specified road, picking me up and giving me a ride home.  However, I had no idea how long before he would actually meet me for the pick up.

Before the half hour had passed, I worried that he would arrive before I had a good run in.  I worried that I wasn't going fast enough to make it count.  I was worried that I was going too fast to be able to keep going for an unknown amount of time.  After the 30 minutes had passed, I was worried that he wouldn't arrive soon enough.  I was worried that I was running too fast for too long.  I was worried that slowing down would ruin my overall pace and train me to slow down as a run progresses.  I was worried that he wouldn't show up.  I was worried that I would have to end my run and walk, in a running skirt, down a lonely country road - vulnerable.

It took me about 33 of those 36 minutes to figure out that I was in my first set of real running mind games.  As much as I was exercising my body, I was exercising my mind, expanding my will.  Alright.  Good.  Okay.  I just wished I would have thought of that earlier.

Yesterday's goal planning and realization was successful:

• Goal:  Use the camera. For taking pictures.

I drove home with the camera in my lap as a reminder to get the memory card.  It worked.  I took pictures of p.j.'s Jeep, complete with new tires.  Don't believe me?

Yes, that is our dandelion infestation.

I also shot p.j., dirty from the shop, starting up the mower.  By now you probably don't need proof, but I want to show anyway:

Start 'er up, p.j.!

So happy to be mowing.  Er...

• Goal:  Run solo at every chance.  Even if it's just a mile or two.

I guess we've already established that I got a run in yesterday, what with the brain games and all.  I won't have time for one today and probably not tomorrow (unless I can yank myself out of bed in the early a.m.), so I am planning one for Saturday.

• Goal:  Set up time to daily seek the face of God.

After the run, I climbed into a bath and talked and talked with God.  I can just say: Wow.  He is what I have been needing, and all those naggling things floating around in my mind are gone.  Peace and fulfillment, security and excitement.  Just, Wow.

• Goal:  Get back on track with 3 quarts a day.

Completed!  I just finished quart #1 today.  Getting more now...

I also watched Austin finish off Modern Warfare II last night, though it was very late.  He actually invited us up to the ghetto room for it.  Coo. :)

One more, since I'm on a roll (and a bit narcissistic).  Taken in my office abouuuut...20 minutes ago:

 Don't mind the cord/cord cover, just look at how the clothes match the tattoo.  Sweet shoes, too.

Get 'Er Back On Track!

So my head feels great, as do my eyes, ears and stomach.  Ahhh, how one appreciates one's full faculties after...them not being full.  The 3 day migraine is over, and I am fully functioning, once again.  Blood sugar roller coaster, dehydration and forgotten vitamins, topped off with an Alaskan Amber to get it rolling.  Good times.

I have progressed to carrying my camera around in my bag, but I can't seem to take it out and use it.  Baby steps, yeah. 

• Goal:  Use the camera. For taking pictures.

r.p. isn't always available for a run when I am.  I thought she was going to rescue me from my undisciplined self, but...once again I'm facing me being responsible for me.

• Goal:  Run solo at every chance.  Even if it's just a mile or two.

It takes two to tango, or to relate by most any means.  A one sided relationship is barely a relationship at all, and healthy relationships always include two fully invested parties.  So how can I claim I want the perfect relationship with God Almighty while I let Him do all the relating?  Hmm.  In the interest of becoming a better friend to my earthly friends, I have been intentional in initiating regular contact and seeking to spend time with them.  Why do I not do that with my most import relationship?

• Goal:  Set up time to daily seek the face of God.

The human body is made up of some absurd amount of water (my science major provided this mind-boggling information).  As it is such, the body is dependent upon water in order to function.  Body functions will shut down and the body will die if water is not put into it.  This includes my body.

• Goal:  Get back on track with 3 quarts a day.

Interestingly enough, I just got my camera out to take a picture as a means of boosting the first stated goal, but I found that it has no memory card in it.  That's not gonna work.  So tonight I plan to get the memory card and take at least three pictures.

I now have a date tonight with my running shoes at 5:00 pm.  I don't care how far I run, just so long as I run.

I also have a date tonight with God at 7:00 pm for convo and Bible study.  I am sooo hungry for this.

I am just finishing up quart #1 and am headed out for quart #2 (and a pee break).

