Posts Tagged: Friends

Running / Uncategorized — No Comments
22
Apr 12

We did it. ZOOMA Atlanta.

The alarm went off at 5:15.

We all got up, dressed, a cup of coffee and bagel.

Then we were off to run 13.1 miles.

 

Got to the start line and started checking Facebook.

 

 

 

 

The course was beautiful.

Surrounded by vistas of the lake, we ran up and down and all around.

 

It was an awesome day and race.

 

A great post race party followed.

Melissa and I after the race.

Eggs and pink champagne.

 

Then on the shuttle back to the hotel, we bumped into some fun running Tweeps.

 

We all gave ZOOMA a big thumbs up.

On the ride home, we discussed our next race travel trip.

Who knows where the road might take us.

Any suggestions?

 

Running — 2 Comments
21
Apr 12

Getting set to run 13.1. Up and down and around we go.

I traveled up to Lake Lanier Islands with a couple of friends today to run the ZOOMA Atlanta Half tomorrow morning.

 

The funky bags we got at Expo.

We checked in.

Checked out the cool things.

 

 

 

It is really pretty up here.

One thing became quickly apparent to me.

There was a…..

 

And as I looked around I saw lots and lots more.

But as we seasoned runners like to say,

What goes up must come down.

We hung at the pool and the girls drank their water.

 

 

I was nowhere to be seen for I was off in search of another form of hydration.

We just checked out the course online and I heard “Jamie, what have you got us into” more than once.

Ha. ha. So fun for me.

So with our bellies full of pasta and magazines in our lap — we are getting our game on for the tomorrow.

I wonder if someone set an alarm?

 

Running — No Comments
10
Apr 12

How to stay inspired for the long way home. Accountability partners.

Or long run home.

 

I’ve talked some friends into running the awesome ZOOMA Half Marathon up at Lake Lanier with me.

———->>>> Check out my sidebar re ZOOMA.

Let’s say some of us haven’t been running all that much.

With race day less than two weeks away, we decided to do a long run today.

I woke up this morning, stared into the black and thought: how am I going to run?

Got my slow-poke kids off to school, arriving home exactly eight minutes before our scheduled run.

Opening the door from dropping them off, I raced into find running shoes and once again thought, “How am I going to do this?”

A tired me pity party started to rage.

At 8:30 they showed…darn. (If you ever tell them that, I will deny it to my dying day.)

But once we started, it wasn’t that bad.

Heck, it was such beautiful morning and we had a great time.

Funny thing is, they look to me as the one who keeps us all on track with our running.

Maybe they won’t after this post.

Does having an accountability person help you get out the door to exercise?

 

 

 

Friends — 17 Comments
12
Jan 12

Musing on Introverts. They make the best friends.

Well, they make the best friends of your children to have around.

My high school senior has a good friend who is very introverted. He’s bright, cute but doesn’t say much.

I LOVE having him around.

Why?

Because I’m sort of an introvert too. (A closet one.)

Or a person who’s about 55 percent “in” and 45 percent “out.”

And choosing to join Mama Kat’s prompt’s today, I was intrigued by the question, “Share a lesson you have learned about friendship from an introvert.”

 

*    *    *

 

 

* The value of silence.  Humans by nature are self-centered. Introverts are no different. They just let their extroverted friends take the stage. I’m learning that I don’t have to comment on EVERYTHING. When we shut up and listen, we learn more. If we learn more about things and people — on subjects we agree or disagree – we become deeper and truer to ourself.  (Expressed like a true introvert.)

* You think they’re are spacing out then WHAMMO. I love surprises. (Scary ones.) And there is nothing scarier than thinking a person is all fluff and light and then…BAM the truth comes out. Introverts are never ending. Their greatest weakness (thinking too much) is also their greatest strength.

* They remember birthdays, your children’s birthdays…heck they remember your parent’s birthdays (and their first names). They say “I’m praying for you.” And they really are in an emotionally and spiritually connected way.

* They don’t have to be right. They might think they are…but it’s not worth causing discord to make sure everyone knows how smart they are.

* They are self-sacrificing. And ultimately here is the lesson for us all. Granted they put themselves last (and sometimes resent it) because this is how their DNA was woven. Still the credit goes to them for clamping their tongue, encouraging the discouraged and not saying…

“I told you so.”

And on the rare occasion Introverts tell you “they told you so” —  you really don’t realize they are — because they are only doing it for your good.

What about you?

What have you learned from a special introspective friend?

 

 

 

Mama’s Losin’ It

Christmas / Running — 7 Comments
30
Nov 11

A Sparkling Party. Musing on friendships — again.

Friendship.

It doesn’t know distance or time.

Back in August when school started, I started running (literally) with a younger crowd.

Having children in the high school, elementary school and primary school, I have a wonderful group of friends.

But this running group introduced me to an even younger group. Women with babies and preschoolers.

Just writing “preschooler” exhausts me.

Last night a bunch of these women, I didn’t know four months ago got together for a dinner and cheapo-sparkly jewelry swap.

We all brought a piece of jewelry and then proceeded to swap the boxes around. Then we did the old pick-a-number-and-steal-a-gift-if-you-want-to game.

