The plants are confused – they think it is spring. I don’t mind a bit.

The cooler temperatures and the bit of rain has made for a wonderful display of color. I only wish it smelled as delicious as it looks.

Yesterday Peggy and I ran the Tour des Fleurs 20k. It took us a while but we each sweated out the toxins and finished the race. Peggy was fantastic and she could have run much faster, but she was a trooper and stuck with me and my colon. She’s nice like that. I’m okay with going slow for the time being, I haven’t even been wearing a watch because my goal is to just get healthy, have fun and finish. Oh, and as always, we stayed true to the stay cute goal. Look how cute we are in our matchy, matchy TDF shirts:

I really wanted to stay longer after the race and check out the Dallas Arboretum, but our shuttle but was heading out. So, instead I’ll let you tour the RS arboretum. I’ve been making stairs. I put my heart rock collection in the top concreted area – because I’m fancy like that.  It’s only three steps, but I’m so proud of myself – it’s like a staircase to heaven. Except, ya know, it isn’t because they are smack dab in the middle of the gas patch . . . but if I hold my breath and close my ears, I can pretend for just a little while. I should totally take up professional staircase making! Stair making outside the gas patch!! And stair making with extra exclamation points!!!!

September has been massively crazy – mostly due to the stupid bacteria my colon insists on hosting. I just finished my 24th day of medication. The 24th day of what could be the most disgusting medication on Earth. Cross your fingers that it is gone forever. [please. please. please. be gone.]

In an attempt to look better, even if I didn’t feel better, I made a trip to play visit with my twin in Oklahoma.  She gave me a new color and cut and we were super cute and super blonde again! Just look how awesome my hair is! I love it. Michelle’s hair is always cute . . . one of those perks of owning a super-cool salon.

The day after I came home from my much deserved playtime with Michelle, my parents arrived. And I can’t believe I don’t have any photos from their visit. It was nice and relaxed and Kenza got another guitar lesson from Grandpa and my mom and I slaved away at the garden.  I do happen to have photos of the work we did, albeit not sunny ones. More photos to follow in a later post.

And then there has been training. And I won’t lie, it hasn’t been easy . . . the air here has been so bad. Thank goodness Peggy and I head over to the trails to do our long runs. This Saturday we are running the 20k Tour des Fleurs. It is going to be so much fun – just cross your fingers for some cool weather.

It’s been such a remarkably hot August (and June & July) it is amazing anything is alive right now, let alone blooming.

I’ve been avoiding this too long. So, I’m bulleting. Get over it.

• I did P90X for about 2 weeks and then went on vacation to Indiana.
• In Lafayette, Indiana the plan was that Amy and I would do P90 every day.
• Um, that didn’t happen.
• What did happen was a whole lot of drinking margaritas or mojitos in the pool.
• Or both.
• And maybe some wine.
• And hot dog eating
• And playing dress up.
• And baseball games.
• And legos.
• We musn’t forget the legos.
• I love being Aunt Suzie.
• And there was bison and wolves.
• And sushi consumption with friends.
• And Kim remembers me doing cartwheels in the street.
• In heels.
• And, perhaps, some falling on my ass.
• Then I went to Indianapolis to visit my parents.
• No P90 there – only weeding and gardening.
• Seriously, my mom has neglected the weeds for what seemed like 40 million years.
• Don’t tell her I said that.
• But I’m a good daughter. I weed. I mulch. I dig. That’s what I do.
• Which I really didn’t mind because I brought back 3 garbage bags worth of plants for my garden.
• Which really don’t grow well in Texas.
• But I pretend.
• I’m back in Texas for 2 days and we have the mother of all hail storms.
• Followed my a massive plague of grasshoppers.
• Good thing I’m an atheist.
• Those 3 bags of plants?
• Um, for the most part, not so much plants anymore.
• Disastrous, monstrous storm clean-up takes place.
• Turns out the mother of all hail storms was actually a tornado.
• Ever clean a tree out of a pool?
• With a hot flash?
• Fun times.
• And we have to get a new roof. I’m seriously not happy about this.
• For 3 weeks, massive landscape clean-up was my P90X workout.
• Then something cool happened.
• My friend Peggy said she would train for a marathon with me.
• Woo-Hoo! A running partner.
• We’ve been running like rock stars and we are up to 7 miles.
• Then I planned a ShaleTest fundraiser.
• I baked a load of cookies.
• And I forgot to take pictures when everyone arrived.
• But it was awesome.
• Then I got a sinus infection.
• And didn’t do anything for 5 days.
• I blame global warming for the sinus infection. And, of course, gas drilling.
• Didn’t think I’d leave that out, did you?
• Now, I’m feeling better.
• But I still have hot flashes.
• Go antibiotics!
• Oh, and go new fall shoes that I can’t wear yet.
• Shhh, don’t tell Chef.
• But P90 hasn’t been on my schedule for a while.
• I know you all have been wanting to know how it’s going.
• Now you know.
• So, I’m thinking . . .
• Do I start P90X up on my non-run days?
• Or do I do it in addition with the run days?
• I really like the 4 day run weeks.
• A lot.
• But my big surgeryfied-belly says I need more.
• Sigh.
• Being old sucks.

