Friends | Peaches Prattlings

{February 25, 2024} Another park, breakfast, ice sculptures, two breweries, another park, kitchen stuff, and a movie.

Is that enough? Who wants to sit still on a Sunday, not us apparently! I slept until 730a, which was lovely, except for the fact that I fell asleep about 4a, so… normal then!

Got up and motivated, tried on my new shirt from the Whirling Dervish, love how it fits! Let the dogs out, boots on, harnesses…on the dogs, of course, loaded into the truck and off to a new park. Union Canal Tunnel Park, so pretty! More so when we went down the path and saw the water and tunnel, I can just imagine how it is in the spring and summer! I bet it was pretty covered in snow as well!

If you click on the link you’ll find it is: the oldest existing transportation tunnel in the United States. From 1827 to 1885 the Union Canal linked the commercial centers of Harrisburg, Reading, and by extension, the port of Philadelphia. The park serves the tunnel and the only remaining 5/8 mile section of the original canal through Lebanon with an open 110 acre recreational area. Isn’t that amazing!

The dogs loved it, of course! New sights and more importantly, new smells! It is a dog friendly park, but no poop bags or trash cans, but you have to clean up after your dog…I’m not saying parks have to provide poop bags, but…if you’re dog friendly and you want people to clean up after their dogs, it’s a nice to have. But…not to worry friends, we are always equipped with Mutt Mitts. Let me tell you…these things are amazing! They are amazing! They are double walled, so you are not going to feel anything and it really keeps the smell in, I almost said out, well, out of my nose, ha ha. And to the point that sometimes I have to put the bag in my pocket until I can find a trash can and my pockets never smell. I digress…

After the park, we took the dogs home, it was time for breakfast for them! While they were eating, we moved some stuff from one room into the kitchen, working on getting everything put away so we can have a functioning kitchen. Then it was time for us to get some breakfast! We went to Rising Sun Bar & Kitchen, you may remember me telling you about it last month, I met PSM there after I went skiing. I really want to go skiing again, today was not the day, I busted my ankle last weekend, I’m not quite ready to get on skis, may not happen again this season, here’s to next season!

We went to Rising Sun and sat at the bar, I kind of wish we had taken seats on the other side of the bar, we were at the door and even though they have an outer covered door with heat lamps, didn’t stop it from being cold on my back, so hat, scarf, and jacket for breakfast! We shared a Brizza, a breakfast pizza, y-u-m! It was the The Chicago: Sausage, tomato, hash browns, Monterey & cheddar jack, we opted for the sausage on the side…and one pancake. The brizza was great, I would definitely go back and try another one. The pancake…we should have poured the syrup on sooner, it was a little dense, tasty, but not great. PSM did enjoy his tequila sunrise, it really is a pretty drink!

After a while, we decided to was time to move on and by chance we drove to Lititz, we’ve been there a few times for some festivals and food. We wanted to buy a house in Lititz, but couldn’t find anything that fit our needs. It really is a pretty city. The cool thing today, we were at the last day, but it was the Fire & Ice Festival. PSM told me about it a while back and we both forgot about it, oh well, we still got to enjoy the festivities!

There were ice sculptures in Lititz Spring Park and along the streets, in front of different businesses. The ones that had been sitting in the sun were not faring as well, after 10 days, as the ones in the shade. There were a few really fun ones, all were beautiful, even if you couldn’t quite make out what they were. My two favorites were Santa diving down a chimney and a toilet, too cute!

We walked through the park, we found the food trucks, had some funnel cake, of course!, went into different shops, got some hot drinks, strolled, talked, and just enjoyed the afternoon. When we left, it was barely 2pm! How much we accomplish in such a short amount of time!

We debated going grocery shopping, I’m going to go tomorrow… we were actually on our way and stopped at two new places that people had recommended. One was Issacs Craft Kitchen & Brewery. We’re becoming quite proficient at craft kitchen and breweries, we like to try new places and this was one someone recommended. It was in the same parking lot as Ancester Coffehouse & Creperie that we went to last week. It was pretty empty, I’m sure there’s a different vibe when the place is packed, but honestly, the bar itself wasn’t very robust, they had a limited selection of beers, mostly IPAs, wines, and hard liquor, saving grace, the staff, very nice people. We weren’t hungry, so PSM had a beer and we watched The Purina Incredible Dog Challenge, those dogs were amazing! You just watch with your mouth open at what they can do!

Next, we weren’t going very far…Mick’s All American Pub, this was another place people recommended. The bar was nice, they had a good selection of beers and some of PSM’s favorite whiskeys. Their food selection was less for me than the last place. We ended up sharing what they said was like a stromboli, but it was more like a solid calzone or a giant mozzarella stick. We tried something new and both of us paid for it! On the plus side, the staff was great, we talked to the bartender about tattoos, the bar itself was plentiful, and the other patrons were nice. Would we go back to Issac’s or Mick’s? Not likely, there are too many other places to try! But we do appreciate the welcome!

Next, instead of heading straight home, we stopped at South Hills Park. We stopped there to have a walk and because they don’t allow dogs, so we never think about going there. It was a very nice park, but it seemed to get colder, brrrr…so we walked less than a mile, just to see what it looked like and headed back to the car. It’s funny, this morning, when we were at the park with the dogs, we both said “remember when we used to go to the park, just the two of us, to walk and enjoy the surroundings” and of course, while we were walking in the park before we got them…”wouldn’t it be great to have some dogs to take to the park?”

We got back to the house, love bombed by the dogs, fed them, and proceeded to move everything from the other rooms to the kitchen. The kitchen now looks like the cabinets exploded! But…we made the plan where things are going to go yesterday, so I will take care of getting the kitchen to where it needs to be. We agreed on the basics, like flatware, pots, pans, glasses, etc, and we got most of that away. Now comes the task of the pantry, food, spices, etc. I have options, just not sure where they should go, I’ll keep you posted.

Then it was time to take a break! We watched Dave, the 1993 movie staring Kevin Kline, who looks just like the president and gets called in as a stand-in for him, and Sigourney Weaver, the first lady, who hates her husband, with a great supporting cast, Frank Langella as his cheif of staff and Kevin Dunn as his press secretary. Ving Rhames is his secret service agent, Ben Kingsley is vice president, Charles Grodin is his friend, the accountant, Laura Linney is the naughty intern, Faith Prince works for Dave in his real job, and Bonnie Hunt is a white house tour guide. It’s clever and funny, a wining combo! This is one of my favorite movies, I did my best not to quote it out loud!

I ended up putting on Draft Day next, which I love, funilly enough, I don’t really care that much about sports, but I love movies about sports…go figure. The reason I mention this movie is that I had forgotten that Frank Langella and Kevin Dunn are both in the movie with Kevin Costner! Another great movie, I’ll tell you about it another time.

