Thursday 13-Week 27 (Life)

1. We're picking up Baby GusGus from puppy summer camp (obedience school) today after work. I can't wait! I stopped at PetSmart yesterday and bought him some new things (including a p!mp red suede bed). I couldn't resist... I had to purchase the Bulldog magazine at the check-out line.

2. I offically (meaning an email went out to the parents) quit coaching. My last day will be Friday, August 7. I'll miss the kids like crazy, but I am ready to have a little more free time and less commitments so I can pursue some new goals (and maybe even relax a little!).

3. My first running race since the 2007 Vegas Marathon is coming up in a week and a half. I'm doing the El Scorcho 25K (http://www.elscorchorun.com/ - read the web site - it is greatness) next Saturday at midnight. Actually I'm doing the "La Scorchita," which is 15.5 miles (instead of 31 miles). I ran 14.22 miles last Saturday, and I'm hoping to do a 16-mile run this coming Saturday. I feel pretty prepared, but I know I won't be speedy. It's all about having a good time and getting some base training for my next marathon (and why drink at midnight when you can run instead???).

4. Speaking of running, I am still trying to decide on a late 2009/early 2010 marathon. San Antonio (November) will require training some in the heat (which I am already doing, so I guess I should whine a little less). I am thinking maybe Vegas in December, but we have already done that one. It is flat, fast, and fun though! I really want to break 4 hours. Maybe Houston will be my back-up plan? I don't even know if Houston is sold out already though. I need to get on the ball and make a commitment so I don't pansy out.

5. Why do I have to think about my weight so much? Well, besides the fact that weight issues pretty much came with the TCU degree. My lowest pre-wedding weight was 150.0, and now I'm fluctuating in the high 150's/low 160's. Why is it so hard to lose 15 pounds (took me almost 6 months) and so friggin easy to put it right back on (about 6 weeks)? At least now that the wedding festivities have calmed down, I am starting to get back into my routine this week.

6. The routine was hampered a bit by girl's night yesterday, but I will gain a few pounds to sit around and drink with my best friends!

7. Hopefully I can get down under 150 before the honeymoon. I think that is a good goal, especially if I continue to workout and I eat reasonably decent (and refrain from crippling my poor liver). So now I have begun "Operation Honeymoon Bikini."

8. We decided to take a cruise from Galveston to Jamaica (Montego Bay), the Cayman Islands, and Cozumel. We got a great deal (and we have a balcony room with a king-sized bed!) on a 7-night cruise. The ship departs on Sunday, August 30. We'll head down south on Friday or Saturday and hopefully see Diane, Clint, and Baby Barghi (Andrew) and then spend the night in Kemah. We'll return on Sunday, September 6 and then we'll have the next day off work (Labor Day). That worked out perfectly!

9. I am ridiculously behind on thank you notes. Fortunately I've heard that proper etiquette dictates that I have an entire year to send them out! Hooray for procrastination. I need to hire a personal assistant.

10. We are finally taking on some home projects. And by "we," I mean that we have hired a handyman to do the work! He spent the last two days installing the dog door. We have a few more projects lined up... sprinklers for the backyard, taking the wallpaper off in the entry way (weird Southwest motif) and dining room (weird horizontal strip of Danish-looking wallpaper), repainting (where the wallpaper was and also the horrible finger-painting-looking stuff on the entry way ceiling), and replacing the VHS shelves (partition between the living room and the bar) with glass.

11. I am swimming every now and then... enough to realize that I am painfully out of swimming shape but not enough to notice any improvements. Right now I am only planning on swimming with the masters team in June and July (since I'll quit coaching in early August and I won't be driving to South Fort Worth very much). However, 2010 Summer Nationals in Puerto Rico... hmmm, that has me thinking.

12. I occasionally get asked about married life. After living in sin for quite awhile together and buying a house last summer, I don't really feel like much has changed. It is very hard for me to say or sign my new last name. It hasn't completely sunk in yet for some reason. I do love seeing a wedding ring on Cliff though. That is pretty snazzy. It's also fun to say "husband" and "hubby," although I do kind of miss the "fiance" title.

13. I'm still giving private swim lessons in my backyard pool if anyone is interested. Ages 5 and up, $30 for 30 minutes. It has been great watching some of my Water Works 2 swimmers make HUGE improvements in their stroke technique. Hopefully I will have enough of a client base next summer when I'm not coaching.