Found my running mojo in Mexico!

Before the trip, I got off to a good start.

Saturday, March 3 - 3.62 miles, 35:37 (Lake Country)
Sunday, March 4* - 2.65 miles, 24:33 (Lake Country)
*This required getting up at 5 am to squeeze in my run before leaving for the airport!

We arrived in Mexico on Sunday, March 4 (afternoon) and departed on Sunday, March 11 (morning).  That left 6 days sandwiched in the middle.  I packed 4 workout outfits, thinking that was a good goal.  However, I ended up working out for at least an hour each day!  I really liked the gym (ocean view, well ventilated, and a great treadmill), and I always feel ten times better when I workout on vacation and sweat out all of my indulgences. 

So here it goes:
Monday, March 5 - 6.14 miles/1 hour on the treadmill (mixed in tempo with 3 minutes @ 6.1 mph and 2 minutes @ 6.3 mph), 8:54 weights/abs
Tuesday, March 6 - 4 miles/40 min on the treadmill, 30 min on the stationary bike
Wednesday, March 7 - 3 miles/30 min on the treadmill, 30 min on the stationary bike, 16:22 weights/abs
Thursday, March 8 - 6.16 miles/1 hour on the treadmill (mixed in tempo with 5 minutes @ 6.3 mph, 6.4 mph, 6.5 mph, and 6.6 mph)
Friday, March 9 - 7.20 miles/1:11:18 on the treadmill
Saturday, March 10 - 5.52 miles/55 min on the treadmill, 15:28 weights/abs

Total Vacation Miles - 32.02!!
Total Vacation Workout Time - 6:58:52

I kept up the momentum yesterday with a hilly run around Golf Club and Lake Country (4.22 miles, 40:06, 9:30/mile pace) and 20:07 of weights/abs.  I procrastinated on the workout because of my eye issues.  Now that my eye is totally nuts, I might want to lay off the sweating a bit.  I am excited for the momentum I have going forward, and I'm thinking about doing the Ardmore Half Marathon (in accordance with my tradition - after doing the half in 2010 and the full in 2011) on April 1. 

El Dorado Royale Vacation

We didn't take many pictures, but here are the good ones:

My Trip Advisor Review
(I'm hoping one of these days, some vacation/travel web site will sponsor me... honest reviews in exchange for free trips!)

My husband and I stayed at the El Dorado Royale from March 4-11.  This was our fourth El Dorado experience (we had previously stayed at the El Dorado Royale in January 2010, the El Dorado Maroma in July 2010, and the El Dorado Seaside in July 2011).  We chose the “El Dorado Fun for Less” option on Funjet.  I was rooting for the Royale (more to do), and my husband was rooting for the Maroma (better customer service).  In hindsight, I agree that the Maroma would have been a better option.  But the “El Dorado Fun for Less” package through Funjet is a great deal. 

In January 2010 we lucked out with an upgrade to an ocean front swim up room (thanks to Francisco).  This time around we weren’t as lucky, but we still got a free upgrade.  We were in the 55 building again, but this time we were on the second floor (so ocean/palm tree view, but no swim up). 

We were a little bummed that some of the things we were looking forward to were no longer available.  We loved the sunset lobster cruise (excursion through Lomas/Funjet), and apparently that is no longer routinely available due to demand.  Also, we enjoyed Casino Night when we were at the Royale two years ago, but they didn’t offer that this time around.  We loved the fondue restaurant (I mean who wouldn’t want to eat dinner in an awesome tree house?), but that is no longer there (although we did indulge in several bowls of fondue cheese at La Isla).  We were also looking forward to eating at this awesome hole in the wall restaurant in Playa del Carmen (a few blocks off 5^th Street) called Deli Fish, and the restaurant had closed!  We did try Veronica's massages (off Constitution) thanks to some reviews my husband read on Trip Advisor, and the massages (2 deep tissues massages for 60 minutes for $30 each) were AWESOME!  The food at the bagel place next door to that looked scrumptious, but we just grabbed a beer. 