I got the dogs up to go night-night and guess what that beagle Bee did… curled up into a ball and I had to grab her by the collar after the third time of tell them it was time for bed! The little…

Well, if you’re not tired just from reading this, I’m tired from all the activity and fun! So… I will bid you a fair good night!

{February 24, 2024} No java journey…what are we going to do with our Saturday? A whole bunch, I tell ya!

Why do I have to wake up before 6am on a Saturday? I don’t, no alarm set, but apparently my body thinks I do. Really?!

I was up between 530 and 6a, why? Oh well…I lounged, did some Duolingo, gotta practice my French, every day. I was practicing French, took a break and went to Spanish, we were going to Mexico and I needed to brush up, when I went to Germany in 2022 to meet PSM for the weekend, guess what I practiced. I added Yiddish, I really want to add to my limited knowledge, and now I’m adding Italian, I’ll tell you about it sometime! Wow, do I digress!

So…I practiced some French, brushed my teeth, I thought that was a good thing to do, got dressed, all about the time PSM had let the dogs out. Do not tell me you didn’t see that coming! HA HA. We decided to go to a different park, well, different from the one near us that we usually take them to, today we went to the park in Annville, Quittie Creek Nature Park, we were there on January 20th, fresh snow covered the path and the trees, oh my! Just look at the pics! Today, there was very little snow on the ground and it was damp and a bit muddy, but the girls still had a good time and we walked on and off the beaten path. Most of the people at the park were fisher persons, we chatted with some of them, they were fishing for or hoping to fish for trout. I used to love trout, rainbow trout more than the others.

After the park, we wanted to get some breakfast, something to go, so…we went back to Swatara Coffee, we like that place. I was actually there yesterday, I think I forgot to tell you, sorry! Turns out, Ancester Coffeehouse & Creperie owns them, how cool is that! As we’re standing in line, we both said it felt funny being there without the passports or buying a specialty drink! That was ok, we got over it quickly!

It was a decaf coffee and a blueberry muffin for PSM and an egg and avocado bagel and chai latte for me. I enjoyed it, a little too much avocado spread, which is funny because it’s usually not enough! I realized I like avocado slices on a sandwich, but for breakfast, I prefer avocado toast. Go figure. While we waited for food, I did go over to the Whirling Dervish to get a t-shirt! I think I told you I wanted to go back and get one, score!

From Swatara, we drove to Hernley’s Indian Motorcycle Dealership, in Elizabethtown, PSM was picking up his bike, they installed Apple Car Play and it was ready to be picked up. It was only 38 out, but he got his one ride per month in! I’m not sure his extremeties warmed up yet! He took off and Ruby, Bee, and I headed home.

I started moving things into the kitchen, it’s finished, we need to start filling it up so we can feel complete. I grabbed post its and we identified what’s going where. After a while PSM was ready to go, dogs in the crate, and we headed out to Middle Creek because we were going to see the Snow Geese!!! Someone had told me about it and oh my word! This has to be seen to be believed! It is a lake with a huge white shape on it, but it’s not just a shape it’s the snow geese, o m g! As you’re walking from the parking lot, you can hear them, I don’t know if anyone could sleep to that, just think when you hear a few geese talking, imagine thousands! It was like nothing I’ve ever seen and I am so glad we went!

After a while, lots of pictures later, we went over to the museum, and there was a count as we walked in: Snow Geese 46,000 what?! Tundra Swans: 420, and Canada Geese: 620. Apparently these numbers can go up into the hundreds of thousands, apparently we were there on a slow day! SO worth it, just an amazing site to see. The museum was cool, very informational, not just about the snow geese, but nature and wildlife, those who protect it, hunt humanely, and bird watching, it was a lot of fun, definitely recommend it for an afternoon!

We were both freezing and hungry, so we found a place on my list and went to the Franklin House Tavern, it’s also an inn. We sat in the bar and I’m glad we did, the dining room was c-c-c-cold! We sat at a high top table, the bartender took our drink and food orders, I love when I can get a cup of hot tea at a bar or restaurant! I had a grilled caesar salad, I really need to try to make this at home! and PSM had a reuben. What doesn’t have a Wikipedia page!?

After a great lunch with greater company, we headed home. We let the dogs out, yes, I know you already have the ear worm! First thing…book a trip, hopefully the family will be joining us, can’t wait to tell you about it! Then, we got to work moving things into the cabinets and breakfront, I promise I’ll share pics! We got all the bar glassware in one place, score! Also, we have a lot less mugs than we thought, they all went with our everyday glassware and we still have a shelf left over! We made decisions!

Then it was off to the movies, what you thought we were done? You’re adorable! We headed to the theater to see Madam Web. Um…yeah. Good cast, interesting storyline, mediocre dialog, it’s not part of the MCU, Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it’s part of it’s own Marvel MCU, inluding Venom, Morbius, now Madam Web, and next up, Kraven the Hunter. Those movies aren’t really on my radar, I might watch Venom at some point, but Morbius, not for me. All good, not every movie is for everyone.

I really enjoy the idea of a female superhero, go girl power, but there were parts of this that were seriously lame. The fight/action sequence at the end, really enjoyed that, but it was a very loooonnnggg time coming! Maybe I have to watch it again to get more nuances, but I’m not sure, I’ll keep you posted.

Here’s another weird thing…the coming attractions, all of them were for horror movies, except for Despicable Me 4 and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, and then…The First Omen? Twisters? Are there no original ideas left? But back to my original point, this was not a horror movie, why show horror movie trailers? This was bizarre.

Overall, a movie date with my husband was just what the doctor ordered! Back home, let the dogs out, I know, I know! Chill out for a bit, catch up with my friend about her dad, then it was time to talk to you. Oh, in the middle of telling you about my day, it was time to put the dogs up, not let them out, ha ha. I said “Ok, time for night-night” that means get up from where you are and walk to the crate, and I’ll be right behind you with a treat. I took the collars off both dogs, Ruby headed for the crate and Bee…well, she rolled over and snuggled in tighter. I said it again, I scratched her head, she stretched the beagle belly, I gave her some belly rubs and what did she do? Roll back over, snuggle deeper, and go back to sleep?! If it wasn’t so funny, I might be mad! I actually had to grab her by the collar to get her up and moving! I know I said I took their collars off, that was for the invisible fence, this was her every day collar. Are you kidding right now dog?! Nope! The sass! Oh my dogs!

Ok, was that enough!? Time to sign off and like I say to the dogs “Let’s go night-night!”

{February 18, 2024} We did it!

The Lebanon Valley Java Journey is officially over…for us!

We went to all 12 locations and tried what they had to offer, well, sort of. PSM tried some of the specialty drinks, I had a chai latte at each place, and we both tried the food offerings, well, PSM didn’t at the last one, but for the most part, we did the Java Journey proud!

We were at the last place and PSM said, we could do this again! But…we would have to buy the mugs again and do we need 2 more of the same mug? Um…if we invite friends over, maybe, but no, we have more than enough mugs! I’ll show you sometime! Yea, I can definitely show you, we just finished a kitchen renovation, I’ll share pics and that might include or mugs. Or…I can take you on mug travel journey with us! So many possibilities! I recently sold my Starbucks mug collection, I can share that too. Ok, wow do I digress! Back to the journey!

