-
Recent Entries
-
Links
- a girl and a boy
- A Little Pregnant
- Amalah
- Ampersand
- better now
- Breedorf
- Dad Gone Mad
- Daddy Types
- defective yeti
- Dooce
- Draw the Girl
- ejshea.com
- Finslippy
- fishsuit
- Flotsam
- From the Back Nine
- Grace Undressed
- hello insomnia
- Internet Grapes
- Jonniker
- Julia
- metalia
- Mom-101
- My Beloved Monster & Me
- Not Martha
- Pop Culture Junkmail
- So the Fish Said
- Splendid Sustenance
- Sprinting to Hell
- Suburban Bliss
- sweet | salty
- Swistle
- The Bloggess
- Weetabix
-
Search
Daily piffle:
Donate (read Ezra's story)
Photos
| www.flickr.com |
RSS feed
Feb
8
JB has accused me of being the sort of person who holds grudges, but much like the many other things he has been wrong about which I have never forgotten ever, he’s way off base on this one. I’m sure eventually I will forgive him for interrupting the one single morning of sleeping in available to me out of, well, my ENTIRE LIFE, practically, by coming in on Sunday and announcing that his parents were packing up so I’d better get dressed and come out and say goodbye, and when I did get up—at 7:30 AM, mind you—his father blared “Well good MORNING, Princess!’ from where he was stationed on the couch and JB’s mother tittered appreciatively because ha ha ha get it, I’m a lazy WHORE, one who cooked and cleaned and did about fifty trillion loads of dishes by myself while they were visiting, thank you very much, and then they didn’t leave for like an hour and a half and instead of enjoying my one chance at relaxing in bed I was picking up the kitchen because god forbid any adult in my house be capable of putting their goddamned coffee cup in the sink. I mean, it’s not like I’m going to be rolling that little situation around in my head like a Caramel of Resentment for months on end, or anything. Or, you know, spending the next several years researching undetectable toxins which can be applied to a coffee cup handle and absorbed through the skin as part of my master plan to eventually exact my revenge long past the point when I would be a immediate suspect.
Grudge-holder. I am SO sure.
Other than what shall be forever known as JB’s Grievous Error, it was a fine weekend at our house. The children were thrilled to have their grandparents around and I was thrilled that their grandparents seem to have inexhaustible resources when it comes to reading books and putting puzzles together. Dylan is particularly besotted with those Priddy picture books which are nothing but carefully photo-masked images of objects on various blank backgrounds and I am here to tell you that the millionth “reading” of My Big Animal Book is enough to drive a person right out of their aching skull. Go ahead and call me Princess all you want—as long as you’re on tap for Priddy duty, I can take it.
I did my long run on Saturday, just under 13 miles. When I first committed to this half marathon I couldn’t begin to imagine running that far, and it’s still kind of hard to believe I can run it now. These past few months of training have been amazing in a lot of ways. It’s been hard physically; it’s been much, much harder mentally, and I’ve grown so much stronger as a result. My legs, sure, but more importantly, in my head and heart. My first reaction to considering a half marathon was a loud and clamoring I CAN’T; I feel like I’ve taken aim and blown that shit away. Pow. And now I know, like really know deep down in my bones, that it’s in me to push through, to keep going when things are hard, to not give up.
Goddamn, I like that feeling.
Lastly, and I know this is all over the place today, but can I just tell you what you can do with Google Image, a printer, and an old photo frame?
You can completely blow your kid’s ever-loving mind, that’s what.
Comments
59 Responses to “Tenacity”
Leave a Reply
LOVE the shoes.
Dude, I saw that tweet, and…uh…yeeeaaahhh. WHAT THE EVER-LOVING F–K. They’re lucky you’re their daughter-in-law and not me, because I’m pretty damn sure I would have screamed a few choice obscenities and then set somebody’s luggage on fire.
(I’m not much of a morning person, obvs.)
Damn, girl, you are SMOKIN’ hott in those running duds.
That is a very cute running outfit. Almost makes me want to take up running. Almost.
That is a Grievous Error indeed. I think I would skin my husband alive if he did that to me. I hope you get another chance to sleep in very soon.
