My day | Peaches Prattlings

{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!

{February 5, 2015} Drunk Dialing

Drunk dialing is a bad idea.

I think you know I am not a drinker and if you didn’t, you know now. I won’t say never because I did go out on my 21st birthday with the intention of getting sloshed and once or twice a year I will have a drink, like sharing a pina colada I the Bahama with the family, but it doesn’t get any more wild than that.

So… I haven’t drunk dialed, drunk texted, drunk called, basically, no drunk anything. [One day I’ll tell you about one of my fantasies].

I have gotten drunk calls before, but it’s been a while. Tonight, I had a friend drunk dial me, he knew what he was doing by calling, but that’s as far as it went! We had a few conversations, some overlapping, some in circles, some were in a round, kind of like ‘Row, Row, Row Your Boat’.

People, it’s fine if you drink, sometimes even if you over indulge, as long as you’re safe, but don’t drunk dial people! Wait until you’re sober and know what you’re talking about!

{February 4, 2015} Duct Tape is a beautiful thing

If you can’t fix it, duck it! That’s what my dad always says.

When in doubt duck it! Or like the picture says… Duct tape is like the force: it has a light and a dark side and it gods the universe together!

I am inspired by the duct tape I have access to, some that were given to me by SDL, some I picked up at the store and what I have done with it. I once made a wallet from a kit my dad gave me, he said “There is only one person I know that would love this!” How right he was! DCM’s daughter, DCM, made me a purse once, I still have it, adorable! EJS made a great little wallet/purse that I “bought” from her sale, I still have it, love it.

I like to cover things and repurpose them, like taking empty tissue boxes and covering them and using them for things, like a tea box holder in the kitchen, I just covered one to use it as a trash bin in the bedroom and this weekend I am going to cover my new ski poles, they are an unfortunate color, but I have a really cool, comic book duct tape, they will look neat-o!

There are so many ideas for duct tape, crafts, functional, art [when CKM and I were at brunch a few weeks ago, they had some great Star Wars pictures made with duct tape]. Here are some ideas for crafts: https://www.duckbrand.com/duck-tape-club/ducktivities

How about furniture! https://www.google.com/search?q=duct+tape+furniture&biw=1024&bih=1076&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=7vPSVLKgKYafNpvLgbgJ&ved=0CCQQsAQ&dpr=1.32

One of my favorite things in duct tape… the prom outfits! The contest started a few years ago by and the Duck Brand holds a scholarship contest every year for the best prom outfits and these are clever! Enjoy! https://www.duckbrand.com/promotions/stuck-at-prom/year-book-gallery/2014

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duct_tape

{January 26, 2015} My weekend in Atlanta…

Was it busy? Yes it was! Was it awesome? Yes it was! Do you want to hear about it? Yes you do!

I told you a few things here and there, but here is the blow by blow, so to speak.

Friday I arrived in Atlanta, after an uneventful flight, which is always a good thing, and watching The Equalizer. Let’s just say, I heart Denzel Washington! This was a feel good movie in the best sense of the word! [Now, if you don’t know anything about it, until I write a review, just know it is a violent movie, but awesome!]

After I landed, I got my rental car and did something I should not have done, but I did anyway, which I told you about on Friday…I went to Fellini’s Pizza for a slice, salad and soda, ah memories [http://www.fellinisatlanta.com/fellinis.html]…After a filling lunch, I went to Junkman’s Daughter [http://www.thejunkmansdaughter.com/] to look around and met a charming chick working the shoe department upstairs, Twinkle, we had a nice chat, she really wants me to give Hedwig and the Angry Inch another try, I promised to.

Then I went to see CC and JC and their adorable son MC. They bought a house a few months ago and have asked me to come and see it when I was in town, unfortunately, I was not able to the last few times, but Friday, it was on! CC and MC had made some very yummy and healthy cookies earlier, they were so excited to share with me! While I was getting a tour of the house, MC kept saying “Ladies, ladies, come on!” How cute is he! And what a great visit we had!

After I left, I headed to JCT’s house to spend the night. She was on her way from the airport herself and I was going to get there before her, so I was lucky and got to spend some one-on-one quality time with her mom, who I affectionately refer to as Mom. We talked health and happiness, kids and crocheting, had cups of tea, it was wonderful. Then JCT’s brother GC came home and we chatted for a bit, until JCT came home.

When JCT came home, we talked and talked and laughed and talked until almost two in the morning! Isn’t that happens when besties get together? Did you forget… this is still only Friday!

Slept a few hours, got up, chatted, caught up some more then it was time to shower and head out to meet CKM for brunch at Home Grown, http://www.homegrownga.com/, waited a few minutes and then hopped up to the counter for breakfast.

After a great breakfast and good conversation, we headed to the Hot Chocolate 5k/15k Expo to volunteer and I picked up my race packet. Our shift was 1:30-6:30, our feet hated us at this point! After the expo it took us almost an hour to get out of the parking deck! Then another 30 minutes to drop CKM off where she was meeting friends for dinner. The only other bad thing was that RJS was having a get together for her birthday, which is actually today! Happy Birthday! And I missed it, but I made up for it today, sort of.

I headed to JT’s house to wait for BG, I was going to crash with him since we were riding to the run together. I was so tired, I just crashed art JT’s house. A few hours of sleep and 5:30am on Sunday we were in the car and on our way downtown, smooth sailing for a while, then lots of traffic, taking us about an hour to go about five miles, par for the course, ha ha, runners joke.

I hope you were able to check out my posting on the Hot Chocolate race yesterday. We were both a bit tired and sore, my feet were mad at me, but we did it! We headed back to BG’s to shower and headed back downtown to Sweet Melissa’s, http://www.sweetmelissas.com/, for brunch with some good friends.