Let’s talk about each coffee house, the specialty drink, what we had, what we thought, and would we go again! I know I told you most of this, but this is my opportunity to go back, relive and put it all in one place! I have to give credit where credit is due, for some of the locations, PSM helped me craft the wording for the atmosphere, suweet! Ready…set…drink!

We started at Swatara Coffee Company on 1.13.24. We were on our way to Lowe’s in Palmyra and we were both thirsty. We had had a very busy morning and just needed a refreshment, I saw the sign and it said coffee, sold! We walked in and there were the mugs! I had seen them somewhere a few months ago and then I got an text about it, and I thought, yes! Let’s do this! We asked what it was all about and they told us, why not! When I first told PSM about it, his response was ‘I only drink decaf’ well…maybe they’ll have decaf and maybe they’ll make the special drink with decaf…only one way to find out! Hello… can I get the specialty drink with decaf? Why, yes, yes you can! Sold!

We bought the mugs, PSM tried their specialty drink, Cinnamon Bun Latte w/Caramel Cold Foam, um… that actually sounded pretty good, but I knew there was coffee involved so…no thanks for me! I ordered a chai latte with mac milk, that’s macadamia nut milk for those not in the know…It was rich, creamy, and tasty! We shared a french toast muffin. It was all loverly, let’s just say a lot of sweetness happening here!

The atmosphere was nice. PSM walked in and immediately decompressed, we found it quaint and relaxing, his words, which i loved and couldn’t agree more! It was not a large or small place, it was open, had artwork on the walls, a few tables, and the staff was friendly, what more could you ask for?! Would we go back, you bet! If you’re up for it, and want a bit more to read, check out the post for that day!

The next day, 1.14.24, we started at Ancestor Coffeehouse & Creperie in Campbelltown, definitely want to check out the town. The specialty drink was an Italian Cookie Latte, way too sweet for PSM, but he was a good sport. I had a..wait for it…wait for it…a chai latte with oat milk, it was yummy! PSM had a bagel sandwich, me…savory crepe all the way and boy was it good! I couldn’t wait to try their other location to try their crepes, maybe a sweet one this time!

We thought it was interesting that it was attached to Snitz Creek Brewery [I accidentally spelled it wrong the last time, sorry Snitz Creek!] It was a great atmosphere, very farmhouse chic, wooden tables and chairs, barn doors, yeah, there was a vibe, please come in and hang out.

Next stop…Sydney Roasting Company in Lebanon. We walked in, not knowing what to expect, as always, but we liked it. It had an industrial feel, but it made you want to hang out and chill, so we did. Their signature drink [S/D] was Cinnamon Honey Freddo w/Cinnamon Cold Foam, what do you think PSM said? Decaf, please! I had a…I won’t keep you in suspense! A chai latte with almond milk. It was good, and we only got drinks, we were still full from breakfast. When we left, PSM teased…do you want something else to drink, maybe Starbucks, not..on…your…life! No more chai today, please! Would we go again? You bet! And PSM went for lunch one day, that should tell you something! Want to read more about it, and see the puppies? Check out the post for the day!

Monday morning came and we did something we don’t normally do, the demo was about to begin on our kitchen and we were in the mood, so we went to get coffee/breakfast, definitely not the norm on a Monday! And I just realized… it’s 1.15.24, MLK Day! That makes more sense than we were completely playing hookey! PSM had the day off and I decided to start a little later and enjoy this treat with my husband! We started at Baked Sweet Coffehouse and Bakery, this was not just a Monday, it was day 3 of our Java Journey! The address says Frystown Road in Myerstown, but it was actually in Frystown, odd.

This was the first place we went without the mugs and we definitely liked that! Didn’t have to remember or worry about anything happening to them! The street, well, you can tell they’re working on making it better. We walked in and the place was absolutely charming! Little touches everywhere, places to sit, relax, work, meet friends, which it seemed like it was the neighborhood place to go, we definitely liked that.

Their signature drink was Caramel Apple Crunch Latte…guess what PSM had…decaf coffee. I had a chai, of course. Neither of us enjoyed our drinks, PSM’s wasn’t great and mine was mostly water, the pastries were pretty good, blueberry and coffee cake muffins. Oh! I got one of their specialty frosted sugar cookies, and oh my, I understand why it’s called Baked Sweet!!! Let’s just say, we’re glad we tried it, but for us we wouldn’t recommend it, not saying someone else wouldn’t love it, but it wasn’t a place we’d go back. We are definitely glad we tried it, for the warmth, but when the atmosphere is better than the food and drink, not a ringing endoresement for us.

Next, I really wanted something to drink, and maybe eat, PSM was feeling the same, we headed to City Watch Coffee, we had been there before, it wasn’t our first go-to for coffee, tea, and food, but it’s nice that it’s close to home. I got a Hot City Vik Chai with coconut milk, love a chai with coconut milk. Their signature drink was rum cake cappuccino, PSM decided to go for a hot chocolate, that guy always keeping me on my toes. We had egg sandwiches which were pretty good.

The staff is nice, the atmosphere has an industrial/warehouse feel, different than the Sydney Roasting Co industrial feel. Even though we sat to eat and drink, I wouldn’t say it’s a charming place that I would make a destination of, but I can definitely see going to get food and drink to go, it’s definitely good in a pinch. We’ve been there three times, that has to tell you something. And now…enjoy an insight into our full day!

It’s Saturday again, that seems to happen every week, doesn’t it?! 1.20.24 and we are at Whirling Dervish Bakery & Coffefe Shop. Did I mention, go, just go! I know, I absolutely loved this place! Their signature drink was a Cozy Cinnamon Mocha, decaf it is! Chai latte for me. The pastries were good, better than the drinks, when we go back, and we will go back, I will get a straight up cup of tea, no milks! I say we will go back because it was such a charming and eclectic place! It was tiny, no place to sit, there was so much to look at and gnomes for days! I want to go back and get one of their shirts, it was just such a great place to be, as I said in my original post…be a lookie-loo! Just remember…their hours are not conducive to a leisurely visit…what I mean is Thursday and Friday 7a-11a and Saturday 8a-12p. Go, go now! ha ha

After the Whirling dervish, we took the dogs to a new park, just a few minutes from the coffee shop, so much fun! Can’t wait to go back! Then, after a few things happening, we went to Mill 72 Bake Shop & Cafe. Another winner! Their signature drink…Loaded Hot Chocolate! I SO wanted PSM to order it, but he may have gone into sugar shock! I wish I had taken a picture! It was hot chocloate with whipped creme, of course! Chocolate fudge on the rim of the glass and a few mini donuts on a stick. Oh my word! I was happy with a chai latte and we had egg sandwiches on waffles, very clever! We both agreed, the waffles could have been crisper and if there was syrup in them, even better! That’s not to say we did not enjoy them, oh we did. And the orange slice with it, very nice!

