Just When I thought it was over

Funny addition to the Great Hair Saga...

I decided that K did a really great job, and I have decided to continue seeing her. I had booked my next appointment about 3 weeks ago, but as of last night, I have a change of plans. I won't be able to keep my scheduled appointment - I needed to move it back one week.

Well, K is not available one week earlier, but guess who is? That's right. It looks like I will be seeing J again. I hope she believes in bygones...

Only in NC

On Monday, less that a week ago, we had 2 inches of snow. It was quite unusual for there to be snow here in March, but here it was. I frankly enjoyed it very much because it gave me an extra hour and a half before I had to go to work. Tuesday was bitterly cold. I ran my normal morning run. I had to dodge icy patches all over the sidewalks, and some water from my water bottle even froze while I was running.

Yesterday, it was about 75 degrees here. I went for a morning run with friends wearing just shorts and was too warm in my long sleeved shirt. I even got a little bit sunburned on my face. Today, Bill and I took out our bikes for a nice long ride downtown where we ate outside very comfortably. I almost feel like I should turn the air conditioner on.

Only in NC can you go from one extreme to the other in less than one week. What a great place to live.

A Different Kind of a Race

This morning I participated in The Krispy Kreme Challenge. For those of you who may not know, Krispy Kreme is a donut maker naive to North Carolina. This race was dreamt up by a few NC State College student a few years back. The first year, there were about 11 participants. This year, there were over 5000 participants.

The Challenge is to run 2 miles from the NC State campus to the Krispy Kreme store. Once there, you eat 12 donuts as fast as possible. Then, you run the 2 miles back to where you started. This entire event must be completed in one hour to satisfy the challenge.

I participated as a casual runner. This means that you can eat (or not eat) as many donuts as you please. When I reached the KK store, it was so crowded with people that I just grabbed one donut and tried to find water. I never found the water, so I decided to head back.

It was a very hilly course, but I made it back in one hour and 7 minutes. In terms of running, it was one of my fastest 4 miles ever. I felt good even after eating a donut.

There were many people in costume - everything from people dressed as donuts to superheros to pirates to 2 guys in Speedos. There was even two guys who pushed their friends along the course in a shopping cart (he had broken his foot about a week ago). Even ESPN was there to cover the race - check your local listings for airing information.

It was a fun event and I am glad I did it. I think it is one of those things that it is good to say you did it once, but don't have to do it again. I have no desire to do the full challenge - the caloric content alone is enough to make me say no. At least I burned off the single donut I ate today. None of the challengers can say that.

What was old is new again

Yesterday, the Carolina Hurricanes announced that they fired the winningest US born hockey coach of all time, Peter Laviolette, and have replaced him with the guy they fired 4 years ago. How weird!

I think Coach Laviolette is a great guy and I am sorry to see him go. Yes, the Canes have not done so well so far this season, but it is early. It's not like they are in last place in the division either - they are currently in second place, only 3 points behind the leaders. This is one thing that I dislike about the Canes. They are constantly jumping the gun and firing or trading someone as a "quick" fix. I know this game is all about the money, and you don't make money if you lose. Still, it feels like they never give players or coaches a fair chance to do better.

So, they have hired back Paul Maurice who was the coach until 2004. He did take the Canes to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2002, but he also took the Canes to dead last place in the whole league in 2003. He was also fired by Toronto earlier this year. I like the guy, but can you imagine how that negotiation went?

Hey, Paul. We know we fired you a few years back, but we're in a bit
of a pickle now. So, since you're not doing anything, do you want to come
back to us? Oh, and we will probably fire you again later in the
season. Great - welcome back!!

Oh, what a strange morning!

I was awakened this morning at 5:30 am by the sound of heaving. I know that sound very well. I jumped out of bed, raced to the bathroom trying not to hurt myself, grabbed the water bowl and dumped the contents in the tub, turned around, and got it under Lily's mouth about a second too late. Oh well. I figure at this point, with the amount of bile on the carpet, my whole rug will be cleaned soon. At least she didn't do it at 2:30 in the morning.

After relaxing for about 20 minutes after the great vomit dash, I got up and prepared for my run. It was a good run. I felt good and I was doing well. On the way home, I have something strange happen. I was running down the trail at a slight hill. There was a black woman walking in front of me heading the same direction. Another black woman came from the opposite direction. She saw me, them turned to run the other way. She looked back and saw that I was still coming, so she ran some more. Both ladies then stopped at a wide space in the trail, and waited for me to pass. As I ran by, the second woman looked at me and shouted "stop stalking the black women." I laughed and kept running. It was a joke...right?

How weird is that?

