busy bee

participating in these races, you get in at least 30 minutes of people watching, as you're corralled like cattle waiting for the countdown to go time.  you really can't help yourself.  and i never wanna judge, but some people are just asking to be looked at... for entirely too long.  like, you look away, count to 3 and look back again to soak in their awesomeness.

the first few i ran, i was sure that i didn't receive the memo about the tutus and body paint, head to toe costumes, or better yet, the headband with the googly eyes attached to a pair springs.  at the mayor's run a few weeks back, i was standing (or rather bouncing slightly from one foot to the other) when i looked to my left and noticed a teeny tiny grandma-type, i'm guessing she was pushing 80, running the half-marathon.  (and, i knew this by the color bib she was sporting.)  nothing like the eldery putting the youngins to SHAME.  if that wasn't bad enough, i saw her at the bear paw festival 5k, at the beginning of this month, as she went whizzing by me.  again and again, i tell myself that i'm running these races because i want to; because the end feels incredible; the time shouldn't matter.  but.  it never gets easier having 8 and 9 year olds AND hunched-back elders run a faster race.

so at the bear paw 5k, i finished in 31:59 minutes.  i run about a 10 minute mile and this has put me almost exactly in the middle of this pack of runners.  out of 383 women, i placed 190.  out of all the 595 runners, i placed 348.  and my age group, i was 47 out of 94.  the middle is a nice place to be, i've decided.  no pressure; i'm just blending in.  oh, and the freedom 4-miler, i ran in 44:37, placing 32 out of 39!  ha!  that's what i get for smooching my boy!

there's usually a reason for lack of blogging.  these past two weeks, i have been catching up on reading and filling time in between the kiddo's snooze schedules with sewing projects.  this is usually when i find myself sitting on one a leg while the other is tucked up to my chest, clicking, editing and proofreading away in front of my 27".  i have this memory of my mother in college, so many years ago now, same way of sitting but in front of an old (get this) apple IIgs.  remember those beauties?  the days of oregon trail, lemmings, number munchers and shanghi.  if i squeeze my eyes shut and listen real hard, i can practically hear the tune as i'm informed - annie has dysentery.   sad day.

moving on...   

a dear friend of mine just had a baby boy, and as if i didn't know he was making his arrival in july, i waited until he was born to get started on his gifts.  i pieced together my token baby rag quilt and created an updated version of the buddy.  

before sewing

finished product

 more detail on the buddies

 yarn for hair, rosy cheeks and eyes with lashes

 two-tone color (like he's dressed in jeans) with pocket and extra bonus buddy

and lastly, the ongoing "project" - flowers.  it's never ending.  our house faces south, blessing us with, like, 15+ hours of sunshine.  some of my plants have given up and turned brown.  even with daily watering, it's just been too much for them to handle.  live and learn for next year.  the hardier plants, like these rose bushes, just strive off of all the rays.

we had some particularly warm weather at the beginning of july.  perfect opportunity to drag out the water table, rid ourselves of clothing (and when i say ourselves, i mean jb) and run around the yard.  now if only this warm weather would find its way back to us...
 

just these 5 buds fill the room with fragrance