Busy Busy

Normally today would be a "Sam day," but I had a bunch of things on my list that weren't quite kid friendly, so I decided to take her into daycare today. This is a bit guilt-inducing, yes, but she has finally settled into her new room and really is enjoying being there. With the nice weather, they spend a lot of time outside playing, and since "outside" is her new favorite thing, it seemed like a win-win for the day. And luckily, she did indeed have a good day with a long nap too, which is even better!

After I dropped her off, my day consisted of Target-groceries-laundry-bank-drycleaning-garden center to pick up mulch-more laundry-run/quick lunch break-rake the garden-mulch the garden-clean the windows inside and out-clean the shower-make dinner-race to the car and pick up Sam. I did at least manage to squeeze a run in between "more laundry" and "rake the garden," but then it was rush rush rush to get everything else done in time. Nothing says "day off," like racing around like a crazy woman to cross chores off the list! Phew. I'm tired!

For our run, Ryan and I took advantage of the nice day and the fact that we were both home to drive over to the Commons at lunchtime. I haven't run in the Commons for a while, as really, we have great trails only a 1/2 mile away, so it just isn't necessary to drive over to Bowdoin and back to get in a trail run these days. However, the Commons is still a favorite of mine, with nice, mellow terrain, and it was good to run there for a change. Not to mention, my legs were happy to run the flat trails after the weekend. We wandered off the main trail to hit some of the meandering single track, and took a "new to me" trail on the way back. Unfortunately, it dead-ended in a development, but we did get to splash through the mud for a bit, which was fun! We ended up with a solid 7 miles. I'll have to make a point to get back there in a few weeks, as nothing is blooming at all at this point, and historically, I've always really enjoyed the spring wildflowers in this stretch of forest, especially the ladyslippers. Don't want to miss my chance to count them again this year :-)

Outside

We had originally planned to head west this weekend so that Ryan could run 7 Sisters and we could visit with friends who live in Pittsfield. Well, given the broken ribs and all, this didn't seem like a truly wise plan, but I had already taken Saturday off, so we didn't want to waste it. Instead, we decided to head down to see Ryan's parents, and get in a visit with friends in Boston, a visit with Ryan's grandparents, and some running at Bradley Palmer for Ryan and I. It was a gorgeous weekend, and we had lot of fun. Things were really popping down in Georgetown - the azaleas and magnolia trees were in full bloom, the grass was green, tulips were up in force, periwinkle was blooming along the roadside, poison ivy was making an appearance in the brush, and there was pollen on the streets. Ahhh, spring :-)

On Saturday, after a morning spent playing with Sam, we put her down for a nap and drove over to Bradley Palmer for our run. Thanks again to Grammie and Grampie for watching over the baby monitor while we were gone. They really lucked out this time - Sam slept for 3 hours! - so I think they might have had 15 minutes with her before we got home :-) Sam must have been pretty tired out from her week at daycare, and from playing around outside on the nice, wide grassy area behind Irene and Dana's house. Since her new favorite word is "outside," we did a lot of that this weekend!

Anyway, while Sam was sleeping, Ryan and I enjoyed a really nice run at Bradley Palmer. We ran two laps of the GAC Fat Ass course for 12 miles. Although there are certainly other trails to run in the park, the FA loop is a good one, and we already knew the course and distance, which made things a bit easier. The trails were in great shape, the weather was perfect, and it was a lot of fun to get in a trail run with Ryan again. I was really impressed with how well he ran today, given that it was his longest run since Gator Trail, and really only his first "full" week back running. He's on his way back, for sure!

Flora and fauna notes: Saw a male bluebird landing on a tree branch at the entrance to some of the trails near the parking lot. Beautiful! Also, a red-tailed hawk, phoebes, tufted titmice, chickadees, a brown creeper and a few unidentified warblers flitting about.  Lots of big, leafy skunk cabbage in the swamps, a few jack in the pulpits, some patches of rue anemone and a handful of purple violets but not much else blooming yet in the park. We did however, see a ton of trout lilies and periwinkle in full bloom along a few hillsides along the back roads on the way to the park.