Turns out there is a computer in the B&B where we are staying in Portland, ME. I had to blog about the strangest thing that happened yesterday.

Bill and I love beer, as you may know. We decided while we are in Portland we would visit the Allagash brewery. As we are finishing up the tour, in walks a lady who looks really familiar to me. It turns out she is in The Junior League of Durham and OC with me. Here we are 1,100 miles from Durham, and I run into a fellow JLDOC member in a brewery. As a matter of fact, all 5 groups in the tour had a connection to NC - a UNC grad, a couple from Asheville, and a guy who went to school in Wilmington. My JLDOC friend is a friend on Facebook (Jill M). I remember seeing she would be in Maine and New Hampshire, but I certainly did not think I would see her here!

Talk about a weird, small world!!

I love my dog!!

I have realized recently that the one creature in this world that I say "I love you" to more than anyone else is my dog, Samantha. I tell her I love her more than my husband, my father, or my friends. I guess the reason is (besides the fact that she is so adorable) because I know she will not respond. I don't know if she knows what I am saying. I don't know that she comprehends the meaning. I don't have to hold my breath the see if she says she loves me, too. I can shout it out from the top of my lungs, and she will just go about her business. There is no fear of rejection from her. She is safe.

Of course, just look at this face and tell me you don't love her, too!!

My Other Life

I believe in past lives. It seems hard to believe that there are an unlimited number of souls to inhabit all of the people who have ever walked the Earth. Some people may think I am a kook, some people may agree with me.

I feel like I was a hippie in my most recent past life. I don't know why I feel that way, it has just always been this thing I have thought. I feel like I was a woman, and for some weird reason, I feel like I was blond. I think I was a drug addict who met her unfortunate end due to a heroin overdose. I think I died in the late 60s, but since I started my current life in 1971, perhaps it was later. I don't really remember anything, it's just more like a feeling that it fits.

I think it may be the reason that I have never touched drugs, or even a cigarette, in this lifetime. It is like I know I would not be able to handle it, so I have never put myself in a position to try it. Yet, I do think there were some good things about my past life. Maybe being a hippie has lead me to be a more tolerant, more liberal person in this life. I almost think I would like to be a hippie again. Just this time I would do it without the drugs and with better shoes.

Fraud finds us

Darn if I don't get a phone call this morning from our credit card company asking about suspicious charges. Three strange charges posted last night from a L4Hinc.com. I knew they were not mine, but Bill thought they could have been business related. I decided to check out the website to see what the company did. Well, it is adult websites. The company Bill purchased from was LADD.com. So, I had to call the credit card company back and confirm that the charges were fraudulent.

Our account was shut off immediately. I asked when I could expect my new credit cards with new account numbers, and was told 7-10 business days. That long at Christmas time!! I told the rep that would not work. Luckily, she was able to expedite the claim and I will get the cards on Monday. Of course, I have to be home to sign for the package between 8 am and noon. I will be using the 4 hours of comp time my boss just gave me so I can sit at home and wait for the cards. I guess I should not complain - I could be with out Visa for 10 days!!

Is It Me?

Do you ever have something happen where you just have to shake your head and wonder if crazy thing only happen to you?

I had the weirdest thing happen yesterday morning. Tuesdays are recycling pick-up days in our neighborhood. We happen to have 2 recycling bins - one that came with the house and one that we got when Bill's old office closed. We never put out 2 bins though. We can usually fits all our stuff in one bin. Well, I put out both bins Monday night. Bill asked me if we were supposed to have two bins, but since they were both full, I put them out.

So, the morning rolls around and the truck comes by to pick up the recycling. I was going to go out and get the empty bins, but the truck was still there. I waited a few minutes, but they never left. I decided to just go ahead and get ready for work. After my shower, I heard noises outside. The truck was still there!! At this point, I was beginning to wonder if the collectors called the recycling police. "House with two recycling bins - get the police here fast!"

I decided just to wait it out - I didn't have to leave for work yet anyway. As I waited, I began to fear far worse things. What if a serial killer was prowling the neighborhood last night and decided to drop body parts in our bin? What if the collectors were supposed to stay and watch the house until the police arrived? OK, I was reaching. I figured that if body parts were found in a recycling bin, it would take less than 40 minutes for the police to arrive. So, I had to go ask what was going on.

It turns out that the truck had broken down. Yes, it was stalled at the end of my driveway! I am pretty darn sure that I was the only person on the street still at home who needed to go to work. Why did it have to break down so that it blocked my driveway? I had to call work to let them know I would be late. I was having a hard time believing my excuse for being late even as I saw the truck blocking my driveway. It sounds so far fetched! That's when I began to shake my head and wonder if these things only happen to me.