I bet you thought I was talking about myself as a runner, ha ha very funny.

I think I may have told you before I keep doing these races partly for the T-shirt and partly because eventually I do want to run, my goal is to run a full 5K and then a 10K and possibly a half marathon. At this point I’m still doing run walk and I’m quite happy with that.

I think I already told you that I plan on running until I like it which may never happen and that’s okay, but I’m going to keep doing it. Today, I did a 5K and this is where my thoughts went while I was running and walking. (Just like a woman, multi-tasking).

Someone once said, that runners never looked happy. I think I might have to agree with that. As I was running I was watching the faces of the runners as they were coming back towards me, and none of them had a smile on their face. Well there was one guy who had a smile on his face but I think he was laughing at something he heard through his headphones; there was another guy who looked like he was smiling but I believe it was a grimace.

Whenever I’ve seen my photos from a race, as long as it was along the course, I don’t usually have a smile on my face, but, when I see a photographer I always have a big grin on my face, especially when I’m crossing the finish line. Who wouldn’t, it’s over!

So many often wonder, why do we even run if we’re not completely happy or sold on it, but as I talk to a lot of runners they do say that it helps them, they feel better, and it’s a great sense of accomplishment, and I absolutely love that part. My brother-in-law, AS, likes to go running for 8 miles just for fun, I think he’s nuts but he enjoys the time alone the time to think and he gets in a good run and he feels better.

I know that if I don’t at least go for a walk every day I don’t feel as good as when I take a walk every day, the juicing and the walking seem to help a lot, I just feel better.

That’s the end of that rant.

The next thing I don’t get is for those crazy people who love to run and I do not fault them for loving to run, but when they double back on the course wanting a longer run for that day, and the race was not a long distance (to them!) like a 5K or a 10K. Those of us who are not runners, and just want to finish the race, we maybe trudging along we maybe huffing and puffing but we’re doing it and we’re feeling good about it and then we look up and here comes the person who was already around the course finished and already gotten their bagel and banana and Gatorade and now doubling back so they can have a longer run. I know you are supposed to cool down with an easy run, but do it somewhere else!

Just as they say a parent should never outlive their children, I think a pet should never outlive their human companion.

Please note, I did not say owner, I don’t feel that we ever really own our furry (and some not so furry) companions. We kind of belong to each other and let’s be honest, how often do you ask someone “did you pick your (insert animal here) or did they pick you? These are members of our family and if they weren’t, there wouldn’t be such a huge market for clothing for them, and lets face it, it’s mostly for dogs, but there is something out there for everyone.

I even found out that what my parents were using for the cat box used to be our baby bath, kind of odd, but repurposed is very in these days and why not, it was used for their babies, why not their furry ones?

Back to my point, our lets should not outlive us. They say that animals are very in tune with what’s around us but in reality, we don’t know if they fully understand what’s happening. There are so many stories of pets traveling hundreds if not thousands of miles to find their families. How about the dogs who’s human was killed or died naturally and they sit in the same spot they were left in or they stand watch over a grave or don’t move from that spot where their human was killed.

Animals are very sensitive, possibly more than most people give them credit for. I know there were times I thought I saw my cat, who I had put down several years ago, go by my line of sight or that one of my other cats chases her. They see things we can’t possibly and boy, are they a good judge of character, you can’t disagree with me on that one.

What made me think of this tonight, I was watching The Guardian, with Simon Baker. It was out in 2001 and there was an episode where a judge was walking his dog and kept jumping on Simon Baker’s character, Nick. Nick, not being a dog person was visibly uncomfortable, towards the end of the episode, there was the dog on its own, turns out the judge had had a heart attack and was sitting by its own home. Nick took the dog to the hospital to see the judge and Bart, the chocolate lab, sat by the judge’s side until he passed (I’m not giving anything away here) and then Nick was left to find a home for Bart. I’m going to let you guess what happened with Bart.

