Scrappy Hearts

I Ran

He ran.They ran. We all ran...and, more importantly, finished the race!Celebrating a great day!

Ready to Run

After dropping off my car for service, Mark and I decided to take a run up to Bordentown to pick up our bibs for tomorrow's race. So glad we did!

The computer program they were using to assign numbers creashed a couple of times and the bib numbers changed as a result. The line was moving slowly as they tried to figure out the new numbers. Fortunately my friend Kelly picked up her bib ahead of us so we knew about how far off the numbers were. Our pickup went relatively easy. So, instead of 104 and 105, we are now 108 and 109.Pasta for dinner, check. A quick run to Target for armbands to hold our iPods, check. I think we are as ready as we will ever be!

Tomorrow, after the race, we are heading to Mastori's for a well-deserved lunch and then home for a nap. That is if all goes well!Tomorrow evening we have plans with the family. Corned beef and cabbage for the guys and for the rest of us, who knows. We will be sporting our new event t-shirts to dinner. 

I am really excited and will be happy to have accomplished one step of my goal to participate in a triathalon in September. Wish us luck!

On The Wall

Well, this one is decidedly off the wall! And that is the way it is supposed to work. A quilt goes on the wall and then, with a bit of creative energy, it becomes a finished quilt.This quilt has traveled. It began in New Jersey, was shipped to Washington where it became my summer project, and then it was shipped back to New Jersey in August to be quilted. The completion of the quilting coincided with the arrival of Mark and my accident. So, after sitting here for a while, Grape Jelly, is now in a box and on its way to a new home. 

It has offered me comfort in the evenings as I did as the physical therapist suggested, hand sewed. Slow going. But, now it is finished and I will miss it terribly. I hope its arrival makes someone's day. Safe journey.

This Running Thing

Back in the day, before kids, before 50, I actually did run. I was not a runner, but I ran. My first event, the corporate challenge race in New York City. The same distance as the race on Saturday, 5K. but this time I am about 30 years older and my body doesn't work the same.

Now I run for my health, for my breath and for a sense of accomplishment. I also remember feeling great while I was running. Being outside, feeling the sun on my skin, knowing a kind of runners' high. I am so not there yet this time around.

Sunday I ran what I thought was 3.2 miles and I did it in 29.59. I knew right away that Mark's calculations were off. During that run I actually walked twice, both times to catch my breath. I am so not a runner.

Monday we walked the new course. Definitely 3.2 miles and we did that in 52 minutes, walking. So we felt confident that when we ran, our time would be respectable.

Tuesday we ran the entire course. I walked twice, for short periods, to catch my breath and then I sprinted thinking we were nearly done. I was about 1/2 mile wrong in my calculation and when I realized that I had to walk for a few steps to re-set my pace. I actually finished the 3.2 mile course, with 3 walking breaks in 38.15. I took a couple of pictures of me after the run, both Sunday and Tuesday, while I was waiting for my husband to finish his run. Yes, currently I am running a bit faster than my adorable hubby. Right now, I am just loving my new running shirt. Just loving the fact that the adirondack chairs are waiting to provide a resting spot for us after our runs. Just loving that I am finally running. Just loving that Mark is running with me. Just loving that.

Project Life, Week 10

The big 1-0. I am managing to stay up to date this year, for the most part. Last year, what with the wedding and then the traveling. Things got a bit out of control.     I must say, that as hokey as this may sound, my weeks keep getting better. It seems that we have settled into married life. We take time to exercise, eat well and just enjoy each other's company. Right at the moment, who could ask for anything more?This was a relatively busy week. Sunday was just about the same as all my other Sundays, which is alright with me. Monday Mark did food shopping and bought both Cream Soda and Birch Beer. I proceeded to make a birch beer float with vanilla ice cream. I had a bit of time to work in my area organizing while Mark watch a couple of old tv shows on Netflix. Monday is a night off from the gym. So Tuesday, I was back to work and back to the gym. Wednesday was the busiest day of the week. I took the day off from running. I had half a work day, an appointment with my OB/GYN and then I had a bit of time to play before we headed into the city for a special dinner with Jason.The very full week necessitated the inclusion of an insert. I actually took a Style A page protector and cut it in half. I included a folded journaling card opened up and in the two 3x4 slots, I took a 4x6 photo and cut it in half. I love the way it looks. The front side of the protector shows photos that I took before the dinner and the back side includes photos that I took during and after dinner. Thursday saw me back at the gym. I actually ran 3 full miles and I was so proud of myself. For the first time I think I might be able to finish the race on Saturday.

Friday was a lay low day. Work was a relatively easy day. I had a parent meeting and then stayed until about 5:30 to straighten my room. I also spent some time getting organized for the substitute that would start Monday with my students. After work it was home to tacos. Yum. I was going to run but I fell asleep instead! Oh well.

Saturday I slept relatively late. I headed out to Loft for their style event and to Lucy to pick up a shirt for the race next week. Still need to protect my arms from the sun and I am hoping that the special shirt with the thumb in the sleeve is just what I need. Home to a bit of cleaning and organizing and then Date Night!

We had such a good time. Out to one of our favorite restaurants, thanks to a gift from a friend. Then it was off to the local high school for their spring musical, Singin' in the Rain. I saw several former students and we just had a wonderful evening. Mark and I are really enjoying life right at the moment and I hope we are always able to balance work and play, and continue to enjoy the time we set aside to spend together.

