It's been a whirlwind weekend full of the very best of everything. If I could make a weekend to emulate repeatedly, this one would have been it. Well, maybe minus my new found extremely low tolerance for alcohol. When did I become such a lightweight?
We went to our friends on Friday night for a little get together with "the gang." These friends have moved several times and have now settled back in town and wanted to have our old group back together again-kids and all. It was SUCH a fun night, I can't even tell you. Great food, great company, SO many laughs. We were there til 1am and I'm sure we could have talked and laughed into the morning if we weren't so darn responsible! There's talk of a Halloween party and I'm already planning out my costume! I know it'll be a good time for all, once again.
Sunday I decided to start the day with some running, before heading out to the pumpkin patch and then on to Thanksgiving dinner with more friends. I plan my running weeks with two runs of the same length, and then one at a new distance that I haven't yet reached. Last week I ran two runs at 7k and on Sunday, I did 8k. I no longer walk at all and I try to keep my pace steady, always watching my pace setting on my ipod. I felt awesome and I'm super stoked at how the running is going. I finished the 8k in 52 minutes, jumped in the shower and got ready for Thanksgiving feast #1.
Dinner that night was with my friend Claire and her family, and of course, in typical Claire fashion, everything looked just perfect. The food was delicious and special, as many of the recipes had been passed down from Claire's Mom. We had a really great night once again-our kids get along famously-but her husband is generous with pouring the wine and I'm apparently too polite to decline. Hiccup.
Monday we headed over to my sisters to have Thanksgiving lunch/dinner with my actual family. Everyone was kind of excited (okay, mostly my kids!) because they were going to get to meet my niece's boyfriend for the first time. My sister is the "have everything perfect" type as well, so of course it looked gorgeous. She had made this dip that was DELICIOUS. No description will do it justice but it was sweet potatoes and green onion with a touch of heat. I had to walk away from it eventually because I couldn't stop stuffing my face with it! I was glad for that 8k run at that moment! We had a great time with good food, and the kids got to play a HIGHLY COMPETITIVE board game with Granny. Why everyone in our family is so darn competitive is beyond me. It must be some darn stubborn genes or something.
It was such a fun and social weekend, mixed with fitness, that it truly felt perfect to me. I wish every single weekend could be like that. Well, maybe not that much food and wine but...you know what I mean.
This week has been getting sort of back on track. I ran 9k in 59ish minutes on Tuesday and have another 8k run to do this evening. My knee has been "off" and not really sore but more just the fact that I'm aware that something is not quite right there. I'll see how tonight goes and how I'm feeling about it, but I might have to take the weekend off to let it rest a bit before pushing for that 10k next week.
I was supposed to have company for the weekend, but it didn't work out timing wise, so I'm looking forward to just hanging out with my family and getting some projects done around here before the winter weather strikes us into hibernation mode.
Thanksgiving weekend always makes me reflect on life, as well it should, and even when things are up in the air or worrisome, it allows me to focus on my blessings, of which there are many. I was supremely grateful this weekend to be surrounded by friends and family, to feel loved and accepted, to honour my hearts wishes and happiness even if it wasn't conventional (when am I ever, though, really?), to feel strong and healthy, and to know that even with the bumps that occur and will continue to challenge me....I will always keep pushing and seeking. My faith was renewed once more, and my cup runneth over.
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