Our biggest disappointment (which deserves its own paragraph) was the lack of the 5-star customer service that we expected.  Most afternoons we relaxed on a bed at the Las Fuentes pool, and we did not receive drink service (well maybe one day out of the 4 we were there).  Likewise, when we were at the beach, we only got offered a drink one time.  Considering we tip a dollar every round, I don’t understand why the wait staff wasn’t more motivated to serve drinks.  Maybe the resort needs to hire more staff?  It also took a few days (and 2 calls and 1 visit to the front desk) to get maintenance to replace the batteries in our TV remote.  And one more thing… I’m assuming this is just harder to do at larger resorts, but why is getting to-go food such a big deal?  I wanted a sandwich or something light from the health food restaurant, and the lady told me “smoothies only” for to-go orders.  At Maroma, they would never say no.  I remember asking for a cracker and cheese plate, and they came up with something off the cuff and delivered it to our room and it was awesome. 

We had a few negative experiences with the bars as well.  I tried to get some rum drinks at Las Fuentes (and I had to go into the restaurant to talk to the bartender since we didn’t get drink service around the pool area) and the bartender told me that someone drank all of the Bacardi and they only had Appleton rum.  Isn’t something like that an easy fix where they could make a phone call and get another bottle from one of the 17 (or however many it is that they brag about) bars?  In addition, my husband and I bought a bottle of Don Julio silver and a bottle of Crown Royal from the martini bar for $30 on our last night.  We were a little suspicious, because it appeared that the bottle of Don Julio was open (the seal did not seem fully intact) and also it was refrigerated (and I have never seem them refrigerate a bottle before).  So we took it back and got our money back, but it was kind of a pain and the whole thing seemed kind of shady.  We talked to Jimmy at the front desk who referred us to Howard, a manager.  We told Howard what happened, and he sounded concerned, but we never heard any sort of resolution from the resort about this.  My husband asked Howard towards the end of the conversation, “why should we come back to this resort?” and Howard didn’t have an answer.  That pretty much summed it up for us.

I will stop being Debbie Downer for a minute (and if you read my other reviews, I normally have almost all positive stuff to say – I’m not one of those regular complainers on here).  We did have a very relaxing time at the resort.  I worked out every day and absolutely loved the gym.  The treadmill helped me not gain weight at all on the trip.  The food was amazing – like always.  We were very surprised by how much we loved Cocotal (we must have overlooked it on our first trip).  The breakfast and dinner were both amazing.  Try the garlic soup and the surf and turf (it’s actually a soup) for dinner.  We ate at the Italian restaurant three times, because we love that one too.  The Asian restaurant is okay, but I think it’s a little overrated (oops, I’m supposed to be positive in this paragraph).  They don’t have free sake (What?  Even three-star resorts have free sake!) and the waiter copped a bit of an attitude with us when we wanted to order a bunch of sushi instead of a main course.  Plus that place leaves me a bloated mess with the huge amount of salt they use to cook, but maybe that’s just me.  Seriously though, give Cocotal a try for dinner – way better than the Asian restaurant in our opinion.  Okay, back to a few more positive things.  The resort is absolutely beautiful (so beautiful that we saw two Iguanas makin’ love outside of Cocotal… who could blame the crazy lil’ reptiles).  They do an amazing job keeping everything so lush and beautiful.  Don’t take the shuttle (well unless you will keel over or something)… walk around and enjoy the beautiful scenery and burn off your cream-based soup!  Also, the room service was great too (I have to applaud anyone who will bring nachos to drunk people at 2 am).  We ordered breakfast room service a few mornings as well – very relaxing.  They always do a good job with the time estimate too. 

Okay, so in summary, would we come back again?  Probably not.  But that also has to do with us being a little burned out on the all-inclusive Mexico experience as well.  If we did want to do it again, we would probably look at going back to the Maroma or finding another 5-star resort (any ideas?).   I would be more inclined to come back to the El Dorado Royale if we had a group of friends/family and/or if they offered us a really great deal (we still haven’t stayed at the Casitas). 

Hobbies and Eyeballs

Well I'm sitting here in bed (with two slumbering dogs)...

