tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57165615651960210432024-03-18T23:14:39.771-05:00Real World RunnerRunning in between the everything elseAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873008657971613737noreply@blogger.comBlogger91125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716561565196021043.post-12680864576794494282017-05-24T23:20:00.002-05:002017-05-24T23:37:20.027-05:00Solidarity: RHCP<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I very much remember my earliest taste of the poignancy of a
life beyond playing pretend in tree forts and making friendship bracelets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My friend Natalie and I stumbled across the Red Hot Chili Peppers' <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Blood Sugar Sex Magik</i> in her older brother’s
cassette player in her parents’ mostly unfinished basement one fall afternoon
and this music changed my life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was 1991, and we had just started 6<span style="font-size: small;"><sup>th</sup> grade,
on the heels of a turbulent time when Iraq invaded Kuwait a year earlier, and the
US’ ground invasion pressed onward into the Gulf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The USSR poorly weathered a coup and teetered
on the brink of collapse, Yugoslavia prepared to split asunder and the former solidities
of my youth and Ronald Reagan shook fiercely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What an unsullied time, when I didn’t know I’d be in Iraq myself in a
few short years, and long before life’s challenges muddled my best intentions and
the lines between good and bad became well smudged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The innuendos of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Blood
Sugar Sex Magik</i> foreshadowed the vitalities of our nascent adulthood – something
two 11 year olds could sense but not name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I perceived the nefarious side to just what might be under that bridge
though I was too naïve to guess what salacious "it" they were giving away now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ingenuousness in my life ended with
acid-rock riffs, it seems. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It’s the oddest thing, to feel that I’ve grown up right
along a world-famous rock band.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though I
know very little of the conventions of rock star life, or even staying up past
11 pm, last Sunday night Mr Kiedis had me convinced that we are on the same
team after all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As disparate as they are, the vagaries of a life
well-lived have been kind to us both.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I will remember this show as a musical best – full and resonant
and better than any recorded studio cut, complementing but not overwhelming the
musicality of RHCP’s hallmark sound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
show overran with well-planned touches
which warms your heart when you realize rock music is sometimes less about
heroin and more about customer service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m
thoroughly convinced that after 15 years of extensive concert attendance, I will
never witness a better production than Sunday’s cold open into Can’t Stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is what an extraordinary evening with live
music should be – a reunion with a rowdy friend, graced by a soupcon of drama, who
isn’t at all bothered that they didn’t play your favorite song.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;">Mr Kiedis, though not so long ago you were
shooting up under a bridge while we too were making believe, it turns out we are
all going to be okay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you for
taking us back – unforgettably - to the place we love.</span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873008657971613737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716561565196021043.post-42745185314808015572016-11-13T09:58:00.000-06:002016-11-13T09:58:04.618-06:00Too many crafts!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The tiny house is overwhelmed by crafts....help me unload them and check out my Etsy shop, <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/walnutandseven?ref=search_shop_redirect" target="_blank">WalnutAndSeven</a>!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the sad state of affairs when injured (still! sigh!) and can't run much...to the yarn stash I go.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nothing over $30, all handmade by me, and free shipping!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'd say this'll last ANOTHER 12 weeks...then the yarn will be forgotten and I hope to rebuild my base.</span><br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873008657971613737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716561565196021043.post-28342746042818808812016-10-02T12:14:00.000-05:002016-10-02T12:14:42.030-05:00Ode to Weekend Getaways<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over the past few years D and I cultivated a love for the Weekend Getaway. Of course, we enjoy longer vacations as well, but it's nearly impossible for us to coordinate matching periods of leave from work for more than a few days a time. Earlier in our careers it was a little easier, but these days we've become the grownups and don't care to be gone too long. Hence, the well-suited long weekend.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We can usually eke out a day on the front or back end of a weekend, making a nice 3- or 4- day trip. It's the perfect amount of time for a little sightseeing, and due to the quick turnaround it's fun to prioritize our weekend itinerary.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sometimes we've added in racing events, as in Austin this past April when we took a three-day weekend for a friend's wedding and the Statesman Cap 10K:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIAD2a_l_cNYxUK_0uJoz7owj9X4r383JliMf94e6o-BwgPOclVwFsuvtw_5axWvqAV4Y6QfnxfXnk45oYmMz5sRnnuKKoLG5gjVkfLnC4CDzZ3xWDXGjztjTGedr1NuhDzPp8O2G4muOE/s1600/20160410_091703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIAD2a_l_cNYxUK_0uJoz7owj9X4r383JliMf94e6o-BwgPOclVwFsuvtw_5axWvqAV4Y6QfnxfXnk45oYmMz5sRnnuKKoLG5gjVkfLnC4CDzZ3xWDXGjztjTGedr1NuhDzPp8O2G4muOE/s320/20160410_091703.jpg" width="317" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Sweaty and freezing back in the hotel...but what a great finish line view!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Or, the </span><a href="http://realworldrunner.blogspot.com/2013/05/race-report-slc-marathon-10th-annual.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Salt Lake City Marathon a few years back</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...when we visited family friends and enjoyed the race, too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We've even done weekends in Hawaii when D was stationed in Korea, <a href="http://realworldrunner.blogspot.com/2013/12/taos-trip.html" target="_blank">ski weekends in Taos</a>, and <a href="http://realworldrunner.blogspot.com/2015/09/i-just-havent-felt-like-being-here-so.html" target="_blank">lots of Denver trips</a>, <a href="http://realworldrunner.blogspot.com/2016/06/weekend-in-nederland.html" target="_blank">hiking in Nederland</a>, a cosmopolitan foray in DC, concerts in Seattle, touring in Atlanta, beach trip in Fort Lauderdale, deep sea fishing in Corpus Christi. Sometimes I think I could write for those airline magazines..."3 Magical Days in Clarksville, Tennessee!" Yup, we've been there too, for the </span><a href="http://bikethecram.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Clarksville Rotary Annual Metric</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The weekend away requires careful and flexible planning. Dan usually picks a place to run or exercise. It's my job to pick out a restaurant or two that I'd like to try (Nando's in DC most recently - after I'd read some blogs about it!), then we take turns selecting a few sights to see - museums, concerts, botanic gardens and the like. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Long gone are the days of suffocating the weekend with nonstop activity and minute-by-minute scripting. We go for the dim sum version and aim to do the unique activities we otherwise can't, when at home. It's probably not the best value, but we try to use our hotel points and airline miles for these quick trips. It suits me well as we are both homebodies - after a few days away we start to miss Nugget (our main source of discussion/my main source of worry when we're out of town) and pine for our tiny home, with all our things crammed in it. It's just that the novelty of a hotel or AirBnB wears thin in a few days no matter how much fun we're having.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So maybe not every vacation from work has to be monumental - the quickturn, not too far from home, is a nice break from quotidian routine. Just long enough to enjoy a new place, without missing Nug too much or breaking the bank!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Next up, Montreal? Or some where in New England? It's fall and maybe time to leaf-peep! I also hope to recover in a few weeks, and maybe prepare for fall racing...no rushing it this time, though - learning has occurred :)</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873008657971613737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716561565196021043.post-17123719993652274372016-09-28T15:45:00.001-05:002016-09-28T15:45:40.246-05:00Busy bunny<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In August we made our (now, annual) pilgrimage to Alaska.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I ruined the vacation by injuring my hamstring on the second day, but we still had a great trip camping in Denali National Park, hiking around Winner Creek, Eklutna Lake and Crow Creek Pass. We floated and fished the Kenai River (catch and release - trout and Dolly Varden) and we saw eagles, bears, moose. As always we ate well, relaxed, and I had a blast limping my way through the gorgeous scenery.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLROgkS5Z3PC55w1l3d02cddwQr9eqpQ0zANsP91GCOWbFq8Mm9QqWaEuexDWnYX1dhTAfZxmBtx_0BDQhrNCHy3o4OqDRFN3wV-kWF3SQSlLgiRekQlJIlMXeRsT40PjmsHnuIZjOeE6w/s1600/Resized_20160815_093815.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLROgkS5Z3PC55w1l3d02cddwQr9eqpQ0zANsP91GCOWbFq8Mm9QqWaEuexDWnYX1dhTAfZxmBtx_0BDQhrNCHy3o4OqDRFN3wV-kWF3SQSlLgiRekQlJIlMXeRsT40PjmsHnuIZjOeE6w/s400/Resized_20160815_093815.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Sunny all day in the AK!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In early September I took a quick vacation to Seoul for a weekend (jet lag, wha??) and then to DC to visit D who was on a work trip.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally back home - to relax and to work - I am single parenting the Nug for a while.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are a few neat things about being injured - mostly, I get to go to Physical Therapy! As a patient! The hardest part is all the homework but it already makes a difference in my pain and strength. The important thing is to accept that I caused my own delay in healing by returning to running too soon. I still hope to run some fall races -- August and September were a total running wash. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Exciting things ahead!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873008657971613737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716561565196021043.post-22827059080556693382016-07-17T21:29:00.005-05:002016-07-17T21:29:56.071-05:00Best BBQ in Kansas City<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It occurred to me last night, over a pulled pork sandwich, that I ought to jot down my thoughts on the barbecue places I've tried so far. It's not that everything (or anything, really) I chew or digest merits recording, but I'd like to have a list so I know which places remain to be tried.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Without further fanfare, and opinions completely my own:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1. <a href="https://q39kc.com/" target="_blank">Q39</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">No barbecue yet can beat this place. To celebrate my promotion and D's return from a month away, we took leave on a Friday a few weeks ago. We made a nice city day of it by visiting the Nelson-Atkins Museum, and lunching at <a href="https://q39kc.com/" target="_blank">Q39</a> - <i>finally</i>! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You might think the fun of the day biases my review of lunch, but I assure you, it's not so!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I don't take pictures of food, but I should have made an exception for Q39 since I can't stop talking about it. Everything we ordered (pulled pork, chicken, beans, ribs, apple coleslaw, fries) was the best of its kind. Each dish we tried was unique in flavor and still absolutely delicious. I don't typically care for ribs, but I care for Q39's. Well-spiced and crusted, with velvety chunks sliding clean off the bone. The barbecue sauce is perfect to my taste, and I like the confidence that Q39 has in it - there's no array of cleverly named sauces to try - just the one, done well. The restaurant is functionally designed with barn door/contemporary urban farmhouse decor that thankfully doesn't feel like a hipster rookery. It's <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">p</span>leasantly crowded, and the noisy bustle <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">bestows</span> an atmosphere of excitement as everyone anticipates their meal. Even among the busy tables D and I chatted easily. The service is well-paced without being pushy, effusive, or nosy, and most importantly didn't attempt to have a meaningful personal relationship with <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">us</span>. Also, the waiter didn't sneer when I just ordered water instead of an upcharged beverage.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We did not anticipate the bit of a wait for lunch on a weekday, but it afforded us a very pleasant walk in a neighborhood of beautiful older homes. The <a href="https://mostateparks.com/park/thomas-hart-benton-home-and-studio-state-historic-site" target="_blank">Thomas Hart Benton Studio</a> is a 10 minute stroll <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">from Q39</span>, and this diversion of course whetted our appetites. When our table was ready we received a text and enjoyed the well-manicured lawns and gardens on the way back to the restaurant. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This meal was not inexpensive, but priced correctly for the value. I say this as someone who cuts her own hair and wears jeans from 2005. Anyway, if I had out-of-town visitors, I would take them here first to check off the "must-eat BBQ in KC" list. The parking lot is crowded, but we lucked out and got a space right away. Q39 caps the end of a short strip mall and I believe you can park on the streets in the area if needed. In any event, just go, and save yourself the trouble of <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">dabbling in</span> barbecue anywhere else. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://q39kc.com/location/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Q39</span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://q39kc.com/location/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1000 West 39th St</span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://q39kc.com/location/" target="_blank">KC MO 6<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4111</span></a></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2. <a href="http://www.alittlebarbqjoint.com/" target="_blank">A Little BBQ Joint</a> - Independence, MO</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Want the stereotypical relaxed summer porch barbecue setting complete with paper towels, serving
baskets lined in gingham pattern wax paper, high stools and picnic tables? <a href="http://www.alittlebarbqjoint.com/" target="_blank">A Little BBQ Joint</a> it is then. No hoit, no toit, and a menu
just broad enough to please everyone. The barbecue chicken was awesomely sticky and well-flavored without too much pepper or sugar. KC style is not my preference but I recognize its merits and <a href="http://www.alittlebarbqjoint.com/" target="_blank">A Little BBQ Joint</a> deserves my accolades. The portion was
more than I expected and the beans (my beanstick, remember?) certainly on par with Q39 - if only there'd been more! I don't remember the fries but to me that's mere filler, and not worth calories or details. The half chicken with pickle and beans cost $8.99 which I believe is a fair price. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They serve Diet Dr Pepper which is Dan's go-to carcinogen, so that's a plus for him. <a href="http://www.alittlebarbqjoint.com/" target="_blank">A Little BBQ Joint</a> is a lively, beachy restaurant with large covered outdoor deck and stage for live music on weekends. I arrived with a big group without advance notice, we were <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">accommodated</span> s<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">wiftly</span>, and the service was on point. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The antique cars displayed in the parking lot create a nice amusement if you have to wait for a table. Young kids would be comfortable here. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I plan to visit
again for a
cold drink on one of those hot summer evenings when you'd like to hear a
little live music in a tshirt and old jeans. Maybe even the ones from
2005. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is plenty of parking in two designated lots. The menu focuses on fuss-free sandwiches (including the Truman S - it is his home town, after all!) and unique items like a pulled-pork baked potato, brisket chili, with a few novelty bacon-heavy dishes. The <a href="http://www.trumanlibrary.org/" target="_blank">Truman Library and Museum</a> is less than a mile up the road, so why not combine a trip to the Library with lunch at A Little BBQ Joint? That's a memorable weekend for anyone. And, if you've been inspired by the Thomas Hart Benton Studio that you toured while waiting for a table at Q39, you can have your breath taken away by one of his most famous murals which adorns the entrance of the Museum. </span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.alittlebarbqjoint.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1101 West 24 Hwy</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.alittlebarbqjoint.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Independence MO 64050 </span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3. <a href="http://www.tin-kitchen.com/" target="_blank">Tin Kitchen</a> - Weston, MO</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This
is a "Southern Smokehouse" with plenty that's not barbecue, but their
pulled pork is the best I've ever had. I love it unabashedly and I
won't apologize for enjoying a Carolina-style sandwich in Kansas City.
The 24- hour slaw is great, too - low on mayonnaise and very tangy.
This is a pulled pork sandwich I wish I could make myself<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, especiall<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">y as I ate it t<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">wice in the same weekend rec<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ently.</span></span></span></span>
I rarely find a restaurant dish that is perfectly suited to my taste,
but the downside is that I will never try anything else on their menu,
because I don't want to challenge my paradigm of perfection.