I have a third date, which isn't attached to a goal (but perhaps should be) later tonight with a.h. & p.j., just because I had forgotten how delightful it is to spend time with a.h.  He is way too into his 360, and he is amazingly fun to watch as he tromps around the world killing people:  Modern Warfare, Modern Warfare II, and Idontremembertheothernames.  The graphics are excellent, the action nonstop (and very bloody), there's no gratuitous sex or idiotic Hollywood plots, the hero will go wherever you request, and it can end whenever you want - it's the perfect movie! 

AND, I am getting really close to having a hair appointment!  I don't think my self hacks are quite cutting it.  Oh!  Cutting it, ha!

Happy Birthday to p.j.!

r.p. is back in commission!  After she'd suffered through a week of that same yucky sickness I had a while back (a cold + insatiable need for snooze), r.p. was up to a morning run.  We were very slow, but it was to be expected.  For some reason it was hard for me too, even though I ran much further and faster during my solo runs while she was down.  Its was likely due to lack of continuity. Anyway, I'm thankful for getting back at it. 

Tomorrow is p.j.'s birthday.  The big 39!  He is starting off by meeting a friend for some mountain biking.  He has been biking faithfully for almost a week now; I know it makes him feel excellent to be doing so, and I am very happy for him.  I will be up before him, running with r.p., then I will get ready for the day and go to a new book club my bossy big sister (b.b.s)(not blood-related) is starting.  We'll be reading The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis, but tomorrow is just the meet and greet.  Afterward, b.b.s. and I will do a little window shopping (shoes!) until p.j. is home from his ride and ready for the next thing.  I'm not sure what the next thing is, but eventually his dad will be taking us to dinner.  Ah, and his mom is taking us to dinner tonight.  Free food and great company; I will heartily celebrate p.j.'s birthday!  Meanwhile, a.h. will be coming back tonight to spend another week with us, which is perfect timing for his involvement in the birthday festivities.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Hey Look, It's a Picture! (What a GREAT Picture)

p.j. borrowed my bike and took a ride today.  He had a goal distance which included a gnarly hill.  He made it.  I am terribly proud of him.

I have a running date set up with r.p. for the ridiculous hours of the morning tomorrow.  Meanwhile, I ran solo again this late afternoon, as r.p. was under the weather this morning. 

Again, my new Nike+ set up worked without a hitch.  I actually have photo evidence.  I've been meaning to implement pictures into the blog, but...well...no plan, right?  Anyway, with no further ado:

I should patent it, no?

It looks pretty slippery and rather insecure, and it is when handled with the mitts.  But once strapped in, this baby doesn't budge and there's nothing between it and the iPod, except maybe part of my bicep.  You can't see how the ends are strapped in, but I have tucked both ends under the laces.  The end closer to the toe tucks under the lower laces, then is wrapped over the bottom lace and back under up toward the ankle.  The end closer to the ankle is simply pinned under all of the upper laces.  I am amazed at how well this works (so far).  Lets not forget to notice that it's now waterproofed as well.

I ran 45 minutes again, again covering 4.3 miles.  I had a painful side cramp the entire time and my lungs labored.  I kept the cramp under control with intentional and deep breathing and pleas to God to keep me going (okay, requests, not desperate enough for pleas).  The uphill portion, which is all of mile 2, brought a headwind against me, ugh.  It was much harder than Friday late afternoon's 45 minutes and ever so slightly slower overall.  For the last mile and a half or so, I felt much better and actually got to the "body is a machine" stage.  Whew, finally.  I realized I am finally in decent enough shape to "push it" without it resulting in physical catastrophe (a ride on Life Flight).  I realized I was pushing it, and that I had the choice to shift 'er way down or to continue pushing it.  That realization and the resulting sense of power made my choice easy:  Push it.  For the last quarter mile, I figured I should push it even more.  I didn't sprint or go all out, but I picked up a chipper pace and took it home home.  

Lance Armstrong introduced himself at the end and congratulated me on my best 1 mile time.  What a guy.  I had a sub 10 minute mile, which is nothing for most, but is enough to make me proud.  I have a secret goal (again, not so secret now) to run my first 5k race in sub 30 minutes. Komen Race for the Cure is next month...

