Making It Happen. Anyway.

Okay, whoever made up my running schedule (and, it's wasn't me) is a genious scheduling Friday as the constant Rest Day. Given the day after Thanksgiving is always a Friday, and Rest Day is always supposed to be a Friday, well, that's just good common sense! Last night's dinner was fabulous as was my dessert during our annual viewing of Home Alone, but that's not a good get-up-and-run plan just. sayin'.! I hope your Thanksgiving was fabulous in every way!

There was a lot to be thankful for today, too! It came in very different forms. First, some of the animals around here hit it big on Black Friday:

"I am Lizzy. And, I claim this in the spirit of being The Queen."

The kitties got a new climber! Elly is walking
away because she didn't get anything.

Daphne found her way to the top. It took
no time for Lizzy to bother her right off the
top, but that's par for the course. Oh, and you
can also see in the tank that Aaron found
some Black Friday fish. It was an exciting
morning in the animal kingdom.

Aaaaaaand, down. It's time for a kitty to rest. She'll pick up
with the bothering others later.

And, then, I got an AWESOME suprise this holiday break!! Check it out ...

It's my about-to-run-her-first-Half friend!!!! WAHOO!!!

We barely scratched the surface in our non-stop-talk-time (isn't that always the way?!) but it was soooo fabulous to see her in person (it's been 17 years!)!! We spent a bit of time talking about her upcoming Half, and, in my non-expert assessment, she is doing awesome!! I'm totally proud of her, and here's why: In her very real world full of all of the things that tug and require so much of so many of us, fitting in training for a Half Marathon has been a challenge in and of itself. It's a big time commitment, and Life often forgets to step aside when we try to put something new into it (rude!)! Her training hasn't followed how it's written on paper, so to speak, and, you know what? She's making it work her way anyway! She's adjusting as needed, she's being real, she's being smart, and she's going forth. From where I sit, that is impressive!!

I think the winners in the world are those who know how to take in their environment, weigh the pros and cons of their choices, understand the cost-benefit factors (take that, economics professor!) and make decisions based on what's in front of them, not based on a mental picture they've stubbornly locked on to. Those pictures are great starting points and certainly serve as inspiration, but, often strictly adhering to that picture requires living in a bubble immune from the demands of our lives. I find more often than not, the picture needs adjustments of sorts all along the way! Besides, who's to say the adjusted picture isn't better than what we came up with in the first place?

So, I tip my hat to my Full of Perseverance friend, and I can't wait to hear about the rest of the journey and its outcome!! Besides, her family is not only totally behind her (yeah!!!), but they are also counting on celebratory pancakes following that race!! (Sounds like a certain Pit Crew, does it not?!) THAT'S a part of the picture that needs no fine tuning because everyone wins!!

Keep on keepin' on, Mary Kate, and anyone who has started something and finds changes necessary along the way! I'm right in there with you! In the meantime, I'm dialing it back to one day of running on the weekends, and you know I'm reserving that for Family Run time!! We already decided that is happening on Sunday, so, I'll see you then!