I have figured this running thing out - don't even think about running after 8am.  I've figured out pretty quickly that my body hates me if I attempt to run at lunch or in the afternoon - morning runs are the way to go.  I've also learned that some folks in our neighborhood use really good smelling shampoo that makes it's way out of their bathroom vents to the street - the same can be said about laundry.  I've also learned that Friday mornings stink...it's trash day.

90's on 9

I have recently jumped ship from country to 90's on 9 on XM.  Let's just say that I am having a little too much fun jamming out to Will Smith, Hootie, En Vogue, Duran Duran, etc.  However, this morning was the best yet - Whoop, There It Is - was playing!!  I mean, how can you not get pumped for the day when jamming to that??

Anyway - Does anyone else still call Darius Rucker Hootie??  Because I do.  And it makes me happy to see this on the screen because he will forever be Hootie.

Bubba's Attack

We played in a couples golf tournament on Sunday, and boy, was it a challenge.  We knew that Bubba, the course superintendent, was picking the pin placements and fully expected them to be on slopes, etc.  Sure enough they had to implement a 3 putt maximum.  We were told that the best way to make the putts on some holes was to hit it past the hole and let it roll back in the cup.  It was a beast.

On top of that - they decided it would be funny to add a few "extra" challenges.  So we hit a tennis ball with a golf club off one tee, kicked a (flat) soccer ball off another one, had to use a left handed club for a tee shot,  putt blindfolded, putt with a tennis racket, and putt around a toilet seat.  Bottom line - Bubba attacked...and he won.  While laughed our tails off and had a great time, it was more of a challenge than we really wanted.

It was a great afternoon - but next time they call to ask if we want to play - I'm going to ask just what else they haven't told us about before signing up for another tail kicking.

Little of This, Little of That

Anyone see anything wrong with this picture of my refrigerator??

 No really, anything?  How about we have more beer than anything...in fact, we basically only have beer.  Cooking club is tomorrow night - hence all the tomatoes.  And actually, I just realized I put them in there and really didn't mean to do that...ha.  We have a great selection of Sam Adams, a few Newcastle, and some left over junk (aka light beer).

 Tucker was pouting tonight and decided this was the only way he could make me feel really bad...yes, he is "resting" his head on the coffee table...don't ask about this dog, he ain't right.

 I just love this picture of John chilling with Mr. Jeff.  My folks and some friends went to the mountains for the weekend and John tagged along.

 This is a classic.  I have never been to pick fruit with Dad when he didn't eat straight from the tree...  I love that he is passing this trick along to John.  But most of all - take note of his skills.  Dad just peeled and sliced that apple with his pocket knife which is also his "fork."  Dad does not eat with this fingers - even in the field, ha!

 Dearest John - STOP GROWING!  That is exactly what Mom is  thinking in this picture.

 Steven - it's your turn buddy.  Great job on opening morning...seriously, good job.

But Steve-Steve - when are you going to clean your own deer??

 And finally - James and Tucker - these two are a hoot.  James loves Tucker and it doesn't bother him at all that Tucker has at least 100 pounds and three feet on him.

"Tucker, just sit back.  I can drive this car."

 Two happy boys.

I Can Do Math!!

Well, folks - I can do math after all.  I ran just over 3 miles - as in 3.02 miles - and this was my time...

That says 29:45...

That means I averaged a little less than 10 minutes per mile.  Remember just Wednesday, my pace was 11 minutes.  Progress, folks, progress!

FYI - the best running shirts for cool morning - Andrew's undershirts...ha!

The Real Reason I Didn't Get An "A" In Calc 2

I have finally figured it out folks.  The reason I didn't get an A in Dr. John Elton or was it Elton John.  No really our professor's name was John Elton but we called him Elton John.  Jess, Christie and I picked his class because a) he had a good gpa, b) we had word on him, c) he wrote the text book (it was green paper back, I still remember that dreaded thing) and d) he wasn't a headless horseman...this was important stuff at Tech, folks...vital in fact.  Anyway, it was an 8am class.  We would stumble out of beds at 7:40, just in time to throw on something other than our pjs and brush our teeth before our walk across campus. As the three of us walked across campus from our digs on West Campus...Woodruff...top floor, very last room on the hall...we swore it was the very, very edge of campus, we debated who was going to jump in front of the "Stinger" bus to get the rest of us a 4.0 for the semester.  Important stuff, folks.    

Getting back to the reason I didn't get an A.  I figured it out this morning.  I can't do math within an hour of waking up.  I was pumped after my run this morning.  I managed 3.something miles in 33:10.  I did the quick math and determined that was a 10 minute mile average!!  Then, once I had been awake more than an hour, I realized that it was actually an 11 minute mile, dang it.  So the moral of this story - I didn't get an A because the test was nearly over by the time I had been awake an hour...that is my story and I am sticking to it!!

UPDATE::  I just remembered that it was second semester of our freshman year.  Meaning, we lived in Harrison still, not Woodruff.  However, it was still Jess and Christie and maybe Liz and Laura.  And we will continue to swear we lived on the very edge of campus, this time our front door was 75/85 and we had to walk up the freshman hill.  And I can assure you we still discussed the "Stinger" matter as well.

XM

Poor XM radio - they must have hired a new intern to type in the names of artists...

A Friday Morning

Today was just one of those mornings that is preparing me for my wild children in my future.  No, no news on that front - thank goodness for now.  However, Tucker was a wild child this morning.

I left the house for a nice 3 mile run and this was what greeted me as I stepped outside...

The quarter moon was so bright it was lighting up the rest of it.  It was beautiful.  I could see every star.  There wasn't much noise this morning, just my feet on the pavement...which sounds like a horse, if you really want to know.  All in all - it was a great run.  A great way to start the morning. 

Upon my return, sir wild child took over.  While stretching, he would bull-rush me, nearly knocking me over.  He then ran to get his bones from the living room and decided to run sprints in the house instead.  Once he was finished with his sprints, he took his bones to a bed.  The rule is he can only have his bones on his bed.  Well, he decided that our bed was acceptable this morning...

After finally getting him to move his bones from our bed to his bed...I figured he would settle down a little and it would be safe to shower.  Heck no - He attacked the toothpaste while I was in the shower...

And yes -  it was a brand new tube.  And yes - he poked holes all in it.  And yes - I was forced to throw it away.  And finally - thankfully - yes, I had a spare tube.

It's Fall

That is an original title right?  It has nothing to do with this post other than it is fall, and I love fall.

Continuing on...

Pumpkin Beer...yummy.  This is ShockTop Pumpkin, very good!

 We went on an interview visit to Jacksonville, AL.  It was a great trip, enjoyed seeing the area, and meeting everyone.  On the way, we got behind a classic Mississippi driver.  The semi was passing this car...why, MS drivers must you go slow in the left lane, why???

 This is a daily sighting around here.  There is a huge metal recyclers just off of Lakeland..gotta love the stacking skills.  And please tell me what that poor soul is going to do if that freezer moves??

 Tucker has become fond of chilling with me on the sofa.  This is a problem.  He was watching something on TV with me this night.

 I left the room for a few minutes and returned to find him on the sofa, head on my blanket, snoring.  Worthless...

In other news, there isn't much to report.  We have been playing golf, went to the fair, eating too much bop's still, and I am training for a half-marathon with a group from our church.  We are the Cathedral Sole Trainers.  I am not a runner, never have been a runner.  I am thinking I am going to run it - this should be interesting.  I asked Mom if she would come watch and she said something about needing a shock collar and cow poke to make it.  I think she is saying I am slow.