These are habanero peppers from our garden  Aren't the gorgeous!!!  Not only are the beautiful, they are probably the hottest peppers I have ever eaten in my life- and I LOVE hot food.  I can't even maybe handle these babies.  Larry put half of one in our pasta curry tonight and I was sweating like a whore in church-yes, I know very crude but very true.

These are snickers bars that I made from scratch--yes I know they look fantastic and believe me --- they are.    They are also very time consuming --So... if you get them for Chanukah or Christmas know that I love you more then life itself because if takes that long to make them.  

        I know that a lot of the east coast is experiencing awful storms but here in Oklahoma, it is gorgeous.  I mean gorgeous.  

Check out this fire we built in the back yard last night.  How can you not sit around this and think that life is fantastic and awesome!

       All right-enough of all that good stuff-Ran four miles today, even though I was exhausted because I couldn't sleep last night because the dog was snoring so loud, but I have to prepare  for my 20 miles on Saturday. Right now it's all I can think about.  As much as I love to get up in the morning and look at myself in the mirror and see a long distance runner----I HATE being a long distance runner.  It is painful--very very painful, and very time consuming.    On a side note- no matter how often I eat yogurt for breakfast it never ever fills me up.  If someone has any suggestions for a good breakfast that does not make me sick or starving please let me know.   By The Way  Michael told me today "if I was to ever get married,  I'd marry Lori because she is such a good cook". Thanks Michael--I think-- Please don't marry me.   THAT IS ALL

Tulsa Run and Castle of Muskogee

What an awesome day!! One of those days where the sun is shining and sky is blue and you are happy to be alive!  

This morning we ran the Tulsa Run 15k!!   This is Larry and I before and I realize we look like insane people.  Right before this picture Larry had a full mask on, and he was thinking he was very funny and clever. With that being said, the beginning of the race was freezing but after that the weather was beautiful and we both had a great run, he beat me by 14 minutes-but I'm  ok with that.  Like I always say,-he may be able to run faster but I sure can run further.

   This evening we took Logan to the Castle of Muskogee, tried to get Brad to go but apparently we are not cool enough.  Anyway,  if you have not been to the Castle for Halloween you must go.  It is really fun,  we took a haunted hay ride and went through a maze.  Both were fun and family friendly,  the costumes were fantastic and everyone there looked like they were having a really good time.  

And there was a hawk-- and you can't beat that!

I'm not going to talk about my eating habits today because they were awful,  I also missed my run because Bradley was having car issues-However, I have many other entertaining things to talk about AND I'm doing the Tulsa Run on Saturday and will make up for lost running on that day. So, not worried about that, planning on finishing in an 1:40.  I'll let you know.

    Larry and I have been scaring each other with a fake rubber snake that I bought for Bradley about 13 years ago( he was and still is obsessed with snakes and reptiles).  It's funny how these kind of thing magically re-appear after years of not being seen.  So, I walk in the house the other day and there is a huge rubber snake laying across the doorway and needless to say, it startled me, but only slightly.  Since then,  the game is on!!!  The snake has been everywhere--wrapped around the toilet, on the top of doorways, underneath laundry etc.   Let me show you where is was this morning

Yep!! That's my shower curtain!! very very clever--This game is and will never be over!! BaHaHaHa

So- I've decided to go a different route with my blog.  At this point in life I am trying to balance marathon training, eating right, keeping a clean house and living a fun life, and oh yea--work and family. So I'm going to use this to chronicle my journey and keep myself on track.  Some of it may seem boring and some may seem really entertaining and I will let you decide which is which.  Today, I start this journey, so let me tell you about my day.

        I had yogourt with granola for breakfast and it was awesome.  Unfortunately, I was starving  2 hours later and stuffed myself with a chicken sandwich and bean dip, queso, and chips.  oops!!   On top of that I did not run because I used this time to clean the house, which was filthy, and get ready for the week and weekend.  My goal is to have all house work done by Saturday so I don't have to spend the day cleaning. I can do my long run and move on with the day.  After 3 hours of cleaning, Larry is making chicken curry for dinner and I am very very excited.  I LOVE curry.

   My plan is to get up tomorrow and run 10 miles before work- we will see how that goes and I will let you know.  That is all for today, except that I hate the smell of pine sol--yuck!! Does that make me crazy??