There it is, in a nutshell. Well, not so much a nutshell...Week 10.

I know this sounds a bit repetitive, but I just love this project. I am working on gathering photos that my children post on Facebook and including them in the album. I am finding it a little much to try and pull the spread altogether in one evening, so I think that next week I will try something a little different. We will see how that goes!

I have not had a chance to look around at what has been posted today and I am curious to see. Perhaps tomorrow evening. I am going to try and link up over at One Happy Mama and also the Mom Creative. I can't wait to see everyone's week!

In case you are interested, Project Life is a product created by Becky Higgins and you can find out more about it by heading to her website.

Five Months + One

Five months and 1 day ago, today, I had my close encounter with fire. Five months ago today I was released from the hospital and began the long road of recovery. Today, I was back at the burn center.The good news, my hand is healing and because of the glove, the scar tissue is being contained. The bad news, the glove still does not seem to be compressing the area that was most affected by the burns. I was re-fitted for a new style glove which will be sent to me in the next two weeks. Hoping that it will do the trick. 

When I mentioned to the doctor that my hand was nearly in constant pain, even to the point of waking me up during the night, he asked if I wanted another prescription for Vicodin. No, I replied, I want the pain to go away. Well, that won't be happening any time soon. Better stock up on the pain killers. The other information I could have lived without; sometimes the healing of the burn areas will exacerbate issues like arthritis and other joint issues. Oh, yippee!

Of course the other concern is exposure to the sun. Now that spring has unofficially arrived, I am anxious to spend time out of doors. I will need to continue to wear gloves on my hands and long sleeved shirts or douse myself in suntan lotion on a 2 hour basis to be sure that I keep my skin as protected as possible. The doctor reiterated, even 15 minutes of sun is too much. Not good news for someone like me that would spend every waking moment in the sun! 

All things considered, I am blessed to have come through this experience as well as I have. Things could have been so much worse, and I know that. I am truly grateful for the care I have received and the expertise of the medical staff that I have encountered. Recovery is a long road and I keep wanting to shorten it, just a bit!

Why?

That's exactly what I was asking myself this afternoon as I negotiated my way around the neighborhood. Why in heaven's name am I doing this to myself?

Well, there is a good explanation. During the summer and into the fall I was experiencing great pain in my right hip. I thought, originally, that I was crossing my legs too much. Then I thought, that perhaps, I was drinking too much soda and that my hip was deteriorating. I decided, then and there, that I needed to do something about it.

Then, there is the issue of breathing. I am not all that good at it. I seriously thought, that if I started running regularly, the breathing would take care of itself. 

So, after hearing from the orthopedist in September that running was not something I could so right away, I started physical therapy. I made a plan. Once I was done with physical therapy I would start running and then I would move onto other things like biking and swimming. My goal is to participate in the Danskin Women's Triathalon on September 9th, of this year.

Now that I have said it aloud, there is no going back! 

I got the okay from the doctor and my physical therapist to start running right after the first of the year. Mark joined my training regimen. We started running outside and then joined the gym. We decided to use the Couch to 5K program and build up. The good new is, I can run 3.2 miles at the gym and not feel winded. I actually breathe the entire way.

Outside, that's a whole other story. I did fine the first 1.5 miles and then, with the wind blowing right at me, I started having difficulty breathing. I persevered. I walked for a few feet to catch my breath and then started running again. After about another 1/2 mile I needed to catch my breath again. When I hit the end of the course as my husband set out, this was the time on my iPod:Although, now I know that it was not 3.2 miles as we had hoped...We have charted a new course for Tuesday and we'll see how that goes.

Now, about my goal of participating in the triathalon. Mark and I will participate in the vineyard run on April 29th, 5 miles. In August we will take part in the Dog Day Race in Harvey Cedars, 5 miles. The triathalon is September 9th, at Sandy Hook National Park. We will close out the season with the bridge run on November 4th.

Yesterday my mom convinced me to purchase a running shirt and today, having the right clothing, made all the difference. You see, I need to cover my arms, no matter how warm it gets because of the burns I sustained in the fall. So, having a shirt that wicks moisture is almost a requirement. I do think that it is a shame that there is more to running than dressing like a runner!This photo was taken after my run and a long walk and I am not looking too bad. Whatever it takes, I am moving towards healthy and that, is what counts.

Home and then, Not

Friday night I was home. Saturday night, we were out on the town. 

I just love date night. Dinner at one of our favorite local restaurants and then the spring musical at the local high school.

Loved seeing former students and showing my husband off.

Loved doing something we love at the end of the day.

Loved making the time for a date!

On The Wall

The patriotic star quilt is still on the wall, but I need to move on while I make a few decisions.

This week I decided to pull out a small applique project. The doctor believes that hand sewing is the best physical therapy for my left hand which, is still recovering from the burns. I had this small project put aside, but I decided that if I need to sew, I might as well sew something fun and cute!

The final project will be a small wall hanging with 13 little popsicles. Adorable!

The truth is that applique requires a bit more of the fine motor skills, those on which I need to focus. So, I will set up the applique so that I can take it with me in the car and work on it at night when I do not have the energy for anything else. Slowly, but surely, all of my pending projects will be completed.

Ahhh, Spring