Unfortunately, this means I have nothing further to share with you
regarding <a href="http://www.tin-kitchen.com/TK_Menu_85x11_2015_fall_TK.pdf" target="_blank">their menu</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">.</span> D always <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">orders</span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the</span> Green Chil<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">i Cheese</span>burger so I can't even comment on any barbecue nibbles nabbed from his plate. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Weston
is a lovely place to eat a tasty meal, walk along the rolling trail
paralleling the Missouri, window shop among historic homes and <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">churches</span>,
indulge in the quaintness of a small tourist town, and build a thirst
for a beer at the Weston Brewing Company. Is that a bad day for
anyone? The Tin Kitchen is a keystone Weston establishment, and has
expanded to TK2 (just around the corner) with a larger bar but same
menu. </span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.tin-kitchen.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Tin <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ki<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">tchen</span></span> </span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.tin-kitchen.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">509 Main Street</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.tin-kitchen.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">W</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">eston MO 64098</span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4. <a href="http://papabobsbbq.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Papa Bob's</span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">more can I say about a little place that's already been featured on TV? Man v Food lost out to <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://papabobsbbq.com/ultimate-destroyer2" target="_blank">Papa Bob's "</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://papabobsbbq.com/ultimate-destroyer2" target="_blank">Ultimate Destroyer Challen</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://papabobsbbq.com/ultimate-destroyer2" target="_blank">ge"</a> which necessitates eating a<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> fortnight's worth of <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">barbecue and sides</span> in 45 minutes. Most mortals end up paying the $62 and <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">just won<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">'t have to go to the grocery store for a bit.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I wasn't quite so ambitious and I lost out to m<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">y regu<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">lar </span>Destroyer (one pound of meat - your choices - $13.00) and had to bring hal<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">f home, head hung in shame over my doggie bag. I reasoned that <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">when at Papa Bo<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">b's you go big. Well, <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">aspired to the stars,<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ate smal<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">l, and had lunch<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> for two more days afterwards. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Depe<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">nding on where you are, this is possibly the farthest flung<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, as it's in Bonner Springs along K<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">aw Drive, not far from the Kansas River. I like it that way. You have to go there intentionally<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> and when you arrive it<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> feels like a big oc<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">casion<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, marked by <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">no fewer than 10 sauces to try, and any variation of meats to go with. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">t's<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> a<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> charming white building </span></span>an<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">d oh-so-clean, pra<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ctically <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">sparkling</span> on the inside thanks to the chro<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">me and retro '50s diner look</span>. </span></span></span> The menu is vast, but listen carefully, if you don<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">'t get Brooke's Ba<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">d</span> A$$ beans then you might <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">as well <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">leave an<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">d go <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">home to reconsider your life choices</span></span></span>. The sweet and sou<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">r slaw is <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">my second favorite<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, and will be yours too if you <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">prefer</span> tangy vs <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">creamy cole slaw. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is a family place and <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">t<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">he epony<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">mous menu <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">listings <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">honor</span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bob's grandchildren<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The wall<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">s are covered in pictures and papers announcing b<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">urger and sandwich specials. <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The menu is the widest <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">of all barbecue places on this list, <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and </span>if you are really bbqued-out and need a fish sandwich or some corn nugget<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">s, Papa Bob's got you<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> covered.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Papa Bob<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">'s is an excurs<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ion into one man's long-bel<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">oved <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">goal</span> to</span> own a barbecue joint and share his passion for barbecue. I love that when we eat there, we are manifesting his <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">vision, and it's more than great <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">food, it's a dream made real for him and for our bloated<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, happy </span>bellies.</span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://papabobsbbq.com/location-2" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Papa Bob's Bar-Be-<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Que</span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><br />
<a href="http://papabobsbbq.com/location-2" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">11610 Kaw Dr</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://papabobsbbq.com/location-2" target="_blank">Bonner Sprin</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://papabobsbbq.com/location-2" target="_blank">gs KS 6<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6</span>111</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">(913) 422-4210 </span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5. <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.jackstackbbq.com/overland-park/a/overland-park/" target="_blank">Jack Stack</a> - KC<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">PL, Metcalf<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, various locations</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The super-watt Jack Stack is the Louis Vuitton of barbecuer<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">y</span> around here. It's got cloth napkins! <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Actual gla<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ss for <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">beverages! You pay at the table! Oh la<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">la! <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> several Jack Stack locations, and I most recently dined at one last night<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> in fact.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On a Saturday night you <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">will </span>wait for a table<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, which has never bothere<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">d me<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> as long <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">as it's a meal w<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">orth waiting for - and in this case, Jack Stack always is. Typically D and I would either be chatting at home so to sit at a bar or on a bench and wait a spell is no big deal to us. Some folks get antsy, and D sure can get hangry, but i<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">n that case we wou<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ld <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">eat</span> at the <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chick Fil A o<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">r</span> Freebirds that's just down the st<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">reet.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Everything on th<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">e<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> menu is <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">sound<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span>and every Jack Stack you go to is consist<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ent - the very definition <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">of quality. You will pay handsomely for some of the entrees, but I still s<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">cored a dinner <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">time</span> pulled pork s<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">andwich and beans <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">with so<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">da and tip for under $20.00</span></span></span></span></span></span></span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My favorite item there is the burnt ends platter with the macaroni and cheese. It's a once-in<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">-a<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">-while treat, but it's the first restaurant meal we had when D moved to Kansas in<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span>2014, so I'm very fond of it and Jack Stack in general.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">D can<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">'t remember what he likes best there, but<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> i</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">f I remember correctly<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> (and I think this is a memory he wants obscured!) he en<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">jo</span>yed MY order of burnt ends most of all!<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span>Aha!</span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.jackstackbbq.com/overland-park/a/overland-park/" target="_blank">Jack Stack</a> is where you'd take <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">out of town work colleag<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ues <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">with<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> whom you are brokering deals <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and are</span></span></span> maybe <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">barbecue b<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">eginners<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, angling to try a little of everything</span></span></span></span></span>. Or maybe you want to celebrate a graduation or a birthday or <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">just a<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">nother Friday night<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> - it<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">'s <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">a great choice. </span></span></span></span></span>The restaur<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ant is comfortab<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">le and the service is impeccable. Last night, for example, in my gro<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">up of six, our<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">drinks never ran dry<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> and </span>we were <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">never pressured to<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">leave even after a few hours, t<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">hough it was a busy night<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. Th<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">at's a quality dining experience<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> and<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> w<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">hy I don't mind the higher tab Jack Stack commands.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You can always use our technique and <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">a</span></span>void the high prices and <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">crowds and have <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jack Stack for lunch. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You can't go wrong with any options, <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">but you better not take <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">all the </span>burnt ends<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">!</span></span></span> D<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> has <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">dibs on those<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, err, at least the ones on my plate.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Go early to get <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">seated quickly<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, and <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">relax in your choice because while nothing on the menu <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">is wild an<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">d boundary<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">-pushing, it's all very solid, high-quality, and you can't choose poorly.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.jackstackbbq.com/overland-park/a/overland-park/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jack Stack Overland Par<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">k</span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.jackstackbbq.com/overland-park/a/overland-park/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">9520 Metcalf Ave</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.jackstackbbq.com/overland-park/a/overland-park/" target="_blank">O<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">verland Park, KS 66212</span></a></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6</span>. <a href="http://www.joeskc.com/" target="_blank">Joe's Kans<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">as City</span></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The best thing about this place is the people who work here - from counter staff<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> t<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">o the</span></span> people clearing tables- who take exorbitant pride in their job<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">s and exude such thorough friendliness that you can almost forgive the 60 minute wait in a queue that beg<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ins</span> in <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">a gas station </span>parking lot.</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's a long line, starting out the door, and snaking <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">past </span>the convenience mart <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">part of the gas station, which is off t<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">o the side of the barbecue counter</span></span>. <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Finally </span>inside the door, you now ha<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ve a good 45</span></span> minutes to agonize about your order. They've thought of this, and have printed paper menus directly inside<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, for you to carry <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">on your switchba<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">cks through the shop.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Finally <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">a</span>t the counter I ordered<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> a pul<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">led pork plate with beans, <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">spicy</span> slaw and fries.<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></span>D says, "I'm not a rib guy" but<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> he is rather in the minority <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">of the 100 o<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">r so rib guys <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">behind us in line. </span></span>He order<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">e<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">d the ribs anyway, and a good thing, too, since it's the best part of the <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">menu, we've heard<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. I mentioned in a previous post that the fries are too salty, the pulle<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">d pork <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">bland</span>, the spicy slaw without much slaw or spice, but <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the little riblet I snuck off D<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">an's plate was good. R<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">eally, really good. <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">P<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">erhaps it's the wait in li<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ne that makes the ribs that much sweeter<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, but I don't t<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">hink <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">it's possible for <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">any <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">b<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">arbecue</span> novice</span></span> to re-create at home that high o<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">rder of </span>tangy<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">,</span> supple<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> meat <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">as it <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">drop<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">s</span> of<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">f the bone<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> and into my gaping maw.</span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Go for the ribs, the nostalgia, the celebrity, the cu<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">lt following, and to pay homage to a<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span>Kansas City landmark. <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You'll <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">e</span>njoy <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">people<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">-</span>watchi<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ng as you wait in line</span></span></span>, and you'll learn <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">a lot </span>about yourself as you silently wish the happy eaters <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"</span>hurry up <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">already,</span> bleep-bleepers!" so you'll have a seat when it's <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">finall<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">y your turn to tuck in. </span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Y</span>ou can fill up <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">yo<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ur car here too, and grab a bottle of KC Joe's sauces <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">or memorabilia to take home<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. We didn't need <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">anything else to bring <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">back</span></span>, because we are still talking about how the ribs and people at KC <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Joe's are the finest around. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Original KC Joe's Gas Station Restaurant</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">3002 West 47th Avenue,<br />Kansas City, Kansas 66103<br />(913) 722-3366</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">7</span>. