connections.....

It's strawberry season in middle Tennessee.  I have already made a trip to my favorite farm, given them $10 and picked a few pounds of strawberries.  They are huge and they are everywhere so it only took me 30 minutes to pick them.  I expect to go back many times this month.
Strawberries are my favorite fruit.  Of the farm animals, cows are my favorite.  Of all the many products that cows give us, heavy cream is my favorite.  My favorite topping on strawberries is whipped cream.  My favorite album cover of all time is Herb Alpert's Whipped Cream and Other Delights.  See - everything is connected.

lumbering...

It's been 4 weeks since my "procedure" and this is my 2nd weekend of running.  Every day gets easier but it still feels like I'm just starting.  Is it possible that starting to run after 30 years of relative inactivity was easier than starting after 3 weeks of inactivity in my mid 50's?  Maybe it's all mental.  Anyway - I lumbered (if there is such a word) through 6 miles this morning.  It's been warm in middle Tennessee during the merry month of May.  One more excuse.  giggle

no more speedo for me...

The mechanic predicted that my tire would be healed in 2 weeks. Tomorrow marks a fortnight and things are going well. There was a 4" cut but it's sealing up nicely. I can feel a little bit of of a shimmy in certain turns but it really is back to normal. I'm going to give it one more week and then I'll try a faster speed. I'm already looking for a nice 13.1 mile course to work up to. It's all very magical the things they can do. The only downside is that I haven't gotten all of the mechanic's bill yet. yikes

battle of the bulge....

Let's go with the tire analogy so as not to gross anybody out. giggle...

I've had a bulge for the past few years that wasn't causing any issues so I never addressed it. It was also during a time where I joined 40 million of my fellow Americans with no means to pay for a repair (unemployed). Recently it became larger and I was in a situation where I had service coverage so I decided to get it fixed. The mechanic made an incision, pushed the inner tube back in, installed a mesh for extra protection and sewed everything back up. This all happened on Thursday and I've had to rest the tire for 3 days. Then I will be allowed 2 weeks of normal speed but no fast speeds or sharp turns. The things those mechanics can do nowadays. yikes

everyone has these on their face.....

Tulips! Giggle....

In addition to an abundance of wallpaper in the house, the previous owners surrounded the place with flowers. I am much more tolerant of flowers outside than I am on wallpaper. I moved in at the end of the year so most of the flowers were gone. It's been a pleasant surprise. They are springing up everywhere.

It seemed like the trees sprung leaves overnight. The town takes on a whole new character in the Spring. I'm driving to Nashville tomorrow. I'm looking forward to the scenic drive.

Happy Vernal Equinox to everyone.

bratwurst, anyone?......

It was like a switch was thrown - it was 56 degrees this morning after months of sub freezing temperatures. I was able to wear shorts and a short sleeved shirt for my little early morning run. I've worn tights since December so the legs are a little white. I'm glad it's dark at 5:00am - the fewer people that see the overstuffed sausage casings which are my legs in tights, the better. I'm going to tempt fate and stash the tights in the closet until next December. I'm ready to declare winter over. I've had these tights for years and they seem to shrink while in storage. The first use each year always seems a little tight. giggle

finishers medal....

I have found a fun little running activity in Tennessee. There are road races at many of the state parks over the course of the year. The races range from 5K to a half marathon. Many races on city streets cost upwards of $75 for a half marathon. There are bands and "goodie" bags and finishers medals for all participants. The entry fee for these state park alternative races is $6. If you want a race shirt, the fee jumps to $19. For $6 you get a race number which gets recycled at the end of the race. No bands. No goodie bags

I did my 2nd state park race today. It was a 15K run (9.3 miles). Half of the race was along the rim of an incredible gorge and the other half of the race was on a paved path in the middle of the woods. I may spring for a cabin rental next year. The best part of races in Tennessee is that in place of a commemorative medal, they hand out Moon Pies at the finish. I don't bother hanging my Moon Pies in the closet with the rest of my medals. I enjoy it on the drive home. yum