That is the funniest shit I read all day! It sucks for sure but funny as hell for me because I freaking HATE getting woken up before I’m ready. Nothing will send me to the clink quicker than someone cutting into my sleepy time. I would have told them to F.O. for sure.
“I’m going to be rolling that little situation around in my head like a Caramel of Resentment for months on end.” Brilliant!
And congratulations. You kick ass.
I find “light-hearted banter” with my in-laws fulfilling. In response to “Good morning, Princess,” my father-in-law gets, “Is it morning? It’s still dark out. Huh. Well, good morning. Hey, did you know that unusually early rising is a sign of dementia?”
I am stabby before coffee.
Wow if princesses are the only ones who are allowed to sleep past 7:30am on a weekend then sign me up. When do I have my tiara fitted?
The other day my husband took the kid and let me sleep in until 8am. That must make me the Queen of freaking England. Sheesh.
Have to say that I LOVE reading about your training for the half marathon and I can’t wait to read the race report when it is done. You (oh no! crazy internet stranger weirdness ahoy) totally inspire me. For reals.
My Big Stupid Pain in the Ass Animal Book (for kids who really love animals and want to make their parents crazy!) makes me stabby. Grrrrrr. Not as stabby as Pig Will and Pig Won’t, but close.
Duude, dishes not getting put into the dishwasher is my biggest pet peeve. EVER. Add the in-laws to that mix and I might lose my shit. Kudos for you for keeping it together.
You know, I never had in-laws who came to stay over because they lived in the same town…thank god. MY folks came from several states away at least twice a year, drove me nuts for 4 days, and then left. However, they let me sleep because that way my mother could clean all she wanted and of course then I felt guilty because she must have thought we lived like dirty pigs. Well, I thought that for 5 seconds and then I was like, whoa….thanks, ma. Wish your MIL would have done the same for you!
Awesome picture of the boys waving goodbye while you leave for your run!
Oh yeah, shout out for the Priddy books LOL. Good for you with the running, I don’t have the discipline to even walk half that far.
Great post! After 20+ years of marriage, my hubby has learned to let me sleep in on one day of the weekend – normally Saturday’s and then I let him sleep in on Sunday’s. We came to this understanding after a very similar situation as yours – let’s just say Hubby was very luck to be able to walk straight afterwords!
On a very stalkery note! You have inspired me – Yes! Inspired! I am going to get fitted for running shoes on Friday and I have signed up for a 5k run in May and a half marathon in August. Wish me luck! I’m slow as a turtle when I run, but your transformation has been inspiring!
you are constantly coming up with new phrases I love and “caramel of resentment” is no different.
my personal favorite “grievous error” occured when my husband came in to wake me up to tell me I’d slept too long so he was just going to take the kids out by himself. Well take them then, dipwad! Get out of here and let me sleep!
Can I be you without putting the effort in? No, it’s not possible is it. DAYUM.
13 MILES IS A LOT OF MILES but what’s really amazing is your persistence and commitment. I find staying committed the hardest thing.
I suspect once this marathon is over, you’ll be training for 26 miles, and then 40 and then one of those Death Valley 200 mile ultra runs.
I’m with Julie, love the shoes. Can you give us the deets on them, pretty please?
In-Laws…let’s not go there..
Jill: they’re Nike Frees, and I love love love them.
Priddy books! Ha! Cam LOVES those. His latest thing is to point to the ball, say “Ba”, get up, touch his real life ball, say “Ba”, walk back to the book, point to the ball and say “Ba”, beam at me like he is the smartest thing ever. And repeat. Or with the picture of the chair or apple, or whatever. Over and over.
By the way – way to go on the running!! You rock.
Mannnn…. I would TOTALLY hold the grudge against the husband, especially since it sounds like not only did you get yanked around with the sleeping in thing but that you got woken up not so much to say goodbye but to clean up after them. Grrr.
I love this! So inspirational!
The shoes. I want the shoes!
Ha! In laws… I just, I can’t even go there. Love the pic of Dylan and Riley waving goodbye to you. :)
Ha! ‘Priddy duty’–I hate those books with a passion. Guess what my one year old’s favorite book is right now–a dang Priddy book that he wants to ‘read’ again and again….I need me some grandparents, stat!