The thing about Bart, is that he stood on the same spot, waiting for his person to come home and after Nick found him a home, as he was walking home, he saw Bart, sitting in front of his house. Where do you think Nick took him next? (That was the end of the episode)

Our animals are sensitive, they have feelings and they know when you’re not well, upset, they can sense our moods and try to make things better. As much as mine drive me batty sometimes, I can’t imagine life without them and as many as I have lost, I know it will happen again, but my hope is that’s it happens to me, never to them. As parents, we want to take away our children’s pain, doesn’t matter if they’re two legged or four, their our babies.

Our furry family members are just that, family. Please be sure to have a plan in case anything happens to you and remember, pet them, hug them, love on them. Give them a good scratch behind the ears for me!

Ok, so… you read my blog about my bag habit, okay fine, addiction. Don’t they say the first step is admitting you have a problem?

You know I have a bag problem and I think I said I was going to be good ( but the other day Publix had a really cute red one with I heart made out of words, who could resist?)

But tonight, I get a pass and as soon as I tell you why, you’ll understand. Tonight there was at dessert fundraiser for my niece, Miss A’s school. I was there last year with CKM, DCM and Miss A’s mom, SDL ( some of you know Miss A might be wondering why I refer to her mom as SDL well, this is a way I’ve been referring to her for years).

This year I was there with CKM, TS and SDL. The first thing CKM and I do is make a beeline for Miss A’s classroom to say hello and there she is in her fabulous outfit for today, she is, after all a fashionista!

When you walk in, it’s just like any other school you get to see photos of your children and their masterpieces of artwork on the walls.

For the fundraiser,  there’s a room for the live dessert auction and then there’s another room for a silent dessert auction, where you get to put your bid for the different yummy desserts that are offered.

The live dessert auction was fun, they start of the bidding at 25 dollars and then everybody tries to outbid each other from there. The desserts end up going for way more than they cost or possibly are worth but, it’s for a good cause, and totally worth it! I’m not a big fan of chocolate, but the dessert that caught my eye was a pumpkin spice bread pudding with a jar of caramel sauce for drizzling. Y U M. Sunday we are all going to TS’ is house with our desserts and we’re going to enjoy ourselves!

Outside of the auction rooms along the hallway, were silent auction items that were all handmade by the kids and their classes. And here is where my pass comes along… last year I won a bid on a flower pot that has Miss A’s hand print on it, it even had to stalks of a plant in it and I have kept it alive to this day.

Well we made a beeline for Miss A’s  class table, and I found what her little handprint was on, can you guess? A bag! this bag is an oversized denim bag with a pocket like you find on the back of a pair of jeans, and 6 little hand prints, the 1 in bright pink being Miss A’s! I ask you, how could I not bid on this fabulous piece of functional yet beautiful and crafty handiwork!
I even set a reminder on my phone to call tomorrow to up my bid if I’ve been out bid!

So my friends, now you see why I get a pass just this once (don’t roll your eyes at me!)

I cannot wait to show off my bag as soon as I get it! Trust me, I will be modeling on Facebook for everyone to see!

Ok, those of you who know me, knows that I am not a neat freak, by any means.

I like a good mess, but I’m not a fan of dirt. Even as a kid, when the cleaners would come to the house, I would pick everything up, put it on the bed, and after they left, everything went back in the floor. I know my parents thought that the next world disease would start in my room! Right daddy?

In college, I had my dresser in the closet and the clothes would go from the closet to the desk to the bed, it was awful! But I was happy.

As an adult (stop laughing) and having my own places, owning a home, I like to have the main living spaces neat and tidy, still lived in, but I try to put things away, I said try. Things get out of order, when there’s a party, everything goes away, I really like it, everything looks good and I do try to keep to that way for as long as possible. I remember when I was trying to sell a few years ago, I remember the real estate agent saying my home was inviting, welcoming, people would want to come in, put their feet up and relax.

Well, as you now know, I’m not a neatnik, I’ve always had clean bathrooms and kitchen, even when I had someone cleaning every other week, I sometimes would go behind and clean the kitchen. As a kid, as odd as this sounds, I used to like cleaning the bathrooms, don’t ask, I so don’t like doing it now, but it has to get done.