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/All-Slabbed-Up-BBQ/133956499981904" target="_blank">All Slabbed Up</a> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Leavenworth, KS</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I beli<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">eve this is the newest of the roundup here, and the cl<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">osest to h<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ome<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is nice to have it nearb<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">y, <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">it would <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">draw more of a following were it anywhere b<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ut in the KC area. T<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">hat said, to have a barbecue joint of this caliber in a small to<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">wn is lucky indeed.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I tried t<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">he burnt ends here o<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">nce, and they were great<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, but as with burn<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">t ends, they aren't always around</span>. <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On my nex<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">t visit, I <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">chose tw<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">o meats - and while the</span></span></span> p<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ulle<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">d pork is <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">well done and on par with <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">many other area barbecues</span></span>,<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span>the brisket is the real show-stopper <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">on the menu. I don't k<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">now if KC-<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">dwellers will travel this far for brisket, but it's <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">fine with me if they miss out<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, leaving more for the rest of <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">us!</span></span></span> D and I <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">uncharacteristically t</span></span></span>ried the fried pickles once, <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> were treated to <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">huge serving<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> - <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">it's ra<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">r</span>e for me to <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">highli<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ght </span></span>a fried filler side, but these were good<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> enough that I recomm<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">e<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">n<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">d them if you<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">'ve <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">budg<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">eted for </span></span>a splurgy fatty treat</span></span></span></span></span></span></span>. The <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">better, healthier choice <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(my friend, </span>beans) are so <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">tasty</span> that I usually order <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">an extra <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">s<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">erving</span> of them<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, which assuages <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">any remaining</span> pickle guilt.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The bar i<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">nsi<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">de is charming, <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">plastered with requis<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ite signed dollar bills,<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> and in a small town it's nice to s<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">can the bills for</span> outside<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">rs who've visited ou<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">r little <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">city and left their <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">saucy mark</span></span></span></span></span>. T<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">he restaurant itsel<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">f sit<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">s </span></span>on a gentl<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">e </span>slope and from the ou<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">t<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">door</span> seating you can have a nice view towards the VA and park, <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and the feeling of being a little bit outside your element<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> above the <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">busy street</span></span></span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's a satisfying, welcoming place and we are lucky to have it to round out the constellation of rest<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">aurants here in <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Leavenworth. I've heard great things about <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All Slabbe<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">d Up</span></span> catering, but haven't had the chan<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ce to try it yet. We usually get take-out when close to home, <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and at All Slabbed Up the service is <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">fri<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">e<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ndly and quick.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In sum, go for the brisket. Maybe the fried pickles, <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and certai<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">nly the <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">beans. Revel in the fact that you are 5 minutes from home<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. Repeat<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> as needed.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">405 Muncie Rd</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Lea<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">venworth KS 66048</span></span> </span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span> </span></span><br />
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<br /><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873008657971613737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716561565196021043.post-4327581853722287292016-07-16T12:11:00.000-05:002016-07-16T12:11:04.669-05:00Defeat the heat with birds and presidents and BBQ<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Work is overwhelming lately so I haven't been able to run as much as I'd like. I anticipate that it will settle down in mid-August. I'm finally learning expectation management and that I may not need to do everything all at once. As you know, if everything is a priority...nothing is a priority. My problem is that I can't leave work at work, so if I don't accomplish my entire to-do list, I bring it home in my cranium. That's not really fair to anyone, so I'm trying to do better. I also like to study on weekends, weirdo, I know!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My bird watching continues and we run through about 5 lbs of sunflower seed in a few days. It's so very relaxing to peek at them through our windows as I pass by in our tiny hallway. We thought we'd placed the feeder perfectly to deter the squirrels, but as you can guess they outsmarted us in just about 48 hours. D moves the feeder every few days to discourage their loitering. It's not working. I don't mind, and the birds aren't exactly starving. It's a tenable backyard peace.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Mr Goldfinch has a stink eye for you</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Even through the steamy and condensing window glass, I snapped a pair of goldfinches and their black-capped chickadee pal, snacking heartily. My favorite part is that I'm learning the particular feeding habits of these garden birds. Cardinals sit and hang out, as do goldfinches. The downy woodpeckers perch upside down and peck upwards, and the warblers are more of the grab-and-go proclivity. Sparrows arrive in packs of 3-5, and will ground forage for spilled seeds, but get along amiably with everyone else. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSe8PDKDarY4f851092bsqo5nclQ8hZgaZuc1th3RmTOzmxUepsiKSg84_Cn_AGibPxD0lA8urJY9FdoszUz0FGs_yLZ2BcKQlnThgEt_7xt9hvdIgeIRPvkynEf5VonDt4F5Pj7omWam4/s1600/three+burds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSe8PDKDarY4f851092bsqo5nclQ8hZgaZuc1th3RmTOzmxUepsiKSg84_Cn_AGibPxD0lA8urJY9FdoszUz0FGs_yLZ2BcKQlnThgEt_7xt9hvdIgeIRPvkynEf5VonDt4F5Pj7omWam4/s400/three+burds.jpg" width="338" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Pals</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Recently I visited the <a href="http://www.trumanlibrary.org/" target="_blank">Truman Presidential Library</a> in Independence, MO. Say what you will about President Truman, the tour guide, library, grounds and museum were across the board outstanding. I spent about 2 hours there, and could have filled an entire afternoon. My favorite part? The acknowledged contention of Truman's decisions. I'm impressed they didn't shy away from it in order to gild his presidency. Korea, atomic bombs, these are not decisions I would have wanted to face, either, but they were well-presented.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On my short timeline I had to skip a lot of his personal history exhibits, but I did learn about his hard luck and humble beginnings. He'd tried and stumbled and even failed at several endeavors before entering politics - what would we think about that today?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Yes, you'll see a Dewey Defeats Truman newspaper, there, too, and the infamous "The Buck Stops Here" desk plate.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBl9gAD6OAycfjMauujF4nmFNw_Oz9pAXtAbXM3PaYF3jjwICmXlljmAHVqlkGjR2BC_Po8A3a4tbIhKBluzHWDZFAcewC5z2DUZJ4L9JcU-qXOCVp4-zJURv7VHxnuzshHbSVZx5PM_-9/s1600/truman+desk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBl9gAD6OAycfjMauujF4nmFNw_Oz9pAXtAbXM3PaYF3jjwICmXlljmAHVqlkGjR2BC_Po8A3a4tbIhKBluzHWDZFAcewC5z2DUZJ4L9JcU-qXOCVp4-zJURv7VHxnuzshHbSVZx5PM_-9/s400/truman+desk.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Truman's office, after his presidency</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEFzHL8MRtYSzbmukkIUKlLmS3XRGgLYwJJhjsQD0_3rqheRzYjnpzG_V9g2rvbp0lSUYxSVw8dEFwrIKE7ra3IvLowRTPfWhyoN0-pYue-io3C2oH1HY3gXfndl2pl7sxDBtLrTzt_al4/s1600/oval+office.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEFzHL8MRtYSzbmukkIUKlLmS3XRGgLYwJJhjsQD0_3rqheRzYjnpzG_V9g2rvbp0lSUYxSVw8dEFwrIKE7ra3IvLowRTPfWhyoN0-pYue-io3C2oH1HY3gXfndl2pl7sxDBtLrTzt_al4/s400/oval+office.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A recreation of the oval office during Truman's tenure - replicated to 95%!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Well worth a trip, even if you are not a history buff. I'm certainly not! Go, though, even if it's to try out A <a href="http://www.alittlebarbqjoint.com/" target="_blank">Little Barbecue Joint</a> just down the road. The Truman-themed menu items are cute, but I am boring and had the chicken, which was a good value. The beans were a real stand out. Maybe I just really love beans? I always order them and that's my yardstick (bean stick) for a good bbq meal. At A Little Barbecue Joint, the sauces were on the runnier side, and definitely peppery in a tomato base. I like mustard, cider, vinegar flavors better, but for a nice outdoor seating area, and great sandwich options, this place is hard to beat for a solid BBQ lunch.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm still DIYing things at home, and refronted our kitchen cabinets with lath strips, new hardware, and a slosh of Urbane Bronze paint. I'll do the lowers in a bit:</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-59ZsEd_Py8TwXhBhOY9cQ_wpLOcqCCyjFaIWtDQJcs-yOiJZ98WiRjuOMLZzbW2Vz3wnSqegv7FEvnFpBbKa9uCX-MsplVbo2NZ0ND8XjBZ9vvjwGHlK4cSwTz1uYgLQhCIdsrheG3Sn/s1600/cabinets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-59ZsEd_Py8TwXhBhOY9cQ_wpLOcqCCyjFaIWtDQJcs-yOiJZ98WiRjuOMLZzbW2Vz3wnSqegv7FEvnFpBbKa9uCX-MsplVbo2NZ0ND8XjBZ9vvjwGHlK4cSwTz1uYgLQhCIdsrheG3Sn/s1600/cabinets.jpg" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Yes, that is the sum of our kitchen counterspace. Yikes!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It looks a little refurbished, and when we repaint, I hope it will feel like a cabin and less like a low-end morgue. Hate that metallic backsplash!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here's the before, for comparison:</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdeoj2KjttT6Wi5DcWcz6Tsfl9Xj2uL5nEwNtQnrpDj-bbYXPBxR3sl8ub_agQVOR2a8_jAx5NSpL_bbWslbYuCPZVZdG9sjKcSKERfQL0sJeq9j6NH7HKcWKj5fSiKM3KD3DpZSKJgdtt/s1600/before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdeoj2KjttT6Wi5DcWcz6Tsfl9Xj2uL5nEwNtQnrpDj-bbYXPBxR3sl8ub_agQVOR2a8_jAx5NSpL_bbWslbYuCPZVZdG9sjKcSKERfQL0sJeq9j6NH7HKcWKj5fSiKM3KD3DpZSKJgdtt/s400/before.jpg" width="265" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Not good.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It's a fun project and I can't do much damage with a total budget of about $30. It's on pause, because my "workshop" (garage) gets so hot and humid that it's not much fun to be there on most summer days.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So for this weekend, I am studying, reading some research articles, heading for a run, and catching up with some colleagues for a BBQ dinner in KC. D and I are going to try our hands at making our own pad thai tomorrow. He's been getting into crossfit lately so we'll probably catch up on a WOD or two at some point. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Finally, here's a pic of my bestie who has the pelt of a squeaky toy for you:</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDwHh-fthnGvolZXbM3yOis3mjfapI3DNG6NQYy-vniKU-E6hslndh29d1Ma7fg-UP3P-r8-Inwri73hX8XDMwZWdAoH5y1ABcLENFuDxwjjlvWOw3oHS3w4RTXZPN1Ztf2bQMS6SrOaEf/s1600/nugget+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDwHh-fthnGvolZXbM3yOis3mjfapI3DNG6NQYy-vniKU-E6hslndh29d1Ma7fg-UP3P-r8-Inwri73hX8XDMwZWdAoH5y1ABcLENFuDxwjjlvWOw3oHS3w4RTXZPN1Ztf2bQMS6SrOaEf/s400/nugget+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm an inside dog in the summer!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Hope you are all finding ways to beat the heat!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873008657971613737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716561565196021043.post-4201834830452813602016-06-01T10:43:00.000-05:002016-06-01T10:43:35.641-05:00Weekend in Nederland<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Memorial Day weekend here started with a bout of severe weather and Nugget, D and I hunkered down in our gloomy basement for our first tornado of the season! Well, it thankfully manifested for us only as strong winds and horizontal rain.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Good thing, too, since we took off for a weekend in Nederland, Colorado shortly thereafter! I lived in Colorado for four years and yet I had never made it to this little mountain town. How?!? We've overnighted in Denver or the ski resorts intermittently since then - most recently, for Labor Day last year when we visited the Botanic Gardens and DMB concert, but we never ventured far from the cities.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So for Memorial Day weekend we rented a cabin to enjoy the cool, spare air, go hiking, and eat fabulously. Check!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nugget came with us since we are last-minute planners and doggie daycare was full (imagine that).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9 hours after leaving home we settled in to our adorable cabin (which is larger than our home!) in Nederland, 15ish miles into the mountains outside of Boulder.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We enjoyed coffee and breakfast burritos at </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/HappyTrailsNed" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy Trails</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Thetraincars" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Train Cars Coffee</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and hiked around the Walker Ranch Loop.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We ate splendidly in Boulder - </span><a href="http://www.backcountrypizzaandtaphouse.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Backcountry Pizza</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (pretty good, but no match for </span><a href="http://moosestooth.net/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moose's Tooth</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">) and </span><a href="http://cafeaion.com/AIon1.2/Home.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Café Aion</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (best veggie burger I can remember, D loved his Aion burger too, but the show stopper was the hummus (really!)). We even made time to visit the Celestial Seasonings HQ for a cute tea tour and samples of course.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The weather held beautifully all weekend, chilled only by a few mild rain showers - a welcome respite from the very Colorado sun that energizes us to enjoy the outdoors all day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At some point we loved our weekend so much we considered moving here instead of Alaska. I poo-pooed this immediately but D is still unconvinced so we scouted out some properties. Boulder is definitely too crowded for our taste, and Nederland a little too far removed from the rat-race, so no big changes yet. No worries mates, I will hold strongly in the Alaska camp!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Memorial Day holds many memories and sadnesses, and this break from our usual habits and fast-paced humdrum is part of acknowledging the day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In my absence from this blog, I have had some running challenges. My back pain is a beast I now manage instead of cure. I'm learning to deal with that. The slower pace of trails has helped, so to indulge I recently bought the Salomon Fell-raiser trail shoes at a discount - a good gamble. Very well-suited to the Colorado dry trails, but the tread on the bottom collects A LOT of mud here in earthy, boggy, Kansas. I don't mind so much, but I did stop often along my 10-mile WYCO loop on Monday to clap off the caked mud. I think I just made room for more :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Several times now - on recent runs, at my new slower pace - I've noticed the return of our songbirds! We host a beefy cardinal pair that nibble corn from our back railing, but I've seen more exotic birds, too - blue jays, mourning doves, indigo buntings, a summer tanager, red-bellied woodpeckers, black-capped chickadee, red-winged blackbirds, and even a goldfinch. Oh yes and starlings by the busload, of course. Just the other day while D shoppied for his NB Leadville shoes at the </span><a href="http://therunningwellstore.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Running Well</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> store, we noticed a </span><a href="http://backyardbirdcenter.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Backyard Bird Center</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> store in the same strip mall. I've had such luck with my bird-watching lately so we bought a bird feeder to more easily spy on our chirpy friends. Nugget is completely disinterested - certainly for the best.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I finally finished up my kitchen island based </span><a href="http://www.ana-white.com/2013/09/plans/rustic-x-kitchen-island-double" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on one from Ana White</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. It looks great -- what a surprise! It definitely isn't used as an "island" (40 sq ft kitchen here, folks) but it holds our miscellany well. I drill my pocket-holes without a jig, but even so it is still in one piece and level (amazing). I left the top as plain cedar though heavily sanded and with several coats of wipe-on poly. The base is a weathered gray with a coat of wipe-on poly for protection, too. The cedar grain is lovely to look at and I am glad I rustically nailed the top planks down vs more pocket holes...oy. I added a small decorative hook on the front to hang kitchen towels and D is under strict instructions not to let a single molecule of water linger on the cedar surface. So far, A+ for his compliance :).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here, some pictures:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yep, I sure have no interest in messing around with photos, do I? :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Summer is sort of here, let it be a safe and happy one for all!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873008657971613737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716561565196021043.post-53683983811465581922016-04-01T21:34:00.000-05:002016-05-09T17:54:09.320-05:00March, in like a lamb and out like a lion<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Did you find all your Easter eggs last Sunday?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We didn't, because we woke up to layer of wet snow!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Snow - then church, followed by tasty brunch at <a href="http://www.junescottage.com/" target="_blank">June's</a> with friends. Our same Christmas routine. We are so blessed to have great friends, full healthy lives, and good food to enjoy. D is also a local celebrity at June's, and he's never left without a hug from June herself. The fantastic holiday buffet and festive atmosphere are tops and we passed three easy hours enjoying the company of our friends, (who we don't see often enough, despite the fact they live close by, that happens too often, doesn't it?) totally impervious to the bustle of others out for Easter brunch. Afterwards, D and I returned home to our latest project:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXe9Zqodg3UShnb3kJzwNleQrDTNfLvM3b2uqlb3ZhHf0Kxyi8oUoU_Kt1sm7Dq0EvbetYjAWjiT7br4Cm0Ai1QgoGD3HTbRGEZ0YmomqsbP4rgTfeqRMN1d0RtXHmjVR0mzgHBjPNHYNV/s1600/croppers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXe9Zqodg3UShnb3kJzwNleQrDTNfLvM3b2uqlb3ZhHf0Kxyi8oUoU_Kt1sm7Dq0EvbetYjAWjiT7br4Cm0Ai1QgoGD3HTbRGEZ0YmomqsbP4rgTfeqRMN1d0RtXHmjVR0mzgHBjPNHYNV/s400/croppers.