Yes. I do. Blogging. Running. Riding. Uh, but we can skip the motivation on the swimming. I’d rather not be swimming right now.

I have a few half marathons coming up. I have new shoes I need to show ya. Perhaps a style show is in order? I’ve been neglecting you. Oh, and I have been promising some blog posts that I haven’t blogged about and then don’t some more and then keep putting it off and then don’t blog even more. Repeat that sentence with running.

It’s a never ending cycle.

Wow. It doesn’t get more boring or confusing than this.

I also needs me some grammar and speling lessons. Sometimes I think, nah . . . no matter. I’m old and this just a blog – but really, it’s merely the bedrock of my meaningful written communication to you Internet People, and meaningful written communication certainly has little or nothing to do with my blog that is focused entirely on writing as a form of communication to my lovely Internet People. So, feel free to input any and all grammar, spelling and proper punctuation errors. You can grade me, or ignore me.

Sweet, sweet happiness prevails in Runner Susan World.

Just so you know, Internet people, I’m not giving up the blog for Facebook. I update my blog, which updates Twitter, which updates Facebook – so if the blog goes it all goes. I do update Twittter and comment on FB, occasionally, but I’m going to be strict with myself on what I do best. And I give good blog so that’s what I’ll stick to.

That being said, that’s not why I’ve been lazy about blogging these past few months. It’s a whole variety of things, all of which contribute to what only appears to be laziness. And in concerted effort to maintain that form of laziness I’m going to bullet point them for you:

• Vacation in Napa
• Thinking about vacation in Napa
• Seriously considering moving to Napa
• Because it’s beautiful and it’s not ever 200 million degrees outside
• And time explaining to everyone that we are not crazy because it took 2 years of planning and 1 year of building for our dream home and now we want to move
• It’s simple, if we sell our lovely and giant house in Texas, we can buy a very small house in Napa for the summer and one here for the school year
• And when Kenza graduates from High School we move there FOREVER and never return to the blazes of hell called Texas
• Of course, if we sell our house we could only buy the equivalent of a matchbox in California
• And I totally get it now because of the glorious weather
• But I like matchboxes, so it’s all good
• That’s our plan and we’re sticking to it
• Then there was a trip to Indiana
• A trip that involved me using a blowtorch and hauling around a bunch of concrete to repair my parent’s indoor plumbing and broken up patio
• Bathing outdoors in the old above ground Esther Williams pool is anything but fun, and that’s all I’ll say about that
• Because if that trip was anything, it wasn’t a vacation – it was labor camp for the weary that involved driving 2,000 miles
• Then I had a nervous breakdown and started to purge everything I own to mini-me myself for a smaller house or two
• Pretty much if it wasn’t nailed down it was getting thrown away
• Coming back to the heat has taken a little adjusting
• Because it’s so stupid hot
• And I don’t like hot
• Or cold
• I’m a delicate flower like that
• Sensitive in the ways of all things wilting or freezing
• I can’t help it
• It gets hot and stays hot 24 hours a day in Texas. And when it isn’t hot, it’s negative zero.
• It’s true; I don’t make these things up.
• And I’ve been having really horrible hot flashes and hormone related migraines.
• Those are no fun either
• Anyhow, this past Sunday I ran with Marsha for 9 miles at a 10:33 pace in the freaking depths of hell called Texas
• And then Monday I rode for 1.5 hours with T and it was hot
• And then today T, Marsha and I ran 7.5 miles and a good portion of that was hill repeats
• Ghastly, horrible, awful, awful, awful hill repeats. In the depths of hot hell
• Then after the rotten hill repeats, T and I rode for 1 hour and by then I was pretty much goo from being melted by the blazing hot hot hell sun
• Then I today I traded in my ginormous SUV for a petite wagon. A cute one, too.
• I gave them my SUV and they gave me a new car and a check for the difference.
• Seriously, I didn’t know that was possible.
• And if there is anything I hate doing more than wielding a blow torch in a bathroom the size of a pea, it’s car shopping – but car shopping with a return made it a little better
• But it’s over and now I drive all over San Francisco in my tiny, cute little car
• The car that’s more gas-friendly than a tank
• And I’m in the process of moving offices and my stuff is split between the two rooms
• And it’s all over the place and I’m on the verge of a mental breakdown
• And that’s all I have to say about that
• But tomorrow both the offices will be completely finished
• Or I’ll just be a total basket case for the rest of my hot life

So if I may, I’ll leave you with a photo from my Indiana trip. It’s the small things in life that matter, Internet People. Small things like indoor plumbing.

Chef: I just took a shower and I feel refreshed.

RS: Are you saying I need a shower?

Chef: No. That is not what I said.

RS: Why would I need refreshing? Am I dirty? Am I hideous? DO I JUST PLAIN STINK?!?

Chef: No, you do not stink.

I’m wide awake, AGAIN. I’m giving this insomnia a few more days before I seek professional help. Whenever I see one of those commercials for Lunesta I find myself wishing that little green moth would jump out of the TV and land on my face. Then again, I don’t see why I just can’t keep taking NyQuil – except for the fact I don’t have any of those coughing, aching, sniffing, etc. symptoms. Picky, picky.

In other news I went to four nurseries today to try and find white petunias. I only needed 2 flats! Who knew it would be so hard. On the third trip to Home Depot, the Chef threatened to cut me off because the back of my car looks like this many, many times a day:

I’m already banned from the rock store. And I’m on my way to being banned from Calloways, but I really NEEEED these pots. Need. Need. Need.

They would look so good around the goat-sacrificing rock. Don’t you think? Yeah, me too. But Chef’s all like “we are already way over our landscaping budget and we haven’t even ordered the grapes.” Seriously, Internet People, I love the man and I’m grateful for everything we have and I’m fully behind the whole growing wine in our own backyard but I don’t think an acre of wine is going to put enough shoes in my closet. You know, the kind I don’t wear anymore because I’m always wearing rubber boots to work in the yard.

Speaking of which, I seriously need to work on getting some snake-proof shoes before we clear the area for the vineyard. I’m quite certain snakes could bite through rubber boots and I’m sure I’ll find many other scary things out there in the future vineyard area of our property. You know, the area that is going to replace the Chef’s former executive bastard salary. In. About. Five. Years. And. In. My. Dreams.

Budget is my favorite word. Really, I can be good at this. I can budget for a few years. Just like I can run a 3:45 marathon.

Okay, I think that is enough sleepless lunatic ranting and typos from me. I’m off to find the NyQuil because I have to take our Cherry Berry to the vet at 8AM and it’s all the way across Dallas. And driving in rush hour traffic with a 3-legged dog that can’t sit still is my most favorite thing in the world to do.