Sunday's run was a quick 5-miler on the roads around Georgetown while Sam napped this afternoon. Ryan accused me of picking up the pace each mile, but I wasn't wearing my Garmin, so I can't confirm or deny that statement :-) I did feel good, though, despite a bit of stiffness in the first 1/2 mile. And despite the wind, it was a pretty afternoon to be out, and another nice run with Ryan.

So, all in all, a good running weekend, and fun to see family and friends too!

Fluctuation

I'm finding that my runs these days are fluctuating between feeling really good and just plain feeling flat. Today was another 'flat' day. I only had a short run on tap, so it wasn't really an issue. And I didn't run any slower than I would have on a good day, either. I looked at the Garmin after I got back home, and it said I had kept the pace right at 8:30s for the loop, which is a mix of trail and roads, so there is nothing wrong with that. But like I said, I just felt blah. Am I not yet recovered fully from Gator Trail? Is it the weather? How I sleep the night before? What I've eaten? Am I running too fast on what should be an easy run? I don't feel like I'm pushing myself. I'm just running at a pace that feels comfortable. I wish I could pinpoint it on one thing. Ah well, I'll just hope my next run is a good one, and take it from there. Speaking of my next run, we're headed down to Ryan's parents for the weekend, so I'll head over the Bradley Palmer for my long run on Saturday, which I'm looking forward to. The trails should be in good shape at this time of the year down there, and it's always fun to run some place different! I'm planning on 12 to 15, and Ryan is going to join me for 6 miles or so, which is always a nice treat these days. Gotta love grandparents :-)

Spring, At Last!

It finally felt like spring to me during this morning's run. I got out the door at 8:30am after dropping Sam off at daycare, and still managed to get in a nice hour-long run. On days like today, I really appreciate my job, which allows me extra time in the mornings. I know it is unusual, and I try not to take the extra time for granted. Of course, talk to me in the summer, when I'm in earlier and work later, or on a Saturday when I'm working and not with Ryan and Sam, and it might be a different story, but for today, I felt lucky to have the time to get in a good trail run before coming into work. When I left, it was 50 degrees and muggy. The air felt heavy and full of moisture. Buds have finally appeared on some of the trees out front, and the lilies and irises are really starting to grow by the front door. I decided to head over to the Cathance trails again, and ran a loop similar to Sunday's run, but with a few changes, making the route 6.5 instead of Sunday's 7.15 miles. Skies were overcast, so there was no deafening chorus of peepers in the Heath, but the phoebes and black & white warblers flitting around the Vernal Pool were making quite a racket. I also spotted my first flower of the season - a few blooming trailing arbutus in some of the sunny spots! Hurray!

Trailing Arbutus

A number of fiddleheads were also pushing through the wet ground as well, but nothing else is blooming yet. Still, the forest floor will be filled with greenery and spring flowers in the next few weeks, which always makes me smile. I always say fall is my favorite season but there is something so wonderful about spring. The days get longer, lighter and warmer. Birds flit about, mating and nesting and singing. Plants rise through the ground, flowers bloom, trees bud and the world becomes green again.What's not to love?

Flat

Felt a bit flat during today's run, so I settled for a short and sweet 3 miler on what Ryan has dubbed the "Suck Loop," although really, it isn't so bad. A quick jaunt up the powerlines, along Highland Green Road, through the woods and back on Canam Drive. I heated up lunch the second I got home, and felt better after a big bowl of leftover white chicken chili casserole. Guess I was hungry - still haven't quite figured out the whole 'run while Sam is sleeping' thing when it falls smack in the middle of the day.

At the moment, Sam is in the midst of a nice, long nap, so I'm taking advantage of the time, and relaxing a bit! Once, she wakes up, we'll head over to Nate and Shannon's for some play time with the kids, and a nice dinner with friends (which will not result in broken ribs and a pneumothorax this time around!!) to end the day.

Happy Sounds

Morgan's high-pitched shriek, followed by Sam's deep belly laugh, as I chased Morgan around the kitchen, while holding Sam tight in my arms. Lap after lap, the shrieks and laughs continued.

The golden silence of naptime.

The deafening chorus of the peepers as I ran around the Heath.