So I thought I'd get a few things done on the computer.  I've also spent quite a bit of timely lately scrapbooking (catching up on regular photos and wedding photos, with dog scrapbook supplies on hold), enjoying all of our new TV cable options that Cliff negotiated (which included watching "Nurse Jackie," "Weeds, "Californication," and some movies like the documentary "Catfish"), and reading my Kindle.  Within the last week or two, I've read the following:

Kill Alex Cross, James Patterson (Alex Cross helps end terrorism and return the President's kidnapped kids)
The Fault in Our Stars, John Green (awesome book recommended by a fellow 3-Day Walker about a teenage girl with cancer)
Fifty Shades of Grey, EL James (I didn't realize I would like a "romance novel" but now I'm on the second book of the trilogy and I can't get enough!)
The 19th Wife: A Novel, David Ebershoff (a fiction story about a murder in a polygamous town which intertwines historical accounts of Brigham Young and his 19th wife)
Lies that Chelsea Handler Told Me, By Chelsea's Family, Friends, and Other Victims (I've read all of the Chelsea Handler books and I LOVE them... even though I don't watch her show!)

I was at a loss about what to download on my Kindle, so it was fun to get a variety of suggestions from Facebook friends.  I mostly like easy-reading these days since I like to relax in my free time and not think too hard.

So now on to my eye issues. I was supposed to go back to work today.  However, I got a sty on my eye towards the end of our vacation.  I made the mistake of wearing my contacts home to Texas (I fnally took them out on Sunday night and haven't put them back in) and my eye got progressively worse.  I went to the doctor yesterday afternoon and got a prescription for an antibiotic ointment.  I woke up this morning and my eye felt horrible.  I immediately fed the dogs (because if Gus realizes I'm awake, he pees on his bed to protest not getting his breakfast immediately) and then finally went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror.  I cried like a little girl (I do this well). 

It looks like I got punched in the face!  The swelling is so bad that I can feel it in my upper gums.  I went back to the doctor today and got an antibiotic shot, steroid shot, two prescriptions for oral antibiotics, and one prescription for a low-grade pain med.  I'm going back tomorrow for another round of shots, and the doctor suggested I wait until Monday to go back to work.  Hopefully the swelling goes down and I can go back by Thursday (I've been off since Friday, March 2 - yikes).  I am just so uncomfortable right now.  I thought that my eye issues were triggered by our dogs, but this time I'm thinking maybe it was from using the gym towels every day and wiping the liters of sweat off my face?  Why does all of this weird stuff always happen to me?  Well, the good news is that I was thinking about getting those eyelash extensions before our trip... definitely glad that I decided against that! 

11 Memories in 2011

1. The Rose Parade
The Rose Parade is ten times better when your school is playing in the game!  Also, it is way more convenient when you have a brother who lives about a block from the parade route.

2. The Rose Bowl
TCU wins the Rose Bowl in dramatic fashion.   Go, Frogs!

3. New Job

The most suitable picture for this is my dogs making me feel super guilty for giving up telework.

4. Marathon Maniac

I become a Marathon Maniac after running the Cowtown 50K (31 miles), Ardmore Marathon, and Oklahoma City Marathon.  I definitely deserved the "Maniac" title after being hailed on during the OKC Marathon.  This feat resulted in a bit of marathon burnout (and subsequent weight gain).

5. Weddings

I made two separate trips to California for weddings (Cousin Dana's in April and Cousin Holly's in May).  It was fun to visit with family that I hadn't seen in ages and see my cousins rock the wedding dress.  My date to Dana and Jason's wedding:

6. Anniversary

Before Holly and Ryan's wedding, Cliff and I celebrated our anniversary in Santa Barbara.  It was an amazing time (and kudos to me for planning such a memorable trip).

7. Vacation Station

Our big vacation of the year was a trip to the El Dorado Seaside (Playa del Carmen) this summer.  It completed the El Dorado trifecta.  The highlight of the trip was our private dining room (and maybe the fried ice cream too!). 