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We took a gamble on Veranda Charm and won!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That's our living room, re-painted (well, the half above the paneling) from an oatmeal/porridge/okayu color to that calming pale gray/blue Veranda Charm. I was worried that the color would be too dark in a north-facing room, and our marriage too tested by a DIY, but we finished the whole thing in about 90 minutes. Thank you, tiny living. We both feel soothed by the color and I refer to it as our "spa room" now. Not a bad under-$50 project. Under $30 had we not bought rollers, sponges, brushes and masking tape, drop cloth etc. We had fun and amazingly no horrible paint accidents (one flip flop may have been accidentally veranda-charmed, but it will live to see another foot, so that doesn't count). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You can see D re-attaching our coat hooks in the photo, and please ignore the mess on the left as it waits to be re-placed once the paint dries. D's new rule for tiny living is "nothing in the house that's not beautiful or useful" which he thinks is SO FUNNY. I am sure he gleaned it from a baitclick solely to pester me when I come home with bags of sale candy, boxes of pens, nests of yarn, pounds of tea. Don't get him started on the over-stuffed shoe crate either. He just doesn't understand that some running shoes have sentimental value, before working themselves down the hierarchy to retire as lawn-mowing attire. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Speaking of which, it's almost lawn-mowing season, isn't it? Though March ended with snow, April has been breezy and mild, and the grass, the few blades of it left among the dandelion/poison ivy farm, creeps steadily upward. Nugget loves the scent of springtime and as part of her pre-dawn toilette she tells the whole block exactly how much. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We look forward to our next 10K and I have toned down my mileage respectively. I am a busy bunny at work and with knitting and sometimes, at the end of my day (which starts very early) I just need to go home and not run. Most days I do, but I'm getting better about tossing out garbage miles and replacing with other things that grownups do, like work, study independently, further my career, steward the profession, you get it. I really don't need to do everything everyday, do I?</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioQ7CnQSw5fA8N7VHzBXD4Wdikt_-F2LN4Jhm3mv76ssHoblhir1S_cG4Hu1EKzw25a0CubZV6XTQV9m___oAmndeCOb-Nb2vDF7TPD2iIUOYC8FlTxljYhyX1NALMtgpb2wIadzQJQS2Y/s1600/henri+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioQ7CnQSw5fA8N7VHzBXD4Wdikt_-F2LN4Jhm3mv76ssHoblhir1S_cG4Hu1EKzw25a0CubZV6XTQV9m___oAmndeCOb-Nb2vDF7TPD2iIUOYC8FlTxljYhyX1NALMtgpb2wIadzQJQS2Y/s320/henri+crop.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cutie among the fruities....pattern not my own - Henri from Ravelry</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This weekend we'll run I'm sure, and we caught the spring itch to paint the kitchen now! It's nice to have this little home that we can revamp in a matter of hours. I'm very task-oriented (in small chunks, puhleeze) so a room at a time suits me just fine. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm getting excited for our upcoming TX trip and for morel season. D already spotted mushroom hunters in the woods yesterday<span style="font-size: small;"> - </span>no fungi however. My gut and the lack of may-apples tell me it is just a few weeks too soon...though tomorrow I want to check on our secret spots from last year. Not that I found any mushrooms, but it's never too early to oversee my terroir. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Happy weekend!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JZ4CekvCD-r2PzVZ7WVGvymo4Eu8NF4xFNH_tPyRmGaT78i8aaduQwhqZfCBKdxUVDZAHxg6RalYWsnTt9NYyvM29K7HTNexjZxVuYQ3RAKLGPMx_oYWsJftfBD_dy87RJ8jHDO7G3vq/s1600/chubby+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JZ4CekvCD-r2PzVZ7WVGvymo4Eu8NF4xFNH_tPyRmGaT78i8aaduQwhqZfCBKdxUVDZAHxg6RalYWsnTt9NYyvM29K7HTNexjZxVuYQ3RAKLGPMx_oYWsJftfBD_dy87RJ8jHDO7G3vq/s400/chubby+crop.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">See? I put all that yarn to good use! This guy also from a Ravelry pattern.</span></span></td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873008657971613737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716561565196021043.post-83260415316164598822016-03-20T11:53:00.001-05:002016-04-01T22:07:35.195-05:00Spring cleaning...'bout time I dusted off this blog!<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What have I been up to lately in addition to ignoring this blog?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Breaking 1:45 in a half marathon last weekend, that's what!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And completing my 20-mile trail race in late February (though with less impressive results, IMO).</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.psychowyco.com/id7.html" target="_blank">Psycho Wyco 20 miler</a>...well, I did it but I lost a little love for the trail-racing process. What a great race day - late February and 60s and sunny with no precip in the preceding weeks? Great conditions! All of my worry over inclement weather gear was for nothing. Good thing I procrastinated the purchase of any...still procrastinating in fact. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The first 10-mile lap went well. The few wet/muddy parts were no match for my new Balega socks which saved the day with such a dry, cushioned ride. On the second lap of the race, I lost a little interest. I was lonely and I felt as though I were just pounding out miles in single-file in packs of random strangers along a 10-mile lap. Maybe I was just too familiar with the course, having run those same trails while training? I don't know. Just not as fun as I expected, though I can't really complain about a beautiful day in a beautiful park. Really not every day can be magical run-nirvana,<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> but it can still be a great day, and it was. </span>Also, I have never seen better aid stations or support crews. I felt well taken care of -- <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">a truly</span> top-notch production, which is standard for the <a href="http://www.psychowyco.com/index.html" target="_blank">Trail Nerds</a>. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Also, I love the hoodie and super cool race medal with a spinning tornado!</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hoodies for everyone!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I did take this trail race opportunity to eat real food while running. I hate gagging down gels and I get real sick of stuffing little bags of gummy candy in my sports bra, which is a sweaty tacky mess by the time I want a lickie/chewie. The night before the<a href="http://www.psychowyco.com/id7.html" target="_blank"> Psycho Wyco</a> i made some frozen peanut butter energy balls (no recipe needed, just scavenged ingredients from my tiny kitchen) which D loved and tested thoroughly. I am not much for peanut butter, but with ground oats, pretzels, dates, honey, and just a little peanut butter to bind it all in little balls, I had a nice compact treat for me on the trail (and for D at the aid stations). Of course, the aid stations were so well stocked that I would've been fine (and likely overstuffed) even without my homemade fuel. Still, it was a fun project and I'm glad these treats provided a more palatable alternative to normal race "foods." And as a bonus, I suffered no GI emergencies as a result. That can be a real issue for me and hence why a lot of my training is on treadmill or in vicinity of facilities. Bummer indeed. Pun intended, bien sur. At this point I think I just need to get some bentyl. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After trail running so much this winter, I missed the almighty road race. I know, I know, it's a completely different gestalt but I am in love with asphalt's ability to test my training and my mettle and really challenge the clock. I do not reach that happy I-can-barely-hold-on-to-this-pace-and-yet-here-I-am-holding-it-while-the-miles-whiz-by feeling while on the trails. For me, the trails are pure fun/playtime and that's the mindset I should've embraced at the Psycho Wyco. The road? Well, that's where I see if my horsies can still take the age group. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Last weekend I ran the <a href="http://www.raypec.k12.mo.us/index.aspx?NID=560" target="_blank">Ray-Pec Lucky 13.1 Half Marathon in Peculiar, MO</a>. How could I pass up a race in a town with such a cool name? Actually, after the 20 miler I felt trained up and ready for a nice road race half and the most convenient one happened to be sponsored by the Raymore-Peculiar High School cross country team. The price was right, and my training was right and the weather cooperated too - gorgeous 55 degrees and light rain. Perfect recipe for me to break the 8:00 pace, which I finally did after years of banging my head in the wall about it. Nice that my time allowed to me win the age group, but the two ladies who finished overall ahead of me were like for reals light years beyond. Maybe one day, that'll be me, when I drop 10 pounds and find a less all-encompassing job and stop knitting<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, and<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> cease </span>watching Acorn TV <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">while</span></span> eating Cheetos...lol...NEVER is more like it :)</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The chip<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">-timed </span>course started at the high school with a lap around the track and then departs into the rolling hills of farm country. It ends with the same lap around the track and at the end there is mac and cheese, fruit, raffle prizes, and an "old as dirt" cake for the 72-year old gentleman who was this year's most senior participant. I hope that's me someday. He finished in the low 2H area I believe. Dang. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There
is also a 5K race option. The turn around was along the same course as
the 13.1. Some real quick kiddos out there, in both the 5K and the
half! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The high school sports teams provided nice aid stations along the out-and-back course. It's always refreshing to see high schoolers acting so courteously and with such pride in their school and community. Man do I feel old having written that! Anyway, I felt like <a href="http://cityofpeculiar.org/" target="_blank">Peculiar</a> would be a nice place to live and raise a family (or chickens and dogs, also known as "family" in my world) not to mention a nice place to break 1:45. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Remember all <a href="http://realworldrunner.blogspot.com/2013/11/half-marathon-training-break-145.html" target="_blank">this</a> blather? Well I tossed t<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">raining plans </span>out the window long ago in order to de-reg<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ulate a little<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">M</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">y go-to workouts have been like this:</span></span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Long runs of ~10 miles or so at a chill pace. Boring but nece<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ssary <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for endurance.</span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Speed work<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">: 6 or 7 miles of warm up mile/ half on 3:30 or faster, half mile at 4:00 or faster<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> x 4 or 5 sets<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">/<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">coo<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">l down mile. These are my favorite day<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">s.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tempo runs, done properly. Embraced, but not beloved.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hilly ru<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ns of about 5 <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">miles</span> done <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for mental fortitude.</span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">other recent events, </span>work is going well. I got promoted, so that's cool. In my free time I have been knitting a lot and tried using cotton yarn for the first time. What was I waiting for? It's lovely to touch. It feels solid and American and resilient and doesn't stretch :). I'm currently working on a washrag for the dog. Yes I know, a hand-knit washrag for my dog. It's just that she likes being lathered in the bath, and I don't want to use our hand-towels on her. She abhors having water poured over her and yet loves to be scrubbed, so for $1.77 in Walmart cotton yarn I will aid in her bathtime compliance while keeping D happy that we don't share bath towels with a floor-licker (<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">T</span>he dog. Not me). Long-haired short-legged dogs in muddy Kansas spring get bathed<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">o</span></span>ften. So it goes. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Easter is around the corner and I am ready for Spring....though yesterday it snowed! My neglected bulbs have prospered and popped up in huge patches and are unfettered by the chill <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">so </span>we <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">enjoy </span>some lovely blooms. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have two trips to Texas coming up (one for work and one for a wedding/follow on 10K, but as a workaholic they will both be mega-fun of course). Unfortunately my medical mission trip to Haiti for April was cancelled. I'm bummed and annoyingly out some $$ but it wasn't meant to be. I am frustrated as I feel like I could have made a difference there -- yes, in a small way, but so important to me (and how I view my professional and moral responsibilities) and to the orphans we planned to treat. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yesterday D and I finally had the chance to eat Korean food at <a href="https://www.zomato.com/kansas-city/hyundai-korean-restaurant-leavenworth/menu" target="_blank">Hyundai Korean restaurant in Leavenworth</a>. Boy oh boy -- good authentic bibimbap. The restaurant appearance may dissuade you but be not afraid, the food is top notch and took us back to all the time we spent in Korea. The huge portions may intimidate you (D couldn't even finish his) but be sure to make room for kimchi and all the little banchan sides that accompany your meal. Prices completely reasonable. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We love bibimbap in all forms but I suspect we will have it hot-pot style next time. They also feature my other favorites of standard Korean fare- jap chae, bulgogi, khalbi. Luckily I am going to take some leave to Korea this fall to visit friends, and for now this restaurant makes me miss them a little less. The building is redolent with the scent of the land of the morning calm which I think crucial to any amazing Korean dining experience. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We also enjoyed browsing in the attached Asian market. I picked up some jasmine tea from China and wanted to grab piles of sweets too but Easter is <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">next weekend </span>and we have a pastel candy explosion in our house right now. It's for Easter baskets for my coworkers, I swear!!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I</span>n other news, I got my bangs back. Finally feel like myself again. The Division finally made its way into our home so D feels like himself again now too.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Happy Easter and enjoy your spring running. I am looking forward to longer days, and sweat and shorts. Sending lots of love your way: </span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQygase5uhKHapoJT2vKS48QMTuzS7Qat6IJMtenDJqyymISeZ6LgWGx7X3r4G8WTIEPIoaxTcptzHwp2IS8TdJ0EqqXwXt2Lu5KBoOJJbgWszDPwiwVFqoo1_ftM_aY2yAznpO6TCa4U/s1600/20160312_104210+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQygase5uhKHapoJT2vKS48QMTuzS7Qat6IJMtenDJqyymISeZ6LgWGx7X3r4G8WTIEPIoaxTcptzHwp2IS8TdJ0EqqXwXt2Lu5KBoOJJbgWszDPwiwVFqoo1_ftM_aY2yAznpO6TCa4U/s320/20160312_104210+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So...yeah...maybe I was having a rough last mile and D suffered the wrath...SR-71s for everyone!! Carefully displayed without any other witnesses of course. This remains a favorite photo of his and may or may not grace the fridge at home :)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873008657971613737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716561565196021043.post-87683211516249607102015-12-24T11:06:00.000-06:002015-12-24T11:06:06.407-06:00Christmas time and other favorite things<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We've had some lovely days here...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzksV93nAAjzhNpiXB_EsunSQFiU1DR2vmFVb-UEtTDnoPNTi1LaBydruC-IRCTrp-CRR1qofkTgNibnPfnsYZWvv5K9HnfpvQ8jpbGQPmGGNZCLfex8KbKDcwzDk5xqGiDyNFTvFEMm1O/s1600/20151216_151403_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzksV93nAAjzhNpiXB_EsunSQFiU1DR2vmFVb-UEtTDnoPNTi1LaBydruC-IRCTrp-CRR1qofkTgNibnPfnsYZWvv5K9HnfpvQ8jpbGQPmGGNZCLfex8KbKDcwzDk5xqGiDyNFTvFEMm1O/s640/20151216_151403_resized.jpg" width="360" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsD7s2MpfcZ3hTzFp7lZdwfajEPthCCJJ8vEgaMMSUGOtpcfrwqArh1P81eveeP2fGnhQ4ChVRwLsFAzfxvp2Izh50hd5fH5nVqfyG6fs_esMAy5qCTswVE3hz5RRsjncyrzt5KG2YuIee/s1600/20151216_151804_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsD7s2MpfcZ3hTzFp7lZdwfajEPthCCJJ8vEgaMMSUGOtpcfrwqArh1P81eveeP2fGnhQ4ChVRwLsFAzfxvp2Izh50hd5fH5nVqfyG6fs_esMAy5qCTswVE3hz5RRsjncyrzt5KG2YuIee/s640/20151216_151804_resized.jpg" width="360" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...and done some Christmas preparation at </span><a href="http://fulkfarms.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fulk's Tree Farm</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> where I caught this 4-footer white pine, last Saturday after we ran the muddy North Ridge in Weston:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQfMZoyq5NxeTBCd6Ic3LXXyFDJmAHdKkQO9qibdOTJuox4w-WQ4WIywFppPwJ0Ui_-6Yhsd3f02hUR9zVeucZ8B38JSMFXajmZjvQszddiw8ophI0sM0MkX2a5t0ifufipOmehs-q2QUI/s1600/20151220_111930.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQfMZoyq5NxeTBCd6Ic3LXXyFDJmAHdKkQO9qibdOTJuox4w-WQ4WIywFppPwJ0Ui_-6Yhsd3f02hUR9zVeucZ8B38JSMFXajmZjvQszddiw8ophI0sM0MkX2a5t0ifufipOmehs-q2QUI/s640/20151220_111930.jpg" width="360" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And Nugget even followed the rules, as much as she would've liked to become one of Santa's Lil' Helpers:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZdT0AOgkW4P-yvegNWQun2j4E62rzb98aw_xcQmAPfZU6G-zMcogM39wGJXTkZoilJTAZAwbV-AQuzFgE2YQMhcT8BrLCo3arsF_lW8oFejLZuo8b6FZGAOpkzTjHddSZp1tiKID5jAl/s1600/20151220_112523_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZdT0AOgkW4P-yvegNWQun2j4E62rzb98aw_xcQmAPfZU6G-zMcogM39wGJXTkZoilJTAZAwbV-AQuzFgE2YQMhcT8BrLCo3arsF_lW8oFejLZuo8b6FZGAOpkzTjHddSZp1tiKID5jAl/s640/20151220_112523_resized.jpg" width="360" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The tree lights sure brighten the entire tiny house:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU76HA-2-mGsfLGdi-ywvcMw289sPOtCe63xm9mqxJZABeWy_cEY3tPbBiyilYwRvSwGiggH72B4GULsOQyzVH4ccrWq5ZsWRdTxEsDhyphenhyphen_KdI84dk7ZAaCoKpClnP5c-0bzQo5pbQCdVjo/s1600/20151223_181911_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU76HA-2-mGsfLGdi-ywvcMw289sPOtCe63xm9mqxJZABeWy_cEY3tPbBiyilYwRvSwGiggH72B4GULsOQyzVH4ccrWq5ZsWRdTxEsDhyphenhyphen_KdI84dk7ZAaCoKpClnP5c-0bzQo5pbQCdVjo/s640/20151223_181911_resized.jpg" width="360" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've been indulging in the Acorn TV subscription free trial on Amazon now that we cancelled Netflix...does anyone else watch <em>Doc Martin</em> and imagine living in his perfect village? I sure do...though I'd rather he not be my GP! The way I see it, trade the Missouri River for the cliffs of Cornwall, and there you are, Leavenworth is Kansas' version of Portwenn.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Among other unbearable quaintnesses, we've a</span><a href="http://www.qptea.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> tea shop </span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">walking distance from home, next to a knitting shop, yoga studio, various restaurants and bars, and cupcake shop. How this small town supports such enterprises is a mystery to me, but I won't complain. D and I support local shops frequently, and hope lots of others do too. We don't just buy twee nonsense in town -- our title company is downtown, our major appliances all came from <a href="http://www.dolsberryappliance.com/index.html" target="_blank">Dolsberry Appliance</a> and local contractors did all the work on our house, apart from the 150 feet of privacy fence that D built by hand in 2 weeks, after work and on weekends.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last week, after our office Christmas party at </span><a href="http://www.thetenpenny.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ten Penny restaurant</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, some galpal workmates and I walked a few blocks to </span><a href="http://www.qptea.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Queen's Pantry</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> as we delayed our return to the office...how had I missed this wonderful place before?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The entryway is full of delicate china tea sets, displayed amid all sorts of treats and sweets from the UK. Further back, an entire wall of shelves houses large jars of tea, with canister samples for sniffing each and every blend (which I did, tyvm). There is of course a corner set aside with Styrofoam cups and thermos for tasting the day's featured tea. Boxed teas are available too, and just about any tea-cessory you'd like - cozies, towels, balls, jams, marmalades, tea cakes, fruit slices, sugar tongs. I even spied Marmite and Colman's mustard for those of us who prefer our treats savory. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The teas are grouped by red/black/white/green with some set-aside novelty blends featuring additions like marshmallow and chocolate chips...which I really don't like in my tea at all, but might tickle the palate for others.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Can we take a moment to talk about tea?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have lots, of all sorts. My ol' reliables are Yorkshire Gold, Darjeeling and Lady Grey. I like spiced teas in the colder months, like Twining's Christmas Tea and of course Constant Comment. Green tea is nice at work late in the afternoon when I wish to avoid too much caffeine. I've convinced myself that it aids digestion, and it reminds me of all the time I spent in Japan and Korea years ago.