So that’s it. Now I can get back to regular posting. Guilt free. Sort of.

So this is filler. I know it’s been a while, I’m working on it. Garden photos should work to fill the space until my brain is properly functioning again. Although, in this forsaken, stupid hot, gaseous hell-hole called Texas, the blooms (and my brain waves) are few and far between, but here are some photos from the July garden.

All right now. That should sufficiently have my pasty-whiteness off the main viewing area. So, coming soon: summer, Indiana, Gas, P90X, Sinuses, Wine reviews, and most importantly the new & improved Runner Susan. Until then, some wine needs consuming.

all the May garden photos.

I can’t believe it’s been nearly a month since I’ve blogged. So much is going on . . . more about the cantaloupes and baseballs next week. In the meantime, with the help of my ever-so-helpful Aussies, I spent the entire morning hosing frack dust off my plants and I am crossing my fingers that I don’t lose any more. I had to replace several today, it made me sad.

[Insert big fat sigh right here]

Internet People, the worst is upon us. Yesterday Kenza and her friend were playing in the pool and they are all like “what’s that black worm thing?” and OH. MY. GOD. I nearly had had failure. Two oven mitts, some tongs, a 10-foot pool net and I manage to get the thing into a jar.

Do you see what I see, Internet People? It’s a leech. A. LEECH. My neighbor drained his pond and guess what, the leech decided it wanted to live in my pool since his home was gone. I am still having serious some heart palpitations. I’ll take a snake over a leech any day! ANY DAY.

I’m not sure what leeches are good for these days, but maybe we can use them to drain the stupid out of unscientific greedy gas promoting guys?

Well, it’s thunder storming again. No bike rally for me this morning. How about some garden photos? It has rained so much in May I haven’t been able to spend too much time working in the beds. Or make a vineyard. Grrr!

I know it’s horrible, but when I cleaned off the mower I found part of a snake and it sort of made me happy. Now I feel guilty. There are good snakes, this I know – but it seems the only ones I come across are copper heads. Copper heads with only one purpose in life: to freak me out. I know I’m a little obsessed with the snakes – but heavy rains have washed them out of hiding and they are EVERYWHERE.

Obviously, today is yard work day and as I type this it will amuse you to know that I smell like fish emulsion. I used the last of my chemically stuff, like Miracle Grow and Round Up, and have switched to Weedigar and fish and seaweed emulsion. We’ll see how it goes, but I can tell you it certainly smells like it’s working. Also, I have good green signs like ladybugs, lizards, frogs and worms. Ick. I don’t like worms but I’m getting better. Just call me Runner Mother Nature from now on.