The loud call of the Pileated Woodpecker, high above.

The soft pitter patter of a spring rain falling in the forest.

The rush of the rapids along the Cathance River.

The sweet sound of Sam saying "Mama, Mama," after I return from my run, sweaty, muddy and happy.

The bubbling of a casserole in the oven.

The sweet sound of a quiet house after Sam has gone to bed.

Happy Easter, everyone! Hope your day was filled with happy sounds :-)

Fueling up before the easter egg hunt!

This is fun :-)

Hmmm, are there more eggs out here?

I found another one! Yeah!

Sun Rising

I mentioned to Ryan last night that I was thinking about starting to get up and get out for my runs at 5:45am. Sam typically wakes up sometime around 5:00 to 5:30am, but will go back to sleep for another hour to 1 1/2 hours. I have been using this time to either sleep or get up and go downstairs and relax a bit with a cup of coffee and my computer. This is all well and good, and it's nice to have some quiet time, but the reality is that my days are busy and I am constantly feeling like I don't have enough time to get it all done. Of course, let's face it, there isn't enough time to get it all done, but I can at least try! Plus, once summer rolls around, I will have to be at work earlier, and I won't have the time to run after dropping Sam off at daycare. That is a luxury, for sure! So, I figured I should get used to getting up and out early at least a few days a week. I'm pretty sure Ryan just shook his head, and figured that this morning, I'd be doing my same old routine, and would not be out the door to run at 5:45am. Well, wasn't he surprised when I whispered in his ear, right at 5:45am no less, that I was headed out for 6 miles on the cart paths :-)


It was a beautiful morning. Crisp and clear, and quiet. As I ran up the Mt. Ararat hill, I saw the orange orb that is the sun rising up along the horizon. And as I ran along the packed gravel cart paths on the golf course, the sun rose up above the trees, its light kissing the frosted grass on the greens. I meandered and twisted and turned, and all the while, the sun rose on my left, and the waning moon, still high in the sky, looked down at me on the right. A woodpecker tapped away at a tree trunk, the phoebes called to each other from reeds along the marsh, and the robins hopped about on the greens in search of breakfast. I was admittedly feeling a bit tired from being up and out so early, but otherwise, I felt great and had a very peaceful run. What a nice way to start the day! Even better was that I had the chance to hop in the shower and get cleaned up before Sam woke up for the day.

Feeling Better; Feeling Sad

I woke up feeling much better this morning, and had a nice, snappy 5 mile run on the Highland Green loop. Boy, was it windy, though! Wow. A few times along the route, I was running straight into a serious headwind and felt like I was barely moving forward. At one point, as I was headed back on the powerlines, pushing into the wind, I looked over and saw a hawk being buffeted around by the wind, trying to turn circles above the grasses. Guess I wasn't the only one who thought the wind was strong :-)

I also got a good look at a Northern Flicker as I ran through the Highland Green development. He was initially down on the ground, but flew up to peck on a tree trunk as I ran by. Such a cool looking bird.

~

My grandmother, Mim, passed away earlier this week. She was 90 years old. Despite slowing down a bit in the past few years, she was overall in good health and in good spirits, and her passing came as a bit of a shock because of this. Or perhaps it is always a shock to realize that one you love is gone, even if you have been readying yourself for the day. But, in the end, we all must go, and if we must, the way Mim went, peacefully, in her sleep, after a good day and a good meal with my aunt, uncle and cousin, is the best way I can think of. She will be missed greatly, by her five children, her grandchildren, her great-grandchildren and many others. We are lucky to have had her in our lives, and I am so glad that she had the chance to get to know Sam, even if only a little bit, over the past year and a half.

You will be missed, dear Mim. We love you.

Mim enjoying the afternoon with Morgan and Sam, March 2011

Blah

I went to bed last night with my stomach feeling a bit off. Luckily Sam slept better last night, and I got a nice stretch of blissfully uninterrupted sleep from 9:30 until 4:00. Ahhh! I thought a good night's sleep might do the trick, but I still feel a bit blah today. And the weather isn't helping, that's for sure. It was 36 degrees and rainy when I got back from dropping Sam off at daycare, which made it seem a much better day for curling up inside on the couch with a cup of coffee than for going out to run. I didn't have much energy or desire, so I just ran the 3-mile Patriots Common road loop, and called it good. Hoping to be back in the swing of things and feeling better tomorrow!

