A New Adventure | Peaches Prattlings

{February 10, 2015} A new experience…ooh, that’s going where?

No flowers, boo.

Today I had a new experience, a first for me. A little background…I was diagnosed with Severe Gastritis somewhere between 21 and 23, it’s been a while. The reason I was diagnosed is that for a long time, every time I ate, I was nauseous and/or would throw up, so my mom took me to a GI, or Gastroenterologist.

I had my first endoscopy at that time, it turns out I had eaten a hole in the lining of my stomach from taking too many Advil, due to allergies, fun, I know, right! I even have the pictures, wanna see? So, the doctor put me on Tagamet, before it was over the counter, and a strict list of things I couldn’t eat. Want to be jealous? Fried food, spicy food, citric acid, caffeine, colored soda, chocolate, apple skins, potato skins and if I eat nuts, I have to chew them really well. I used to eat Tums like they were candy, I got to like the tropical kind.

About the same time, I was diagnosed with Lactose Intolerance, which was wonderful understanding why I would get sick from a sip of milk. For years I took Lactaid pills, tried to avoid a lot of dairy products, but still ate them. Let me tell you, that first sip of Lactaid milk, after years of not drinking milk…like manna from the gods! Happy me!

Eventually I couldn’t even have Lactaid Milk, so it was soy milk, then I developed an allergy to soy milk, really? Oh my goodness, my tongue would itch so bad, I’d scratch it with a fork! So, no more soy milk and limit my soy product intake, to be on the safe side. Almond, Rice and Coconut milk it is! I slowly started to cut some more dairy out, but I couldn’t stay completely away. Finally, in August, I said enough is enough and cut out dairy completely, boo hoo, I miss cheese! I miss pizza! I know, there are substitutes, but they are just not the same, but it’s what had to be done. I feel a little better, but not completely.

Ok, fast forward to today. I gave up dairy last year and I really try to avoid all the things I’m not supposed to have, but I still live with nausea, 24/7, some days worse than other, some better, but it doesn’t seem to go away.

I have a new PCP, primary care physician and when I told her about the nausea, she prescribed Prilosec, after a few weeks, I called to ask how long it was supposed to take before the nausea goes away. She told me to stop taking it and would I be interested in seeing a GI. Yes, please.

I was able to get an appointment and today was the day, so away I went…in the snow. She was very nice and a few times confused when I told her some of the things that bothered me, but had a plan. The second was some blood work, the third and fourth are some tests, very boring as the doctor said, the first is tomorrow, I will let you know.

Yes, I know I went out of order because here is the first thing ties back into why we are here today. She did a somewhat physical exam, I stripped down to my skivvies and got to wear a lovely hospital gown, at least this one has ties in the front!

She listened to my heart and lungs, she checked my neck, she tapped on my belly to see if there was any pain and lastly…she had me roll onto my side, look out the window and ooh, you’re going to put your finger where?

No, it wasn’t a surprise, she told me what was coming next, but it’s not the most pleasant of experiences, so it helps to joke about it, wouldn’t you agree?

She told me the gel would be cold, I asked if I would at least get flowers, she laughed and said no. She was in and out, so to speak, pretty quickly. It was a tad bit uncomfortable, but not horrible, not saying I want to experience this every day, but it was endurable.

All seemed normal there, she was going to send out for tests, to be sure. It was over and then it was time to get dressed and go, which I did, with a new story to tell.

Take care of yourselves people, we only have one life and one body and we should care for it!

{February 8, 2015} Good old fashioned snail mail

I may have talked to you about snail mail before, but I am here I am doing it again, with a twist.

My dad is a great supporter of snail mail, he sends letters back and forth with EJS, I believe LaLa does as well. There have been times we’ve exchanged letters, the old fashioned way, and I enjoyed it and here and there we write, but not consistently.

I have a very dear friend, CGS, who is great at letter writing and I actually owe her a letter, which I will be completing very soon. We were great about writing back and forth for a while, then life gets in the way, then great about it, then…

Well, it’s a new year and I want to try something. Three years ago I set out to blog every day and except for one day last year, I have done it. They say, as I’ve said before, it takes twenty one days to form a habit and I would like to form a new one.

I was inspired a few weeks ago and bought a brand new box of stationary when I was at Barnes & Noble, hard to get out of there without buying something fun, this time was no different.

So…I have my new box of stationary and I want to use it. I want to send letters, it has 30 sheets and envelopes, let’s see who wants to help and exchange with me. I am going to put a post on Facebook to see who wants to become my pen pal.