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lately I've been warding off the evening chill with the tisanes I just purchased from </span><a href="http://www.qptea.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Queen's Pantry</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. My favorites are <em>Lemon Souffle Rooibos</em> (creamy and lemony just as it's named) and a highly aromatic <em>Men's Herbal Brew</em> (yeah, yeah, so maybe I call it <em>Men's Urkelgrue</em>) which tastes mostly of anise, lemongrass, ginger with a pleasant cardamom (or pepper?) bite, nestled in a base of rooibos as well. Isn't it funny and sad that after all these years I can pretty much quote every episode of the Office by heart?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And here is me not starting down the path of discussing gender-specific tea (fairly, they do sell a <em>Women's Herbal Brew</em>) so all you SJW can have a nice cuppa and calm down right about now!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've enjoyed red teas for years and the new ones I picked up are pleasant excursions from the typical vanilla-dominated blends. The rooibos are not truly teas, and have no caffeine, so I allow myself to drink these teas by the pot!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Only 938709858364+ more teas remaining from </span><a href="http://www.qptea.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Queen's Pantry</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> for me to try...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWU_4SEUipLi-qK33vXmr3ppxmeXy0Em8H9mkd6TRiWVeB_j2JBcA1ljaZzWu834G71sQcVJQQBz9cr0uWCojkGuOLoW-r_VeRapSXfVsOVT_Jz0v_dagJv5loo7NL9iidwnMdNB0p4g1/s1600/IMG_0455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWU_4SEUipLi-qK33vXmr3ppxmeXy0Em8H9mkd6TRiWVeB_j2JBcA1ljaZzWu834G71sQcVJQQBz9cr0uWCojkGuOLoW-r_VeRapSXfVsOVT_Jz0v_dagJv5loo7NL9iidwnMdNB0p4g1/s640/IMG_0455.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A tea Snellen! I love it so much I can't bear to use it as a tea towel yet!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Though I haven't visited the </span><a href="http://www.lvnyogacoop.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Leavenworth Yoga Co-op</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> or yarn shop (for fear of overdosing on downward dogs and skeins of merino) we've ordered cakes from </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Karma-Cakes-LLC/331191854464" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Karma Cakes</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> on several occasions. I declare them the best bakery in town and at reasonable prices, too. You can't go wrong with a bake shop that decorates freshly-baked cupcakes with not just homemade frostings but cookies and candies too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you don't have a local tea shop, </span><a href="http://www.qptea.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">feel free to support mine and order online</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After all these tea parties I've been having, D and I cure our cabin fever and run the trails in Wyandotte County Park weekly as we prepare for the </span><a href="http://www.psychowyco.com/id7.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Psycho Wyco</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. It's lovely to run in the chilly rain and just yesterday in the late afternoon, after work, I tested out some more variations of my winter gear plan. I wore shorts (yes! this was a good move), </span><a href="http://realworldrunner.blogspot.com/2013/11/mizuno-wave-ascend-7-trail-shoes-and.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my old trail shoes</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, a base-layer long sleeve shirt with zippered collar, a looser, fleecier middle layer with thumb-holes, and a light zippered jacket. For 40 degrees in mild rain and minor winds, with the addition of a hat (the one I'm wearing in my tree-catching picture) it was perfect. We ran one of the hilliest and muddiest segments of the race path yesterday and I could moderate my temperature well with zipping/unzipping/donning/doffing. Learning has occurred!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today we are off of work for the rest of the day and planning to run some errands before heading to midnight mass. I'm not sure where we will run today. D got called in to work at 1 am this morning and so I'm trying hard not to wake him. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tomorrow is Christmas brunch out with friends. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's a lovely day here, as long as I stay away from streaming news and thinking about work too much.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The sadness of the whole world weighs heavily, but Christmas gives us all hope that maybe this won't always be so. I'm ever thankful for the blessings in my life and I wish the same to you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A Merry Christmas to you and yours!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">*** No affiliate links or sponsoring whatsoever ***</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873008657971613737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716561565196021043.post-60459059075709175852015-12-12T21:03:00.001-06:002015-12-12T21:03:24.608-06:00Pose running method...<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm doing the clinic for Pose running this weekend...still in progress...hence my lack of mileage updates...I don't know if I love it...the evidence in its favor sure is plentiful...what do you think? Why am I cranking my hamstrings 180 times a minute...I don't know about this...I don't know that anything was wrong with my running style before...it all seemed ok and now over the past 2 days I'm told that that's not so...what is the what...who is John Galt...more to follow when I cage my thoughts!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873008657971613737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716561565196021043.post-70448487098038584942015-12-12T20:47:00.000-06:002015-12-13T13:06:28.702-06:00I have bad skin<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am exhausted from this not-so-secret secret that I have.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For well over a decade I have been fighting the ignoble acne fight, and now in my thirties I get to fight acne and wrinkles together, bonus!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This used to be professionally embarrassing to me. I work in medicine, after all. How can I do anything but hang my blemished head in shame with my skin the way is it?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Well, to be fair, at work I wear tasteful makeup. Not heavy. But enough to hide the worst of it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mostly, I stopped worrying so much that my skin isn't perfect. And my story has become a story I share with patients, too - it's important to manage expectations, because what's ok to me might not be the desired end state for them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I spent 10 years on oral antibiotics like doxycycline. Among the many uses for this medication, it's a malaria prophylactic, and if I stumbled on anthrax, lyme disease, or syphilis during that time well then I didn't have to worry either. I took once- or twice- daily antibiotics for years amid creams and gels and topicals of all sorts. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A decade of antibiotics is about 9 years 6 months too much for me, as I didn't know otherwise at the time. Nausea and vomiting daily? Burning skin and peeling flakes and redness and dryness and cracking? I'm not so fond, and I was sick of using stacks of $$$ prescription products because it just made me feel like the "cure" was never in sight. Eventually I just decided that all of this medication was too much, and my happy medium for my skin is just (significantly) less than magazine perfect. I'm satisfied this way, blemishes and all. And you know what? There may not be a cure for me, but I've settled for what I think is a livable level. And I think you should, too. I've whittled down my medicine cabinet to one prescription topical acne product because it's affordable for me, simple, and relatively free of side effects, and I don't have to spend my time feeling -- stupidly -- like a victim of zits. More time for running and eating Cheetos!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let's be honest. The skin of your face is what the world first sees of you. And it sucks when it doesn't look so conventionally nice. Yes, just about any medical condition on the planet is more serious than acne, but it really stinks that it shows up and sticks around and for some of us is just going to be a part of the way we live. I used to worry that people would subconsciously disrespect me or otherwise prejudice me for my skin, but that hasn't happened. At least in this instance, people are less judgmental than I've judged them to be!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And my skin is not that bad. I would say I have moderate inflammatory facial acne, with hormonal flares that sometimes border on grotesque. I'm going to spare you (and me) from sharing any photos. I've seen patients where my heart breaks for their scarred skin, and that no one has told them that it could have possible been improved earlier. In some cases their skin will look practically perfect after some treatments, but in many cases it's unlikely to be perfect, but maybe just <em>better</em>. Is it so bad to settle for "better?" I think not.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yes, some people have severe scarring acne. That is not what I'm talking about. That likely needs specialty dermatology care, for advanced products like Accutane. There are serious side effects! You can go and get care and your skin will likely get much better. Don't delay!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What about you? I'll answer general questions/skincare medical advice but not as a substitute for your personal healthcare provider! Don't take internet medical advice kids!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Well that's a burden lifted...a jolly good day it is then.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873008657971613737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716561565196021043.post-33529508702809150462015-12-12T20:09:00.002-06:002015-12-12T20:11:45.696-06:00Rudolph Red Nose 7.2M<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last weekend was my first (and only, likely) race for December. I ran the Grinders High Noon Saloon Rudolph Red Nose 7.2 Tuff Miles race, here in Leavenworth. I ran with L last year (brrr!), and loved it despite the wind and chill. This year D and Nugget accompanied me to the start and then went on a lovely walk through downtown Leavenworth and the Riverfront and left me to run while they then headed for home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over the last few months, the previous establishment here (High Noon Saloon) closed, and then opened recently as a </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/GrindersHighNoon" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">re-imagined Grinders</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> franchise. I was worried that the race wouldn't be offered this year due to changes in the management and ownership, but a week before the race, I spotted a sign in town advertising the event.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My goal like last year was to run in under and hour, and also to run more quickly than last year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had nothing but luck on my side -- warm sun, high 50s, just the faintest of breezes. The course starts at the restaurant and travels south through the VA campus, around the duck pond, and back to the restaurant. I love that it's such an odd distance - tough for the typical 5K crowd, and a bit of a stretch for the 10K weekenders too. It's so much fun too because it starts eponymously at 12:00 sharp. What a nice change, to sleep in for a run for a change!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The field of runners was so small this year, well down from about 100 last year, but the race director acknowledged that advertisement had been last minute due to uncertainty in the continuation of the race this year. I was just so pleased that it reappeared for the 7th year. I am so thankful to the management of </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/GrindersHighNoon" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grinders</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> for deciding to continue to support this in cooperation with the </span><a href="http://www.lvks.org/department/division.php?structureid=95" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Riverfront Community Center</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. It's a great Leavenworth race, and the course is hilly -- challenging for sure. The overplayed joke is that "it's Kansas, no hills here!" and that joke my friends is still not funny!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The roads are low-traffic, and scenic, and since it is largely out-and-back there aren't too many race volunteers needed throughout the course to direct runners and traffic. I love that all ages show up, to include my new race friend, in his 80s:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBgl4RFbZuVU6cb3IBSBEMb-iYGjoqZf8ZEkLK-6v5z7DF-2KV7ay0puroZfzK5PXbmNE9ZTWPw9BTxFwTyDc02MEy_DOQPjln7_ou-cqSaQLDweBPtxfdtwddrtSdVwUWTNIW6cDqiV_H/s1600/RRN1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBgl4RFbZuVU6cb3IBSBEMb-iYGjoqZf8ZEkLK-6v5z7DF-2KV7ay0puroZfzK5PXbmNE9ZTWPw9BTxFwTyDc02MEy_DOQPjln7_ou-cqSaQLDweBPtxfdtwddrtSdVwUWTNIW6cDqiV_H/s400/RRN1.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">RFCC's photo of us...he's totally trying to get away from me :(</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So many people wore Christmas-themed costumes!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so many wore the cute shirt.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And others were comfortably attired in elf, kangaroo (Leavenworth's sister city is </span><a href="http://www.waggawaggaaustralia.com.au/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wagga Wagga Australia</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, of course!) costumes and Rudolph himself made a royal appearance for pictures among us plebeians.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had a great race, and as often happens, I luck out at smaller events and win a FOF! I came in just under 57 minutes which makes me real happy on this rolling course.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I beat my time from last year, met some really nice runners, and am overall very impressed with Grinders. I hadn't been there since it reopened, and the interior is much brighter and more inviting with the renovation. I'm looking forward to our upcoming Christmas party there. The menu looks delicious, and I will attest that the post-race pizza was fantastic, though I am always swayed by 1. free food and 2. any post-race comestibles. I'd eat asphalt and bobby pins if that's what was offered. The High Noon food and atmosphere are highly praised by friends of ours and I hope Grinders High Noon is here to stay, especially if they continue the Rudolph Red Nose 7.2M every year!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How's your winter racing going? I love our Indian Summer...but know it's unseasonable! I'm sure next year will be far colder but I am looking forward to this race again already.</span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873008657971613737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716561565196021043.post-6196630411545190592015-11-27T12:20:00.004-06:002015-11-27T12:20:36.799-06:00Inclement weather gear test 1...of many, it seems<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Among the so many things for which I am thankful, I got to try out my bad/wet/cold/snowy/rainy running gear yesterday. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first real day of cold and wet Kansas winter weather started Thanksgiving morning, at almost exactly the moment we left our house to walk Nugget. Not 100 yards from home, the soft rain turned cold and fierce as westerlies gusted and chilled us to the bone. The rest of our walk became a run and Nugget, Eskimo fur and all, willingly complied with an abbreviated walk.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We waited all day for the weather to improve so that we could run outside. It didn't! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instead I drove to Weston for a quick 5K with the hope that the trees would shelter the running path from the rain and more forceful blusters. I plan on running the </span><a href="http://www.psychowyco.com/id7.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Psychowyco</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> in February, so why not try out my cold/wet weather plan starting now? I figured. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">February weather around here could be anything, so I'd best prepare!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, my plan sucks. My "rain jacket" is apparently only a wind breaker. My running tights are seemingly water-absorbent, practically sponges! Not so nice on a cold day. Luckily I have enough flesh on my thighs that they rarely get cold. My thermal Under Armor turtleneck overheated me. The turtleneck part felt like a garrote, and I wished I'd worn instead a shirt with a zippered collar or even just a short sleeve shirt. Cheapie knit drug-store throwaway gloves? Dual purpose...if you want the dual purposes of keeping your fingers wet and extra cold. My hat - fleece beanie (an old PT hat) kept my hair dry, but I was too hot a mile in and taking it off left my scalp to suffer an ice-mop of hair. I need something breathable yet water repellent. So, limited luck yesterday. I wish I'd worn my running sleeves, a short sleeve shirt, and an actual rain jacket (I don't have one). The leg sponges at least prevented water from dripping into my shoes, but a more technical/evaporative fabric would be nice. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If I'd been out longer than a 5K, my feet would've been soaked and frozen, but that's not usually bothersome to me. On a side note, I do look forward to a new pair of trail shoes. </span><a href="http://realworldrunner.blogspot.com/2013/11/mizuno-wave-ascend-7-trail-shoes-and.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My old ones</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> are torn and tread-bare and won't hold up much longer. I want to branch completely away from the Mizuno family and see if I am happier in a Saucony trail shoe, just like I am for my daily runners (the Kinvara 6). I committed to the Kinvara 6 even more and bought a second pair last week ($79.99 - a great discount!) while in DC. I did go for a half size larger which I think is a better fit for thicker winter socks. I am exceptionally pleased so far.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, thank you Kansas for the upcoming opportunities to try out winter running gear over and over again!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I retuned home from Weston a soggy chilled mess and prepared for our Thanksgiving dinner, planned at a friend's home. D does not involve himself in the kitchen much so he snuggled up to finish The Man in the High Castle and I made a walnut cranberry pumpkin seed salad, which seems so insufficient, and so to compensate we brought lots of wine. And a hostess gift of</span><a href="http://realworldrunner.blogspot.com/2015/09/i-just-havent-felt-like-being-here-so.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> our halibut</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, sure, it's not customary, but it is darn well received! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hate when a dinner party host says to "bring nothing but your appetite!" because then I am left to scramble and demonstrate not only my lack of creativity but also precisely how poor a cook I am. My friend is tres gourmet and I ogled the Viking appliances as I helped her/got in the way in the kitchen. This was our first gluten-free Thanksgiving experience and it was awesome! It doesn't hurt that my friend is an amazing chef who's been dealing with true celiac for years, but I could not tell that any of the items were gluten-free and we ate too much of everything, exactly as one is supposed to do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today it's even colder and the overnight freezing rain sealed our cars, steps, porch in a slick glaze. Nugget slipped down the back staircase as she scurried out for her morning pee-pee, no worse for the tumble, but we don't plan on going many places today just in case the roads stay icy. Well, we rarely venture out on Black Friday anyway.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving and is ready for winter running season with at least a little more luck/preparation than I! :)</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873008657971613737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716561565196021043.post-2293482505018645512015-11-08T15:49:00.001-06:002015-11-08T15:49:19.679-06:00Wyco Lake Park Trail Run: Veteran's Day Fantastic 4 Miler<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Poppies for remembrance! Allow me to remember citing the source, <a href="http://woodfordnewspaper.com/remembrance-day-pausing-for-one-minute-at-11am-on-november-11/" target="_blank">here</a></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> It's that most beautiful time of the year - fall- when mornings in east Kansas are chilly but full of sun and skies still baby blue. There was a crunchy frost on the grass (and windshield!) this morning when D and I left home for the<a href="http://www.psychowyco.com/id65.html" target="_blank"> Trailnerds' Veteran's Day Fantastic 4-miler at Wyandotte County Lake Park</a>.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here we go!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> We've run with this troupe before at the saucy <a href="http://realworldrunner.blogspot.com/2015/03/wyco-mrs-robinson-romp.html" target="_blank">Mrs Robinson Romp</a> 10K in March. Today the <a href="http://www.psychowyco.com/" target="_blank">Trailnerds</a> again held a fabulous event. The part we liked best is how the race is fuss-free and still so organized. Registration is a breeze, the course is well-marked, the participants (human and canine) well-mannered, and the spectators full of cheer AND cowbell. I like that these trail races are intended for runners of all abilities and ages: young kids, older kids, middle-aged kids, and some kids who might even be members of the AARP.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The special event today was Veteran's (and public servants) Day. For any EMS, police, fire department, current/former military, the race was FREE! For all others, just $15!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To me the very spirit of America is that of intrepid volunteerism, which our public servants live out each day, no matter the austerity or dire nature of the situation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Why not toast to them and those we remember with a 4-mile run?