In addition to driving stock cars, Hubbs and I to the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, Ca while I was off of work. We've been wanting to go for a long time so we made a day of it and went over. It's a couple of hours from Sacramento to San Jose and we had to cross the Altamont Pass which I hate because it's know for it's high winds and of course the traffic in the bay area is terrible but it so awesome to finally go.

The house is beautiful both inside and out. They don't allow pictures on the inside so you'll have to take my word for it, but it was awesome.

Hubbs in front of the house...

Both of us in front...

Hubbs has deer hunting on the brain right now so of course he wanted his picture with the deer statue.

The house was really crazy. There was the door to no where, stairs that went into the ceiling and doors that went into the wall. Clearly Mrs. Winchester was a bit off her rocker.

We both loved the tour. I'd been once before when I was a kid so it really was like seeing the house for the first time again. Hubbs had never been so it was really exciting for him. He's fun to go places with because he's never afraid to ask the tour guide questions. You learn a lot when you travel with Hubbs.

I caught a cold and was not feeling really well during our trip to San Jose. Our tour was at 10am and by 12:30 we were eating lunch. We hit San Jose Harley Davidson before heading home for the day. We got home early and I was able to get a nap (which became a theme for my time off). But it was a good trip and we had a lot of fun.

Today's my first day back at work, what better time to look back at some of the fun things I did on my unplanned vacation...

Hubbs 30th birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks. For his birthday, I signed him up to drive a stockcar. He was pretty excited about it to say the least.

I think he wanted to keep the fire suit!

He was car #21...

He was grinning from ear to ear the entire time!

See? Still grinning.

And on to the track he went.

He got to drive 15 laps all by himself. He loved it. Me? I originally signed up to drive too but ended up doing a ride along instead. I was still too stressed out from the crazy at work to drive but the ride along was awesome. We both had a great time.

Wow, I've been really MIA from my blog for a while now. Honestly it started back when Rex got sick on our camping trip in Sequoia National Park. Ever since then I've been having a really hard time keeping up with anything...work, house work, pretty much anything thing that I was doing regularly. Seems like the only thing that could hold my attention for any amount of time has been running and even that has fallen to the way side in the the last two weeks.

So here's the update and let me warn you it isn't pretty in any way. A week and a half ago I had a panic attack on my way home from work. It was so bad that I had to pull over and call Hubbs to come and get me because I couldn't drive. It was brought on by a combination of having to take a couple of days off of running (it was how I was managing my stress), stress from my job and the stress of losing my current position (I don't do well when you take away my control over my own life). It was crazy.

I ended up taking the last week and a half off of work for stress. It was part my decision to be off and part my boss being super supportive and reminding me that my life is more important then any job. I love my boss. She's great but she can also be a big source of my stress at work too. I don't want to bash her because for the most part she is a great boss. My job is a lot of pressure, it just is what it is.

I've let my running go for the last two weeks and that is a source of stress for me right now too. Sad that the thing I love so much is stressing me out but it is. I haven't been running but honestly I think that I really need the rest right now. I want to get back to it as soon as possible. I have a race coming up next month for 9/11 that I'm really looking forward to. So running will be back.

My time off from work has been good. I've been knitting which is one of the things that I haven't been doing but missed greatly. My house is clean and organized again...something it hasn't been in a long time. All the laundry is done and folded and put away! It hasn't been that way in a very long time. I've been doing OK but as my time off draws to a close and I have to face going back to work, I am afraid. I'm nervous about going back. But I think I'm ready. I hope.

Normally I don't complain about business. But I have to admit that in this case I'm willing to complain out loud. Bell Brothers, you guys need to give some of your drivers, specifically this driver, a lesson in courteous driving.

On my way home from work last night, this guy tried to sideswipe me...twice. The first time I had to change lanes to avoid being hit and the second time I honked at him because he was about to change lanes into the side of my car. Then he tailgates some poor guy down the freeway. Naturally, he got of the highway at the same exit that I did and I snapped his picture at the stoplight. Once the light turned green he proceeds to do 55 in a 45. Strike three. Clearly he has some bugs that really needed killing. Me, I just needed to get home without getting killed or maimed at the very least.