Two Parts: 'Sam's 18 Month Stats' & 'Mud and Flood'

Sam's 18 Month Stats:

This morning was Sam's 18 month check-up. A week late, but close enough :-) Unfortunately, I can't proclaim that she is actually weighing in at over 20 lbs., even though that was what the scale indicated last week when I took her in for an ear check. Today she weighed in at 19 lbs. 9 oz., and is now 30 1/4" long. Her head circumference is 17 3/4".

All of this means she is one small munchkin! Her weight puts her pretty much at the bottom of the percentage chart, and maybe even off it. Our doctor, however, wasn't concerned, noting that overall, Sam's been gaining weight, even if slowly, on her own curve, and she's never been in the high range on the scale anyway. For height and head circumference, she's in the 10th percentile, so right about where she's always been.

She is slightly ahead of the curve verbally and with her fine motor skills, but may be a bit behind on the gross motor skills, ie. climbing, etc, simply because she's so small and honestly can't climb up onto things easily! :-) Otherwise, she seems to be doing great, and there are no concerns. Other notes: She's getting in her two top 1 year molars (with the top right partway through) and one canine tooth, and her bottom gums are swollen, meaning those teeth are imminent. And she has another ear infection. Ah yes, this is why she was so happy last night! Here's hoping the antibiotics kick in quickly!

~

Mud and Flood


After we got home from the doctor and pharmacy, and gave Sam her lunch, she went up for her nap. As soon as she was asleep, I headed out the door. The plan was for 10 miles. Of course, by the time I started the run it was 12:45, I hadn't eaten much all day, and I didn't sleep much last night. Recipe for a good run, for sure :-) Ha. But I figured I'd give it a go. It was a nice sunny day, and just a bit windy. Although Ryan cautioned that I was likely to run into some flooding along the Cathance River, I thought I'd give the Cathance trails a try anyway. I really wanted to do something different, and to see how things were shaping up down in the single track.

Needless to say, it was very wet and muddy, pretty much everywhere. And the river was high. Along the first stretch of trail, the river meandered quietly, its muddy waters seeping up over the banks in spots. Then, after Barnes Leap, the rapids were roaring wildly, the water churning, even overtaking our favorite rock outcropping.

Roaring river

Rushing water

I was actually pretty easily able to work around everything, either by doing some creative bushwacking, or, in two spots, do some fancy footwork on a downed tree to get across a swollen tributary. It wasn't until 3.5 miles into the run, as I hit the head of the Rapid's Loop that I was stymied. I looked down into the ravine, the bottom of which is a small stream with a decent bridge crossing, and realized I couldn't get across. I couldn't even see the bridge. So, I turned up the hill instead, running the top of the Beaver Loop, and taking the dirt road out to the Ravine Trail, where I found the majority of the snow for the day, as well as a lot of shoe-sucking mud. I returned up the road and hooked back up with the Heath Trail, scaring up a solitary Great Blue Heron among the marsh grasses. For the final few miles, I meandered a bit down the back Highland Green Road and on the Mt. Ararat trails to get the mileage to an even 9.0. I had been out for 1:29, and that was more than enough for the day. The twisting single track was tough work in conditions like today's and I was tired enough before I started. Still, it was a wet, muddy and fun run on the Cathance trails, and I was happy to be back out running on them!

Squish Squish

We ventured out this morning in the midst of the wind and rain storm to have a yummy breakfast at Broadway Deli. Sam had a great time, enjoying her pancakes, and making friends with everyone in the restaurant. By the time we got home, the rain had stopped, and the sun was thinking about making an appearance. Sam went down for her nap right around noon, and I laced up my shoes and headed out for my run. I ran 5 miles out and back on the powerlines. It's amazing how different the trail looks compared to yesterday's run! No more hoar frost. Hardly any snow remaining. Lots of mud. Lots of deep puddles, and a few sinkholes. I came home with muddy legs, and shoes that were clearer than when I had started out, having been 'washed' in a few of the puddles on the return trip :-) Sorry to have missed the first TMR Sunday run, but at least I had the chance to get out and run in some mud!