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Today's course started in the trails of the northeast corner of the Wyandotte County Lake, following the curves and the hills surrounding the reservoir. Though the park is just one hill from I-435, it feels a quiet and peaceful world away.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">View of the trail - from across the lake</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwuHAUFbqiw5GqiRrVXVUGk3jReBb3UcItNg7vSscbWJnvVKngnbV38oWtnV8sjf3qwFXkM6Ff2EI-tbIev8ZMEyqSwX1AFebTVKWxN7_B8nfR3geCm-y3atmnJFayY0G6vJ3lhXw5UaTA/s1600/IMG_2624.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwuHAUFbqiw5GqiRrVXVUGk3jReBb3UcItNg7vSscbWJnvVKngnbV38oWtnV8sjf3qwFXkM6Ff2EI-tbIev8ZMEyqSwX1AFebTVKWxN7_B8nfR3geCm-y3atmnJFayY0G6vJ3lhXw5UaTA/s400/IMG_2624.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">View down the spillway</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> D and I are same-day registration kind of people. We arrived about 3 minutes before the start (still up for debate is who's to blame for our late departure...hint: it's not me) but we had just enough time to register and sprint to the start line.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The one thing I don't like about running (or riding) on hilly single-track is getting stuck behind a long line of runners. It's a dicey maneuver to pass people (no matter how much verbal warning you provide) and I tripped a few times, losing footing on the shaky, slick, muddy hillsides, amid roots and rocks of all sizes. Fallen leaves and dappled sunshine further obscured a clear view of the footpath, so I was glad I wore my old trail shoes. Oh woe is me, to run on a perfect day in a beautiful place....</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Immediately after taking this picture, D asked if I wanted my thighs in the frame....(????)</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I guess he'll let me know how comfortable the couch is in the morning</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Just like last time, we eagerly anticipate the race photos. D likes to do silly poses and mostly I wonder, "there was a race photographer? He didn't capture my snot rocket, did he?" </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Many thanks to the Trailnerds volunteers, again part of why America is just so great.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873008657971613737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716561565196021043.post-62601089481153055372015-10-11T10:56:00.001-05:002015-10-11T10:56:34.656-05:00Special places: Kansas City<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">D won't admit it but among his other hobbies, he loves botanical gardens, museums, long walks with the dog and so we had a few weekends full of these new enjoyments!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">First, we visited the <a href="http://www.opkansas.org/things-to-see-and-do/arboretum-and-botanical-gardens/" target="_blank">Overland Park Botanic Gardens</a>. For $3, you can stroll the grounds, hike wooded trails or meander well-groomed gardens, walk your dog, and enjoy a treat in the cafe. We loved it. Certainly not as extensive as the Denver gardens, but with great fall colors and late-summer blooms. We plan to return in a few weeks when the mums (so many mums!) are blooming. Imagine these colors, intensified in real life:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWFNi7Dng_bdah5UIbA1eBi058XSn8920vg6U2u4rT2XUa37FWH8TOPcLl01linzFAKvp1dn1sbIu282VVnQLmZ1jTYWYX5oh21hCSftjpjTjRa639W08_GTds9HiWId7YKUTML50pGsJB/s1600/IMG_2245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWFNi7Dng_bdah5UIbA1eBi058XSn8920vg6U2u4rT2XUa37FWH8TOPcLl01linzFAKvp1dn1sbIu282VVnQLmZ1jTYWYX5oh21hCSftjpjTjRa639W08_GTds9HiWId7YKUTML50pGsJB/s640/IMG_2245.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Not for snacking!</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhixroypZYxUS_2eziEE1jx9kNmWiXRJESfEnwF3LX0JH8R1eGvRxuJgXfi1Ej0ZYy8enSvt0LZkL37uRK3aUfZXjQ-uUtacAeZSMJ-JiufCo36RoJbttzp5nt_9pePLE-1qF6pdzqH5Nv0/s1600/IMG_2218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhixroypZYxUS_2eziEE1jx9kNmWiXRJESfEnwF3LX0JH8R1eGvRxuJgXfi1Ej0ZYy8enSvt0LZkL37uRK3aUfZXjQ-uUtacAeZSMJ-JiufCo36RoJbttzp5nt_9pePLE-1qF6pdzqH5Nv0/s640/IMG_2218.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">One of the last days of summery weather!</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ahh, now that looks like the fall!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Last weekend, after the <a href="http://www.opkansas.org/things-to-see-and-do/arboretum-and-botanical-gardens/" target="_blank">Botanic Gardens</a>, we crossed the wide Missouri for the Weston Applefest...a festival, which we both noted, had few apples and many many people. Regardless, we had a great lunch at the <a href="http://www.tin-kitchen.com/" target="_blank">Tin Kitchen </a>where I ate the Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwich with 24H slaw. It's the best pulled pork I've ever had. Afterwards we stumbled on a Polish pottery shop just around the corner from the restaurant. I always associated that pottery style with homemakers and SAHMs and military spouses but I found for once that the pattern absolutely suited my taste. The price tag, not so much, so we left empty handed. D says we can buy Polish pottery once we visit Poland and not a minute sooner, but I can get Weston pottery in Weston if I want. I see his point...sigh.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Later in the weekend, we took our first-ever trip to Ikea. Based on the number of cars in the parking lots we both dreaded a crowded tangle of shoppers inside, but instead we moved freely from store corner to corner and floor to floor thanks to the well-planned layout. Everything there is about efficiency, isn't it?! I imagine we'll use an Ikea design and storage aesthetic when we build our tiny accessory dwelling unit one day. While fun to look at and imagine the possibilities (storage! bunk beds! everything with umlauts!) it just doesn't suit our style these days, and we aren't exactly looking to over-stuff our small home any further. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Last night we dined with friends at <a href="http://www.tin-kitchen.com/" target="_blank">Tin Kitchen</a> (yes, again!) where I ordered the same pulled-pork sandwich. Afterwards we sauntered around the corner to the <a href="http://www.westonirish.com/OMALLEYS.html" target="_blank">Weston Irish Festival</a>, held annually on the grounds of <a href="http://www.westonirish.com/OMALLEYS.html" target="_blank">O'Malley's</a>, a great pub, brewery and restaurant with an interesting history of bootlegging, prohibition, and architecture. This brewery, established in 1842 by German immigrants, eventually contrived itself as an Irish-style pub and remains a Weston landmark, with several levels of underground caverns creating an intimacy in the lively and rowdy bar setting. D and friends sipped on cream ale and an adult version of root beer, and we sat in the grass listening to some great Irish bands in the cool of an autumn evening in western Missouri. I can't drink much alcohol these days - absolutely never during the week and maybe once a year. I just can't seem to function the next day even with a small serving of alcohol. A decade ago this was definitely not the case and I remember fondly that late-night liquid carb-loading rarely hampered the next day's events! Polish pottery and now alcohol intolerance...oy my youth how it dwindles... :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On Friday we went to <a href="http://www.joeskc.com/about/" target="_blank">Joe's Kansas City BBQ</a> (formerly Oklahoma Joe's) because it's supposed to be the best barbecue in the region, if not the country. The gas-station-cum-restaurant's been featured in many of those Food network show-off clip shows and I think the President (or many presidents!) have eaten there too. I'm not much for pork ribs, but D pronounced them "amazing" and I agree, the tender meat slipped right off the bone without the usual tooth-snaggling fight. Sadly, my pulled pork and brisket plate was barely warm to the taste, salty, and the pulled pork a tad mealy while the brisket was overly fatty. Other disappointments include the bland "spicy slaw" and the highly-praised fries which were far too salty for my taste. Sure, it's BBQ and not haute-cuisine, and I fully admit I prefer Carolina-style over KC-style blends, but I can't see why this place earns such high marks for other than the ribs. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Next time I'll skip Joe's for Jack Stack (KC) or Rudy's (TX). Still, it's a must to eat at such a renowned establishment at least once while we live here, and our friends who agree with a tepid review suggest we try Q39 or Gates next once we've lost our salty, greasy barbecue bloat. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sauce-covered and sated we next visited the <a href="http://nelson-atkins.org/" target="_blank">Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art</a>, a place we've been before. It feels like an old friend each time we return. There were some new works of art on the lawn (which we previously skipped due to inclement weather) where we disoriented ourselves in a glass labyrinth meant to evoke man's discombobulated journey in these modern times, and enjoyed the cornucopia-like heads: </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I bring horns and fruit</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgM4SD4nKAYkyhhsfOf3g6jtJFmq5y8i3zqGyi0FzjF_JqPt5PRT4bPy7j1pbiTs9qs5_fiDwtM17pbqA7XM8hPP9oOfE0ADv2vEHFeAOKTQ5NILp_TEYnCrhAFcY0G2nDFjjjF3xxVUy/s1600/IMG_2594+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgM4SD4nKAYkyhhsfOf3g6jtJFmq5y8i3zqGyi0FzjF_JqPt5PRT4bPy7j1pbiTs9qs5_fiDwtM17pbqA7XM8hPP9oOfE0ADv2vEHFeAOKTQ5NILp_TEYnCrhAFcY0G2nDFjjjF3xxVUy/s640/IMG_2594+%25282%2529.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I bring just fruit</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I would like us to sign up for art classes, but D's not so keen...he likes to paint fences and walls and our deck, and not so much the representations of them. This visit, his favorite exhibit was the knights and armor on the far side of a cloistered abbey, and I liked the outdoor sculpture garden. I really enjoy seeing squirrels and birds and people interact with the art in a natural, relaxed setting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Earlier in the weekend I ran a local 10K and I placed 2nd overall for the women, but I had a mind-numbing race. I can't get over this hamstring tendinitis so every step I take is a footfall of frustration. My lungs and heart feel good but due to pain I can't push myself as I'd like. I am not one who expects running to be pain-free of course but this is different, and it's been around about 18 months, and I don't like it. Unfortunately at this time I can't stomach the idea of taking a hiatus even though rationally it's the wisest thing to do. I think my brain would suffer such a break in routine. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After reading this over I notice that I've eaten far too much barbecue recently and so I'm sure I'll be running again later today to sweat off the stupor. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here's another snapshot from the Overland Park Botanic Gardens...aren't the colors really something?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873008657971613737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716561565196021043.post-49300019198090038392015-09-20T17:12:00.000-05:002015-09-20T17:17:38.111-05:00I just haven't felt like being here so I've been other places<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There's this daily routine I have - I've had it for years - and unfortunately of late it rarely includes appearing on this blog. I'm fond of the routine, so I'll spare you any false promises to post more frequently. Aren't we all spread thinly enough as it is?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I surprised myself and found that after nearly a year here in Kansas, I still love my job. I'm so thankful for it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We took a week trip up to Alaska in August, full of bike riding, hiking, and fishing of course.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lost Lake, we found you</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMMAa2ph32HGH-kNYIR45FeL96yzz2Kp8xhXD1eoDrwDSrWDxR_mtNAMZR16te0dGA-TTucwKjODCIA84Zir4OM0mveq6Qg4WV4QWSUXZWP3PI3eP5_QvbEBj5tUdBW5mVEU-m3wRsZ_iJ/s1600/20150806_114332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMMAa2ph32HGH-kNYIR45FeL96yzz2Kp8xhXD1eoDrwDSrWDxR_mtNAMZR16te0dGA-TTucwKjODCIA84Zir4OM0mveq6Qg4WV4QWSUXZWP3PI3eP5_QvbEBj5tUdBW5mVEU-m3wRsZ_iJ/s400/20150806_114332.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">He smiles because I'm the one wearing the backpack</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I snuggled with this sassy innkeeper:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizriz7qGPsdV8S7ptuDjsXLFSXP_Y_JRbtR3UIFGCJnDpnwq0lx8xSqyZPlveM-zPDioF2KAVDm_S3gfrB6-h33b3bczl7OvAIaKeaMvWmpBbkuxUIrhypeYD14tMQOKb2h0fB48wZlfyE/s1600/IMG_2543+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizriz7qGPsdV8S7ptuDjsXLFSXP_Y_JRbtR3UIFGCJnDpnwq0lx8xSqyZPlveM-zPDioF2KAVDm_S3gfrB6-h33b3bczl7OvAIaKeaMvWmpBbkuxUIrhypeYD14tMQOKb2h0fB48wZlfyE/s400/IMG_2543+%25281%2529.JPG" width="300" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And we caught our limit in halibut:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifSVn3Vb1KJI52uDSwiDyrIykRPuXPY6uBU2R-4I0wOui6B0sd1kyIOxqr3-zmwar29uQLj9fuTYykp4u8zpqA_GqotgZ3NVTdVGSbyONE-Z99WFwryP8zcLHhbeqmVpnKgeJLbGCbnfL6/s1600/IMG_2545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifSVn3Vb1KJI52uDSwiDyrIykRPuXPY6uBU2R-4I0wOui6B0sd1kyIOxqr3-zmwar29uQLj9fuTYykp4u8zpqA_GqotgZ3NVTdVGSbyONE-Z99WFwryP8zcLHhbeqmVpnKgeJLbGCbnfL6/s640/IMG_2545.JPG" width="360" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Heavier than it looks!</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQnpIotXSn0E6iGq1_PUjgRcfsqW9lwISbKnJaCTqKFFafSW4SID7uBEb4-bGnElASnaMd_BwbwLXix7xFu8WlgFBdh9DluNjmJhr56cMT_E_f7qLVHDUHqjjaWp0lmyed31ttyi9up1gt/s1600/IMG_2546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQnpIotXSn0E6iGq1_PUjgRcfsqW9lwISbKnJaCTqKFFafSW4SID7uBEb4-bGnElASnaMd_BwbwLXix7xFu8WlgFBdh9DluNjmJhr56cMT_E_f7qLVHDUHqjjaWp0lmyed31ttyi9up1gt/s400/IMG_2546.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Not as heavy as it looks!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> As always, Alaska is a great trip. A few years ago we wrote a big check in return for a nice piece of paper saying we own a few acres of the Last Frontier, but recently over late-morning weekend coffee talk we dramatize our retirement fears and I wonder if we should sell. I love Alaska, but I worry about the costs as well as the perceived intellectual exodus from our beloved 49th state. It pains me to write that, but in a few years, the Army won't be dictating where we live, and I don't want to make anything less than the perfect choice, now that we'll finally have one. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4fnkLl5zdR8lcCIpAW_b9c3CvVC34IOMpFpmB3cUK_B_NaiUnY7quQeBvFFK0-Au-0gblkK_9wrNDsPNpBE1HYB8is3w_GKZwkun79CJA60LobnnTEQ6R0frvWH4FP_Zv3LmtN3QN2jrZ/s1600/IMG_2537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4fnkLl5zdR8lcCIpAW_b9c3CvVC34IOMpFpmB3cUK_B_NaiUnY7quQeBvFFK0-Au-0gblkK_9wrNDsPNpBE1HYB8is3w_GKZwkun79CJA60LobnnTEQ6R0frvWH4FP_Zv3LmtN3QN2jrZ/s640/IMG_2537.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Kachemak Bay...who would not be happy here?</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> During my summer blog sabbatical I ran a few local races here and there, though I failed to make the 10-miler team (again!). At such a slow pace, I'd be embarrassed if that time had qualified. There's always next year. The summer bothered and exhausted me (not just due to the heat) so I have 0 feelings to report about my running performance or lack thereof. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In other news, I don't wear Mizuno Wave Riders (or Mizunos at all) anymore, and I am blissfully in love with the <a href="http://www.saucony.com/en/kinvara-6/18953W.html?dwvar_18953W_color=S10282-3#cgid=kinvara-6&start=1" target="_blank">Saucony Kinvara 6</a>. I tried them on fully expecting to hate the 4mm drop, but it feels natural and easy. I love the price, too, a full $20 less than my last pair of Wave Riders (18s). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To break up the routine, D and I took a 2-day trip to Denver a few weeks ago. Our loyalty to Southwest Airlines has paid off and we cashed in our stockpiled miles for free tickets and with our impossible 47000 hotel points our trip came to a grand total of $70 for a rental car, food, entertainment. With keen budgeting like that, we might get to retire after all! For old times' sake we attended the Dave Mathews Concert at Fiddlers' Green (Is it called that again? Still?) and I sniffed peevishly in an effort to avoid the expected wafts of cannabinoid fog. It's not a scent I enjoy and to head off any questions, yes, it's virtually impossible to pop hot on a urine drug screen via passive exposure. At the expense of revealing my curmudgeonliness, I find Dave Mathews really tedious, especially live....what with the THC and patchouli-soaked fans and endless cacophonous recapitulation...it's no surprise then that my favorite part of the trip was our visit to the <a href="http://www.botanicgardens.org/" target="_blank">Denver Botanic Gardens. </a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Before we arrived at the Gardens, we enjoyed the surrounding "moneyed hipster" neighborhood, where we stopped for lunch at <a href="http://www.chefzorbas.com/" target="_blank">Chef Zorba's</a>. I would eat there again and again! D let me have the seat facing the window, and I annoyed him no end with my distracting questions, directed both to myself and behind his back: <i>Does <u>everyone</u> here ride bicycles</i>? I drawled enviously at the passing Denverites, lean, healthy, full of nature, sun, kale, kefir, whatever. <i>Who <u>are</u> these people walking all these dogs? </i>I wondered, missing Nugget, cooped up at overnight camp<i>. </i><i>Where are <u>all</u> these Vespas going? </i>I asked of the steady stream of men, motoring down the road - hair thinning and bellies bethickened - adorning the aqua-blue scooters, zip zip.<i> </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.botanicgardens.org/plan-your-visit/concessions-food-service" target="_blank">DBG Offshoots Café</a> is a treat and we enjoyed after-gyro raspberry lemonade. We accidentally invaded no fewer than three beautiful wedding receptions, and excitedly floated from garden to greenhouse to pond. D's favorite part? The bonsai garden, hidden behind a corner of the Japanese tea garden. Among kare-san-sui paths, the bonsai garden displayed trees and shrubs native to the western prairie yet cultivated and "training" in bonsai pattern. I never before knew of the tethers and fine wires pulling and tugging the tiny tree limbs, but now I am in awe of the time and orthodontia required for this art of bonsai. Unlike D's discriminating tastes, I am a sucker for the bounty and ease of the perennial garden. I left a little sad that we don't have the energy to recreate the intricate abundance of the Botanic Gardens at our home in Kansas, but it's only 600 miles down I-70 so we can return pretty easily on a future vacation. I am sure we will.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In other news, I finally finished my <a href="http://ana-white.com/2012/05/plans/rustic-x-console" target="_blank">Rustic X console table</a> (inspired by Ana White). It proudly holds our keys and odds/ends and TV. It's a tad uneven, so it fits perfectly in the house:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinTHEinId58_1ilZ8oNmn5_KtllZ5TQGC8m_va0OZt13U_whFu01SrTMxmamIuP93MzNGUhh2x1vv4FVI3hneYom3Ounx_B3Z3Drn2bC24dcWYdrw7f1o-pOX8OgWsdUT-3fy4CNhOBuZu/s1600/IMG_2454.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinTHEinId58_1ilZ8oNmn5_KtllZ5TQGC8m_va0OZt13U_whFu01SrTMxmamIuP93MzNGUhh2x1vv4FVI3hneYom3Ounx_B3Z3Drn2bC24dcWYdrw7f1o-pOX8OgWsdUT-3fy4CNhOBuZu/s400/IMG_2454.JPG" width="300" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Next up?! Back to work, to running, and to a cedar-topped kitchen island, unfinished, awaiting a rainy day in my "workshop." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here's hoping you are well and wonderful, now and when I check in next!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873008657971613737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716561565196021043.post-23253941066694352262015-04-18T11:16:00.000-05:002015-04-18T11:33:58.136-05:00Brew to Brew 2015 etc<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Last Sunday D and I ran the <a href="http://brewtobrew.com/" target="_blank">Brew-to-Brew</a> relay...well, sort of...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Due to last minute personnel changes and the looming thunderstorms, our team slimmed down to just the two of us, and we decided that a 44+ mile relay for two on a Sunday wasn't a great idea - especially with D leaving town early the next morning, so we relayed with each other for a few legs. Other teams appeared well-prepared with cocktails, vans, uniforms, signs, boundless cheer, but we had fun anyway despite our low-key approach. The whole Brew-to-Brew framework is low-overhead - only 2 race bibs per team (starting and finishing runners only), no t-shirts, no medals, no aid stations other than port-a-potties, which I thought a great way to demonstrate that this relay is truly all about supporting the <a href="http://www.cff.org/" target="_blank">Cystic Fibrosis Foundation</a>. Success.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We still had a great time and I enjoyed running the hilly and somewhat lonely roads of horse-country Kansas. Afterwards we treated ourselves to Panera for lunch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The only way to describe spring weekends in northeast Kansas these days? Petrichor. Fancy-fancy. But so apt for such a rich scent!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Today is rainy (and smells delightful) again too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Luckily there have been a few weekdays without rain, so I've started cycling my work commute. I used to say, "I biked to work," (explaining my tardiness, overstuffed backpack, sweat, and excess of spandex) but that means "motorcycle" to most - something I have never done, and am thoroughly pleased that D got out of his system a decade or so ago (not that there's anything wrong with it!). I'm lucky to have a short commute (12 miles) and biking is a nice break from beating up my hamstring even more. It's painful, sure, but the worst part is the inability to get any real power on the left leg. This nagging unstretchable heavy twinge is my steady running companion and my wish is that cycling more will help. I'll report back! I also enjoy the fact that I save about $1 per day every time I ride to and from work. Yes, I invested in an expensive headlight and tail-light at <a href="http://www.santafebikes.com/ww/" target="_blank">Santa Fe Trails Bicycle Shop</a>, but my improved mood at work and home and my glee at saving the environment 12 miles of petrochemicals makes me just so self-righteously happy :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My new favorite
activity this week is morel mushroom hunting! I learned last week that
mid-April means morel mushrooms start to appear in the woods of
Kansouri. Nugget and I tagged along with some coworkers (aka