I’m going so green I have requested a compost tumbler for mother’s day. I am somewhat traumatized by this decision because I’d really rather have new, pretty shoes. It seems criminal, but sadly, I’d use the compost bin more – although I hear you can’t put snakes in compost bins.

Enough about snakes. Let’s talk tomatoes. I’ve been trying to grow tomatoes ever since I moved to Texas. Nothing has worked because the weather gets so hot so fast they split before they ripen. So last year when my mom was visiting she brought me an Earth Box – but it was too late in the season to plant. So this year I planted two tomato plants in it. And wouldn’t you know, I’m growing tomatoes like a professional. I’ve yet to see any red ones, but the little green ones look promising and I should have real edible tomatoes in no time. But pretend I didn’t just say that so I don’t jinx myself.

I’ll have new pictures of the garden soon, but since it’s been raining forever and ever I haven’t had a chance to take pictures. Okay, so I need to go and shower or cats are going to start following me.

April on the left and May on the right.

But I really don’t feel I have anything post-worthy to post. So the randomness will pursue once again:

• On Monday I ran 1 x 800, 4 x 400, 1 x 200, 4 x 100 and 1 x 800. My first 400 was 1.36, but I’m not sure what my other times were because my watch got stuck on NO OCCN. The others, I can guarantee you were not 1.36. Maybe 1:50s. I don’t know what NO OCCN is. But last week my 6 yo Timex died so I went back to Target and got the EXACT same model but all the buttons are in the wrong place. And now everything is wrong. WHY would they do that to me? Why?
• On Tuesday I bought my last 23 bags of mulch and I finished mulching. We used 233 bags of mulch. That’s a lot of mulch. I reckon I didn’t figure that into the plan when I made the world’s largest flower beds around my house.
• The vineyard is going slow. We need soil sample and well water sample results before we can move on. We have a person from the parks and recreation department coming to consult with us next week.
• Today I am finishing a stone walkway and then, if the weather allows, I am riding with my friends Zoe and Lisa at 1. Cindy, you should come ride with us too, I’ll call you in a bit.
• I have been to every nursery and cannot find bamboo or a giant Buddha for my zen garden. I find plenty of skinny Buddhas, but the fat one is so much cuter. Heading into Dallas tomorrow to see if I can find one.
• Saturday I am running 11 miles with T. Then the next Saturday, I am running the OK Half. It will not be a PR, that I can pretty much guarantee.
• I’ve found a pair of shoes I REALLY love. Really. I’m not kidding. I love them and want to make them mine.
• I’m angry they are canceling Gardening by the Yard on HGTV. I have a secret crush on Paul James just like I did the old Alton Brown, (you know, the food science Alton Brown – I’m not crazy about the new Iron Chef Alton). It’s really the only REAL gardening show out there. Okay, so I watch the Victory Garden, but it moves slower than slow sometimes.
• Sister Runner Amy’s son, Cole, NEEDS a kitty. Yet, he is denied one. What’s the world coming to when a boy can’t have a kitty of his own?
• Finally, my teeth hurt. I need to get back to the dentist to get the temporary stuff off. I’ve put it off because we are in-between health insurance companies right now. But I’m guessing I should get this taken care of because the only thing worse than dental work is emergency dental work.

That’s about it my lovely Internet People. Hopefully I’ll have some juicy stuff to post soon.

The Chef thinks I went a little crazy with the pink. I just don’t think he’s in touch with his inner pink side.

It’s raining today and I’m having some gardening withdrawal symptoms. Maybe I’ll take today to catch up on neglected items like grocery shopping and laundry.

Donkey is terrified of the rock. He hides under the table if he thinks we are going to make him get near it. He’s even more afraid of the rock than he is of vacuum cleaners. I have no clue why. Maybe he’s afraid someone will mistake him for a goat? If we leave him in the back alone he spends all his time on the complete opposite side of the yard. We’re working with him to be one with the rock. This is progress, but I don’t think it’s completely working. The second Michael gets up, Donkey darts back under the table.

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.