There are two people who will have letters in the mail in the next two days, I hop they know who they are, daddy…wink wink.

{February 7, 2015} A day of culture!

Today I started with music and ended with murder!

Oooh, that sounded so ominous! Let me explain…

This morning I accompanied MGS, along with JS and the twins, N&E, to the Boston Symphony Orchestra for one of their Family Concert series, this was “Keeping Good Company” Musical Partnerships of Inspiration and Innovation, fabulous! Thomas Wilkins was the conductor and what a way he had with the audience, especially the kids! He was personable and witty and engaging and the kids enjoyed it all, I’m not sure if they enjoyed it as much as the adults, but it was a lot of fun.

The conductor talked about the pieces that we were listening to, made us think and questions and wonder and use our imaginations…what did this piece make you think of? What emotion did that piece elicit? How about thinking about this in this way or that. Inspiration and innovation, that pretty much sums it up. There were pieces we each liked and some we all agreed upon. There was even a piece from Star Wars: Phantom Menace, how cool is that?

All in all, a great morning. http://www.bso.org/brands/bso/education-community/children-families/family-concerts.aspx

We got home after a nice lunch and watched How to Train Your Dragon and Despicable Me 2, both renamed by MGS as Dragon [1 or 2] and Minions, which I am sure your children have done the same thing!

Later, GES, ACS and some friends went to their temple for a Murder Mystery Dinner Theater extravaganza! “Marriage Can Be Murder!”

The mother of the bride has planned for the perfect wedding, but before her beautiful daughter can even say “I do” a bloody killing mars the happy day.

It is up to you, the wedding guests, to find the motive, and make sure that love lives “happily ever after”.

As soon as you enter the Temple, you will become part of the mystery and the fun, do the chicken dance, catch the bouquet, question the suspects and solve the crime. You could even become the evening’s “super sleuth” and win a prize!

This was a lot of fun, we had to dress as if we were going to a wedding, so ‘no jeans and rock-n-roll’ t-shirts. I have to say, there were very few people who were not dressed as if they were going to a wedding, some people even pulled their fur coats out of the closet!

When we got there, we mingled in the lobby area and had hors d’oeuvres, drinks and cast members would come and interact with us, thanking us for coming all this way for the wedding, giving us background, doing some improv, it’s a great time.

I have done dinner theater before, murder mystery, in fact, both on the actor side as well as the patron. I always thought about getting back into it. I have also hosted many murder mystery dinners, I think I told you about the one in Boulder last year, so much fun! GES, myself and some of her friends there tonight talked about doing one…I’ve got a new one, unopened in the box, downstairs…

We started with the wedding, but there was a murder! Oh no! So, while they were figuring things out, we went into the fellowship hall for dinner, even had wedding cake for dessert!

One of the fun things was that they used attendees as part of the show, like bridesmaids, wedding planner, father of the bride and the rabbi, who was playing…go figure, the rabbi!

In the fellowship hall there was dinner, dancing and frivolity and towards the end of the evening, we were asked to submit our guess for who dunnit!

The first thing the detective did was to read the “bonehead” answers and call people out on them. Not to worry, almost everyone there was a member of the temple or new someone, so it was all in good fun.

Then there was a prize for the correct answer, problem was…there were a lot of us. [notice I said us] so she picked a name out of a hat for the grand prize, tickets to another murder mystery event put on by that company.

So…I started the day with music and ended with murder, what a day!

{January 25, 2015} 15k…goal accomplished!

Today I accomplished a goal…I completed my first 15k!

That is 9.32 miles, for those of you “not in the know”. CKM and I have participated in the Hot Chocolate 5k for three years and I also did one in Denver, for the past three years, she and I volunteered at the race expo, handing out bibs.

This year, I decided to participate in the 15k, one of the reasons is that CKM was not participating and the other… the medal! Remember… it’s all for the being or the swag!

As I have told you about my ‘racing’ history, I have done 5k’s, 10k’s, a few half marathons and a number of mud runs, both 5k and 7miles. The only race I have thought about and have not completed…a 15k. I cannot say that anymore!

Last weekend, if you remember, I was at Disneyland for a 10k on Saturday and half marathon on Sunday. The 10k was successful for me, the half marathon, not so much, I was disappointed in myself because I did not finish. I was close to the 9 mile mark when I got pulled from the course.

Today, the run was 9.3 miles and I finished! That was a huge deal for me! There were also people behind me, another goal!