Anyway, enough of that. Happier things await. Hubbs, my Father-in-law and myself went to see our local minor league baseball team, the Sacramento River Cats, play last night. Hubbs god mother had tickets she couldn't use and gave them to us. We had great seats just to the left of home plate.

I love going to see the River Cats play. The games are always good, the stadium is nice and the view of the field is awesome. I love that you can see the iconic Tower Bridge from just about anywhere in the stadium. It was a good game with lots of action and the Cats crushed the Reno Aces 10 to 1. I worked on my Alpine Glow sock during much of the game. I completed the gusset and most of the foot. All that stockinette makes for quick knitting.

What's new? What's new? What's new...hmmmmm. Oh yeah, I have pink hair!

I never thought I would be the kind of girl with pink hair but here I am. I have pink hair and I love it so much. Sorry for the crappy cell phone pic but it's hard to take a picture of your own head in the mirror. At least I didn't make the duck face.

Hard work spotlights the character of people; some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses and some don’t turn up at all.
-Sam Ewing, humorist

Oh my gosh, what a weekend. I’m so tired I need another day off to recover from my days off. And that’s after I went home early from work on Friday. Here it is Wednesday and I’m still trying to finish a post about last weekend. Good grief.

We were slow and I was feeling blah on Friday so I took the afternoon off. Ran home, had lunch, a glass of wine, watched some TV, and then took a nap. Glorious, just glorious. But that was the end of my relaxing for the weekend. I ran Bridge to 10k, Week 2, day 1 on Friday. Good run, actually great run. I could have lived without the horrible head wind that resulted every time I turned toward the west, but other than that the temps were in the low 70’s and there were no weirdo’s and no dogs.

Saturday Hubby and I drove the 2 hours over to my mom’s house and replaced a fence for her that was falling down. We also visited with my Grandmother for a while. I had knit her a pair and a half of socks for Mothers Day and I finally finished the second one. I also had knit her an additional pair of socks and surprised her with that. It’s always good to see my grandmother. We stayed for dinner and then drove the 2 hours back home. It makes for a really long day with all the driving and the physical activity and then the driving again. But the visit with my family was good.

Sunday began in a very relaxed state. Got up at 7am, Hubby suggested we go out for breakfast. Hit our favorite breakfast spot, Cassidy’s in Elk Grove. I got the 2 egg, hash browns and whole wheat toast breakfast for $2.99. Huge breakfast for $3! After that we did the grocery shopping and then I started working my garden. I was out there for a few hours, filled the yard waste call almost to the top. Got Hubby to pull down the satellite dish that we no longer use since we got cable and he helped my move a bunch of pots from around the front of the house to the back. Then for some insane reason I decided to trim the rose bushes in front of the house which lead to me cleaning out the flower beds in the front too. I didn’t finish that part because the grass was touching my legs and I was getting so itchy that I was about to lose my mind. So I went in showered and then started on the inside chores. Laundry, my dreaded foe, as well as cleaning the kitchen. Ugh. But I also gave myself a pedicure and a manicure which I really needed.

I never did finish the inside chores because Hubbs wanted to run some errands in town so off we went. He needed a light weight sleeping bag for an upcoming camping trip. After going to three places we finally found him one and I found a running skirt. Right now I only have one and have been hand washing it after my runs so I can wear it again. It gets pretty gross by the end of the week. Everywhere we went I checked to see if they have running skirts but only Sports Authority had one. It’s a pink Nike skirt but it doesn’t go with my baby pink top so now I’m on the lookout for a new white shirt. I’m hoping that with the new article in Runners World about women’s running fashion more places locally will start to carry more women’s fashion. Shorts are ok but I feel more comfortable with my hind end covered by the skirt.

Sunday I also ran Bridge to 10k, Week 2, Day 2. It was a horrible run. I had pain in my right knee and around my ankle bone on the inside of my left leg. I wasn’t able to focus on anything other than the pain the entire run. I couldn’t wait for it to be over.

I was exhausted on Monday. Took a cat nap after work. I never do that but man was I tired. This week is the beginning of my new work schedule. Since it’s summer time, it’s getting too hot for training runs in the evening after work. Thankfully my boss is super flexible and she allowed me to change my hours on Tuesdays & Thursdays to 8:30 – 5pm. This allows me to get up at 4:30 or 4:45 and still have my training run in the morning. My regular hours, 7:30 to 4pm, don’t allow for that morning run. I’m still working those hours on Monday, Wednesday & Friday. It makes for a weird work week and I definitely have to know what day of the week it is all the time.