It was a pretty good sized space, enough to have a two tables of merchandise for sale in the front and shelves on the side with more items for sale, including proprietary items, just like almost all the coffee shops, more power to ’em! If any of the places had stickers or a magnet, you know I got one! Oh, I have to share my magnet collection! I can’t wait for that one!

It was welcoming and kitchy, they had places you could relax, take photos, photos to post online, a fire place, a place where you know people like to congregate and you can see yourself hanging out. Will we come back? Oh yeah! There are actually a few locations, I’m looking forward to seeing how they compare!

The weekend went to fast, but…luckily, we’re back at Saturday and time for two more coffee shops! It’s 1.27.24 and we are on our way to the Tattoo Expo, but first…Timber Creek Coffee! They are located in Myerstown, not far from the house and on the way to Philly, sort of! Their signature drink is a Winter Gingerbread Wonder. It was very sweet and had a gingerbread cookie on it. Oh my word! Did you know there was a kids song called The Gingerbread Cookie Dance? Well…now you do! You’re welcome! I have the ear worm and now I’m sharing it with you! muwahaha

I learned that my husband loves gingerbread cookies! I had no idea! I had a chai latte, of course! and we ordered a few pastries, cinnamon roll, a blueberry muffin, a coffee cake muffin, and a gingerbread cookie for later. Everything was delicious!

It is a charming, welcoming, and kind, and that is just the space, the people who work there are just as chaming, welcoming, and nice. Will we go back? You bet we will! I’m looking forward to trying some of their other baked goods. Just be aware they are not open on Sunday or Monday. Check out our adventure for the day!

Ok, it’s Sunday, 1.28.24, where to?! Let’s start at Timeless Cafe in downtown Lebanon. The signature drink is a Chocolate Almond Dalgona, let’s just say…two sips and it was let me get you a coffee from their coffee station! I had a chai latte with oat milk, it was good. I had a breakfast wrap and PSM had a bagel with cream cheese, he was going to have an egg sandwich/wrap, but went for the bagel, then I think he was a little jealous of my sandwich, not to worry, where are we going next?!

Timeless Cafe really is timeless, and not just because there are clocks everywhere, ha ha. It’s charming, the atmosphere is welcoming, that’s also where the timeless comes in, and a very nice staff, what more could you want for a carefree brunch with friends or a coffee date with your husband!

After Timeless Cafe we headed out to the other Swatara Coffee Company in Jonestown. This location was smaller than the one in Annville, but equally as nice. It was definitely more cozy, it was fun, in the back there was a crochet circle going, you know that just screams neighborhood and welcoming! The signature drink was a Chocolate Chip Cookie Latte, PSM had decaf, ha ha, and I had a chai latte with mac milk, yum!

The staff was nice, the other patrons were nice, and even though we had eaten at Timeless Cafe, there was a chocolate chip cookie block that I could not resist! And for someone who doesn’t like chocolate, this was sooo worth it! Another neighborhood place, people hanging out, doing work, sharing some time together, what more could you want? Would we come back? You bet your bippie! And for pics, check out the full post. Wait, we only have two stops left!

Another week done, and now we are down two coffee shops! How is that possible?! We are so close! What will we do with our weekends now?! We started on Saturday, 2.17.24, at The Caffeination Station in Palmyra, their signature drink is a Mocha Valencia, PSM was game, and I got…I know, shocker! A chai latte with oat milk, it was pretty good. We each got an egg sandwich, food and drink were good.

You got a train feel right from the start, there was a train on the lawn, imagine that! Inside, you definitely got a train station feel, trains on the walls, trains running the edge of the shop, trains, trains, and more trains! You definitely knew you were in a local place, very family atmosphere and run by a family. There was an open feel, not just in the layout, but open and welcoming, and good bad dad jokes, what more could you want?! Another visit, I’m sure!

Last stop, what?! Ancester Coffeehouse & Creperie in Lebanon. It was a bigger space, their signature drink is a Red Velvet Latte w/Vanilla Cold Foam, you can guess what PSM had. One sweet drink per day is good for him! I had a macron, I wanted something sweet, but we were not hungry in the least! The macron was better than my chai latte with mac milk. I liked it so much at the other location, I was excited to try it here, but it was not to be. They made me a new one and it just wasn’t right, it happens, could have been me that day. I’m glad we were at the other one first, if this was the first one, I don’t know if we’d venture again.

This location was bigger than the other, but equally as welcoming, different types of walls and coffee sacs under the glass on each table. Despite being in a strip mall, I could see going there for brunch or lunch, meeting friends, working, or just hanging out. One thing it did was open us up to some of the other businesses in the plaza, especially two pubs and breweries we’re going to have to check out. Will we go back to this Ancestor Coffeehouse & Creperie, I would say yes, I want another crepe and it’s close to the house. Which one would I prefer, the other one was a little more charming/kitch, but this is a definite yes! Check out our day.

Wow, we did it! We completed our Lebanon Valley Java Journey! What will we do with our weekends, and occasional weekdays now? PSM said we could do it all over again, I already told you that, I had to double check that! We could still do it, we just won’t get stamps in the passport. Speaking of which, aren’t the stamps cute!? The organizers gave each location their own stamps, so cool! We got our last stamp, wrote our contact info on the back and turned them in. Fingers crossed for us, maybe we’ll win!

Even if we don’t, this was a win-win! Being new to the area, it opened us up to a new experience and trying new things together. We met people along the way, talked about the journey, got other people to try it, and we went to new places we might not have gone otherwise, and now, we have some new hangouts.

I can’t wait to see what the next java-journey type experience we have! We actually had a small one on the Lebanon Valley Libations Trail. That would be breweries, just in case you weren’t sure! I’m on the lookout for our next journey/trail, if you know of one, don’t keep it a secret, might have to make one of our own!

Thanks for going on this journey with us, it was like you were right there with us! Love that!

And now…g’night! Tomorrow’s a work day!

{February 15, 2024} This made me laugh

I’m still a bit melancholy, I am definitely not trying to bring anyone down, I promise.

Today was tough, moments of normalcy, moments of happiness, then a memory triggered and… There was more texting with friends, other people reaching out who just found out, I am touched that people thought of me when they thought of him. It’s amazing how people come in and out of your life and how they touch and affect it.

I needed a few moments of nothing, so I went to YouTube, I always find it interesting what’s going to come up in my feed. Some stuff is relevant, some stuff is entertaining, and some stuff, well, I just scratch my head!

I was talking to CWB today and she was telling me about a band she saw last night, Sammy Rae & The Friends, Sammy Rae is American jazz rock and indie singer-songwriter, I listened to their music and I really liked it. I shared with her Postmodern Jukebox, SDL, Miss A, and I saw them when we were in Memphis last year, they are a rotating music collective, reworking popular modern music into different vintage genres, especially early 20th century forms such as swing and jazz. I’m currently listening to Pour Some Sugar On Me, by none other than Def Leppard, but with their twist on it, gotta respect.