This time, BG and I did the run together, well, we started at the same time. BG is a runner, he does 10 milers, half marathons, that is his speed and I admire him for it. They divided the run into 7:30 and 8:40 start time, 5k and 15k in each start. I was in the 8:40 start time and BG said he would start with me.

We carpooled at 5:30 and it was smooth sailing until two exits away from our exit and then it was sit and wait and sit and wait. We finally got to the stadium, parked, got ready and headed out to the start.

BG took off, as he should and I started running at my snails pace, ran about 3 miles, then walked then ran, then walked, then ran. I ran about 5 miles total out of the 9 miles. I felt good, my feet hurt, but it felt good!

Here comes the 9 mile mark, then it was only .32 to the finish! I crossed the finish line and got my medal! It was such a feeling! Then it was pick up the finishers mug, then meet BG to head to pick up my car, shower and then head to brunch.

This is going to be my last race for a while, keep checking my posts to find out why.

I’m happy!

Hot Chocolate 15k/5k – Atlanta
Atlanta, GA Jan 25, 2015 7:35AM
57143
02:30:25
16:09
roomfield, CO
a43

INTERVAL TIME OF DAY CHIP TIME CHIP PACE GUN TIME GUN PACE
Start 8:33:47AM
5K 9:20:25AM 00:46:39 15:01 min/mi 01:40:16 32:17 min/mi
10K 10:09:50AM 01:36:03 15:28 min/mi 02:29:40 24:06 min/mi
Finish 11:04:12AM 02:30:25 16:09 min/mi 03:24:02 21:54 min/mi

{January 24, 2015} Volunteering at an Expo

Today we volunteered.

Over the last six years or so, CKM and I have volunteered at different events, many being different race expos. We have volunteered for the Peachtree Road Race 5 times, even received our five year volunteer pin this year!

It is fun to volunteer, sometimes depending on the job they give you. One year we volunteered in the company store, that was alright, especially when it was busy, a few years we gave out race bibs, the last few years for the Peachtree Road Race, we volunteered with the elite and invited runners, too cool.

Today, we volunteered at the Hot Chocolate 5k/15k expo and gave out race bibs. You have to show up with the confirmation that has the QR code on it or your photo ID, plain and simple as that. Apparently not so simple for some people. No confirmation, no picture ID, “but I’m picking up for a friend, can’t I just tell you their name?” NO! Just give us something, a face book photo, something!

It was fun talking to people, when you could chat for a minute, it got so busy! I met a lot of Jennifer, always cool. And also, a lot of Stephanies, the reason I bring that up is that for some reason, the two names seem to get swapped a lot! I have no idea why!!! People were excited to be there to pick up their race bib and goodies and goodies they are! Some people were cranky because of the traffic and all the other events in the building they had to get through, but a lot of people were still happy.

There were a bunch that this was their first time doing the Hot Chocolate 5k, for some… their first 5k ever. What a great thing! I love meeting people who are doing their first race ever, I remember mine, The Atlanta Women’s 5k, I still remember seeing my time when I crossed the finish line, I almost cried, that is an amazing feeling! I hope everyone can feel that at least once!

The only bad part, being on our feet for 5 hours, standing in one spot, not so great since I am doing the 15k tomorrow, this should be interesting! But the best part… getting to have brunch and hang with CKM!

All in all, a good time was had by all! More on the race tomorrow!

{January 21, 2015} UNO!

I am not counting in Spanish, I am referring to the game of UNO.

UNO was created in 1971, by a barber in Ohio, to play with his family and families have been playing for over forty years, know how I know that? I was born in 1971. Boo-yah!

Boo-yah! That is what is shouted by the 7+ and 4+ year old, better known as EJS and MGS every time they get a good card or throw something down that will jam someone up or put them in a better place in the game. “Aw, man!” is what they say when things don’t go their way and “is it my turn?” “is it my turn?” EVERY TURN! No, someone else has to go!

The version of the game in the picture is an older version, it shows the word and not the symbol for the action and this is what we are playing on… the very deck that GES and I played with as a kid, in the same blue plastic pouch we used to carry it around in! GES counted and we are only missing one card out of the entire original deck, that’s pretty impressive if you ask me for a card game that is obviously over 30 years old!

What a great memory to be building, first playing games with the girls, then it’s playing a game from our childhood and then it’s remembering our childhood, which was awesome, if you ask me. Win-Win-Win… Boo-yah!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uno_(card_game)

{January 18, 2015} A new experience…challenge accepted…and failed

Not a complete failure and I’ll tell you why, but still sucked, to be blunt.

