Running, Running, Running

October was mostly spent training for the Richmond Half-Marathon. The weeks were filled with five to six mile runs with the weekends being double that. Unfortunately I put my weekend adventures on hold until I finished training for this race. I felt good about my time and how strong I was getting. For my 12-mile run, my visiting teacher drove me to Herndon and I ran back to my car in Falls Church. Great motivation for not stopping!

The beginning of a 12-mile run

One weekend was a mid-singles conference and one event was held at the French Embassy. I'd been there before and didn't the venue was worth the hype being placed on it. Oh well. Still had fun with friends.

Friends at the French Embassy

Friend at the French Embassy

Facetime for the twins' birthday

The last week of October my good friend Mel came to visit. Mel, Cheryl (good friend who lives close-by), and I were able to enjoy some time together and endure the ritual we call Halloween. I love when my friends are in town!

Trunk-or-treat? Kids have it too easy

Avengers

Roommates together again

Happy Halloween!

Merry Old Month of May

May really kicked off my hashtag of discoveringDC as I continued to explore and enjoy my old and new friendships on the east coast.

Love when the Ball family comes to town

Ball family

Love the beautiful spring weather

Roommates together again

Embassy day

At the Czech Republic ambassador's home

Spring flowers everywhere!

Bought my first piano

Birthdays at Gravelly Point

First Nats game of the season

Outer Banks

Wright Brothers Memorial

Sunday Reflections

To my renewed love of reading: Thank you. I've missed you. Sitting and reading a book, even one as dense as John Adams, for hours has been refreshing. It's also sparked some interesting dreams again.

To my dreams: If you are going to make a complicated love triangle, can you make sure to finish it the next night? I'm interested to see how this one plays out. Also, the science experiment the hot guy and I were working on last night was awesome. Keep it up.

To my dear friend: The 2 1/2 hour conversation made my day. Definitely need to do that more often. Glad to hear you are doing well.

To you who didn't call: You missed out.

To my former student: Thanks for the kind words. It's good to hear I'm still making a difference.

To my roommate: I love that you texted me from London. Live it up.

To the the crabby guy who emailed me at work: I don't know you. You don't know me. Was I really worth your time to make such a disparaging comment? I didn't think so.

To ABC Family: Thanks for making cheesy movies to watch on a Sunday night. Great contrast to the heavy reading (see above) I'm trying to finish before Wednesday.

To the chocolate chip cookies: Sorry I didn't have any eggs. But it was Sunday. Not going to the store. I'll have to make you tomorrow.

To my morning run: Only two more of you I have to do. Then I get to run because I want to.

To the half marathon on Saturday: Be kind.

To my lazy weekend: I don't remember the last time I had one. Felt nice not to be rushing from one thing to the next. Also, thank you clouds for making it overcast so I could finish my long run in spite of the 80 degree weather.

To my family and friends: You truly are amazing!

AOG - Day 4

1- I am grateful for google documents which allows my team to work on a project without being in the same room. Project completed!

2- I am grateful for MBA friends and the good memories I have with them. Today it was disrupting all the students in the Blue Line as we sang Happy Birthday to four women in our program.

3- I am grateful for a good roommate who supports me even when she doesn't entirely understand why I do what I do. She is considerate and kind and wonderful!

My Mom Taught Me

For the past ten or so years I have had roommates. Some have been a blast to live with while others have been completely inept at keeping a room or even a square foot area clean. When I went to put my dishes in the dishwasher this morning I just laughed and shook my head in annoyance. One (or maybe more) of my roommates believes that pots and pans belong on the top shelf. Now I am not talking about a small pan or there wasn't room on the bottom so the top was being filled for some semblance of efficiency. A large frying pan was placed on the top rack on top of all the bowls already there! I put the previously mentioned pan on the bottom where there was actually room and a chance of it getting clean. I think it is time to live on my own; alas two years of grad school are ahead of me and I should be economical and have roommates once again.

Here is Martha Stewart's tips for loading a dishwasher