Essential Running Gear (Plastic Baggie)

I like to check out new blogs periodically, though I don't have much time for it (but hey, it's fun! good enough reason?).  Today I found Shut Up and Run, which is sharp, funny and kinda vulgar...oh so worth the read!  Beth is running a contest, and I believe today is the last day to get in on it, so get in on it! 

r.p. and I had a great run Thursday morning.  Regarding Nike+ manipulations, I went with the cheapest and easiest solution and it worked like a charm.  I usually put the Nike+ sensor beneath the lower part of the tongue of my shoe, strapped in my the laces.  Although this wasn't a problem in the past, I considered the possibility that 1) a weakening battery might not be able to push the signal through the thick fabric of the tongue (sounds pretty ridiculous, but...?), or 2) maybe I'm lacing tighter and my sock or foot flesh is pushing the sleep button on the bottom of the sensor (also sounds silly, but definitely more likely).  Hmm.  So I put the sensor in the middle of the bottom of a plastic baggie and rolled the baggie up, from the top toward the sensor.  Slick little devil.  Then I put the excess tabs of baggie plastic under the lower and upper shoelaces and laced as usual.  I meant to pin them in, but forgot.  However, two runs did nothing to dislodge the sensor, and it stayed in place, fully revealed.  Yeah, now I'm a swooshed Nike ad, if anyone cares to look.

As a safeguard, I wore one earbud, music turned off, so I could converse with r.p. and simultaneously hear if Nike+ had the ole disconnect (she tells me, "you're not running, sucka!" when I surely am running.).  But not now:  Ah, credit for two full runs!  It will take a while to gain that trust again, but Nike+ seems serious about rebuilding our relationship.

Friday's run was sans r.p.  I was a little apprehensive, as my runs with r.p. are always so enjoyable and the same hasn't so far been said for my solo runs.  So I turned on the music - not too proud to admit I'm not a purist - and took off on sunny Friday late afternoon.  I decided to go past the usual 30 minute run, since I had no schedule pincher to cut me short, so I went 4.3 miles in 45 minutes.  I felt like I could go forever, but didn't want to wreck things by overusing an under-hardened body.  My average pace was faster than it has been, even though I went further.  I could feel that I was running faster than with r.p. (she only started running when we partnered up), but it really did feel freeing to just go.  A little like flying.

p.j. and I went on a date afterward (yes, I did get cleaned up first) to our local Mexican fare, which is simply excellent.  We ate much.  We drank much (for us anyway - margarita sour on the rocks, por favor!).  Then we went home and our romantic evening quickly turned to snooze. Yeah, we're livin' on the edge.

The rest of the weekend consisted of catching up on a very long to-do list.  I didn't run, although I had been looking forward to running.  Lack of a plan!  Dag nabit.  So tonight I have planned a run, and have j.p.'s support, since I won't have much wiggle room in the sched.  Get home from work, get changed, hit the road, stretch, shower, get presentable, hit our core group.  Totally doable, but no lollygagging allowed.  And I am such a lollygagger.

Rain, rain, go away!  I want a sunny run today!

Detective Work and More Nike + Woes

"Tap tap tap tap."  It's 3:30 a.m., why is someone tapping on our bedroom window?  Since I assume a burglar or murderer wouldn't announce his/her presence before breaking and entering, I'm not too alarmed.  I do, however, call out, "p.j., someone is knocking on the window!"  p.j. is still snoring, so it looks like I will have to be the brave knight (or the stupid horror movie chick).  I pull the blind aside and scan the very dark back yard.  Nothing.  Wait a minute, we always leave the porch light on, so why is the back yard so dark?  This will take further investigation, although I already suspect a.h.'s friends are beckoning him to sneak out, but are mistaken about the correct bedroom window.

I quietly leave the bedroom, pause to listen for the would-be escapee, hear nothing, and tiptoe down the hallway in my underwear.  I peek around the corner to look out the back patio door without being seen (do other people close their privacy curtains?).  Curses, someone has left the over-the-stove light on!  I can see nothing out the window. 