While I’m not a fan of cleaning, I am a fan of finding good cleaning products. I love Kaboom, it eats through everything! This week, I was at a Walmart Neighborhood Market and found Windex Glass Touch Up Cleaner, http://www.windex.com/en-US/Products/Pages/default.aspx. It’s really cool! It’s a pump and you put a paper towel, cleaning cloth on top and push down, this way you don’t have to spray on the surface or the window, you can regulate the amount and no streaking! Now, I can’t say as to your window cleaning abilities, but…this stuff is cool!

Now go forth and have clean surfaces!

A bag problem… Don’t they say the first thing is to admit you have a problem?

Well, my name is Peaches and I am a bag-a-holic! There. I’ve said it, we can move on!

I was wondering what to talk to you about tonight, there are so many pressing issues in the world, but do you want to hear about them from me? Nah…you come to me to escape reality and laugh. I was emailing with CKM and she said “so how was the Super Bowl party? Wait, I already know, I read your blog”! Can I just say…LOVE that!

So, what should we chat about (just so you know, I am typing this on an iPad and, I didn’t realize that it would be so difficult as my nails get longer! I’ve been good about keeping them shaped nicely and I recently polished them, when you get in front of people, especially when they’re going to be watching you, your nails should look nice. I don’t know if you know this, but typing or tapping your nails actually strengthens them, so I am on a computer all day typing, so they get stronger but…it’s getting a little difficult to type on the iPad. But…we must all suffer for our art..sigh fainting couch!) and as I was putting things away in the closet, yes daddy, I said putting things away, I saw a few of my bags and thought, eureka!

Boy, can I ramble! So, enough about my nails and the iPad, let me tell you about my addiction… And I have several friends who can vouch for me. I don’t have a purse addiction, I don’t even carry one, I have a few, for special occasions, but I don’t carry a purse, if I carry a bag, it’s usually a backpack.

I have knapsacks, backpacks, messenger bags, duffle bags, summer bags, winter bags and reusable shopping bags, oh boy do I have a lot of those! I lost count on how many bags I have, it’s had to resist! I am out and I forget my reusable bag, so I might get a new one, especially if the design is cute…valentines day, Halloween, breast cancer awareness (a percentage goes to the cause and if there’s a pink ribbon on it, I’ve probably purchased it), how can I resist?

Then there are the bags you get when you spend enough…I have so many Bath and Body Works bags, it’s not even funny, but some of them are awesome, overnight bags, beach bags. And… If I spend so much, I get a free bag, so, my friends, who benefits? You, that’s who! I buy enough lotions and soaps to give as gifts…I keep the bag and you get a treat! How could this be a bad thing?

When I travel, sometimes I will get a Starbucks mug from that city, sometimes a baseball hat, sometimes, a bag, what can I say, it’s a good momento and how many hoodies does one person need? Don’t answer that!

Here’s how bad my friends realized it was…I hosted a shopping event at my house, there was TS with Pampered Chef, CKM had her amazing photography, “Mom” was there with her crocheted wonders, I was selling old SLAH and HM was there with her Thirty One bags. I thought they were great, (and i bought a bunch of holiday gifts for other people, monogrammed no less! But did I need another bag? I had to prove my collection and boy howdy, they looked at me like I had six heads! They agreed, a lot of them were cute, but did I need so many? Um…yes! I can’t stop!

I have bee trying really hard not to get any new bags…but then…CKM gave me my holiday gifts and they were in…you guessed it! But, it was sooo cute, it was a Little Miss bag and who could resist. So while she fueled the flame, she was saving the environment by not giving me something that I would throw away and add to a land fill, see, she was doing the planet some good!

See…I’m saving the environment, recycled bags are repurposed, like I’m sure we all hope to be someday. Are you buying any of this?

In conclusion, my name is Peaches and I have a bag problem…and I do not intend to stop! Muwahah (that would be my best maniacal laugh!)

Hello friends. I just got home from a Superbowl party and I am beat!

