365-3 | Peaches Prattlings

{October 10, 2015} 13.1 miles, nailed it!

This morning, I participated in my 4th half marathon [it could be my 5th, but I’m not sure!]!

Wow, did I really just do that this morning? Yes, yes I did! I ended up getting a room near the train station that would take all of us to the start this morning. I got up about 5:30, out the door by 6am, down in the subway by 6:15am. Then I ran into FCD and two of her sisters and a niece.

FCD and I went to high school together and we’ve stayed in touch here and there, through Facebook and saw each other two years ago at our friend, CGS’ son’s bar mitzvah and we’ll see each other again at her daughter’s bat mitzvah in January!

She is the one who talked me into participating, reaching out because she knows I do a few runs here and there and thought I might be interested. You bet! This is my second Rock-n-Roll Marathon series half marathon. I don’t know if you remember me telling you about the half marathon in Las Vegas, same promoters. This happened to be the inaugural Brooklyn half marathon, how cool is that!

We got to the start and had to go through metal detectors, well not in that order. Made it to the corral and waited and waited, the run started about 30 minutes late, the police were delaying things a bit. We finally got started about 7:30am and we were off. We stuck together for a while, then her sisters and niece moved ahead and eventually we were all running solo.

I have to tell you, the first 6 miles were not that bad, it was after about 8, I was kid of done, but not quitting!

There was music along the route, not enough we decided, but it was fun. There were water and Gatorade stations every few miles, which helped keep us hydrated. I did not go to the medical tent because I didn’t!

I actually made pretty good time, considering I haven’t trained for this like I should have and was planning to. 3.29.22, that’s what my watch said and it was actually 13.54 miles, so considering that…

I took my beer ticket into the beer garden and as I was walking back to my friends, I admired a woman’s rose bouquet and after they allowed me to sniff the roses. I offered him my beer, as I had feeling the others would not want more than one.

After the run, we went back to the hotels, the other girls went to their cars and headed home. I took a very cold bath, then a nice hot shower and eventually back to dad’s house where everyone was waiting.

I am a little sore, not horribly, and I think that is due to working out with CG, my personal trainer and some of the physical therapy, which she also puts into our workouts. Let’s see how I feel tomorrow.

Check out my swag, I’m pretty happy.

Ready for the next one!

{October 9, 2015} Carbo loaded…check!

First…my sincerest apologies! I got back to Boston and the hotel and fell asleep mid blog. I can’t promise it won’t happen again, but I’ll do my best!

Second…tonight I carbo-loaded, with gluten free pasta!

I’m in NYC to participate in the Brooklyn Half Marathon tomorrow morning and what do you do before a race of a longer length, you eat pasta baby!

So, dad, La la and I went to Bruno’s Italian restaurant for dinner. I wasn’t sure if they would have gluten free pasta and since I gave up wheat and don’t feel any differently, I thought what the hey, but they had gluten free, it was pretty good.

So, now I’m settled in at the hotel, belly full, clothes ready for tomorrow, snuggled in the bed, electronics charging, alarm set, writing to you.

I’ll keep you posted tomorrow on my progress.

Good night!

{October 7, 2015} I ordered straight off the menu!

What? No changes? Nope!

JJ, say it ain’t so! We didn’t even know that was possible! Yes, yes it is, imagine that!

Tonight we went to the Black Rice Bar/Sun Restaurant, a place we went to the last time I was here, it was fabulous! Black rice, or the forbidden rice and so worth it!

We all started with the black rice salad, yum! Everyone else had shrimp on theirs, I didn’t. It was perfect as is.

Next, I had pumpkin stew…vegetarian, and when I asked, not spicy, but I know me, skeptical, but guys…it came in a pumpkin! And…not spicy!!

I also ordered one tomago, egg cake, on black rice, yum!

There was no way I could finish the soup after that giant salad, so I asked for it to-go. I joked and said “maybe he’ll give me the pumpkin”. (The service was terrible, I wouldn’t have put it past him) and guess what!

Lunch tomorrow!

Bottom line…I ordered straight off the menu, no changes! Go me! And it was fabulous!

http://www.suncuisines.com/

{October 6, 2015} A dining masterpiece!

First…I’m back in Buffalo on my next project.

Technically, this is the next wave of the project in Buffalo and I am back on it! I really like the team I’m working with and I met some new people, love it!

Tonight, we are staying in Niagara Falls and we’ve to a restaurant, AG Cuisine, absolutely fabukous! It started out with a hard boiled quails egg.

Someone had soup, the one pictured was very cool, it had actual popcorn in the dish. My salad was very thin veggies, lettuce and baby carrots.

