Whirlwind

Today was one of my "extra" days off this week. I dropped Sam off at daycare at 8am. After spending three out of the past four days with Mama (and the fourth with "Daddo"), she was so happy to get to her room and start playing with her little cohorts - it was like she was saying "Well, Mom, I love you and all, but it is just so cool to be back here with all my friends!" I do love that she is so happy at daycare. It makes things so much easier on all of us!

It was snowing lightly, and Ryan had already called me to tell me that things were slow on I-295. He had passed an accident around exit 22. I had a dermatologist appointment down in Portland at 9:00am. I was turning onto the highway at 8:13. Plenty of time, right? Um, no. Not today. I passed five cars off the road, two of them with police cars and tow trucks in the mix, making for some seriously slow going. I actually didn't think the roads were all that bad, so what is up with that?! It took me an hour and 10 minutes to get down to exit 5. Yikes! Needless to say I was late for my appointment. Which meant more waiting. But, my annual skin check concluded without incident. Hurray! It's been 7 years since I had an 'in situ' melanoma (meaning not even stage 1, but still way scary!) removed on my back and although I am no longer super nervous for each of these appointments, it is still a relief to hear her say I look OK and that she'll see me in a year!

The rest of the morning was spent making returns and exchanges and gift card purchases at Macy's, Baby Gap and Children's Place. Don't even get me started about shopping at the mall. I was in and out as quickly as possible, but that wasn't all. Then it was onto Babies R Us for more returns and exchanges and gift card purchases. And then to Sam's Club. By now it was noon, and I was hungry. I stopped at the Sam's lunch counter and got a big piece of veggie pizza for $2.01 including tax. Now that's a good deal! Yes, I know, I know. It's Sam's. And it's their lunch counter. But hey. It was actually pretty tasty. Finally, by 12:45, I was back on the road. I had brought all my running gear, and decided I would stop at Bradbury on my way home. OK, so the park is about 5 miles (each way) out of the way, but you know what I mean :-)

There was only one other car in the parking lot as I laced up my screw shoes and headed across the street for the snowmobile trail. I did say hi to one of the rangers as I headed out, I had my phone in my pocket, and Ryan knew where I was headed, so Mom, no need to worry :-) Snow was still falling lightly as I ran along. It looked like they had been out grooming the trail. It was wonderfully smooth and graded. There was about an inch of fresh fluffy snow on top of the nicely groomed and packed trail, so it made for some really nice running. The woods were quiet, the evergreens covered with snow, the tracks of deer and other small animals veering off the trail in zig zag fashion into the deep snow. Although I was feeling good, I stuck with my initial plan and when the Garmin read 2.51 miles at a random point on the trail, I turned around. The snow had stopped, and the sun shone down through the trees onto the trail, glimmering off the new snow. Although it was only in the low teens temp-wise, there was no wind, and now that I had warmed up, it was truly comfortable, and beautiful, out there.

As I was running the hilly section back up near the park boundary, I heard a sled coming up behind me. I stepped off the trail, and he slowed slightly as he passed. I waved and although he gave me a funny look, he waved back and zoomed off. I wonder what he thought of the lone woman running up the snowmobile trail? :-) I stepped back onto the trail and continued up. I managed to keep a steady 9:45 pace even through this stretch, and even picked it up slightly in the final, so nicely downhill, mile, finishing the 5 miles in 48:07. It was a great run, and a great afternoon to be out in the woods!

On the way home, I stopped to feed Cordelia's cats, and then after putting away the groceries, taking a shower, and cleaning up in the kitchen a bit, it was 4:30 and time to pick up Sam. Phew! Maybe I'll have time to relax tomorrow?! :-)