Crunchy

It felt like a return to winter this morning when I headed out at 6:30am for a short run before everyone woke up. The thermometer was reading 28 degrees. Brrr. I sank into frozen mud puddles, and big patches of thick, curling hoar frost coming up through the wet sand crunched beneath my feet as I ran along the powerlines trail. So much for spring! I got in a mellow 3 miles, and came home to find Sam and Ryan reading in bed. Cute :-)

The past few days Ryan has been feeling much better, and I can tell the pain from his ribs has diminished significantly. Hurray! I think it will still be a few weeks before he's out running, but at least he can walk around normally now, and has even voluntarily left the house a few times (other than for a doctor's visit) :-) Encouraging, so sure! Sam, on the other hand, seems to be going through a bit of a rough patch - with her two upper canine teeth coming through, a bit of trouble adjusting to the "big kid" room at daycare (actually, this is the room she should be in, with all the kids being in her age group, but she is the smallest by far!), and a little 'mama' separation thrown in too. Poor kid. Luckily, Ryan's parents came up today to help Ryan out while I was at work, and Sam seemed to emerge from her little funk, having a great day all day. Not to mention, she took a 3 hour nap. That always helps!

Wind? What Wind?

It seems like it has been windy for the past two months. What is up with that? I mean, I like a good cool breeze in the summer, and sure, the whipping wind is cool to watch (from the couch!), but running into the wind day in and day out is just plain silly. And what do you know? This morning, it was windy :-) I hit the Highland Green loop for 5 miles. It was chilly, and the grass at the edge of the puddles from the rain the other day was tinged in ice. My legs felt a bit heavy, but the pace was good. I feel like three weeks out from Gator Trail, and I should be back to "normal," but maybe I'm still recovering to a certain extent. Ah well. I'm out there, and that's what counts.

Cart Path Run

When I ran the Highland Green loop on Monday, it got me to thinking that the golf course cart paths should be clear of snow, and would make for a nice run today. The course is actually now open for play, but I knew I could likely get in a run before anyone was out there. Besides, on a morning like today (46 degrees, dreary, windy and damp), who in their right mind would be out playing golf anyway?! I got a bit of a late start, as Sam slept in and then we played for a bit before I took her to daycare, but I was running by 8:45. I figured this gave me just enough time to squeeze in 5 or 6 miles before I had to rush to shower and change and head into work. Perfect.

I ran the Mt. Ararat trails over to Mountain Road, and then hit the cart paths. The Mt. Ararat trails were pretty wet, and there was still some good sections of snow, but if we get a few more warm, sunny days, those should be gone soon. The cart path was pretty wet too, but since it's packed gravel and dirt, and it was snow-free, it made for some great running. The cart path measured almost exactly 3.25 miles, so it certainly doesn't take the most direct route! The path meanders and dips and turns, running by a few neat quarry pools and a number of babbling brooks through the woods, as it weaves through the development. There were a few robins out digging for worms, and a woodpecker tapping away at a dead tree, but otherwise, there wasn't much life out there. The woods are still drab and brown, and even the marshy areas aren't yet showing any signs of spring. Soon, though, soon! Still, I enjoyed the change of scenery, and was happy to get in 6 miles out there - and before the rain started too! That certainly was good timing :-)

Coffee

This morning's crazy wind, rain, thunder and lightening gave way to warmer temps and brightening skies around lunchtime, so I lucked out on my run and managed to stay dry! I headed out a little after noon, once Sam went down for her nap, and ran the 5-mile Highland Green loop to give my legs a little bit of a break after yesterday's messy trail run. Phoebes were calling, groups of robins were chattering to each other, crocuses were blooming and a few skunk cabbage were poking their heads out of the mud in the wet areas along the back dirt road. And on the return trip, with the wind blowing in my face, the burnt aroma of fresh roasting coffee from Wicked Joe's over in Brunswick wafted over me. Ummm, coffee! :-)