8. Belated Birthday

I had a belated birthday party with some of my friends at the Gaylord Resort/Glass Cactus.  The big Three-Ohhhhhh.

9. Familia en Tejas

My parents came to visit over Labor Day Weekend, and my brother was here over Veteran's Day Weekend.  I'm glad they made it out here to meet their grandson/nephew Hank before he passed away rather unexpectedly in December.  GusGus gets TREATS?!?!

10. Susan G Komen 3-Day Walk

I wasn't sure what to think about this when I signed up, but it turned out to be an amazing experience.  So amazing that we're going to do it again in 2012.  Hooray for spending time with old friends and meeting new friends.

11. Christmas in California

It was a very much-needed break... not working, running in the beautiful weather, and spending time with family and friends.  My mom makes a better Christmas brunch and Christmas dinner than your mom.

Merry Christmas Eve from California!

It's been a great trip so far... a nice break from work while spending time with my family and friends and enjoying this perfect weather.  I flew in on Wednesday night after a super hectic day at work.  I treated myself to a Bloody Mary at the airport, and the bartender was very generous with the pour and I was asleep before the plane even took off.  My dad picked me up at the airport, and my mom made dinner (salmon, broccoli, and rice). 

I got Thursday off to a good start with a 6.15-mile run around the neighborhood in perfect weather (50s and sunny).  Then my mom and I did some grocery shopping and went to TJ Max.  I got some picture frames for Christmas presents, and I also bought a Columbia sweatshirt (which I pretty much haven't taken off) and a Columbia neon green lightweight jacket.  Those two purchases were only $45... what a steal!  My mom made us a yummy turkey and avocado sandwich for lunch, and I had a nice 3-hour slumber to prepare for a night out with my brother (he didn't pick me up until 10:15, so I knew it would be a late night).  I had a glass of wine with my parents and my mom made a pasta casserole dish for dinner.  I puttered around for a few hours (and even made my family's New Years card) until my brother arrived.  We went out to a club in Hollywood.  We parked at his garage at work and he told me it would be a 5-block walk.  In brother speak, this translated into about 3/4 of a mile in a hoochy dress and sandals when it was rather chilly outside!  We had a good time though, and the walk back was much better with some alcohol in me.  I was going to post a picture or too, but it's probably best that they just hibernate in my Canon. 

I didn't get home until 3:45 (yikes, 5:45 Texas time!) and my dad was leaving for work.  I only slept about 4 hours, and then my mom and I went to PetCo (I love their treat bar!) and Trader Joe's.  I met some high school friends at Corner Bakery for lunch, and then I tried to take a nap but I think my body was all out of whack from the time change, the naps, and the late night/morning out.  Last night we went to Rudy's in Monrovia for dinner (fish tacos).  I wasn't even in the mood for a margarita (weird, I know).  After dinner, we walked around the farmer's market/street fair and my mom and I each bought a bracelet.

Now I'm chillin' in my gym clothes (that translates into "I'm really playing Zuma Blitz on Facebook and drinking coffee") and trying to motivate myself to workout, either a run or the gym, before we head out to spend Christmas Eve with the extended family.  Merry Christmas Eve!

Christmas Makes Me Phat.

It's been just over a week since Hanky Panky passed.  We have been trying to spoil GusGus and Lucy with plenty of walks (over 10 miles so far!), and even a trip to see "Santa Claws" (where GusGus inevitably pooped in poor Santa's lap and Lucy shook uncontrollably).

The dogs are doing pretty well, except Lucy stares out the front window, which she never used to do.  One of my co-workers bought me a nice stone for outside that says "My Beloved Pet."  I put that in the backyard near the swing, which was one of Hank's favorite spots. 

This week has been full of food, and my tummy is yelling at me to stop.  On Tuesday we did our work Christmas lunch at the Omni buffet, where I ate a salad, the main course with a separate plate for Salmon Wellington, and two desserts (bread pudding and some kind of frosted cake).  Then I went back for short ribs and scalloped potatoes, which I totally didn't need.  It was super yummy though.  On Wednesday night, we went to a Betsy and James's annual Christmas party.  Pesto mashed potatoes and sharing two plates of cheesecake and chocolate cake?  Yes, please. 