Since I only play these things once a year, I forget how it goes. I drew number 20 which was the best I could do – other than number one.

Jill was number one and this was the coveted bracelet she traded last minute for.

 

My prize. (Just to be clear it was the ring on the right. The one on the left was my grandmother's.)

 

We had a great night.

Even if you lived in the same spot for over a decade, there are tons of nice folks to get to know. And I’ve grown quite fond of these younger women Tebow and I run with each morning.

Yep — even after partying hard last night — we showed up in the parking lot for a run this morning.

Okay.  We didn’t party hard.

What does mean anymore? If  I knew I’d probably be terrified.

It was cold this morning….and we still showed.

The younger gals, Tebow and I. And that made me happy.

Do you have friends of all different ages? Real friends — not just acquaintances.

(Not that intergenerational acquaintances are to be discouraged.)

Christmas / Uncategorized — 4 Comments
28
Nov 11

Musing on Ingrid from the Great White North. It can’t be time for you to go?

Friends.

When you think of all the people that cross your path over a lifetime, why is it when your life intersects with a certain few — something takes?

A friendship is kindled.

Proximity doesn’t matter. Some of the best enemies live next door to each other.

Meet our Candian friend, Ingrid Nieman.

Every year for 19 years, she has travelled from her home in London, Ontario to share Thanksgiving with my extended family.

She flies in the Sunday before — and usually brings the cold weather with her. Not this year. We had a very balmy week (by Canadian standards) and now that she is leaving us, they are predicting snow showers.

How did this coming from London (Ontario that is) down to Georgia to celebrate an American Thanksgiving start all those years ago?

“I wasn’t even carrying their furniture line, but we would meet time and time again at trade shows,” Ingrid remembered the other day. “We just became friends.”

Hanging out with Ingrid the Sunday before Thanksgiving. As always a good NFL game is on the television.

My father-in-law had an outdoor furniture business based in Minnesota. Ingrid had a retail store in Canada. She now is sales representative for a number of outdoor furniture lines.

One spring at a trade show after talking about the differences between the Canadian Thanksgiving (held in October) and the American one — my in-laws invited her down.

That was 19 years ago and she has been coming ever since. People in our church and in our town, all recognize her — as the Canadian Thanksgiving visitor.

Throughout the years, another tradition (or task) has developed. Each Friday after Thankgiving, Ingrid begins to wrap my in-laws SUPER NOVA Christmas tree with lights.

Actually, it starts the Monday or Tuesday before Thanksgiving, when they head out to Jack’s Creek to get the tree. “Out at Jack’s Creek, they know me. I’m the one who does the Christmas tree. Though I think they imagine I’m Jack and Nancy’s daughter.”

So with  a bursting houseful of visiting family (and my children who live over there while cousins visit), Ingrid works away on the tree.

Here it was Saturday night.

That's an interesting look.

Yes, sweet Ingrid comes for over a week the end of November every year to eat turkey with us. And have some of my pecan pie. And then to put 2,500 lights on a tree. How does one put all those lights on the tree, a job she estimates can take up to eight hours?

“It comes with my personality. Triple A, controlling…perfectionist,” she said with a laugh.

No. She might be a perfectionist — but to come and hang with our family for a week, year after year — you’ve got to roll with a lot.

Sad to see you go for another year, Ingie. A big NFL fan, we’ll miss watching these late season games with you.

Ingrid’s tree (at my in-laws).

 

It’s hard to believe another Thanksgiving has come and gone.

And hard to believe so has Ingrid for another year.

Is there a special friend that shares Thanksgiving with you?

Uncategorized — 3 Comments
18
Nov 11

Musing on the Goodwill Bday Games. Watch if you dare.

A very good friend had a birthday recently. I was to take her out today.

When we got in the car I learned about the Hunger Games she wanted to play.

Oops. Not the Hunger Games…these were the Goodwill Bday Games.

Diana explains what the Goodwill Bday Games are all about.

Watch if you dare.

 

Yes, we got to the Covington Goodwill and searched high and low. And like in the book the Hunger Games which our event so closely paralleled, we changed the rules.

We had five minutes to choose a shirt. I knew two was impossible.

Diana with one of my choices for her.

 

 

This nice gentleman was rather taken with the birthday girl.

He said her smile was her best accessory.

I agreed. Then took his picture.

I looked around and found a few more excellent purchases.

After the Goodwill Bday Games was called a raging success — we headed out for the Closing Ceremonies.

After somebody made a wrong turn on I-20 and headed us toward Atlanta, we set our sites on Chili’s for a recap of all the Goodwill action.

After a great Bday lunch of soup, salad and adult beverages in appropriate moderation, we snapped this photo.

Another bday in the books and a good time was had by all.

Have you ever played games? Goodwill, Hunger or otherwise?

Uncategorized — 2 Comments
23
Sep 11

A muse on an afternoon with a friend.

Some posts have background music.

All I hear in my head right now is Mick Jagger singing and the music from “Waiting on a Friend.”

Take a deep breath and sit a second in that song and that was my afternoon.