The main dishes were fantastic! Beautiful, good ingredients, fresh, some farm to table. It was a little tricky for me, as you can imagine, or tricky for the kitchen!

But they came through! A fabulous vegetable plate, how fabulously lucky I know I am! I got to play with the big Kids.

What’s next?

A True Farm to Table Experience in Niagara Falls

{October 5, 2015} I’m doing what at THREE AM?!

We all know that I’m a little off, right? Kind of kooky, do some crazy things that make you go huh?

Well…my alarm is set for 2:45AM! Why? You ask? A very valid question my friends. The reason I am waking before the sun thinks about shining…a Disney run, of course! What?

Yup, you read that right! I’m registering for a Disney run…in PARIS! (Insert squeal here!).

You know I’ve run a few Disney races, well, a few months ago, they announced their inaugural race weekend at Disneyland Paris! It’s been on my calendar to register! And guess when! Right near my birthday next year! As soon as I saw the posting, I called PSM and said “I don’t know what you’re doing for my birthday next year, but I know what I’m doing!” OMG! I’m going to spend at least my birthday weekend in Paris and Disney Paris at that and yes…running a half marathon!

Yes, I am coo-coo for coco puffs! But why not! Just think of how awesome it will be! To be in one of my favorite cities and for my birthday! Go me!

But, JJ, why are you getting up at 2:45am? Well, I called today because I wanted to see if I would be in the air when registration opens. Nope, I’ll be sleeping…it opens at 9am Paris time, huh? I guess I’m getting up at 2:45am so I can register for a Disney Run!

Does that make me crazy? Probably. But am I excited? You bet your sweet “bibbity, boppity, boo!”

{October 4, 2015} Mawiage…is what bwings us togevah today

Admit it, you quoted the next line. Or any line for that matter!

The Princess Bride…it elicits great memories fore all of us, well those of us that have seen it, ever, but especially if you saw it the first time in the 1980s.

The movie is 28 years old, can you believe it! I still remember seeing it for the first time, I have the 25th edition of the DVD and the book, spot on it was.

One of the great things about this movie is there are so many quotable lines and as I’m thinking about this, I might have written about this before. But, what I was about to say was that if you post one line from the movie on Facebook, like the title of my post, you start a flurry of activity! People will start post after post after post of memorable quotes.

You know you’ve had entire conversations with quotes from just this movie, admit it. And you love it!

And I know you were thinking “Hello, My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRAI9_MkmBM

Inconceivable!

As you wish…

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093779/?ref_=nv_sr_1

{October 3, 2015} Warm wishes this Sukkot

We are in the middle of Sukkot and I send you warm wishes.

Sukkot is a holiday that Jews celebratein the fall, it marks the end of the harvest. It ha been referred to as the Jewish Thanksgiving.

We celebrate by eating outside in buildings or booths constructed in our backyards. It is traditionally made of wood and has a thatched roof, the important part is that even though your head is covered, you can still look up abs see g-d.

This is a joyous holiday and one of the fun traditions is that once the sukkah is built, then you decorate it. Some use vegetation such as leaves and flowers, some use lights and make paper chains, some use fruits and vegetables.

The point is to enjoy it while it’s up, so you decorate it to your liking. If you are more religious or observant, you would eat in it, every meal, maybe even sleep in it.

Tonight, neighbors of GES and ACS hosted in their backyard, it was great. We had friends, family, food, fire andfun, what more could you want!

Warm wishes to you and yours.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukot

{October 2, 2015} Maybe I should leave you another voice mail?

You have a business, built on customer service, right?

So why wouldn’t you call me back? How many times should I call and leave a voice mail before I give up?

I want to do business with you, do you want to do business with me?

I guess not…moving on.

{October 1, 2015} How do you say thank you?

Is saying thank you enough?

Sometimes a simple thank you will do, sometimes it’s not enough. In my case, I’m not so sure!

Yesterday started with some wonderful, happy birthday text messages and phone calls and it didn’t stop there. Work, businesses, friends, family.

Then I got on Facebook and oh my! The birthday wishes started and there didn’t seem to be an end in sight…I was so flattered and touched and happy.

I tried to respond to all of the posts, but I had to blog and then I fell asleep, I’m sorry! Tonight, I got online and I hope I responded to all of them and the new ones from today!

And today…I got a gift from my good friend, CH, thank you!

Wow, how lucky am I? VERY!!!

So, to each and every one of you who wished me a happy birthday, I say THANK YOU so very much!

You flatter me, you will never know how much this means to me!

{September 30, 2015} Hap to me! I’m 44!!!

OMG! I’m 44, can you believe it?

As my friend KWH says…Hap to me! Hap to me! Hap to me!