My friend Melissa (who lives in Tulsa) visited this weekend.  We went out to dinner (the Italian restaurant up the road) with Cliff and Leslie and had a drink at the Eagle's Nest (and watched all of the drunk elderly folk cut a rug on the dance floor).  On Saturday we treated ourselves to a pedi, had a late lunch at Boo Ray's, and then drove to Addison for dinner and a comedy show.  I took one for the team when the waiter spilled iced tea on my pants and shoe, and we ended up with a free appetizer, free dessert, and free round of drinks.  I'm assuming the skinny margaritas were more than offset by the Spicy Fritos Burger that I ordered.  After dinner we went to the Improv in Addison to see Loni Love (from Chelsea Lately).  It was a really good show.  I didn't know what to think going into it (since I read Chelsea's books but don't watch her show, so I had no idea who Loni Love was).  We were seated in the front row at a table with a lesbian couple, and Loni Love made a joke about our table being the lesbian table. 

Today Melissa and I went to lunch with our friend Jamie, and I tried to tackle a burrito that I totally didn't need.  I really need to workout, but all I want to do is sleep.  I have less than 30 miles to run to hit 1,000 miles for the year, so I need to hop to it.    

In Memory of Hank Willingham

Dear Hanky,
It was October 20, 2010, and I had a crazy morning at work.  I was out for a jog on the Trinity Trail during my lunch break when I saw you and your sister.  When I passed you again on my way back, I knew I couldn’t leave you.  We treated your worms and fleas, got you neutered, and put some weight back on your skinny frame.  Fortunately when I tried to find you and your sister a forever home, Dad agreed you had already found one. 

I will always wonder where you came from and how someone could mistreat you.  When you first moved in, you were afraid to come into our house from the backyard.  You would inch closer to the back door, but you were afraid to cross the threshold.  You would run off into the patio or outside when we had a guest (especially a man!), and you were so quick to flinch because you thought you might get hurt.  As Grandpa told me, “I hope there’s a special place in Hell for the person who mistreated Hank and Lucy.”

I wish I knew how bad you were hurting when you first cried to me the night before Thanksgiving.  Could we have done anything differently to get you through this?  Were you just sick of fighting it?  Did you feel abandoned at the hospital?  Most of all, I wish Dad and I could have been there at the end to rub your belly, look into your big, droopy eyes, and kiss you goodbye.

It’s hard seeing the reminders – three dog beds, three bowls, and, the toughest of all, Lucy.  I know how much you loved your sister, and it breaks my heart to know I’ll never get to see you two walk side by side again.  GusGus, Dad, and I will take extra good care of your sister.  There will be plenty of walks, petting, snuggles, and treats (and maybe an occasional squirrel or rat).

We will always remember you and your funny quirks.  The way you would sneak your nose under our arm and lift up, to remind us to pet you.  The way you would roll over on your back wanting belly rubs.  Your shit-eating grin (literally)… now GusGus is wondering why is poop is no longer good enough to eat.  How you loved to go for walks (just like your brother and sister) and how you would trip on your own feet (just like your mom).  How you would jump up and down, in all your awkward glory, when it was time to eat.  Most of all, we will remember how much love you brought into our home and we will value the year we had with you.  Hopefully the time with us more than made up for whatever you endured prior to becoming a Willingham. 

October 20, 2010: Finding You and Lucy on the Trinity Trails

You and Lucy staying at Aunt Shawna's for a few days

You were still hesistant about coming into the house!  One of my favorite photos.

Losing some of your manhood and temporarily gaining a cone.

Quickly learning how comfortable the couch was!

It was a lesson you never forgot.

Bedtime in the patio (not nearly as comfortable as the couch)

Snow day!  (I think this was way more fun for me than it was for you!)

You had the best Basset features...

You weren't a swimmer like your brother, but you were a cute spectator!

And you loved getting your tan on...

Your first Willingham Christmas

And your last :(

We miss you and we love you.  Rest in peace, Hanky Panky.