Yesterday morning, I finished up week 2 of B210k. It was my first morning run. I discovered two things; 1. It’s dark at 4:45am and 2. Not all the street lights are on at that time. There were quite a few very dark sections. Otherwise, the run was great. 60 degrees, no real wind and no pain. That’s a win, win, win for me. Sometimes in the afternoons the winds come out of the west so hard it feels like it’s pushing me backwards. Ugh. Headwinds suck.

Tomorrow is the beginning of week 3. It’s a 17 minuet run, 1 minute walk repeated 3 times. The run sections are 2 minutes longer then week 2 but I don’t think it’s going to be a problem. Honestly this far I haven’t felt too challenged by the run program unless I’m having an off day or pain or something. The only thing I don’t like is just about the time I get into a really good grove it’s time for a break. I’ve been tempted to run through the break but I’m afraid that I’ll burn myself out. I’m trying to trust the program and just go with it. I don’t want an injury from pushing too hard.

Monday has not gotten off to a bang like I had hoped. I always have high hopes for Monday mornings and they never pan out…I’m sure that part of that is that my day is always ruined by the fact that I have to go to a job that I’m miserable at. Stupid job. When are my lottery winnings going to come in?!?!!!! ;) I also forgot my date book this morning when I left for work and it’s driving me crazy. I depend on that little black book so much. I keep thinking of 101 things that I need to take care of an I have nowhere to write them down so they don’t get lost! How’s a girl supposed to organize her life without her date book?!?

My Hubbs is a lucky man. He always is winning stuff in contests or getting great deals on things…not to mention that he married me. ;) I really need to get him to start buying lottery tickets when the jackpot is a big one. We really could use some money right now and a bit of good luck. My washing machine has been making a terrible racket for a while now when it runs the spins cycle. I finally made an appointment a couple of weeks ago to get it looked at and on
Saturday the repair guys came to look at it. They were there for about 2 minutes and they knew it was going to be a hefty bill. The estimate was over $800 to fix it. They recommended that we just buy a new machine since they cost about that anyway.

Ugh. How do you pick out a new washing machine?! I called my mom, mom’s know everything. She suggested I decide if I want a top loader or front and which features I want. I have a front loader now and they’re more efficient then the top loaders so I think that I’m going to get another front loader. Mostly I want a high capacity washer. Hubbs work clothes can make a big load and its sometimes pretty dirty and muddy. Otherwise, I just want a delicate cycle for my girly under things and my running clothes. Beyond that, I don’t really care if it has steam or whatever. I don’t do dry cleaning so I don’t think I need to “refresh” my clothes. I just wash them.

So that was the big excitement for my weekend. Other then that I didn’t do much. I finished knitting a pair of socks for my Gram. Pictures to follow soon. Did some grocery shopping. Did the laundry (washed, still need to fold it and last week’s too).

I didn’t run a single step over the weekend either. I slept late both days. I intended on getting up when Hubbs got up on Sunday (6am, he had to work) but I never heard the alarm and barely woke up enough to kiss him when he left…and immediately fell back asleep until almost 8am. Lazy. So lazy. But that’s ok, it’s supposed to be much cooler this week then last so I should be able to run after work. It’s going to be in the mid-80’s, which is so much better than the 100+ we had last week.

I’m seriously considering talking to my boss about switching my normal schedule of 7:30am to 4pm to be able to work 8:30am to 5pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays so I can run in the morning before work. Now that I’ve gotten used to it, I actually like running in the morning. It’s cooler and gets my day off to a good start. I’m more awake at work in the mornings…notice I said in the mornings. Afternoons are a bit more sleepy but that’s ok. I talked to Hubbs about it and he isn’t thrilled about it because I won’t be home until later in the evening but he said he was ok with it. The only way I’m going to agree to this is if my boss agrees to let me go back to 7:30am to 4pm when the weather cools off and I don’t need to run in the morning anymore. I hate missing a run because it’s still too hot to run at 7pm. Maybe I’ll try to talk to my boss today about it. Who knows, maybe she won’t agree to it since it’ll make for a weird schedule for me. I don’t know, we’ll see I guess.