I consider for a while, then make a mad panty dash past the patio door for the light.  I quickly turn it off, then dash to the window before the poor kiddos have time to recover from the streaking.  Peering out, I see nobody moving.  I run to the front to be sure they haven't gone around.  Nobody there.  Back to the back door.  It's time to expose the culprits, so I flick the back porch light on.  Still nothing!  I watch intently for the slightest movement, but they are so still that I can see nothing.  There are spots of deep shadow they could be hiding in, or they could simply be around the sides of the house. 

After considering poking around out in the yard in my underwear, I reject the idea and simply stand watch for about 5 minutes, sure they will come out and reveal themselves.  Still no sound from a.h. upstairs and the doors are locked, so I assume he either hasn't awoken or is still hiding upstairs.  The buggers stand still so I finally give up and go back to bed.

A while later I hear it again!  Again I say, "p.j.!  They're tapping at the window!"  He rolls over and says, "Noooo, I'm kicking the wall." Right back to sleep.

Seriously.

Despite my rude nocturnal awakenings, I was up again at 5:00 a.m. to be at my r.p. running spot by 5:30.  I sort of feel like a rock star.  We had another good run, but Nike + felt it was time to hose me again, so it recorded less than half of the run.  Lovely.  I'm pretty mad at it today, because r.p. and I ran the farther than previously.  I guess we don't know how far though, since Nike +...ok, grumble grumble!

I'm wondering if the sleep button on the sensor is somehow getting pushed inside my shoe.  I have a new method planned for our next run.  Well, it's narrowed down to a few methods based on a little research.  I will have to remember to keep looking at the time progress as we run (which I HATE doing) to be sure it still agrees with me that I am running, as it doesn't warn that it has stopped until two minutes after it has stopped.  That means for each stoppage, there's two minutes of time and distance not recorded - that is, if you are using headphones and happen to hear the warning.  This morning I didn't hear it either time, so I lost a bunch more time and distance before noticing it had stopped.  Real bummer.

I'll let you know how the new method works, or if I lose my sense (-e +or) altogether.

r.p. and L&R

Ahhh, the life of a person with a running partner!

We have had three great runs so far, although Nike+ didn't give us credit for the first one (forgot to hit "Done" or something; I don't even hate Nike+ for this, due to extreme gratitude for my running partner).  We have run a little over a half hour each time, and it has just...flowed. 

We meet in a well-lit and large subdivision which is between both of our houses, but far enough that we have to drive.  Unexpectedly, the drive there and home has been very pleasurable and of some use.  When the alarm goes off, my mind tells me I need to get out of bed "to go meet r.p.", not "to go run".  I get dressed, get in the car, turn on the heat and the radio, and take off for a drive instead of taking off for a run.  So far, pretty easy!  When I get there, I see r.p.'s shining face and am happy to be with her.  We get our warm gear on, start up the conversation, turn on fickle Nike+ and take off running together.  So far, oh so nice and easy.  The conversation makes the time just fly, as well as hides the difficulty, and I find myself wishing we had more time.  We finish up, stretch out, say goodbye and then I take a nice drive back home.  Wow, so easy, and I want to repeat it all soon!  r.p. has expressed the same sentiment, and is so excited to be out running!

Oh hey, we just now made another arrangement for tomorrow morning.  I'm excited!

Tonight p.j. and I start facilitating a small group in the Love & Respect class at church.  It's a married people's thing.  We went through it last year and found it to be absolutely essential to our marriage and caused us to be totally changed in ourselves and our marriage - for the better.  Immensely better.  Life sure did take a turn, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Of Course You Would Do It This Way!

Yesterday I met my mentee.  We had never emailed or talked on the phone before, and we knew virtually nothing about each other.  I must confess, it was a bit awkward.

However, it was beautiful.  She is warm, sharp, attentive, lovely, confident and gracious.  Who is mentoring whom?  I already knew I wasn't up to the task, but I go where God sends me, so He must know what He's doing (figure? ha!).

And can I say...I'll say it anyway.  When I mentioned running, her hands fluttered up and she got a spark in her eye.  She said she has been trying to get into a fitness habit, and has been praying to establish running or some such thing into her life but has been struggling.  Seriously.  I asked if she wanted to run together and she quickly replied, "Yes!"  She runs similar distances and times as do I.  We figured out that we can both run regularly in the early mornings, so it's a plan!  She put her hands up to her mouth, grinned big, and said, "Running buddy!"

What was I lamenting just yesterday?