I went down a YouTube spiral and happened upon this: ABBA – The Last Video. There are no words, seriously, but it did make me smile. Just watch it and see if you can’t help smiling. Exactly what I needed at the moment. But…I’m now thinking I might need a few more smiles, that means my comfy jammies, my trusty, tear stained, well loved Winnie the Pooh, and anything Muppets is in my future. The Muppets and Winnie the Pooh, that’s my childhood, oh, and Snoopy, just to name a few, but those are really what works and can put a smile on my face.

Thanks for listening, tomorrow is a new day, and now, I am going to leave you with one of my favorite individuals and songs, Kermit the Frog singing Rainbow Connection from The Muppet Movie.

{February 14, 2024} I’m sad…I’m gutted…I’m shocked…I’m also smiling

I got some sad news tonight. Kind of ironic on Valentine’s Day, a day all about love, but in a way, I’m also feeling love.

So…tonight, after wishing friends and family love for Valentine’s Day and even wishing a favorite couple happy anniversary, CGS, one of my oldest and closest friends, texted me, she hated to do it through text, but she just found out that someone we were friends with passed away yesterday. And then MM texted me to tell me, I was just going to tell him. Then I texted two more friends, one who knew and one who hadn’t heard yet.

I met AGM in middle school, not sure how we met, but you couldn’t go anywhere without knowing AGM. He brought people together, he made you laugh, helped you out, he was one of those friends who you could call in a jam and they wouldn’t ask questions. I’m not sure how I met some people, but I have a feeling he was the one who introduced me to a few of my friends.

We met in middle school, then went to the same highschool, he was everybody’s friend. You couldn’t miss him, he was tall and had the biggest personality! 1987, we were in high school, and the movie Mannequin came out, Meshach Taylor played Hollywood Montrose, a fabulous character and wouldn’t you know it, AGM used to refer to himself as Hollywood, but much more musical, I can hear it in my head! So…from that moment on, whenever we saw each other, he was Hollywood! And he knew exactly who was calling his name!

The Rocky Horror Picture Show, one of our favorite movies. He used to perform it at a theater in Manhattan on the weekends, full court press, and he made a fabulous Dr Frank-N-Furter, I used to go to see him at the theater, he was mesmorizing! Then one year, MM, CGS, AGM, and I, with two other friends, well, they were friends by the time we left, piled in the car and drove to a theater in Springfield, MD, so we could watch Meatloaf, who played Eddie in the movie, open for the Rocky Horror Picture Show live on stage!

I did a semester of college at College of Staten Island, there AGM introduced me to some other great friends, we took a film class together and the one we gravitated towards, and performed a few scenes from, for class, was Clue. He was Wadsworth, of course…the lead, no doubt! who was played by Tim Curry, who also played Dr Frank-N-Furter, in Rocky Horror Picture Show. I sense a theme, wait…I think he also introduced me to Legend, in which Tim Curry played Darkness…hmmm…

No matter what was going on in my life, our paths crossed, when I would come home from college for holidays, we would get together, or I would go to The Red Spot, a bar on Bay Street, where he was working, he also worked at CVS, forever as I remember it! I started seeing photos on FaceBook, and I almost never go on FaceBook, but I had to see it for myself…and there it was, not a rumor, the memories, oh man, the memories.

As sad as it is, reaching out to some friends I haven’t spoken to in years, so worth it. This was not a human being you would, could, or ever want to forget. Although my heart is hurting right now, it’s also full of love, my eyes are welling, but I’m smiling, the biggest smile I have in me. I know all of us who know, knew AGM, are better for having him in our atmosphere, as someone said to me ‘I’ll be happy that, in this short life of mine/ours, that I/we got to spin around the orbit, which was planet AGM.’ I don’t think anyone could have said it better.

As I leave you, my friends, hug each other…today is a gift, and knowing you are in my universe makes me a richer person, thank you.

And now…I’m going to put on my pj’s, get under the covers, and watch Mannequin as I drift off to sleep. Thank you AGM for, well, for you.

{February 12, 2024} As promised…fur babies!

This past week, I got to snuggle and sleep with a few fabulous four legged furry friends! And you know I was loving life!

At SDL’s, she has four indoor cats, they all used to be strays, she took two in as kittens and then two others decided to come in after a few years and now they’re indoor/outdoor cats, but the first two, they’re indoor only. The two ‘original’ kittens are LuLu and Monte, you can see Monte below, sitting in a windowsill, I had the hardest time getting LuLu to pose for me. Goldie is the orange, technically red tabby and WarLord is the handsome fells sitting on the roof of my car, as if you could tell that’s where he is!

As with every time I visit, it takes a minute, but LuLu and Monte warm up to me pretty quickly, the other two, it takes a minute. Monte is a stricking tabby cat, a solid cat with very soft fur and after two days, started rubbing up against me and even sitting in my lap! LuLu, his sister, is another tabby with a white chest and piercing blue eyes! She is a doll baby, soft and solid, and like her brother, took about two days and she was sitting on my lap. They also both got on my bed and sat with me, LuLu even snuggled with me one of two nights and you know I was loving life!

WarLord is a handsome fella with a white chest and all grey body. Both he and Goldie seem to have a puffier bottom lip, it almost looked like they were sticking out their tongues at me, LuLu and Monte, not at all! WarLord came up to me here and ther, didn’t run away when I tried to pet him and was very thankful when I would let him in or out of the house.

Then…there’s Goldie. He is so very skitting, not just with me, but sometimes with SDL herself. He wants to be petted, he comes up to you, stretches his arm out, claws extended, not to hurt, just to get your attention, grabs on, ouch! and then when you turn or bend down to pet him, run away, run away! One night, he sat on the bed, what?! I missed the shot, but LuLu was just in front of me, Goldie was where you see him in this picture, and Monte was on a seat under the table in the background, I was so disappointed one of them moved when I moved to grab my phone!

Goldie, as it happens, and surprising to me…stayed on the bed in that spot two consecutive nights! I realized I couldn’t move my legs near him, or get out of bed, or he was gone, so just like I remember sleeping with cats, you work around them! ha ha. Who knows what my next visit will be like!

At JCTs, meet Oscar, he comes with many names and monikers, Oscar the Grouch, Oscar the Great, Oscar Mayer Weiner, just to name a few. He is a very sweet 8 month old pug, very sweet, rambunctious, barked at everything! barely sits still, loving, ball of energy.

He wasn’t there when I got there, but I got to meet him the next day. What a doll-baby! He played fetch, got in my lap, we chased each other, he gave little kisses, didn’t always listen, but he’s a puppy so…par for the course. We went on a few walks together, played a bunch, and Saturday night, he curled up on my lap, then stretched out and stayed there for a very long time! Let’s just say…I was loving life in that moment, but mother nature was calling and I so didn’t want to get up, I knew that moment would be gone! So I sat there and stroked his head and his tiny ears and smile.

