Hey there internet friends. How goes it? Last week was my first week back at freelance life full-time.

I had a great week. I managed to work enough hours to earn what I need to earn weekly (1 down and 51 more to go for a successful year!), got lots of stuff done around the house and also fit in a few short runs on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

Freelance life

Freelance life! Duncan spent every morning from 9am-noon in this position while I worked.

Running in the heat on Tuesday

Running in the heat on Tuesday

Running in the heat on Thursday

Running in the heat on Thursday

Running in the heat on Friday

Running in the heat on Friday while waiting for my hats to dry

Weekend of Sailing

Friday evening I drove out to Long Island with Mr. SOTSS and his girls for a weekend of sailing with his dad and his dad’s wife. We went last year over Memorial Day Weekend and it was a bit cooler.

This guy! He keeps me on course and anchored.

This guy! He keeps me on course and anchored.

We had so much fun and really enjoyed the breeze while at sea.

Me and Mr. SOTSS' daughters just hanging

Me and Mr. SOTSS’ daughters just hanging.

We traveled across the Long Island Sound to Connecticut. It took about 3 1/2 hours. We stayed overnight and slept on the boat and then traveled back the next day. There’s no better way to relax than sitting on a boat at sea. Just sit back and enjoy the scenery. Not to mention I enjoyed the quality time spent with Mr. SOTSS and his family. I love his girls so much. They’re adorable, funny and we have so much fun playing games and being silly. Oh, and his oldest has been teaching me how to swim properly! We worked on me just going underwater without holding my nose. Arms and leg kicks will come next. I was the official hair braider. French braids for his oldest, a pair of pigtail braids for his youngest and a single side braid for me 🙂

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I didn’t run all weekend but got back to it yesterday with a run/walk. It was in the upper 90s and I figured I’d just take it easy. No sense pushing myself during my non-training season right?IMG_4648

I saw the tallest sunflower in the front yard of a house I ran past. IMG_4645

Then, last night there was a wicked thunderstorm. It blew through quickly but took out my power for about 5 hours but it also left a rainbow! IMG_4695

While I waited for power to be restored I had a few bowls of cereal. Didn’t want the milk to spoil 🙂IMG_4702

Working hard to restore power

Working hard to restore power

This morning I took Duncan to the park for a walk knowing we’re in for another super hot day.

IMG_4720And now I’m going to take care of a few freelance assignments.

How was your week? weekend? Tell me 3 good things.

Hi everyone,

Happy Monday. I haven’t felt the urge to write much lately. Not really sure why. I’ll just blame the heat. I am one of the rare ones who doesn’t love summer heat.

I still managed to get out and walk for a bit a few days last week on my lunch break. Even when it rained.

Just walking at lunch in a drizzle

Just walking at lunch in a drizzle

Anyhoo, I didn’t run at all for an entire week but yesterday I decided to give it a go.

Getting ready for my first run in a week. 87 degrees out.

Getting ready for my first run in a week. 87 degrees out.

I had some various running injuries…a.k.a. “runjuries” that I hoped would ease up in the week I didn’t run and happy to report that I definitely had some improvement.

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My left hip had been sore for a few weeks. I don’t really know the cause although my theory revolves around the fact that it started over the 2 months that I was driving to and from work for 40-60 minutes each way and being quite sedentary during the day at the office, and also running mostly in the late evenings where I basically was sedentary right afterward. I think the hip got stiff.

My right foot arch had been sore for about a week. My theory for that is that my dress sandals that I’ve been wearing a whole lot over the last 2 months (due to the dress code at work) were a bit big on me and I was scrunching my foot unconsciously to keep the shoe from falling off.

I’m happy to report both of those sore spots were completely gone when I ran yesterday which makes me so happy.

woo hoo!

woo hoo!

The knee, (which was a huge issue last year) was much better and I’ll continue to foam roll and try not to run on any sloped roads and I’m sure in another week or so I’ll be able to up my mileage if I want.

For those of you that read here regularly you know I took the full time job a few months ago in addition to retaining my freelance graphic design business. Well, I decided the full time job wasn’t a good fit for me. I knew in my heart within the first week but gave it time just to be sure. So I wrapped up last week and now I’m happily back to my freelance life. Ironically the one thing I worried about wasn’t really an issue at all. I worried I wouldn’t be able to get my runs in, but I totally managed to get in 3-4 runs a week the entire 10 weeks including many awesome runs on those Friday evenings along the tow path by the office. But the job ended up not matching the description that I was under the impression it would be. I wasn’t being utilized fully. My skill set and senior level expertise weren’t being tapped into and I really wasn’t feeling very fulfilled. I’m really glad I gave it a whirl though. I learned a lot, especially how to work on a PC after only working on a Mac for the last over 20 years 🙂

Bye bye office building....hello again home office

Bye bye office building….hello again home office

I spent the weekend with Mr. SOTSS. We saw the Secret Life of Pets on Friday night and I was so disappointed. After the cute first 10 minutes or so it got a little too violent for me. I’m too sensitive to see animals getting hurt. Even animated ones. But the popcorn didn’t let me down. So there’s the silver lining.

Why is movie popcorn so good?

Why is movie popcorn so good?

On Saturday Mr. SOTSS and I took a drive down to the Jersey Shore. I wanted to just walk along the beach and maybe put my toes in the water. We didn’t look at the weather forecast and as soon as we arrived the sky got dark and severe thunderstorms came through. We ducked into a restaurant for a quick bite and then resigned ourselves to the fact that the rain was only getting heavier so we ran as fast as we could the 1/4 mile back to the car and left.