We lived in a house together during law school. We studied. A lot. Alone in our rooms. When we couldn’t take it anymore we would meet in the kitchen, open the cupboard and stare at its contents, hoping something appetizing would spring from the shelf.

We joked that if a nuclear explosion happened (this was mid-80s) that all they would find of us would be two carbon footprints standing in front of the cupboard.

This afternoon, Deborah and I met for lunch.

Deborah came flying in — the world-wind she always was.

It was impossible to take a picture of her still. Which is a good thing…because that is what I love about her.

She always was the more sensible one.

 

I ordered wine with lunch. (I just finished a story on the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet.)

Deborah had sweet tea. (Because the aspartame is worse than sugar. And she stays like a stick.)

That was us in law school. I ordered fried oysters; Deborah ordered grilled fish. (Even before it was cool to order grilled fish.)

We went back to the Cloisters which was her crib for the next few days.

White pants after Labor Day.

 

I wore white pants to lunch with Deborah thinking — I’m not slave to that old rule, then my friend takes me to the Cloister —  ”Old Rule” Central.

I wished for business cards to hand out to people. “I know the rule about not wearing white after Labor Day. I just am incredibly self-secure and don’t care.”

It was a terribly beautiful place.

 

The outside.

 

 

 

 

The inside.

 

More of the inside.

 

All through lunch, all through traipsing around the Cloister in my white pants, we talked.

Of growing children and applying to colleges.

Of the days when we were just out of college ourselves.

The more things change, sometimes the more they stay the same.

 

Thankfully.

Okay. I know sometimes you tell people they never change — Deborah never does.

Maybe it’s all that grilled fish and sweet tea.

Do you have a friend so different from you — in all the ways you wish you could be —  that you can’t help but love them so much?

Uncategorized — 6 Comments
9
Sep 11

Musing on a Love Dare Fantasy. From a friend.

We all have fantasies.

For men this usually encompasses sex. I could describe some scenarios but will leave that to the reader’s imagination. Whatever I wrote would overwhelm some — and most definitely underwhelm most —  of you.

Women fantasize about quiet, peace, good food, good wine and bathroom baseboards that aren’t covered with a veneer of toothpaste sprinkled with black dog hair.

 *     *     *

The other day I worked.

A dear friend dropped by and said she wanted to clean my house. I readily agreed after asking my husband if there was enough in the account to compensate her for her time.

You see, she is a straightener and she loves to come in and straighten my life. Along with my cabinets and underwear drawer.

So I went outside to the garage apartment (I love to think of it as “garage” as Elton John sings in Levon.) to write.

A few hours later my friend stuck her head into say goodbye. I went for my checkbook. She said “no” it was a gift.

Now I can receive gifts with the best of them. I love gifts. But to clean my cr@p for free. No way.

She said if I didn’t take it, she was going to cry or beat me up.

(She looked like she could do either easily.)

My husband loves the quote from Broadcast News where William Hurt asked, “What do you do when your life exceeds your wildest dreams?”  And Albert Brooks replied, “You keep it to yourself.” …

I should keep this to myself, but I will share proof.

*    *     *

 Photobucket

No folded clothes. You can see the table.  (Just to prove there is no touched-up photography, candlesticks are askew and light fixture shorted out.)

 Photobucket

See, there are no dishes in sink.  Not really like @thepioneerwoman’s kitchen, but nothing really happens in here. Well, on the scale of what happens in her kitchen.

Photobucket

Further proof. If a rifle was pointed at my big toe, I could never, ever make a bed this smooth.

 *     *     *

My friend Love Dared me. Why, I don’t know?

I’m not going to tell you who it is because then you would all try to ”friend” her on Facebook — and I’d be stuck with a messy house. FOREVER.

What can we do for a friend in need? I surely won’t be cleaning someone’s house. But I could do something.

What could someone do for you?

Children / Family — 2 Comments
15
Jul 11

Musing on tubing…and everyone in the picture.

Now that I’m old — all have is my photographs.

I wanted to spend my birthday tubing with my children, family and friends. Wanted us all to have a picture together.

This was my birthday last year.

See all together. Smiling. A wonderful memory of day. Me, Special K, Stacy and her daughter. Perfect.

 

This year, we got to Helen. Not sure how many of us started but know we qualified for the 10 persons or more discount.

When we put our tubes in the cold water I called, “Everyone wait at the end for the picture…”

We finished…

Karson was first.

Second nephew, Kendall.

 

HK

 

 

Sister and her friend.

They were completely oblivious to camera but at least they are in same frame.

Me and my Joe.

Sometimes you have to give up on expectations that everyone will be in the picture.

I love my independence. Yet it irritates me when my children’s independence infringes on my expectations of a lovely memory.

At least they came. I asked my oldest to come as his birthday gift to me. (Notice he was not in any of the pictures.)

The older we get and the more people we invite into our life, the less control we have over how and who accompanies us on the journey.

Why is it so hard to let go of a hand?

I guess things only get messy — when we  let go of a  hand, but still hold on with a heart?

Maybe if I tape all the pictures side-by-side overlapping hands.

Any tips for getting together for those pictures?

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