One of the things I love about visiting my family of friends is borrowing their fur babies to snuggle with. Since I can’t have cats, you know I’m in heaven whenever I’m with someone who has them, and being with someone who has dogs, well, I get my puppy fix until I get home.

Thank you SDL and JCT, auntie is so very happy! I might have some fuzzy dreams now! G’night!

{February 11, 2024} It was a long long long day! Goodbye, hello, goodbye, hello.

It was a good day, but a long one! Mostly a long drive.

I got up, said goodbye to JCT, JT, mom, and Oscar, the pug. Oh, I haven’t told you about Oscar yet, have I?! I didn’t tell you about the other four legged fur babies I got to hang out with this week, I didn’t! Tomorrow it is!

Well, back to today! I got up, said my goodbyes, and was on my way, I had a long drive back to PA today! I let PSM and dad know I was on the road, and I let MM know as well, I was going to have a stop in North Carolina to see him on my way in about four hours! Score! Podcast on, butt warmer on, let’s go!

If I were to drive straight, from JCT’s house, it’s 10 hours 58 minutes. Was I going to go straight home? Nope, the drive time is the same, but the time I’m on the road, not so much! I left about 840a, I would have been home before 9p, that would be loverly. I’ve done 12 hour drives, no problem, especially if it’s light out. I drove from St Louis to Denver a few times, about 12 hours, leave at 8a, especially gaining 2 hours, get there about 7p, it was great. This was not that!

I started my drive with a stop at Starbucks, drove to meet MM at a place called the Famous Toastery, not far from MM in South Carolina. We had a great visit and a good meal. I met him about 12p, told you, just about 4 hours, I left him close to 2p, a little later than I wanted, but we were having such a good time!

Goodbye hugs, we could have talked all day, I love that about my friends! Stopped for gas before I got on the highway and I was off! I listened to a podcast, then another, and another, let’s just say I pod-casted until I got home! I stop about every half tank, that gets me a good ways, I get to get out of the car, stretch my legs, fill up, bio-break, maybe get a snack, it helps the time go. Sometimes, a stop at a rest stop, same except for the gas, of course!

Oh! One of the things that I love, when I’m driving and using Google Maps, each time I cross a state line, it pops up a Welcome To! I’ll grab a few pics for you next time! I crossed from GA to South Carolina to North Carolina to Virginia to West Virginia to Maryland to Pennsylvnia. I could be going out of order, I have no sense of direction, ask anyone! But I know I was in those states! HA HA

It was raining on and off all day, so no top down, boo. I talked to a few people, but mostly it was me, podcasts, the road, and Annie, my beetle bug. My one stop for food was at a Taco Bell, I love running for the border! The thing I love about Taco Bell is that I can eat there! The rice and beans are vegan! Wah to the hoo! I ordered a black bean crunch wrap, but I ordered it fresco, which means no meat. Not sure what happened between me placing the order, I saw it on the screen, and actually making it. I got a little way down the road and two bites in when I realized this was a beef crunch wrap, no bueno! I can tell you, I haven’t had beef in over 25 years, no matter what I’ve tried throughout the years, this was not one of them and I did not have a good reaction! I turned around and went back, they made me a new crunch wrap, but it took a long time for my body to get over that one, it wasn’t fun.

On the road again, got to get back on the road again. By now, it was definitely full dark, but I’m still doing alright, it was about 730pm. I was back on the highway and moving along, doing great until about 930p and the day was starting to catch up with me. I pulled into a Love’s Travel Stop, it’s a gas station, truck stop, travel stop, they have showers for truck drivers, well, anyone who wants to pay for one, food, beverages, car supplies, and there’s usually some fast food restaurant attached. The restrooms are clean, it’s bright, and I even signed up for a Love’s card finally, I’ll at least get a discount on gas from now on and points to boot!

I had about an hour to go! Back on the road, and I can do it! PSM called about 1015p and I was just getting off the road, almost home! Wahoo! I pulled into the barn about 1030p, unloaded my laptop bag and my duffle and headed into the house to be greeted by the pitter patter of a Ruby and a Bee! I dropped my stuff, immediate bio-break, I felt bad for the dogs, they were trying to get in there with me! Came out, got covered in kisses and nuzzles, then came up for air, said hello to PSM, grabbed the dogs and took them upstairs for a cuddle.

PSM came up about 30 minutes later, not sure if I was awake or not! Put the pups in the crate for the night, I managed to get in my jammies and I don’t know if I’m sleep writing to you now!

A great trip, but I’m beat! Good n…..zzzzzzz

{February 10, 2024} Happy New Year!

Today is Chinese New Year! The Year of the Dragon!

What is the Lunar New Year, you may be asking yourself, as I might ask of you, if you were writing this, but I will ask it of myself, since I’m the one writing and pondering this very question!

Originating in multiple countries in east Asia, the holiday is filled with rich culture and tradition that centers around the hope for good fortune and prosperity [I took that directly from the website, I couldn’t have said it better myself!]. I think that sounds loverly!

Depending on where you are, there are celebrations, festivals, parties, good food, good drink, good friends, good family, all in hopes of celebration some good prosperity, not only financially, but spiritually, emotionally, and with your health. Sign me up!

Each Chinese astrological sign corresponds with a year, and an animal. This year, 2024, it’s the year of the dragon and according to the site, people born during the year of the Dragon are said to be naturally charismatic and gifted, often inspiring those around them. I would say so, I’m spending the day with JCT and she is the year of the dragon and yeah, that about says it all!

I am 1971, the year of the pig, we are known to be generous, diligent and compassionate. They are energetic, enthusiastic, and love to have fun. They have a great sense of responsibility and handle conflict calmly. Is that me? Who can we ask?

Check out this page to see what animal you are based on your birth year. I think some of them are a little off, and some are spot on, which makes me smile!

Today, instead of just sending a text, I got to wish one of my closest friends, JCT, who happens to be Chinese, a very happy new year! And to her daugther as well! Her mom, I wished happy new year last night when it was New Year’s Eve. Her mom cooked a feast! There was salmon and tofu, chicken, dumplings, Chinese sausage, and tofu wrapped egg. Everything was great! I know, you’re saying to yourself, but JJ, you’re vegan! I know friends, but mom cooked the food, the very least thing I could do was try it and she is a great cook and did not disappoint! I enjoyed tasting everything, with a few extra pieces of the egg wrapped tofu on my plate, y u m!

Today was low key, JCT took me to Sweet Hut Bakery & Cafe, which she introduced me to years ago when we first started hanging out when I still lived in GA, and every time I visit, there are a few places she takes me and Sweet Hut is oen of them! One time when PSM was here with me, I got to introduce him to it, with JCT, of course! They have wonderful treats, I forgot to take a picture, sorry! and the best time to go is in the morning, things are out fresh, they were still putting up the signs for what things were.