My friend JT has a Superbowl party every year and every year I am there. This is the same friend who normally takes me to a game every year. His family is great, they are from NJ and they are loud and obnoxious [sometimes] and funny and fun and I’m a part of the family and I love them, I can’t imagine being anywhere else for Superbowl or Christmas Eve. The family doesn’t just include mom, dad and two sons, it includes a large number of extended family members, yours truly included.

I didn’t want to not write tonight so I will tell you this about the game. I’m kind of indifferent about the whole game, it was a bit of a disappointment. I didn’t have a favorite in the game, although, being a Joe Montana fan [no, I am not a football/San Francisco fan, I just know a few players and I am a girl, after all [for anyone who hadn’t noticed] and I am shallow enough to like certain players because I think they are cute. Joe Montana, Dan Marino, Phil Simms – and he played for the Giants, so bonus points there]. So that may have been my allegiance to the 49ers, but…

I’m not sure if they actually showed up to the game and then the lights went out, we all knew that the 49ers were going to get  second win and bring it to the second half. So, my feeling was, and I’m sure I’m not alone, that the Ravens had the game in the bag and if the 49ers had won after the lights had come back on, it would never have truly been a win and they would always have that over their heads, or as DCM said, San Francisco 49ers, Superbowl Winner* [see the asterisk].

The commercials were ok, don’t we all watch the game more for the commercials? The half time show, I’ve seen better, not that I could do better, I would never profess to be that talented or more talented than Beyonce or Destiny’s Child, it just kind of left me flat. There were a few good moments, I did see a nod to Michael Jackson in there, but overall, I could have skipped it.

So, while I enjoyed the party for what it was, a chance to get together, eat drink, hang out and watch commercials with some football thrown in, I don’t think it would have made a difference if I had stayed home, Superbowl-wise, not the family aspect.

I will say there were some great postings on Facebook! Kept me laughing.

And now… on to baseball, right?

You know I’ve been trying to be a little more healthy in my eating habits (I say that as I sit here eating hummus and veggie chips, lol).

I have been juicing for a while now, I bought a juicer, enjoyed it, so I got a new one, bigger and better and I’ve really been enjoying it. As long as you add an apple, pretty good. I like carrot juice, carrot and celery, kale, I’ve been experimenting with different fruits and vegetable.

I started off juicing to try and detox, to get toxins and other bad stuff out of my system, something that is good to do from time to time.

If I don’t juice, sometimes I will buy a green goodness or some other store bought fruit or veggie smoothie, I enjoy them and I feel better. I know that when I don’t juice or have a fruit or veggie smoothie, I can feel it (cleans me out too!), I feel my system clearing, works fast! and I feel better.

Today, I juiced carrots, celery, kale, beets and an apple and wow, it’s one of my favorites so far. The nice thing was that it wasn’t too thick. A piece of advice…when you add kale or any other leafy vegetable, you need to put it under another more firm vegetable to hold it from flying out of the juicer.The carrot, celery, kale and apple is great, but adding the beets, yum! I also made enough for two days, I know I shouldn’t juice too much to save, but it was good enough for two days. You also have to be careful, I have heard of people turning a light shade of orange from too many carrots!

So, if you’re into juicing, go for it, experiment.

I know I’ve felt better since I started juicing, I recommend it to everyone! Let me know what you try I’d love to try something new!

Tonight I treated myself to a fun evening.

First, if you don’t know about Scoutmob, it’s a great site and there is, of course, an app for your phone. It’s one of those deal sites, but the difference is, this gives you the discount without having to purchase anything. You might get 50% off an entree at a restaurant, 15% off something at a store and as I mentioned, you just show the coupon when you check out, don’t need to purchase anything, like you do with Living Social, Groupon, Half Off Depot and the list goes on.

Sometimes, Scoutmob will have deals that you can purchase, like the one I purchased for tonight, a half priced ticket to a performance at The Horizon Theater in Little Five Points, that is midtown Atlanta for those of you not “in the know” . It’s a charming little theater, I’ve been there for a few shows, saw Avenue Q there last year, took DCM, well, he actually took me, but I told him I wanted to go! I also used to have rehearsals for the Renaissance Festival there, yes, for those of you who don’t know, I was a street performer. I’ll tell you about it in another blog.