I’m not a grudge-holder, either, but I CAN still tell you all about the time that I had JUST gotten my VERY DIFFICULT newborn daughter to nap when my in-laws dropped by for an unannounced visit. My husband, who had been outside working on the yard all day, went in and WOKE HER UP FROM HER NAP so that they could visit with her. After their visit, they all three departed and left me alone with the fussy, no-napped baby.
I managed not to kill him. But I still tell the story in all caps, and it has been 7 years. But I’m not a grudge-holder. Not at all.
I’m signing up for the MG half today, and I hope you’ll still be at the finish at the oh, 3 hour mark so maybe I ask for your autograph or something. :P
Go you! 13 miles – and on a weekend when you had grandparents visiting?! – wow! That’s an accomplishment.
Love the pic of your boys waving goodbye to you. So cute!
Oh my sweet heavens. The Priddy books. Ezra loves them and it is the chosen activity after dinner. So we read:
“I see a clock. Do you see a clock?”
“Right ‘dere!”
Over and over and over again.
The picture of the boys waving goodbye to you is so damn precious. This post makes me excited to start training for another half marathon in a few months, after baby #2 makes his/her arrival.
T-shirts? You are all wearing t-shirts? I am moving back to the Pacific Northwest!
Your grass is freaking green! JEALOUS!
Holy tool belt batman!
You look awesome….
I get off at one am, hubby gets up at 5 am to go to work, and lets the dogs out, who invariably come onto the porch right by my bed and bark.
Not to mention that the one has a tail that is a lethal weapon, and goes down the hall hitting the walls, through the kitchen hitting the fridge, oven and dishwasher on her way through.
Stabby? You have no idea. This goes on 5 days a week. The weekends? Those too.
Do I hold a grudge? I don’t have to, it happens every day. I keep threatening to wake up the whole household at one am, and probably should just so someone who shall remain nameless gets the point.
Way to go on the run!
Oh you are hilarious. I like how you explain things; makes perfect sense to me.
And I love the picture of the boys waving to you as you’re all suited up in running warrior gear. And I’m assuming your in-laws don’t know you have a blog.
I am extremely lucky in my parents and in-laws–my mom’s good about cleaning up after herself and her husband, and my mother-in-law will insist on cleaning up after EVERYONE if I don’t stop her (bless her heart!).
I LOVE what you put together for Riley–my son would totally lose his shit over that, too. I might have to go play with Google Image for a while. . . thanks for the idea!
After Christmas this year, I asked my husband, “Why do I turn into such a B**CH when my parents visit?”
Let me just say that I read your blog everyday, and have never commented. But i want you to know that I think you are hilarious, and it makes my work day so much better!
Holding grudges is not for the faint of heart. It takes energy and dedication, and it can come in so handy later on. So, i applaud you for that.
Also, dude! Do you actually do your long runs in Nike Frees? I love mine as an all purpose shoe (crossfit) and for sprinting or short runs, but really, all your miles? I thought that you would die if you tried that. At least that’s what I read on running forums. But they are by far the most comfortable shoes I wear for running, so I’m going to try it. Also, I need to get me some red ones. It’s documented that red shoes make you run faster. Though tchnically, my old ones are probably not worn out, since they don’t provide any support I don’t think they ever wear out!
Leigh: yep, that’s all I run in. There are some theories out there about how non-cushioned shoes are actually better for you, but I know one person who tried the Frees and got major shin splints. YMMV!
Do you have the Priddy book with the emergency vehicles? If you do, look closely at the stretcher/backboard thingy the paramedic is holding. Its straps are covered in BLOOD. I thought that was pretty gross for a kids’ picture book!
You rock so hard. ;) Love, a fellow grudge holder.
Oh dude, oh dude. This is maybe the one time that I am genuinely happy that my husband is essentially an orphan and doesn’t keep in touch with the few family members he has…because DAMN. Uncool.
Also? You? Are a freaking inspiration. Must get off lazy ass…at least join a gym. I did sign up for a 20 mile bike ride, but feh, my bike is pretty comfy and the ride is pretty flat. I’ma pretend it’s about the same.
a) I also foster Caramel Resentment Balls in my head.
b) I envy your ability to wear a cap while you run. I tried once and I just got brim sweat in my eyes, which, gross.
c) I love my Nike Frees too, more than any shoe I’ve ever run in. Thanks for recommending that Born To Run book. It changed the way I run, totally, for the better.