I picked up one of almost everything, well, everything that I could eat! They had savory and sweet, I stayed away from the savory because most of the time, that meant meat. The sweet, I bought a bunch, and I am taking it all home to share with PSM! I bought one of everything, except for the red bean moon cake, because I la la la love red bean and I got one for me and one for him! I ain’t sharing!

We also went to Great Wall Supermarket, well, we did that the other day, a wonderful Asian market/grocery store. I picked up some treats, spices, staples, that I am out of at home, and since we don’t have any Asian markets near us, I go when I can! Today, it was Assi, another great market, sometimes I have an idea of what I want and sometimes JCT recommends things to/for me. One of the things we were looking for were Korean sweet potatoes, mom had made some and they were delicious!

We spent the morning going up and down the aisles, talking, browsing, purchasing, it’s one of the things I love about visiting with JCT, we go to new and interesting places where I can find some wonderful items, I think that’s a wonderful way to star the new year!

In different parts of the world there are different celebrations happening to ring in the Chinese New Year. There are festivals, lion dances, it is a dance usually invited by traditional Chinese families to perform as a symbolic ritual to usher in the Spring Festival and to ward off bad luck and evil spirits, here’s one underwater in Malaysia! Here’s one from our former home state of Hawai’i. I’ve been lucky enough to see them in many different cities and I’m always fascinated and charmed by the splendor.

I have wonderful memories from childhood celebrating with a family that lived down the street from us. They would invite us to their Chinese New Year celebration, the food, the sights, the sounds, the red envelopes, all bringing a smile to my face.

I was looking for was looking for some Chinese New Year greetings or wishes to leave you with and I found this great site that had 8. I couldn’t decide which one I felt I wanted to share the most with you, so I’ll start with this one, after the photo, the rest.

I say to you, my dear friends, who are my family, I wish you prosperity, health, and happiness, in this, 2024, the Year of the Dragon.

新年快乐 – HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR
MANDARIN: XĪN NIÁN KUÀI LÈ

恭喜发财 – WISH YOU PROSPERITY AND GOOD FORTUNE
MANDARIN: GŌNGXǏ FĀCÁI

大吉大利 – GOOD LUCK AND BIG PROFIT
MANDARIN: DÀ JÍ DÀ LÌ

身体健康 – GOOD HEALTH
MANDARIN: SHĒN TǏ JIÀN KĀNG

吉祥如意 – GOOD LUCK AND FORTUNE BE ACCORDING TO YOUR WISHES
MANDARIN: JÍ XIÁNG RÚ YÌ.

万事如意 — MAY ALL GO WELL WITH YOU
MANDARIN: WÀN SHÌ RÚ YÌ

学业有成 – ACADEMIC SUCCESS OR ACADEMIC PROGRESS
MANDARIN: XUÉYÈ YǑUCHÉNG

{February 9, 2024} It’s Krazy…A New Experience

So…tonight, I did something new to me, not to a lot of people, but definitely new to me!

I was with JCT and her husband JT, and we went to Krazy Deals. What is Krazy Deals you may be asking? Well…it’s held in several locations, different days, but the concept is the same. Basically they have inventory that was Amazon reutrns, overstock items, things like that and they are out on tables, or what they call bins, and on certain days, at dedicated times, you can go and all of the merchandise is one price, some days it’s $8, some days everything is $7, some days $2, you get the point.

Well…the reason these are Krazy Deals, as the name implies, is that no matter what the item is, it’s that price that day. Some of the items are returns, they could be brand new, they might not be, you don’t know until you look. They have bedding, electronics, clothing, kitchen wear, home decor, holiday decorations, you name it, they probably have it!

You have to see it to believe it, and you have to scan the barcode to really get the idea, JCT got a pair of brand new, still sealed, JBL earbuds, that retail for $99, for $8, now that’s a deal! And that’s how it works, someone else they know got a metal detector, it retailed for $75, they got it for $8.

Now…you go to the place, some have hours in the morning, then the evening, they’re not open ever day, and you get there when they open, so you can get the best stuff, or at least you’re hoping to get the best stuff! You don’t know what’s on the tables when they come out, they are covered with a plastic sheet so people can’t scope out what they want before they start.

In between sessions, meaning, after they have the first set of tables, or bins, out, they do a raffle to give items away, then they bring out the next set of items, lift the tape and they’re off! People are drawn to this stuff like little kids after they break a open a pinata! There’s the thrill of the chase and the find, you put it in your shopping cart, fill it up, and then when you’re done, you determine what you really want to keep and what you’re going to put back. Some peopel go with friends and they trade items, you know your friend is looking for socks, and they know you’re looking for kitchen knives, that sort of thing.

Some people are looking for things for themselves to keep, some people are looking for things they can sell on eBay, Amazon, Marketplace, wherever they might sell items. So…you buy something that retails for $50, you get it at Krazy Deals for $6, then you turn around and sell it for $50, or more or less, whatever you think you can get for it, and make a little, not a bad deal…if you can sell the item. If you’re good at it, great, more power to ya! Good luck.

I bought a few things for myself, things I want to try to craft with and either give away or sell eventually, I’ll be telling you about that venture eventually! But what I got, a box of 8 whatevers, for $8, I could have bought on Amazon for $30, yeah, I’d say that was a good deal for me!

I don’t know if I could do this very often, I’m sure if I did it more, I would get the hang of it, people know how to work the game, I wasn’t quite there, I was looking liesurely at everything and for everyone else, they were on a mission! JCT and JT do this as a date night some nights, they really love it and travel to the different locations. JCT has been telling me about it for a while and promised to take me when I was in town next, and here I am!

She knows what to look out for for me when she goes again, and I appreciate that! It was definitely an experience and I enjoyed it because we did it together and I saw their excitement and met their friends who they met through ‘binning’. Who knows what we’re going to find next visit!

{February 5, 2024} It’s that time of year again! It’s the Hot Chocolate 15k! Let’s do this!

For the past 11 years, I have participated in the Hot Chocolate run in Atlanta. January 13, 2013 was the inaugural Hot Chocolate race in Atlanta, easy for me to do there because I lived there at the time.

The first race I did was a 5k, they offered a 5k and a 15k. As a background: a 5k is 3.1 miles, 10k is 6.2 miles, a 15k is 9.1 miles, a half marathon is 13.1 miles, and a full marathon is 26.2. Here’s a deeper description of all the distances. After that you get into the ultra marathon realm, and that is waaayyy beyond my comprehension! Although, I do know a few people who participate in those, and more power to ’em!

I’m not sure if you remember me talking, in the past, about some of the races I’ve done. I’ve done obstacle races, mud runs, 5ks, 10ks, 15ks, and a few half marathons. I actually used to do about 5 races a month, mostly 5ks and one mud run every month or every other month. I was even doing them while I was on the road for work or when I was traveling internationally. The week before I met PSM, I had just done a 5k in Ireland and for our first 3-week trip to Europe, the week before we left I did the Brooklyn Half and when we got to Lisbon, Portugal, the next day I did the Lisbon Half, crazy, I know! Why did I stop?