As you know, I am in Anaheim, CA to participate in The Rebel Challenge, 10k on Saturday and Half Marathon on Sunday. I did the 10k yesterday morning, started at 5:30am, my wave actually started closer to 6am, I finished 1:35:45, I was quite pleased with my time. I ran the first 3 miles, just like other races I have done and then did walk/run for the last 3, so I am happy. I ran 4 miles yesterday! I crossed the finish line and got my medal, headed back to the hotel satisfied.

Today, I participated in the Half Marathon, but did not finish. I had to stop at the medical tent, my usual blister issue, and after that I was three minutes behind the pacers, couldn’t catch back up with them and unfortunately, something happened that had never happened to me at a race, the course was cut off and I was shuttled back to the start. I collected the medal for the half marathon, but because I didn’t finish the race, I didn’t get the third medal, for The Rebel Challenge. I am just disappointed in myself.

There are a few things that contributed to this, I am not taking away any blame from myself at all. The shuttle did not show up to take a few of us to the park, so we walked the two miles to the park and then ran a mile to the start, right there…three miles! We also just made the start, they were closing the corral! I ran/walked the next ‘just under’ nine miles, about mile 7 I needed to stop at the medical tent for the blister, I just couldn’t catch up to the pacers, it happens. I also hadn’t trained for the run, my own fault. So, I got on the shuttle with everyone else, there were three shuttle busses getting sent back to the start, no one was happy.

After we got our medals, I walked to the shuttle busses, stopping at Jamba Juice, [apples and greens, yum] and since the shuttles wouldn’t be running until 10am, it was 9:20, I walked the two miles back to the hotel. So…even though I didn’t finish the half marathon, I did walk 18 miles today, I think I did alright.

It’s silly, but the mani/pedi I treated myself to helped, emotionally and cleaned my feet up.

I know, I did something, something more than other people wouldn’t attempt and I should be proud of the fact that I showed up and I tried and I am, I’m just disappointed in myself. Every experience is just that, an experience and I am ready for the next challenge.

{January 16, 2015} Hollywood Geek Out!

I know, I’m posting so early!

I’m meeting a friend, tell you about him later, and I may go back to the room and pass out (the race stats at 5:30am!) So I wanted to be sure I posted.

I am meeting my friend in Hollywood, so while I waited for him to get off work and meet me, to Hollywood I went!

I haven’t been here since college and I toured a little with AM, but no cell phones or Facebook. So…Hollywood sign, Mann’s Chinese Theater, Walk of Fame, stars and handprints!

Enjoy the photos! (I put my Chuck Taylor’s in a few…so you would know it was me! )

{January 15, 2015} I didn’t spend a dime!

Ok, anything extra!

I am in California to “run” two races, I say “run” with quotes because I have not trained at all, so I will be running some and walking most. And I am perfectly fine with that. But that’s not what this post is about.

So… here is what I was talking about…

As you know, for some races there are expos, you might remember CKM and I walking around the Hot Chocolate or Peachtree RoadRace Expos after we would get our race packets. This is a fun time to walk around, check out different vendors, see what’s new in running outfits, shoes, gear, other races, being…all that good stuff.

We have found some good stuff, I’ve shared with you some of the running dresses, skirts, socks, stuff like that. I go with the intention of maybe finding a new running outfit, which I have gotten a lot of use out of every dress, skirt, pant that I have gotten at the expo.

Some expos are better than others, some are called expos and they are just packet pick up and others are huge events. The Disney Expo I went to in Florida last February was stellar, this one was ok, not as many vendors, still good, but…. I WALKED AWAY AND BOUGHT NOTHING! Who am I, what did I do with me? I couldn’t believe it!

But… check out the gear I got! I don’t really need anything else! I got a shirt for the 10k, half marathon and The Rebel Challenge! All three are long sleeve performance shirts, who’s styling! And my Bibb has my name on it! ROCK ON ME!

{January 8, 2015} We started Harry Potter!

Last night, ACS thought it would be fun to start reading Harry Potter to the girls.

They have seen the first movie and I know that EJS has seen the second one, so it seems safe to read it to them and at the rate we are going of a few pages each night, they should both be in their teens by the time I get to the more intense books!

I sat down to read to them, put on my British accent and away we went! It’s night two and we are almost done with chapter one!

I love these books, each time a new one came out, I couldn’t put it down and I was ready to read the next one. I have read each one at least twice, except for the last one, too emotionally taxing, but I still loved it!

I am so excited for this opportunity to read this series to them both, I am just ticked pink! I will keep you posted on our progress!

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