Go, you.
okay…
1. u r hilarious!!! “I’m a lazy WHORE”
2. u r hilarious!!! sorry, i just had to say that one more time.
3. i live in seattle (sammamish) and i wish i would see u on one of ur looong runs!! i would stop you and tell you how awesome u r? without telling us where u live exactly can u say what part of seattle u live in?
4. love your blog and i’ll keep coming back for more and forwarding your posts to friends!
xoxo
Wow well done on the half marathon training! I dream of being able to do that someday! :-)
I jsut wanted to say how much I adore the photo of your two little boys waving at you from the doorway. Gorgeous gorgeous picture!!!!
Good luck from Australia!
Alice
xx
Frikin hillarious you are! After a morning like that with the inlaws, a long run must have done the trick ;) Awesome photography skills by your hubby of you running – and the boys waving. aww. You go!! Where I am, it’s friggin’ cold and there is SNOW on the ground – when our grass is as green as yours is now, I’ll aspire to run as far as you. Congrats!
We solved the inlaw problem by not having an extra guest room. Yes, it makes less room for us but it is a win/win. Because you can only deal with the shitty comment dance for so many hours a day. Thank God you have the running to escape them.
1. Try reading that first paragraph outloud. Just try it. Not that I did, or anything, but damn, it takes a lungful of air.
(My husband didn’t find it as gaspingly funny as I did. PROBABLY BECAUSE HE GETS TO SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT AHEM)
2. Yes, yes, yes, to everything you said about training for the half. What a fabulous hobby.
I soooooo hold grudges! In fact, I’m currently in therapy over it! I started swearing in therapy over an injury that someone did me TWELVE years ago. A significant injury, but still, 12 years?
Totally unrelated to this post, but I was just reading some of your older posts and I think you need to go back and look at this one : http://www.sundrymourning.com/2008/08/20/awkard-phase-still-going-strong/
In the second photo down you have a HORSE CAKE!!!!! I think we know where Dylan’s love come from. Those brown blobs? HORSES!!!
You don’t know how funny I thought this was when I realized that is what they were. See? He comes by it honestly.
On a unrelated note… saw that you can’t get into LOST. Start from season 1. That is the only way to enjoy it. My husband and I are BSG fans and think LOST is at the same category. Start from the beginning, you won’t regret it.
OMG. You look great!
That last bit is a pretty kick-ass feeling, too, isn’t it? :)
Good on you for the running! I started the Couch-to-5K program in August and I run my first 5k in two weeks! I can’t believe it – I couldn’t run for 30 seconds in a row when I started!
As a fellow grudge holder, hey! I like those sneakers!
I believe I am also known as my husband’s “grievous error” from well-meaning but clueless in-laws who truly believe their son/grandson is the golden boy and I’m the “lucky girl” who landed him. I like to think the luck was a little big mutual (I mean, I’m not a total disaster!) but there’s no reasoning with Their Kind. It’s kind of nice to know I’m not the only one unfairly unappreciated by the in-laws…
talk to me about that tool belt you’re wearing there. where did you get it? is it bulky and annoying? it looks awesome but i fear it would be bulky and annoying.
and i love your blog!
Taking Notes: “undetectable toxins which can be applied to a coffee cup handle and absorbed through the skin”
Not that I’m out of ideas…but that was notable!
You know what Irish Alzheimer’s is, right?
You forget everything but the grudges.
Grudge-holding has been passed down from mother to daughter in my family, in an unbroken lineage of resentment and repression. If you ask us what’s wrong, you’re likely to get a tight-lipped “Nothing! I’m FINE.” But rest assured, we never, ever, ever forget.
Ugh, couldn’t you just scream at your in-laws sometimes? Mine make the same kind of comments and it drives me up the wall. Now I’m just “too busy” to be around them when they visit!
Question: how did you get started with your running routine? Did you start with a mile here and there or did you get some actual professional training? I’ve always wanted to run but I feel like I don’t do it properly; I go too fast and then get tired out quickly.