To be honest, I don’t actually enjoy running, and no judgement against those that do, I admire you, honest I do, I keep saying I’m going to keep doing these until I enjoy running, hasn’t happened yet! And don’t let me fool you, I run part of it, but most, I run the start and the finish, so when someone asks “Did you run?” Why yes, yes I did. Did they ask how much I ran? No, no they did not! There were a few 5ks I actually ran the entire race, I still remember the first one, The Atlanta Women’s 5k, I ran the entire thing and as I was crossing the finish line, I was tearing up, I was so proud of myself!

When I do a race, I try to run, not just the start and finish, but I try to run some of it, and sometimes I’m more successful than others. This time I ran the first almost mile and then I walked pretty much the duration of the course. I was speaking with someone at work, NO, who is training for a half and said she felt similarly to how I do, until she read a book ‘Born to Run‘ and that changed her whole perspective. I need to find that book. I realized that although I don’t enjoy running, I enjoyed participating in the races. I joke I do it all for the swag, but I did enjoy the sense of accomplishment at completing a race.

There were people who were trying their hardest, there were people who were pushing themselves, there were people who were training for other races, like a half or a full marathon and part of the training is to have a long run, well, 9.1 miles is a longer run and this was a fun way to get that long run in. Now, my friend BG is training for a full and he had a long run day today, his was 18 miles. When he sent me his time, for twice the distance, he took 30 minutes longer to finish than my 9.1 miles, gotta love that!

Back to the race…I started doing the Hot Chocolate in Atlanta in 2013, it was a 5k, I wasn’t quite ready for anything else yet! and I was doing it with a friend. The same year, in Ocotber of 2013, I did it again in Denver, 5k, I also volunteered at the expo for race pick up, that was fun, so I volunteered again at the expo in 2015 in Atlanta. 2014 in Atlanta, I did the 5k again, but the next time I did the race, 2015 in Atlanta, and from that year on, I did the 15k. Why? Becuase there was a medal! I did mention I do these for the swag, right?! The Hot Chocolate really has the best sweatshirts.

You also might be asking why I keep doing it in Atlanta since I’ve moved a bit, well…here’s the swag thing again…they came out with a legacy series, you get something extra at your 3, 5, and 15 year mark. In the beginning, you could do the race anywhere, then…they changed the rules and you could only be a legacy if you did the race in the same city year after year, well, they finally amended that, but…I love doing the race where I started and it was inaugural! Besides, I have friends and family to visit here, it’s a win-win!

This year, I decided that since I’m at 13 years, I’m going to give it 2 more years, get my 15 year legacy swag and call it quits on the Hot Chocolate run. Let’s see if I hold me to that! I’ll keep you posted!.

The race is always at the end of January or beginning of February, and here we are February 4th…The race starts at Centennial Olympic Park, downtown Atlanta, the start is at 730a and you need to get down there by 645am, who sets these hours?! And it’s always freezing! And we pay for this? What? I got down there about 630a, parked, and eventually got out of the car, it was inevitable, I was going to have to at some point, right?!

Best part…rain held off until later this afternoon! Bad part…lots and lots of wind! I had my hat and gloves on, wind dies down, take them off, wind picks up, put them back on, and on and on and on, for the entire run!

Just before 730a, we are lined up in our respective corrals waiting to go, someone sings the national anthem, and then we’re off. I ran the first mile, walked the rest, with a jog/run here and there and definitely over the finish line. It’s funny, as you know I don’t post any pics of myself or anyone else that you can truly see our faces, but the pics they got of me, as I was crossing the finish line, cracked me up!

The course is decent, I was with everyone for the start, dwindled down as we went, since I wasn’t running the whole thing, huffing and puffing with my new friends as we climbed hills, who knew Atlanta was so hilly?! I did, and every time I do this stupid thing! ha ha. The worst, well, the worst part of a run, according to everyone, is that last one or two tenths of a mile because you know you’re almost there! You’re sooooo close. This one…why does the last tenth of a mile have to be UPHILL? It wasn’t a huge hill, it was a steady incline, but you could see it as you’re going up it. At that point I’m the little engine that could…I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!

With this distance, especially if you’re not a runner, or you’re encouraging other folks, you just did a mile, eight to go! They have mile markers out there and then when you get to 3.1 miles, there is a 5k sign, and you’re like…I just walked to my neighborhood, or I just walked to the grocery store and back. Then there’s the 6 mile marker and then the 10k, awesome! Only 3 miles to go! Then you’re down to 2 miles, then you see the 8 mile marker and you’re like, I can’t quit now, I’m almost there!

I have three goals when I do a run, I’ve shared these before: 1. Start. 2. Finish. 3. Have someone behind me. I think those are pretty good goals! There was a point, I was at the back with two other women, we were encouraging each other, pushing each other on, then we caught up to other people, and then somewhere around mile 8, I was pushing ahead of them, I must have found my second win because by the time I was rounding that last corner, there were a lot of people behind me. I ran over the finish, cheered and people were cheering for me, it felt amazing! I did it, another one down!

I got my medal, I told you I do this for the swag! ha ha and then I stopped that pace and all of a sudden, my body said a big WTF, now…I have a race shirt that says WTF on the front and Where’s the Finish? on the back, this was not it, I knew where the finsih was, I just crossed it, ha ha. This was, the adrenaline that you just experienced has left your body and you know what you just put it through for 9.1 miles!

I got my medal and hobbled over to the finisher’s tent to get my finisher’s cup. This is a cup filled with lots of goodies, a hot chocolate in the middle, dipping chocolate, and things to dip in the chocolate. As some of you know, I don’t like chocolate, so I got mine with out any chocolate, poor guy who gave me my mug said he didn’t like it, and he was in the tent giving out the stuff, it smelled so chocolatey! Poor guy! I also gave away a few of the things to some kids near me, the marshmallow and the Rice Krispie treat, not my thing. I enjoyed the banana, pretzels, and trail mix, and my bottle of water, y u m!

I ate as I walked to my car, high fived finishers, congratulated others, and sat in my car with the but warmers on for a bit, ooh, that felt good! All in all I am very glad I did it, despite what my body says! I saw 2:39 when I crossed the finish, my time, that they emailed 2:33, I think that’s pretty respectable time for walking, with a little run thrown in, 9.1 miles!

Another year, another Hot Chocolate 15k done. I’m proud of myself, I just checked my time from last year and I was 5 minutes faster! Go me! ha ha. Now I’m going to check all the years and see what I did!

So, my friends, another race done, I think this may have inspired me to get back into it, and who knows…I may tell you about a race I actually ran! Oh my word! Or even got to where I enjoyed running! I know, I know, don’t get ahead of myself!

Nighty night and sweet dreams!

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