Not everything needs a hammer?

I went to a women's soccer practice for an over 35 team tonight. Really, the over 35 part is misleading since I think any of those ladies could kick a 19 yr old's butt any day. So all that running that I've been doing? Also misleading...I was sweating 5 minutes in! And my sore knees...it's going to be payback tomorrow for putting them through their paces tonight and my ankles seem to be feeling a bit like the knees too.

The most amusing part of practice was when the woman who was coaching informed me that "not everything needs a hammer, y'know?". Apparently I try to make up for my lack of skills by giving it my all - I run at the ball hard, I boot it hard (sometimes with no regard for where it's going to end up) and I don't always have a strategy for my plays - rarely, if ever actually. Just give'er could be my motto.

This could explain a lot of things in my life: home renos, my driving style, cooking (sometimes stuff gets on the floor - ok most of the time!), sewing (high speed and limited control), my approach to breaking at pool and even relationships. I generally figure if you just try hard enough it will all come together somehow and of course if at first you don't succeed take a second run at it...just throw yourself into it a bit more.

Do you ever wonder if you're in a patch where life is just chock full of lessons no matter where you turn? I'm getting the message that I need to learn to apply less force and more thought and planning (soccer), take it easy on myself and know my own limits (lean cuts class), and pace myself (running 101). Well tonight my homework involves vitamins and ibuprofen!

Rotten!

Today I got back to painting the trim on the house. I can't say I enjoyed it or was any better at it than last time. I put a second coat on the lower windows and the front door frame (yes I was too chicken to get back up the later and have at the upper windows). I also started on the lower windows on the back of the house and where I thought I just had a bit of peeling paint...

This is one of those times when a condo looks good; when I understand that what I spend on never ending repairs and renos is probably more than expensive condo fees and about as satisfying. Usually my feelings are expressed as expletives at this point in the job and today was no different.

So once again I headed to Home Depot. No, they still don't have a frequent visitors/buyers program or a speed date while you wander the hardware aisle program either.

However they do sell some stuff that is kind of almost a bit fun for fixing gaps and holes...which is how I decided to categorize this mess. It comes in a can and reminds me a bit of silly string. So now my window frame can look like this:

No, that will not be the end of this project. Apparently once the foam is set I can cut/tool it into whatever shape I need. And what I need is a window frame shape....for now...until the lottery comes through and I can replace all of the windows on this money pit...er, I mean house.

I knew that procrastinating skill would come in handy eventually! You might say it even ties in well with the idea of trying to maintain a budget! Wow, not only am I learning repair skills but how not to overspend....what do you mean that new purse I bought on Friday isn't a necessity??

The screen door is also now re-installed on the front of the house. It didn't get lighter while it sat on the stoop either. And I put new numbers on a few weeks ago too. It is supposed to be better "feng shui" to run them horizontal rather than vertical - I'll take all the help I can get...with my chi or otherwise!

Tonight I know a run is in order but I'm counting some of this stuff as weights....stupid house repairs have to be good for something! Now when is the houseboy showing up to do something about all those leaves?

My run on Weds. was awful! 3.1 miles (5 km) in 39 mins 38 secs and hating every minute of it.

Tonight's run 3.1 miles (5km) in 38 mins 16 secs. I switched to 5 and 1's and dropped my pace to 5.2 for runs and 3.8 for walks.

So this is what work-life balance looks like....

Today we had a work event at the zoo. The theme was around your environmental footprint and most sessions had that focus but there were some that were just plain fun.

I got to go behind the scenes with the giraffes and even feed 2 of them carrots.

What an interesting way to show your employees appreciation while allowing them to learn some things that they can apply to their personal lives which may also benefit their communities!

True colors

You know the song, "I see your true colors shining through....and that's why I love you..."

The house and I have an interesting relationship. When I'm working on it, I'm not always sure I love it. And even when a project is done there is occasionally still some doubt. So let's just say we're working on our relationship.

This weekend I decided to suck up my concerns about trim painting and have at it. Before you get too excited, it isn't done. But you can at least see where things are headed in these pics.

when purchased in May 2006
















with the blocks in around the flower beds; started last summer and finished this summer (note how overgrown the nanking is getting and how the Christmas lights have been gradually falling off of the house)















today with painting started (bottom windows have a coat on them) and a pruner taken to the nanking (and the screen door off to paint and the Christmas lights removed finally)

So the challenge is the stupid bay window. The ladder doesn't sit solidly on the window because the ladder is too big to sit inside the frame and too small to sit on the edges of the window frame. And of course the nanking is doing a good job of defense on the other side. There were moments today when I contemplated calling a painter. But a little voice inside my head keeps reminding me that I don't have the budget for that....where's the 6/49 when you need it?

And any chance that Star Choice would want to come and take their satellite dish back and fix the resulting hole in the roof left by removing it? Sigh....didn't think so....

I think I can, I think I can...

Wednesday's run:
3.1 miles (5k) in 39 mins and 45 s and feeling like I had lead boots on.

Today's run:
3.1 miles (5k) in 38 mins and 30 s

Today was a change from 3 min runs and 2 min walks to 5 min runs and 2 min walks. Somehow I thought it would go quicker...like it would be nice to see 35 mins on the timer. The last few weeks I notice that I am sweating more and am very red which I think might be scaring some of the other people at the gym. But as much as I feel like I'd like to keel over I don't think they need to worry.

The run for the cure is in 3 weeks...

Thank God for the Ipod

Most recent run: 3.1 miles (5k) in 39 mins 12 secs.