Well, tonight, I got a ticket on Scoutmob for “The Waffle Palace”. For my discounted ticket, I received entry into the show, a fancy Waffle Palace hat, of the paper variety, like all good fry cooks have and a waffle donut, y u m! Oh, and my ticket had my name on it!

When you walk into the theater, you are transported to a diner, looks so much like its namesake, Waffle House, down to the yellow block sign. They had all the good details, my favorite being the laminated menus on the tables. The best part, this show took place in the middle of the night, about 3am, you know, when all the fun happens at Waffle House and sometimes it gets really quiet.

This gave us a behind the scenes look, so to speak about the comings and goings of the staff, the customers, the regulars, basically, the family. There were fights, new beginnings, religion, progress, love, friendship, a memorial for a beloved customer, commercialism, the devil and even a wedding! They met the Waffle Palace, they fell in love at the Waffle Palace and they got married at the Waffle Palace.

And resolve, we saw resolve, the people who are part of that culture, they care, they’re dedicated and that’s why we keep going back weekend after weekend,

The show was inspired by so many stories that have happened at various Waffle Houses in Atlanta.
I’m sure you won’t be completely surprised by what you see.

If you’re from the south or have visited, you’ve probably eaten at a Waffle House, you know what the people are like, on either side of the counter. There were some great one liners…someone said, I’m from the south, I’m from Texas, the entire crowd gasped, the response, “Texas is west”. You know you’re not at The Waffle Palace if the waitress takes the menu with her after she takes your order, you know you’re not at The Waffle Palace if you don’t see scattered, smothered and covered on the menu, you know you’re not at The Waffle Palace if you can order a cappuccino, espresso, something julienned, sliced, diced and so many other options!

Before, sometimes during and definitely during intermission and after the show, the music playing… Waffle House songs, you know, like on the jukebox!

I love that every single Waffle House is exactly the same, nothing changes except the music on the jukebox and the jukeboxes are changing with the times, they now play CDs, they’re digital and…they take credit cards, and so does Waffle House!

Where else can you go, 24/7/365, and I mean that and you will be welcomed and you can have breakfast, lunch or dinner any time of the day? And honestly, lunch or dinner? It’s breakfast any time of the day!

There was a great moment when someone (the Texan) tried to order a….don’t gasp too loudly…a pancake! There was batter on the windows and the lights went crazy! It didn’t stop until he screamed “I’ll have some grits!”

For anyone who has spent any time at a Waffle House, any time of the day, you can picture what I’m talking about. If Waffle House wasn’t such a treasure, there wouldn’t be so many! Did you know that it is more cost effective to build a new Waffle House than to renovate the one across the street? I love the t-shirts and buttons that say “I run so I can eat at Waffle House!” (I am so going to have to run a little extra and harder tomorrow!)One of my most treasured possessions is my Waffle-opoly that AM got me (gave it to me at HIS wedding!)

Have you ever sat at the counter and just listened to the waitress call out an order? And the cook just do their thing? How a manager, no matter what level will get behind the counter and put on an apron and cook when there is a need?

Every Sunday, DCM and I have a tradition, Waffle House. We each have our own breakfast, but how do we finish the meal? You guessed it, we share a waffle. Every nook and cranny has to have butter and syrup!

OMG! I just got hit on by the only other customer (a much older gentleman that while he was talking to the cook, I couldn’t understand a word he said, very southern!) while I was paying my check, his pick up line? I like your car, where are you from?

So… Can you guess where I am right now, writing this to you? You guessed it! I wanted a waffle, how could I not? so here I sit, finishing my waffle (I feel like I’m cheating! I promise DCM, I’m just here because I was inspired by the show and I left a bite for you!) as I think about a funny, endearing, charming show that I encourage each of you to go and see.

One of the best parts…there are people in here who were just like the characters in the show!

The show has been extended a few more weeks, check out Horizon Theater for your tickets to see The Waffle Palace, it is truly worth it, possibly as sweet as the syrup on your waffle! It sizzles Like the bacon on the griddle, go see the show so I can stop!