After brunch, I drove to JCT’s because I left my Surface charger, grrr…and then to SDL’s house for a visit and some quality one-on-one time. Lots of talking, laughter and love. I crashed there for the night, even got to brush Miss A’s teeth for the first time…so many new firsts with her!

This morning I headed to see RJS for a little bit before making a mad dash for the airport and getting to the gate a few minutes before the flight took off! Even luckier that it took off at all, as a huge snow storm is coming to Boston tomorrow! So bad that they closed Logan airport at 8pm tonight!

So… that was my weekend, you tired? I am!

{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 23, 2015} It seemed like a good/bad idea at the time

I flew into Atlanta today and did something that used to be a tradition for me, but now, not such a good idea.

Ok, so, backstory… there is a great pizza place in Atlanta called Fellini’s. They have NY style pizzas, which means they are large pies and slices, which makes me happy and isn’t that what it’s all about?

So…I used to go with friends all the time, especially LGR, when I first moved to Atlanta, on the way home after going out to the bars in Buckhead, our favorite thing to get was a salad, which has wonderfully fat shreds of mozzarella, a slice [all you have to do at a “real” pizza joint, especially if you are from NYC is say “One slice please” or “I want to order a pie” and they know it’s a pizza pie, not a peach pie!] and a soda. Heaven!

Then we would sit and wait for our food and read Creative Loafing, http://clatl.com/, a local paper in Atlanta that gives you all sorts of good stuff: Arts & Entertainment, the Blotter [weird new stories around Atlanta, sometimes about really dumb stuff and people, and things that make you go “hmmm”] upcoming shows [stage, screen, theater, music], articles about goings on about town, etc. A great way to find out what’s happening.

One tradition I had is with the wasband. We lived near one Fellini’s location and would go all the time, the kids always loved going when they stayed and on our way home from the airport, whenever we traveled, we would stop at Fellini’s and have a salad, slice and a soda or beer for him and it was such a great tradition.

I continued the same tradition after we split and sometimes I would call people to meet me there, like CKM and SDL, that was fun, even DCM and I got into the habit, either when we went somewhere or when he would pick me up, or sometimes, just stopping there on my own.

As you may remember, I finally gave up dairy about 6 months ago and I have been a little happier since then, from a health perspective and not getting nauseous all the time, not happy about missing stuff like cheese. I also, due to dietary issues cannot have caffeine or colored soda or tomatoes, to name a few things. I stopped drinking colored sodas about a year ago, I have a sip here and there, but not a full one and now they taste kind of funny. Funny weird, not funny ha ha.

That being said…I decided to do something stupid [for my digestive system]. I thought about it and said “the hell with it!’ I stopped at Fellini’s and had…a slice, salad and soda and creative loafing… ah… so good… and so bad.

Let’s just say it was and wasn’t worth it and I will not being doing that again any time soon!

Am I still happy? You bet your sweet hippy!

http://www.fellinisatlanta.com/fellinis.html

{January 22, 2015} It is 2015, right? Seriously people!

What is the deal with all the bullying?

I know, bullying is nothing new, it’s been going on for centuries, but it’s gotten worse in the last decade and I just don’t get it. I guess the thing that makes it more prevalent is with the internet being what it is and cell phones and Facebook and Twitter and Instagram and…

Part of the reason I don’t watch the news, especially at night and most especially before bed is all I do is cry and then go to bed depressed and sad and crying. I get my news from a lot of sources and yahoo is one of them.

Today, I am disheartened yet again… Another case of cyber bullying and its just nauseating. A set of twins made nasty comments and video messages towards a young girl, calling her nasty names and being disgustingly rude and immature and just plain mean. There was also a voice mail from the twin’s father, equally disgusting.

Her father made an equally public video, how he was dealing with it, helping his daughter get through it, his disgust, revulsion and lack of understanding for something so disgusting.

Look at some of the statistics for bullying from 2014. http://nobullying.com/bullying-statistics-2014/

I am sickened and disheartened, someone please prove Me wrong!

https://www.yahoo.com/parenting/dad-calls-out-daughters-bullies-on-viral-youtube-108843392047.html

{January 19, 2015} Long travel day

Friends, I am beat!

My day started at 5am in California, the alarm was set for 5:30 and 5:45, just to be on the safe side. I happened to wake up at 5, lucky me. I snooze twice, but then got up, took a hot bath, hoping it would help my legs a little, then a shower, finished packing and headed out, about 6am.

As it was a holiday, the dreaded traffic was not so dreaded and it took me less than an hour to get there, got gas, dropped off the car and took the shuttle to the airport. Dropped my bag, got through security, no problem, had some breakfast, hung out and then boarded the plane.

Flight was uneventful, except for the girl sitting next to me slept the entire way, I was lucky that she woke up twice, I had to go!!! There was a plane [equipment] change, they must have told us about 10 times and we left about an hour late, part of the reason was that we were waiting on some passengers that were just getting in from Australia, so we waited for them, I thought that was cool. The best thing… I’m pretty positive one of the pilots was from Ireland. Could he just talk some more?

I did watch 3 free movies: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, The Book of Life and The Boxtrolls. I was thoroughly entertained!

We arrived in JFK, two + hour wait…I went in search of some food, miso soup, seaweed salad and sushi rice, yum! Then I hung out waiting for my flight, upgraded to first class, go me! Flight was less than an hour, up and down.

Wait at baggage claim for about 25 minutes for my bag, then head to the Silver Line to South Station, then the commuter rail to home. I wasn’t paying attention and got off one stop early, ugh. GES was kind enough to pick me up, I wouldn’t have asked if it wasn’t so cold out and 11:30pm, but there were no other cars on the road.

Here I sit talking to you. A very long travel day. And now it is bedtime for bonzo!

{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.

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