experienced mushroom hunters) and scoured the woods of a </span>nearby state park. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqM1B3JFMpTWR5eGD24Xec0vNvpXMv7Jtnol4ra2vkJOifZ6FmDVXq_x3L70ZySAaf0r3oBRdrwXrC1IQlDdApN03RTmEWsYSB-JsYEqCjOvYE9jafMYlNzx2ZvOhdePEkoJj_ceAwIk6g/s1600/IMG_2438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqM1B3JFMpTWR5eGD24Xec0vNvpXMv7Jtnol4ra2vkJOifZ6FmDVXq_x3L70ZySAaf0r3oBRdrwXrC1IQlDdApN03RTmEWsYSB-JsYEqCjOvYE9jafMYlNzx2ZvOhdePEkoJj_ceAwIk6g/s1600/IMG_2438.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The bounty - obvs not mine :)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> I didn't find any myself (hence my love of the hunt vs the find), and Nugget just found ticks (which she's been stashing in her fluff) but I resolve to try again. It's a huge subculture (we could probably just call that "culture") here - the internet is filled with mushroom cams and maps and fungi forecasts! Morel recipes fall off the printer tray at work all day. Oh, and the rumors of the value of these spongy fungi -- while anything priced by the ounce is probably too steep for me, it's exciting to think about foraging for a pot of brain-like squishy gold popping up under mayapples and along the rootlines of old elm trees. Maybe I'll take a lesson from the French their cochons and train Nug as a morel-hunting sidekick? I think I just heard her sigh...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuBVAawWe0QSvNieOXY7omuDf3dGSLsSCeyGqGk-I5WyQu78I6SCrzU9EoZAHUWevbfjDf_815iGMTOdelJ2iHnItP1aQuWXw9uIV7QYQv0PhHCD_I4JXEaH1D7_W9i6-2ZHUvfQ1ByNK/s1600/IMG_2436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuBVAawWe0QSvNieOXY7omuDf3dGSLsSCeyGqGk-I5WyQu78I6SCrzU9EoZAHUWevbfjDf_815iGMTOdelJ2iHnItP1aQuWXw9uIV7QYQv0PhHCD_I4JXEaH1D7_W9i6-2ZHUvfQ1ByNK/s1600/IMG_2436.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is the best place to stand to gather max ticks, Mommy</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When it truly pours outside, I focus on my new woodworking hobby, thanks to <a href="http://ana-white.com/" target="_blank">Ana White</a> (DIY heroine). She said, "let's build something!" and I sure listened because she seems so cool.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After my raised garden bed success, (the radishes are looking great, tyvm, and the dill is sprouting nicely too!) I figured, oh, why not make a 6'+</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> long console table to squeeze into our tiny crooked home that is already overburdened with furniture, dog toys, running shoes and [now] ticks?</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPN66k4IFmz3mTZW3uDZvWxertBuZ7-7smmevO8FeS0cX1Vn3lIM67YNDCNYAJhscvTdlm2TIuCPUJnXvKzT4vUKevQGT-tuqmYohZL4Aona4p9_moN5bIydkN3o_VaIhvlicDc6eTcaKc/s1600/IMG_2427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPN66k4IFmz3mTZW3uDZvWxertBuZ7-7smmevO8FeS0cX1Vn3lIM67YNDCNYAJhscvTdlm2TIuCPUJnXvKzT4vUKevQGT-tuqmYohZL4Aona4p9_moN5bIydkN3o_VaIhvlicDc6eTcaKc/s1600/IMG_2427.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Eye pro and triple-flanged ear pro, yes, but plz ignore the shaky saw set-up</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">D heavily encourages new hobbies that distract me from my other hobby of picking nits, so <a href="http://ana-white.com/2014/11/DIY_furniture/rustic-x-console" target="_blank">with plans from Ana</a>, a miter saw, a bunch of wood, the help of Home Depot, and lots of youtubing for "pocket holes without a jig," I'm working on this:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEM4bHom1lYo6P-1FHX4q36GaKBfZBF4SJrmR4Ohz3pxnHkParhxNRWxPVY3r-pvrnywL-m_GTsZE7pgBRhafZRQ-eGGWQ4SlB0bsIrhl_C_YuvvTNuFGoXINMWCGFCAmed-WieOdBv2ab/s1600/IMG_2433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEM4bHom1lYo6P-1FHX4q36GaKBfZBF4SJrmR4Ohz3pxnHkParhxNRWxPVY3r-pvrnywL-m_GTsZE7pgBRhafZRQ-eGGWQ4SlB0bsIrhl_C_YuvvTNuFGoXINMWCGFCAmed-WieOdBv2ab/s1600/IMG_2433.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">What, your workbench isn't an old couch, cardboard box, and a grill?</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Once the rain stops today, it's time to add the top, run a few miles to relax, then sand, and sand and sand. I just bought a random orbit sander this morning and am excited to try it out. I planned to sand it by hand but I can't handle amount of eye-rolling I got in response :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The smell (and presence) of sawdust has replaced our dank basement funk and the muddy damp floor really ties the room together. Enticing, eh? Well, we've really improved the place, many of the 400 million spiders have left nice comment cards and said some really nice things about the table too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There's a fairly high chance that we won't be able to get the console upstairs or through the doors. I mean, I'm good at tetris, but honestly - no hyperbole - the table is only 2' shorter than the width of the house. And I think it weighs about the same...here's hoping my innocent hobby won't lead to structural damage :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Enjoy your weekend, the joy of spring, and happy running to all.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCAGdxVBfFjXlzv5UhmqaIHdgNjghf1t0OSYQ5jwxFFjlF-BYT-FO6uQfSXCHmm94OEpUvKisHAqAuSaG_bkV9Kxk8vhcJ7-WuA0qqkuuIz12l9LzaZnsWQFu2wH3TT49y9_8PEQbvvhvy/s1600/IMG_0433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCAGdxVBfFjXlzv5UhmqaIHdgNjghf1t0OSYQ5jwxFFjlF-BYT-FO6uQfSXCHmm94OEpUvKisHAqAuSaG_bkV9Kxk8vhcJ7-WuA0qqkuuIz12l9LzaZnsWQFu2wH3TT49y9_8PEQbvvhvy/s1600/IMG_0433.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">October-planted bulbs, ingredients: rain and faith</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873008657971613737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716561565196021043.post-41768603334658288732015-03-22T19:40:00.003-05:002015-03-22T19:40:36.159-05:00WYCO Mrs Robinson Romp<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Last weekend D and I ran our first trail run here in Kansas, the <a href="http://www.psychowyco.com/id99.html" target="_blank">Mrs Robinson Romp</a>!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNmg2CTqzRWskFWNTYNafpNsIx1BFMjsEh8bF8-CAckEDzpaoSRSmtC7Kh8gKgO0CFP5yhqC7q6YAVbcVIlJyeLd3u7UFlAsLnhT_3Ytg8R0tOGH9HygUqL432npHHxihtzLdyGDSKfnAZ/s1600/d+and+me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNmg2CTqzRWskFWNTYNafpNsIx1BFMjsEh8bF8-CAckEDzpaoSRSmtC7Kh8gKgO0CFP5yhqC7q6YAVbcVIlJyeLd3u7UFlAsLnhT_3Ytg8R0tOGH9HygUqL432npHHxihtzLdyGDSKfnAZ/s1600/d+and+me.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He tends to have a little more fun with these things (race photography) than I do. I was not aware of this at the time! I have to channel all my mental energy into preventing photographic evidence of excessive thigh jiggle. He is not concerned about such.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We ran the first 5K together and then we parted ways so I could finish the 10K loop, which, by all accounts, including my own, was steep, STEEP!! The Trailnerds throw a lovely and low-key trail race and we will sign up for more of their events again. I liked that pups are welcome, for a lower entry fee, and receive their own bib and race number. Nervous Nuggie is not trail-compliant, and though the photos would have been cute, D expressed no desire to ruck a squirmy 25 pound dog for five kilometers.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Race morning was our first trip to <a href="http://www.wycokck.org/uploadedFiles/Departments/Parks_and_Recreation/WYCO%20Lake%20Map%20Color.pdf" target="_blank">Wyandotte County Lake Park</a>. We didn't have much time to explore, but we promised that after the trail race, we'd add this park to our weekend rotation.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We returned yesterday to ride road bikes around the park periphery and discover other amenities- an off-leash dog park, archery range, a many-tentacled lake stocked with trout. The road around the reservoir (~7 miles, we guessed) suffers a lot of vehicle traffic, but if we'd cycled earlier in the day it may not have been so busy. Still, the speed limit is 20 mph so it's far safer than some of the wider rural roads in this part of the state.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Other weekend events - spring cleaning. Sourdough starter starting. Raised beds for the garden, ahem, "garden." As we approach retirement, I've become more budget-minded and earth-friendly than ever. I decided that we could save money, reduce waste, and improve our health this spring in a few simple ways, mostly by cooking more, reducing our "wants," and growing more vegetables.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We value our time and the freedom to make life decisions unhampered by monetary compensation. D is closer to retirement than I - but we've focused on changing our lifestyle and recognize that retirement from work can be sooner than we thought, if we can live in a decidedly less consumerist way. Sure, maybe I just read too much Thoreau growing up, but we have a small home, shockingly small (623 sq ft!), considering we are two grown-up professionals with lots of stuff ("beware any enterprise that requires new clothes" - LOL I say, looking at the burgeoning closet D and I share). We eat out far too often still, but due to the proximity of our home to downtown, we can walk the dog while we pick up takeout - saving gas, while reducing our stress and exercising the pupup!) and I cook more frequently. My work hours allow me to start the slow cooker early in the morning before I leave, and by lunchtime, D can come home to a waiting hot meal instead of spending $15. He likes to eat away from his desk as a mid-day mental health break and I'd never insist he brown-bag at work - he deserves the respite from the office and I know Nugget likes having a mid-day potty break. Though not in the trendy (or spendy) side of town, we picked a home close to work for these reasons exactly!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I joined the local library and though I still purchase quite a few professional journals and texts, I won't purchase any pleasure reading books - not with great apps like OverDrive or the generous renewal periods for hardcopy printed material. My library also hosts a lot of free events both on weekends and weeknights - everything from How to Grow Your Own Food to a history of the Banana Wars and possibly even Grow Your Own Bananas. I even walk to/from the library these days because my limited carrying capacity prevents me from ambitiously checking out too many books!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Certain expenditures are unavoidable, and for years at a time, we've had to run two separate households because we were living in different places, and of course, we bought lots of plane tickets. Those high-spending times are past (for now) but we have to prepare ourselves in case we find ourselves separated again.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I know there are super savers out there, and estimable budgeteers as well, and I am not yet one - but I'm starting now because I don't want to find myself tied to a certain minimum paycheck in order to meet my standard of living. The freeing idea to live simply, to be happy with less, means I am free to earn less and live more.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I made this raised bed last week to provide a cozy home for radishes, jalapenos, cucumbers, red bell peppers, dill, and beans. I love gardening and though we have half an acre, it's clay. Solid clay. And hilly. I made this raised bed to fit within our chain-linked dog run. This keeps the neighborhood critters at bay. Close to the house, it's a little warmer than other spots in the yard, and also sheltered from the wind, but has great southern exposure. I planned that the stair railing could be used as a trellis.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj038xiuubx9FCEswgVNROyy9WnkI27OVuLZal-l6dejOxZUDquw2aX3miH1PHHdAJ7K7p5kOr8dJD9ln0flBGsn_Uw70q2lUE4e7xSa9fmVMTuQbPwuzeZSDoqJhAfLqYia3wQNt7fCmNS/s1600/IMG_2409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj038xiuubx9FCEswgVNROyy9WnkI27OVuLZal-l6dejOxZUDquw2aX3miH1PHHdAJ7K7p5kOr8dJD9ln0flBGsn_Uw70q2lUE4e7xSa9fmVMTuQbPwuzeZSDoqJhAfLqYia3wQNt7fCmNS/s1600/IMG_2409.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ta-Dah! I did something and it didn't suck completely!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It's roughly 2' x 4' and about 12" high. I cut three 1" x 6" (8') into the panels and then screwed then into the corner 2"x2", which are each 14" long. I used some old 1 1/2" screws, and the wood came from Home Depot, for about $18.00 total. Now I don't know much about these things, but I don't think that a 1" x 6" is actually 1" by 6", it seems a little less, but on this manner of project, it doesn't matter at all. I stained with what we had leftover from the fence and then nestled it into the slope of the dog run. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwN-USyraY2mjsv5l-Fahwez522h_2GEeWEL_W9livxmRa4E_Zq2rNSJXQHsvBIIya3v15PY0gdWN56_iJPzslmwaEYJ-thkGyhHfWAjy1pMuPH0Lj7oP90TolzUN85ETk141GS14ixYkW/s1600/IMG_2410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwN-USyraY2mjsv5l-Fahwez522h_2GEeWEL_W9livxmRa4E_Zq2rNSJXQHsvBIIya3v15PY0gdWN56_iJPzslmwaEYJ-thkGyhHfWAjy1pMuPH0Lj7oP90TolzUN85ETk141GS14ixYkW/s1600/IMG_2410.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Veggie house</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It took about an hour, start to finish. D came out to monitor my progress midway and was impressed...which surprised me...</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFR9ThiIApXCnDDq_JO0HEqHmAdnbp8hyT9Sd-iPCXsd4xlrwKYlS53akNvkjAnw4T65hWbVqXFVhC1R8KrXdZGev6ukD-gxqzISKxsxVmvZCf4GitVMvcgp7jNap61PmsiA_PkG9GiaOP/s1600/01_misaligned_bridge_503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFR9ThiIApXCnDDq_JO0HEqHmAdnbp8hyT9Sd-iPCXsd4xlrwKYlS53akNvkjAnw4T65hWbVqXFVhC1R8KrXdZGev6ukD-gxqzISKxsxVmvZCf4GitVMvcgp7jNap61PmsiA_PkG9GiaOP/s1600/01_misaligned_bridge_503.jpg" height="238" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Is this what he expected?</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873008657971613737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716561565196021043.post-13621477157268069742015-02-22T10:39:00.001-06:002015-02-22T10:39:14.326-06:00Brew to Brew and bullriding too...<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I keep finding great things about where I live! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As usual, I responded to a friend's text of "Brew-to-Brew?" with "sure!" even though I was not at all sure if I was agreeing to a beer fest or tea pot meetup or, as it now turns out, the annual <a href="http://brewtobrew.com/" target="_blank">Brew-to-Brew relay for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation</a>. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This April relay marks the start of spring running here in eastern Kansas. I've never done a relay before -I just haven't imbibed the Ragnar Kool-aid or really had any success with sticking to relay plans (a la <a href="http://realworldrunner.blogspot.com/2013/05/race-report-elevation-crazy-in-elp.html" target="_blank">Transmountain Challenge of 2012</a>). No reason for me to recap the helpful website for the Relay (<a href="http://brewtobrew.com/" target="_blank">Brew-to-Brew</a>) but please if you are in the local area, consider either a hard-core solo run or dredging up a few running mates for a fabulous cause and an adventure. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">My weekend was low on running mileage, but we did<a href="http://www.skisnowcreek.com/" target="_blank"> ski at Snowcreek</a>, <a href="http://realworldrunner.blogspot.com/2015/02/weston-bluffs-trail.html" target="_blank">walk the Weston Bluffs Trail</a>, and then attend the <a href="http://www.pbr.com/" target="_blank">Professional Bull Riding</a> event at the Sprint Center. I've ridden horses but that's where my familiarity with this sport and lifestyle ends. I loved it all -- the bulls, the riders, the rodeo clowns, the safety horse-mounted rider, the fact that these skills are part of other people's daily lives, even if only 8 seconds at a time -- and I loved that the <a href="http://www.pbr.com/en/bulls/animal-welfare.aspx" target="_blank">PBR website addresses the humane treatment of the bulls</a>. I was unnecessarily worried beforehand that there was a dog food factory hidden behind the pens but these bulls (and their gametes of course) are so highly prized that they receive rather luxurious care (including acupuncture and chiropractic!!!) and yes I am purposefully avoiding extrapolating the irony. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Luckily for me, agreeable D indulges my need to attend events like this and soak in the culture surrounding a way of life vastly different from my own. We already punched the NASCAR and monster truck rally cards!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I honestly didn't pick up on the subtleties of the riders' skills much less the scoring rubric but when done elegantly, even I can tell. <a href="https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KLqITG_ulUiikAwC_7w8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTByZWc0dGJtBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQDBGdwb3MDMQ--?p=pbr+kansas+city+youtube+2015&vid=e1c873dea20433525bb53d1cf94d1413&l=1%3A02&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts1.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DVQ.347835934412%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dxfea6MLyUX4&tit=TOP+RIDE%3A+Kaique+Pacheco+rides+Brutus+for+89.75+points+%28PBR%29&c=0&sigr=11b12e7mu&sigt=11sdem80i&sigi=11lhnqr7q&age=0&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Av&hsimp=yhs-001&hspart=mozilla&tt=b" target="_blank">Here's the YouTube clip of the highest-scoring rider.</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And, I leave you with this, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Liu8OyQj3kM#t=14" target="_blank">a tidbit from last night's festivities that everyone can appreciate</a> even if you don't much about bulls or tight ends or rodeo clowns or devoted fans...enjoy!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A great week to all - I can't believe March is almost here!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873008657971613737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716561565196021043.post-16625805984695337102015-02-09T18:12:00.001-06:002015-02-09T18:12:30.311-06:00Weston Bluffs Trail<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sunday afternoon Amon-Ra unleashed an unseasonable treat on this little corner of eastern Kansas. The sun shone, the birds chirped, and it really did smell like earthy early spring. I think temps almost reached 70F!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuxoz6ACxizv2JoZe8opGFDpi1xyJbWW3eEc0OLNtRYsFgQCjAo-oqSdzaeWZtzETnIAF1xTPl9NYbMKM8q52w425WvFSeHLRElgZAnP9EWSFsWjucmOHcJa5LMHnqLYouBzQEkMV6VOlr/s1600/IMG_2180+(2jpg).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuxoz6ACxizv2JoZe8opGFDpi1xyJbWW3eEc0OLNtRYsFgQCjAo-oqSdzaeWZtzETnIAF1xTPl9NYbMKM8q52w425WvFSeHLRElgZAnP9EWSFsWjucmOHcJa5LMHnqLYouBzQEkMV6VOlr/s1600/IMG_2180+(2jpg).jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I celebrated yesterday by crossing the wide Missouri River and running a 6.5 mile roundtrip <a href="http://mostateparks.com/trails/weston-bend-state-park" target="_blank">Weston Bluffs Trail </a>at <a href="http://mostateparks.com/park/weston-bend-state-park" target="_blank">Weston Bend State Park</a>. The trail is a straight shot between two small towns on the outskirts of the state park- Beverly in the south, and <a href="http://westonmo.com/" target="_blank">Weston</a>, at the trail's northern terminus. I parked in the middle, and started from within the park, first heading south and then turning north. The trail rolls along the south-coursing river, parallel to train tracks (frighteningly close to the train tracks in fact!). To the south from the park trailhead, the path is pea gravel and sand. To the north, it's paved. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWolv3lty0oDp9qT1apoptdkX23G24rnsfGJAFPdWRITrst5gPyYkyIBlrqRAU0nSHya2q_wJUuxdtHz_ev19itY3hxHIQ1PyFe7L4RV3pG3O4-zO51gmYwdKA1ViUkFxW4dXBem4Hbvf6/s1600/IMG_2207+(2jpg).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWolv3lty0oDp9qT1apoptdkX23G24rnsfGJAFPdWRITrst5gPyYkyIBlrqRAU0nSHya2q_wJUuxdtHz_ev19itY3hxHIQ1PyFe7L4RV3pG3O4-zO51gmYwdKA1ViUkFxW4dXBem4Hbvf6/s1600/IMG_2207+(2jpg).jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Afterwards, I took all these pictures...of another trail nearby. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRoxYQtcr8pP444rNB_WNCqvV-bwcA8Spb9Kg8sFd4kimOP-qc2XlSkCFnT78A4ZsuSPSJbC3IIftqIpXMetUpYAmP_klFFlPAjywX0tNN71G9O25JyqSx4lmoyptOEKfrK5smuWloxbl-/s1600/IMG_2206+(2jpg).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRoxYQtcr8pP444rNB_WNCqvV-bwcA8Spb9Kg8sFd4kimOP-qc2XlSkCFnT78A4ZsuSPSJbC3IIftqIpXMetUpYAmP_klFFlPAjywX0tNN71G9O25JyqSx4lmoyptOEKfrK5smuWloxbl-/s1600/IMG_2206+(2jpg).jpg" height="343" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sometimes I take Nugget to this park for a walk, and sometimes D and I run the hills on the paved bike path. I think our trail loops and out-and-backs have covered almost every path option in the park. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A hidden gem, just 10 minutes from home. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQmmp7r9BS21hyphenhyphenfflMe-VgLWMs18ctJbs0wckhJI4fDd2Bg3AY1urEE1FIckFAct8Qdpsln2Lcq9Tpcz-XfcGG_BMfW9ncOBUqlTwjq-O4Oi-a6rpuSg281Q6aDaG0oqjnjdA2YMQH_Dl/s1600/IMG_2187+(2jpg).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQmmp7r9BS21hyphenhyphenfflMe-VgLWMs18ctJbs0wckhJI4fDd2Bg3AY1urEE1FIckFAct8Qdpsln2Lcq9Tpcz-XfcGG_BMfW9ncOBUqlTwjq-O4Oi-a6rpuSg281Q6aDaG0oqjnjdA2YMQH_Dl/s1600/IMG_2187+(2jpg).jpg" height="255" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">State Parks are a treasure! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Today the weather remembered it's still February and I zip up my fleece outer jacket and leave for work in the dark. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZZ-Us6KB6xWet_zOfiTFqZ7MzbkVbFOARGUDWYPjayLxkZMvHnYXOCzc8zKJdseRADx0O-6WeQyShKMNS1jbvtkPxeu2mv-dve_y8ivkUseQsEwjWDrCKs7iM9t4S3MipLdcyvJYtEiu/s1600/IMG_2210+(2jpg).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZZ-Us6KB6xWet_zOfiTFqZ7MzbkVbFOARGUDWYPjayLxkZMvHnYXOCzc8zKJdseRADx0O-6WeQyShKMNS1jbvtkPxeu2mv-dve_y8ivkUseQsEwjWDrCKs7iM9t4S3MipLdcyvJYtEiu/s1600/IMG_2210+(2jpg).jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Happy running! </span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873008657971613737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716561565196021043.post-2018547547128241062015-01-31T10:37:00.001-06:002015-01-31T10:59:46.038-06:00Happy New Year! Still here!<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Well, I barely made it to posting (proof-of-living?) during January, so I declare that this counts as a New Year greeting! May it find you well and with resolutions to which you are sticking!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm pleased to say that I'm fully installed in Kansas (and have been, for the last few months) and enjoying my job and this wonderful state. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I took a nice hiatus from running this fall, and am getting back into it just now. While overseas I was putting in some solid hot and sunny mileage, and a nice FOF half marathon, and some great hill training, but I came home burnt out and with hamstring-<i>itis</i> - right where the muscle starts, at the ischial tuberosity - and quite literally a pain in the rear! I still don't trust myself enough to prevent re-injury, so I've only raced a few times since returning from overseas - a 5K Turkey Trot, a 7.2 miler Christmas race, and most recently the Groundhog 10K last weekend. My goal? Shorter distances but faster times this year. Broken record, much?