Visit to Woolaroc

If you are from Northeastern Oklahoma you have been to Woolaroc, not just once but many many times.  I love it there, it reminds me of childhood, and my son's childhood and OK Mozart, and KidsFest, and Buffalo Burgers, and the trash eating Buffalo etc.   So, this last weekend Larry and I met my Dad there with my son, Larry's two kids, and my 2 nieces and nephew. These are there heads afterwards!!!

Nah just kidding.. The thing about Woolaroc is that it is timeless, Timeless meaning that they have the exact same exhibits as they did when I was a kid, and the same dust!  Truly Amazing!  We had a great time and went to my parents house for dinner afterwards.  This is what occurred there....

It may be difficult to see, but that is three teenagers, sitting in a room all on their respective phones. Need I say anything else.

Enough about Woolroc.  Yesterday, I had a visit from the ABLE commission at work.  When Michael comes to get me he says "Lori, the FBI is up front to see you".   I exclaim " The FBI!! that's weird"  as he follows me to the front I hear him mumble "I hope they are not here for me"!  At this point, I lough hysterically and wonder why in the heck the FBI would be looking for Michael!!   

Last but not least- The restaurant cooled down to a comfortable 90 degrees!!! That is all.. oh and I think I have an addiction to using the comma

Hot and Bothered

This last week puts a new meaning to the phrase "Hot and Bothered".  When the low is 82 degrees and the high is 111degrees no one and I mean NO ONE is happy.  This affects me in two ways- the first being that I have to get up at the crack of dawn to get my miles in.  This February, when it was nice and cool out, I made a split decision to enter the Chicago Marathon.  I obviously did not take into consideration that I would be doing most of my training during the hottest part of the summer. I feel like I am in a constant state of slight dehydration, which leads to headaches and high irritability.  Which brings me to my real problem.
THE RESTAURANT

The air conditioner at work can simply not keep up with the temperatures outside, so it is a swarmy 80 degrees at all times, except in my office, its  a brutal 92!!!  It is HOT and EVERYONE is bothered, never in my life have a heard so much complaining, complaining and more complaining.  It doesn't help that I want to tell the all the shut it-- oh well- I guess that is what happens when the low temperature is 82 degrees.
                          It is So Hot >>>

This dog ate his own leash!!  What a dummy- now he can't go for a walk>>

oh yea- he doesn't want to--

IT'S TOO FREAKING HOT

Thank you for letting my complain

Shoe Shopping with Michael

Ok- for those of you who don't know Michael, he is a 60 year old, slightly mentally unstable, and a very tall man that has worked for Chimi's for 23 years.   He works 7 days a week and manages to simultaneously get everyone he knows to both love him and want to choke him at almost every moment.  Well, I have gotten into the habit of driving him home everyday from work (even though he only lives a block and a half from the restaurant), so on Monday he requested that I drive him to Payless to buy new shoes on the way home. First of all, this is NOT on the way home, Second of all, I do get paid to be at the restaurant, so I told him I would be happy to but he would have to wait until 4. Several hours of arguing later,he convinced me to take him in the middle of my work day... So off we go to the Payless on Pine and Lewis.  According to Michael we must go there because they are the only ones that carry the size 14 shoe that he requires!!
      Payless on Pine and Lewis is not the nicest shoe store in town but everyone seems to know him there and it seems relatively safe.  Unfortunately, they do not have the shoes he wants  in a size 14 but they do have them in a size 13.  He assures me that once he cuts his toenails that the size 13 will fit just fine!!! (gross, gross, gross, and more gross)  So, the shoes are bought and after a nice 30 minute conversation with the clerk we exit the store.  As we are leaving the largest black man in the biggest fur coat you have ever seen comes up to us and says in a very deep voice  "Hey, y'all want to buy some movies?".  Michael replies, very innocently "I would sir , but I don't have a projector".  At this point I am laughing like the fool that I am and the large man in the large fur coat moves along for sure thinking that we were the crazy ones.

Michael!!

      So, shoes are bought and toenails are clipped, and everyone is happy, so I think!!.  The next morning Michael says to me:"Lori,  I really appreciate you taking me to buy shoes, but I really wanted to stop at Church's Chicken. Why didn't you take me there?'  Dios Mio and Oye Vey- you just cant make everyone happy.

p.s.  I start training for my second marathon in a few weeks and I can't wait!!