I figured out how to make the insomniac sleep…wear her butt out! I was so very tired last night after only three hours sleep, a 5k and a marathon of volunteering, walking, seeing friends that I got home about 9:30, got everything ready for today, blogged to you and then at 10:00, got in bed, turned off the lights and that’s all she wrote! I woke with the alarm, seven whole hours of sleep! Wow!

(Another marathon day, so…long post)

The alarm went off at 5:00, I did snooze four times, I didn’t realize I had done that, well, the fourth time anyway! I got up, dressed and out the door in six minutes, see…packing my bag the night before was smart! Only happens every other Saturday! Luckily there are very few people on the road at 5:30am on a Sunday. I met CKM at the Decatur parking deck, MB showed up a few minutes later and we piled in CKM’s SUV and we were off! It was so much easier this year! We came in from a different direction, that may have helped. We found a spot in the parking lot, sat for a while and a little after 7:00, headed out to the start, very layered up! It had gotten up to 29, wow! CKM said it was even colder when she got up at four! Brrrr

We lined up with all our 30,000 friends! We were doing the Hot Chocolate 5k, the 15k started a little later. National Anthem, very nice, then corral A, B, C, D, each spaced about three minutes apart, give people time to go and then E! We were off! It’s nice to have people to do the runs with, friends to talk to, keep pace with, laugh, CKM and I always have a good time and it was fun to have MB with us. We took some pictures before the run, ran across the start, then ran across the finish and then it was over! We headed to get our giant mug of chocolate. I asked for a “non chocolate” mug, that meant no dipping chocolate, still had dipping stuff (banana, marshmallow, yum) found a spot and enjoyed our treat and people watched.

I think they’re getting smarter, learning from past races, traffic coming in and leaving was better, the start was better, they had bags for everyone to put their cups in, we agreed it seemed to be smoother. People seemed to have a lot of fun! There were runners and walkers of all ages, always fun to see.

I think I said it earlier, but thank you again to CKM for getting the parking pass and driving us!

We headed back to Decatur to meet everyone for brunch, we had some time to kill so we went to Starbucks, enjoyed some warm beverages and picked the perfect time to leave when the guy next to us was talking to someone on the phone about someone else going to prison…exit stage left!

We walked to the restaurant and BG and his son, JAG, were waiting for us, we went in, got settled in and ordered some biscuits while we waited for everyone else, gotta have some biscuits! Soon after JC, CC and their son, MC arrived, he’s about 2.5, what a doll baby! I got to spend some time at thanksgiving with him, so we got to know each other better.

AB arrived next, great to see her, as always, then, just after went ordered, JB, AL and their son, E, arrived, we were complete! The food came and we ate, drank and were very merry! I was so happy that everyone who could came out and I got to spend time with them! It’s funny, I think I’ve said this before, there are some people I see more since I’ve moved, whatever works! I looked around the table and except for JB and AL, I had worked with each person at the table, that’s how I met most of them, the world is very small.

After brunch, everyone headed their own way, I went to meet TS for a cup of tea and some one on one time. We only had about an hour, but it was good to catch up and see each other in person. And she always tells me it feels like we talk more often, since she reads my blog, it’s like we’re sitting across from each other. The cool thing is that on my drive home, I called TS and we talked the entire way home and then some, almost two hours, not too shabby! A good visit!

(TS…go to the window, open it up…ha ha, inside joke, I hope you got it!)

After tea time, I headed to meet SDL, her sister Donna and “the pickle” Miss A, oh how I love that little one! Luckily, LK was available to meet us, along with her youngest, KK, and oh how I love that little one too! She’s a little bigger than Miss A, but she’s the youngest of her sisters, so, she’s still the little one, although, if she keeps growing, I’m toast!

I’ve talked about both of them and their kids to each other, I thought it would be great to introduce them, more one on one time with each of them, LK and KK had to get home, so the rest of us hung out and chatted a little while longer, then it was time to part company they left, I left and here I am.

I am packed for tomorrow, showered and ready to get to Boston to see my family! My dad is going to be there too, it’s going to be great.