First…I have to thank everyone for all of the FABULOUS birthday wishes, I am truly a lucky girl. My first birthday wish came early, it was yesterday and KWH texted to wish me an early happy birthday, a good way to start.

I got up and worked out with MS and CG, so I started my birthday sweatin’ my arse off! Felt good! I guess I’m not too old, I kept up, put in a good workout and didn’t pass out after. Wahoo!

In between working out and shower, I had phone calls and texts, I was off to a great start to my birthday. There were two texts from SDL and Miss A and JCH and my first call, PSM singing and wishing me a happy birthday [and it’s our 8 month anniversary, cool, huh?] A great way to start my birthday day.

Then GES, MGS and EMS called and sang happy birthday to me, it was awesome! Now, there is a tradition, much easier with younger kids, maybe you do this…after you sing Happy Birthday, you chant “Are you one? Are you two? Are you three…” when you’re a kid, it doesn’t take long, when you get older…so they sang “Are you one? Are you two? Are you five? Are you ten”…When they got to 40 [Are you going to stop us? Yes! When you get to 44!]. A fabulous call!

The next call was from my dad, another family tradition my grandmother started. “This is Western Union calling for JJ, is JJ available?” “I’m here” Then the singing started “Happy Birthday” and “Are you one? Are you two?” How much laughing did you do before 7:30am today? LOVE!!!

Then it was shower and get ready for work, head out in the downpour, crazy traffic, omg! As soon as I saw the highway from the street, I took back roads and it still took me 40/45 minutes to go 12 miles! Others, it took about an hour!

A little while after I got to work, HH came in to where I was with a bag containing a funny card and some glitter nail polish, which I loved! She’s the one who introduced me to the party nail, it was perfect! And then CH came in with a beautiful bouquet of flowers, sunflower right in the middle, so pretty and a really cute card that everyone signed, it was so touching!

I got a few calls while I was at work, SRH and LaLa I got to talk to, I missed a call from TS, but got a great voice mail and I hope we can catch up this weekend.

After work I headed to the hotel to grab a quick bite to eat and sit down at last and look at FaceBook and start to thank everyone for their amazing birthday wishes! I ran out of time before I had to go out, so I know what my evening activity will be tomorrow! I am so touched and thankful for all the amazing birthday wishes I have received and I’m still receiving, I am a very lucky woman. THANK YOU!

The text messages keep coming in! AM, ST, CWB and if I’ve forgotten anyone, I’m sorry!

Even Google got in the game!!!

PSM and Mollie picked me up about 8pm and took me to my sister’s house where there was a surprise party happening! ACS was home with the girls, there were some neighbors there already and then CO’F, JF and MF came over, then all of a sudden the lights were out and the singing and candles started! “Happy birthday to you” “Are you one!” OMG!

What did they put the candles in, since I can’t have cake? Gluten free, vegan cupcakes, how cool is my family!!! PSM and GES coordinated and it was great! I got to eat a sweet on my birthday and you couldn’t tell!!! There were also “regular” cupcakes for everyone else, which the kids of course loved.

While we were enjoying the goodies, LR showed up, with the cutest card from the family, this was getting better and then GES finally got home from curriculum night at the girls’ school, it was a party! A little while after everyone left, RG showed up, how fabulous and when I got back to the hotel, TS called, how lucky am I!!!

So…my presents! You can’t have a birthday without presents!!! I opened my gifts from my dad this morning and he nailed it! There was a mug, tote bag, t-shirt and mug all with Al Hirschfield on it. OMG! He is the best! I have loved Al Hirschfield since I was a kid! http://www.alhirschfeldfoundation.org/. And there were four musical and awesome cards!

When I got in the car tonight, there was a present from PSM. A cool set of picture dominos, you can almost tell a story with them! And there was a minion and a great card. What a great guy I have! Thank you PSM! And a card from his family, JM, SM and their kids, J and M. THANK YOU!

When I got to GES’, the girls ran up with hugs and cards, then after cupcakes…I got a Go-Pro camera!!!! And an accessory pack! And free storage in the cloud, OMG! That was my gift from dad, GES, ACS, EJS and MGS, wow, am I spoiled or what??? The answer is yes!!!

I do want to send a HUGE HAPPY BIRTHDAY to NB, my twin! Happy birthday my friend, I am so glad you’re in my life, I cant imagine my life without you in it! We’ve been friends since freshmen year of college and we are four hours apart, how crazy is that!!! Happy birthday!!!

So…I have had a fabulous birthday [if I have forgotten anything, please forgive me!]. I am off to a brand new year and you have all helped me start off on the right foot, thank you!

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