IMG_4350I read online later that 2 people actually got struck by lightening not too far away from where we were.

I love Mr. SOTSS’ backyard. When you sit out on the deck you really feel like you’re in a remote part of the world on vacation. We started our day yesterday with our morning coffee outside.

pooches at our feet

pooches at our feet

Morning coffee

Morning coffee

Then, we dined alfresco as well for dinner. We made some delicious fish tacos and paired some frozen margaritas with them.

All the fixings ready to assemble

All the fixings ready to assemble

I made the sauce. mayo, sour cream, chipotle, hot sauce, cilantro, lime, oregano, salt and pepper

I made the sauce. mayo, sour cream, chipotle, hot sauce, cilantro, lime, oregano, salt and pepper

Dinner is served

Dinner is served

Cheers to full bellies and full hearts

Cheers to full bellies and full hearts

It’s going to be in the mid 90s today so Duncan and I will be staying indoors for most of the day.

Do you like the heat?

Do you like fish tacos?

Hello,

Have I mentioned the fact that I can’t believe we’re more than halfway through the year already.

My folks were out of town for the weekend and I was tasked with getting their mail and newspapers. But more importantly to tend to their garden. I love it when they ask me to do that because I score some awesome herbs and veggies. The most recent haul consisted of zucchini, basil, oregano and some swiss chard.

Their basil plants are on steroids!

Their basil plants are on steroids!

I ran about 2 miles to their house and then 2 miles back.

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My body has been giving me some grief lately. My knee, is a bit wonky so I need to stay on flat ground and take walk breaks every so often. Also, the arch of my foot (on the same side as the knee) has been hurting (which i most definitely believe one is related to the other). And my left hip is still mildly sore. Batting 1000!

On Saturday I took a drive upstate to visit my friend Nicole. I spent some quality time with her (almost) 5 year old daughter.

 

I'm surrounded by cuteness

I’m surrounded by cuteness

I think I want a pair of silver sparkle jellies too

I think I want a pair of silver sparkle jellies too

And she made the best cake. It had hot pink frosting and marshmallow icing in-between the two layers of pink cake.

Pink poodle, pink cake. We take pink very seriously

Pink poodle, pink cake. We take pink very seriously

Duncan and I being silly

Duncan and I being silly

On Sunday I spent about 5 hours over at Mr. SOTSS’ to hang with Chester while Mr. SOTSS and his girls were away for the day.

You mean he's not going to be home ALL DAY?

You mean he’s not going to be home ALL DAY?

Chester gets depressed when his dad isn’t around but he was happy that I was there to feed him dinner and let him out in the yard and maybe he enjoyed watching the Olympic trials with me and Duncan?

Doing my freelance work, watching the Olympic trials and hanging with the pooches

Doing my freelance work, watching the Olympic trials and hanging with the pooches

I took advantage of the Chester-sitting visit to use Mr. SOTSS’ grill and grilled up all my garden loot. And while I was at it I grilled shrimp too.

getting ready to grill

getting ready to grill

I cut up the basil into ribbons and sprinkled it on the zucchini and the shrimp and then doctored everything up with olive oil, salt, pepper and some garlic.

Dinner is served! And I ate outside on the deck since it was so nice out

Dinner is served! Grilled zucchini and shrimp. And I ate outside on the deck since it was so nice out

In other weekend news, Duncan went to the groomer.

Before and After

Before and After

And now he smells delicious. I hope your week is off to a good start.

Do you have a barbecue? Do you like to grill?

Do you have a garden? What do you grow? I’m waiting for tomatoes, peppers and corn to come from my dad’s garden in the coming weeks.

Hi there.

We’re in the midst of a heatwave here in NY and NJ. Temps in the 90s will be hanging around until Sunday when I think we’ll get a break. I love my 2015 Subaru Forester but I have to say that the air conditioning leaves a lot to be desired. #firstworldproblems

But today’s sky was filled with so many puffy clouds. I love to take pics of them and then draw little animal characters out of them.

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So on Monday I did exactly what I set out to do. I ran a few miles and then hit up Road Runner Sports for my new Asics Cumulus 18s.

4 miles for the 4th of July

4 miles for the 4th of July

Asics Cumulus 18s

Asics Cumulus 18s

It was love at first feel. I ended up getting a half size larger than normal at the suggestion of the woman helping me. I normally get a size 8 but I went with the 8.5 and after tonight’s run I am sure I made the right decision. I guess in the summer your feet can expand. The 8s always fit but sometimes they felt a little snug in the summer.

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86 degrees at 9:20pm!

IMG_4212I’ve never had such loud colored laces before and I have to say I am digging them. I felt more visible while running after dark and something about dayglow orange just makes me happy. I ended up getting them for $95 which is about $25 less than suggested retail price so that makes me happy too.IMG_4201

Speaking of great prices, I popped into Old Navy on a whim and scored these nice long compression shorts for just $15!IMG_4223

a better close up of the detail black on black pattern

a better close up of the detail black on black pattern

They have a small pocket on the waist that I like and they feel really comfy. I hope they’ll hold up for a while.

And now I’m foam rolling and icing and Duncan is enjoying the couch.

Couch surfer

Couch surfer

Foam rolling

Foam rolling

What is your favorite sneaker to run in? Is it hot where you are at the moment? Do you ever score cheap running gear?