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I don't think I'll do any marathons, but maybe a mid-summer half if I can take the time away from work. My current schedule prevents high mileage weeks, but I accept the break willingly! Oh, and I happen to love my job.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">What a pleasure it is to live here - I've got miles and miles of rolling hills and low-traffic roads on which to re-learn some lessons, and a great community of runners to keep motivation high. There are great parks and trails nearby. And it's nice to be re-united with D and Nugget. Chickens will follow soon!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Let me tell you about the <a href="https://childrenstlc.org/event/groundhog-run/" target="_blank">Groundhog 10K</a>! L and V, our old friends, happen to live here too now, so we carpooled to the world's largest underground warehouse for a unique sub-terranean race! D and I registered last minute, and really hadn't trained - what are good friends for, if not talking you into untrained 10Ks :) It was a cold, drippy rainy morning as we parked and shuttled to the start, but once we got to the cave entrance, we entered a 65F balmy, humid, runner's high-scented underground lair! Perfect weather indoors, and perfectly miserable outside (good thing!). And no Morlocks anywhere.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgR80Y-xe5tpc1x4JXuyXh6EqltQNk9FFIIMtWhL_Vyt1KrxyfhDGI9m07CnFn9Ydss4xsYyd-J7DJ4v6xpBtQbHeXw_9TgpdduSZT0bOy0rhXJWlXtCWuMdbrmjSQfdYMNWWzZJOGRfEf/s1600/groundhog10k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgR80Y-xe5tpc1x4JXuyXh6EqltQNk9FFIIMtWhL_Vyt1KrxyfhDGI9m07CnFn9Ydss4xsYyd-J7DJ4v6xpBtQbHeXw_9TgpdduSZT0bOy0rhXJWlXtCWuMdbrmjSQfdYMNWWzZJOGRfEf/s1600/groundhog10k.jpg" height="245" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Groundhuggin'</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some facts - the race benefits <a href="https://childrenstlc.org/event/groundhog-run/" target="_blank">Children's Therapeutic Learning Center</a> of KC. The race is crowded because you run the narrow catacombs (2 laps) of this high-ceilinged, dim and twisty underground warehouse but this adds to the fun. The 5K starts an hour ahead of the 10K. It was extremely well organized (thank you, volunteers) and with great post-race snacks. I love the gear check. Oh, and the shirt. D states it is 'too cute' so now I have two. There are timed waves but if you want a PR, start up front of your wave or face traffic jams for the first half mile. I started behind my wave and got stuck for a bit, but hey, who cares. I always appreciate frequent aid stations and there were plenty - all with water and potties and cheer. A+ race, not because of my time, but for the whole event. I don't know that I'd pony up the big bucks ($50, if you register late like I always do) every year, but I enjoyed the novelty of the race.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Blessings run deep here, but I am old enough to know that the good times are not an entitlement or ever permanent. Here's to appreciating the good with the bad and the ability to know the difference. May you all be so wonderfully blessed and, if not, know that it won't be forever.</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873008657971613737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716561565196021043.post-38477658813796447822014-06-03T06:43:00.003-05:002014-06-03T06:55:57.430-05:00Moving on, and moving<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So as always happens in a military household, people get scattered. D and Nugget are stashed safely away in Kansas. And I got to visit them recently! What a trip - dear Kansas, oh how I underestimated you. I don't know if I'll ever get to live in Kansas myself, but I sure enjoyed the time I spent there.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On one morning, I took in a nice run about town. I love to explore new places with a quick run, whether it's just an overnight in an airport-side hotel or part of a longer, luxurious vacation. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I started downtown at Haymarket Square. This Saturday morning, the <a href="http://leavenworthfarmersmarket.com/" target="_blank">Leavenworth Farmer's Market</a> was in full force and well, what’s better than a pre-run cinnamon roll? Nothing – I don’t know – I stopped asking
myself that question when I got to “cinnamon roll” and thus fueled up with
<a href="http://www.themamaginas.com/" target="_blank">one of Mama Gina’s finest</a>. I don't think I've had tastier! And I'm not even usually one for sweets.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Leavenworth Farmer's Market</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> I was impressed by the wide variety of local
organic fruits, veggies and pastured eggs, reminding me <sniffle> of the gals who
are at overnight camp for a while. The families and vendors at the market exuded pure friendliness and pride in their crafts and wares. D and I enjoyed putting straight pins in a cleverly posted mid-market world map, to show where we were headed next. I just wish we'd put in one pin instead of one each. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I spent the rest of my allowance on some
goat milk caramels, a mini honey bear, and a pint of organic strawberries. I’m a big fan of local organic produce,
especially when priced competitively with the grocery stores. And I’m an occasional sucker for things of
twee. Will D do his weekly shopping there? I don't know. Does he even do weekly shopping? Hmm. Would I shop there? Sure, I'd buy a nice bright bunch of spinach or head of lettuce. Or some soft loaves of amaranth or millet bread. It's only a few blocks, a Nugwalk away from "home" and with a low smug quotient to boot. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">From Haymarket Square, belly full of cinnamon and carbs, and maybe a
drizzle of icing on my cheek, Nug and I ran down the <a href="http://www.leavenworthtimes.com/article/20111007/NEWS/310079867" target="_blank">Threemile Creek Trail</a>. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hMX6U03mn5hHWvLEkFFwEhn1Fl4823kMW-iMFq6LoraQRW8ewUkWfa3eI3dP4ImJrGjRav3au0z7jEONtf3YEH3K7EJ8EMvlVqMHLMkEfuOsqWZPlvdhHZmKzOS3if-OAtxE4PUvRPCg/s1600/3milecreeknug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hMX6U03mn5hHWvLEkFFwEhn1Fl4823kMW-iMFq6LoraQRW8ewUkWfa3eI3dP4ImJrGjRav3au0z7jEONtf3YEH3K7EJ8EMvlVqMHLMkEfuOsqWZPlvdhHZmKzOS3if-OAtxE4PUvRPCg/s1600/3milecreeknug.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Three Mile Creeknug</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I had the company of many other runners, maybe burning off their own cinnamon indulgences, too? The path leads east through downtown to the <a href="http://www.firstcitymuseums.org/carousel_main.html" target="_blank">Carousel Museum</a> and community center – under some
minor construction – but I persevered and continued on to the Esplanade, a row
of grand Victorian homes, exquisitely painted and lovingly maintained. The Esplanade faces an eastward bluff overlooking the
Missouri River, with a backdrop of rolling Missouri farmland. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ugh pictures while running is stupid</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_GXKcJawnPRjUXQPenM3D6fJMEDS4P1bPVlrG6RCSlWgJc9BpbBTfVHQkvH2W8SPNxo5Wr1oDGyQdqfQjXUiw6jDv4KzVVQNtMjJQmiyRImKG6XqBOOT4z4Urb1Vge4MYgkedJawUENH/s1600/esplannug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_GXKcJawnPRjUXQPenM3D6fJMEDS4P1bPVlrG6RCSlWgJc9BpbBTfVHQkvH2W8SPNxo5Wr1oDGyQdqfQjXUiw6jDv4KzVVQNtMjJQmiyRImKG6XqBOOT4z4Urb1Vge4MYgkedJawUENH/s1600/esplannug.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Esplanug...not stupid</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I turned north along the Esplanade and after about a quarter
mile, rested near Riverfront Park, complete with shade, bathrooms, picnic tables, water
fountains. Perfect for stretching and enjoying the verdant landscape, accented with bright blue bridge and lots of sun. Midwest
springtime is brutal – I’d forgotten what humidity is all about!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I’m sad to admit that El Paso isn’t home for us anymore, but
the “tri-pack” is still very much together despite our new geographic living arrangement. Nugget and D
have embarked (woof, woof) on our version of a teeny-tiny house project and are sharing
less than 800 sq feet of living space on a near half-acre lot. Nugget loves it since it fits her 20lb size and I think underneath the
frustration of coordinating new paint, new carpet, packing, moving, unpacking,
snaking drains and whatever else, D too loves the 100+ year old house we just
purchased though stately Victorian manor, it is not. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Nug certainly loves discovering the best new kitty-cat surveillance spots in her new Nugget-sized home. Luckily, a neighboring house harbors a few porch kitties, and Nugget cannot be pulled away from our glass front door if ever she sees a tiny suggestive twitch in the neighbor's garden. She doesn’t seem to mind my absence all that
much since D is more generous in handing out doggy treats. I’m the nervous nay-sayer who scolds, “She’ll
get diabetes! Go blind! Then what?” and he’s like, "hey dog-bot, good job
with the breathing, and the blinking, why don't you help yourself to a treat. Or seven?" Can you blame her for liking him? I can't. I sorta like him too. Like, LIKE.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So I'm on the other side of the globe for now. I'm happy to be here. I'm running a lot. It's hotter than the surface of the sun. And who knows, after a few months and a hemisphere apart, maybe I'll get to move into the teeny tiny house, too - wouldn't that just be a swell thing?<br /></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873008657971613737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716561565196021043.post-36307209465832667762014-05-03T23:33:00.004-05:002014-05-03T23:34:30.704-05:00Things that can't be underestimated<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hi all, I took some time off from racing and cut my mileage way down - oh, the value of a running break- I can't recommend this enough. I took a break from a lot of things, actually.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I failed at my dream to break 1:45 in my January half marathon, and that's ok. That race was physically painful for no good reason, so I cut my mileage in half for a few months, and feel renewed now. I'm slower yet happier and I'll stay here for a while, please!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">D moved to Kansas in January and I'm leaving El Paso soon too, but as a geographic bachelorette right now I have more time for running than I want. And I've gathered a few thoughts, even (no one is surprised). I have more time for this neglected blog, too. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My only item of furniture may be a leaky blue air mattress but at least I have the internet still!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don't worry, Nug will soon be reunited with our Pack Leader...she's counting down the days (until we visit Kansas) on all her extra, vestigial toes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The chickens, well, they are heading to a friend's farm until we have a backyard again...not a euphemism, I promise!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I missed you, about as much as I miss having a washer and dryer in my own home. Immeasurably!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The laundry monster is holding my laptop hostage - here goes, a post via iPad? Let's!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873008657971613737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716561565196021043.post-38604102291425614792013-12-08T14:49:00.001-06:002013-12-08T14:49:29.574-06:00Reinke Sports Group and the USRA: Garbage.<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Yesterday I ran a the Ft Bliss 8K holiday run with Leah, her two daughters, and Nugget. We finished in dead last, thanks to diaper changes, screaming children who alternately wanted to be picked up, put down, fed, watered, and entertained, a flat tire on the double stroller (nicknamed the Rolling Aid Station), and the chilly chilly air as well as Nugget who made some nuggets along the way herself. I hadn't actually registered for the race (bandit runner, what what!) as I did not intend to run. I wanted to meet up with Leah at the start and wish her well and hold onto her extra clothes etc. But like any great friend and race wife, she talked (guilted?) me into accompanying the girls and she was right- the 5 of us just had a blast and there are no other chilly morning runs around post where I've ever had so much fun. I am sure CPS had us on their hot target list, but hey, everyone defrosted well and Nugget is still tired this morning, and unlikely to trust me with a car trip again :) I hate not registering but it was unintended. Due to the icy weather several people offered me their bibs just to have an excuse to head home but I declined :)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now, let me tell you an interesting story of how I failed to run my half marathon this morning. It has much to do with the sketchy so-called USRA and Dean Reinke, things with which I was unfamiliar until late Saturday night.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How so? The half-marathon is a part of the "USRA" half-marathon series. When I registered for this Las Cruces race, I thought very little of it. I was excited to be running near home, and the Las Cruces area has a great running club with some top runners, whom I've seen (from afar!) at some local races like the <a href="http://realworldrunner.blogspot.com/2013/11/desert-dash-10k-tasty-coffee-race-wife.html" target="_blank">Desert Dash</a> and <a href="http://realworldrunner.blogspot.com/2013/10/el-paso-transmountain-challenge-2013.html" target="_blank">El Paso Transmountain Challenge</a>. So far so good, I thought. A half-mary to really challenge me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After the 8K, I met up with a friend. I adultnapped her and we traveled up the interstate to Las Cruces, (about an hour) because packet pick-up was advertised as Saturday only, from 2-5 pm. A little strange, right? Three hours? No race-day registration or packet pick up? Odd, but ok. The only other time that's happened was in Salt Lake City and Auckland New Zealand, both large races with thousands of racers, where it's understandable both from a security and organizational perspective.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This Las Cruces "expo" consisted of a section of a hallway with two tables, maybe three. With cotton t-shirts on one. And bags and race numbers on the other. My friend was not racing, so I breezed through in order to hurry on to more important things, like lunch! I think we were the first people there at the pick-up in fact. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Which is why when I returned home after some holiday shopping, and went through the packet, that I thought it my fault that I didn't get a timing chip, for a race where timing chips are included, per the website. At about 6:30 pm I called the front desk of the hotel where the "expo" was held, to ask if any of the running folks were lingering. I wanted to ask about the timing chip, thinking I had been first to the expo and thus overlooked, no big deal, I understand these things. I had no local contact info for the race, so the hotel front desk was my only option. The lady answering the phone at the lovely <a href="http://www.hhandr.com/destinations/las-cruces?src=DiscTown_helc_list_0209" target="_blank">Hotel Encanto</a> kindly stepped into the hall to check if any USRA members were around and of course they were not.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I then emailed the usra@gmail.com email address from the website. "Did I somehow miss my timing chip- it's not integrated with the bib as I expected- and can I pick it up tomorrow at the race?" No response until 1 am, when I received this email: <u>there are no timing chips</u>. That was all. Passive voice is so useful when refusing personal responsibility!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For $60 entry I get a cotton t-shirt, no swag, and a non-chip timed race? The website sure indicated it was chip-timed!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Enter the gut feeling of "something's afoot." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I remembered, then, that the registration website had a multitude of problems: the date of the race was incorrect. The website inconsistently referred to the 8 Dec race as both the third and fourth annual. The 2012 results file didn't populate. And on the registration page, via "ngin," whatever that is, it thanked me for registering for my upcoming race in Greenville*, a place I am sure is quite lovely, but not at all where I intended to run.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I actually received 2 emails from USRA and the Reinke Sports Group this morning. First, the aforementioned message that there's no chip-timing (c'mon now!) and then a second email that invited me to race-day registration and packet pick-up beginning at 6:45 for this morning's marathon and half. What in the world? First off, the website overemphasized no race-day pickup or registration. Second, there's no full marathon. It's a half, 5K and fun run event. Why can't they get anything to match? I wondered, aloud, to D.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It's a hodge podge of charities mentioned, too: per the website, bring a toy for Toys for Tots? Ok. The shirt promotes Habit for Humanity? These are both great causes, but I don't know that any of them are aware of their "involvement" in this race- there was no toy collection bin at registration, so I doubt the USRA's commitment to anything more than manipulative words. I wonder if these fine organizations will see any donation, and for $60 in registration I would hope they receive more than a token contribution. I have the same feeling about this USRA operation as Amway or Melaleuca or Herbalife or any of those fringe-of-legality business plans...and it doesn't sit well with me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Other things weren't sitting so well with me either. I spent the night on the bathroom floor, which is just what I do when I can't decide which end needs the toilet more urgently. Dan woke up and wondered "if it was that time of the month" and for his obtuseness I would've punched him a few feet north of the ankle had I the strength :). No, dear, it's not -- I guess he has not noticed that I don't go through this monthly, but his oblivion to such matters is quite gentlemanly and endearing. The culprit in fact: grocery store pre-packaged sushi I ate a day earlier. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So what I'm saying is that we had the time, me and my tile floor and my pink owl flannel PJs, to check out the USRA and Reinke Sports Group. In hindsight, my concerns about the registration website and race organization should've brought me to investigate the USRA and Dean Reinke before registering. But it never occurred to me that I'd need to do so!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here's what I found, in sum, with some excellent and personal accounts (links at the end):</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1. This guy, Dean Reinke, is well known for organizing races, cancelling them due to lack of city permits, and continuing to accept registrations for a race that will never happen, which he then will never refund. With the right lawyer it may not be a "scam," but it certainly falls under "shady business practices" in my book.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2. The Reinke Sports Group is rated F by the BBB.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3. USRA races are often not timed, with missing water stops and little or no post-race refreshments.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4. Dean Reinke fails to pay his debts and often breaks contracts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5. He's been known not to pay for the police to close roads or direct traffic- this is not safe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">6. <a href="http://www.keprtv.com/news/local/Race-organizer-strings-along-local-charities-and-businesses-221888251.html" target="_blank">He's skipped out on promised charitable contributions in the past</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">7. Purdue University is suing him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">8. Active.com does not do business with him and his "USRA" - unusual for a "race series!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This guy and his "group" are sleazy deal-breakers with a fancy (albeit inconsistent) website and I refuse to deal with them. I lost $60. I was under the weather, yes, but my desire to run and the joy I have in the camaraderie of racing was shattered this morning.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In fact, I met Dean Reinke at packet pick up yesterday. I only realized this after I saw a photo on the internet last night. At the expo, he was oddly interested in if I was staying overnight in Las Cruces (I laughed- I said I lived in El Paso, which he did not recognize as less than an hour away) and my watch. My watch is a fairly basic red/magenta Timex. It was a nice present from D. It is not GPS equipped. It is a women's watch. It has a timer. I like it very much. I don't know why it was a conversation item. It was barely visible under my long sleeved shirt. He said he'd had the same watch in white, what an odd thing to say. I looked around for the used car lot that maybe I'd missed in the hotel lobby, but no, this guy was just organically creepy. His interest in my accommodation, it turns out, is to calculate how many hotel rooms worth of revenue he brings to different cities, stats he <strike>uses </strike>inflates to sway local visitor's bureaus when seeking support (see links below).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">An older guy from a Las Cruces running club busily name-dropped some of the local speedy girls that I'd raced against at <a href="http://realworldrunner.blogspot.com/2013/10/el-paso-transmountain-challenge-2013.html" target="_blank">Transmountain Challenge</a> and <a href="http://realworldrunner.blogspot.com/2013/11/desert-dash-10k-tasty-coffee-race-wife.html" target="_blank">Desert Dash</a>, but I didn't recognize the names. He seemed like a nice enough guy but I am sure he believes he is on Dean's payroll as some sort of local ambassador, but he's going to be sad when the check never arrives, <a href="http://reinkereviews.tumblr.com/post/4050035045/reinke-sports-crooked" target="_blank">as so many other people have found out</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Runners are some of the most understanding and welcoming people on the planet. I'm sad that Dean Reinke includes himself and his sleazy operation among our ranks. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm running the Ft. Bliss half on 11 January instead. Dean, please keep my $60 since money is all you want from the running community. You offer nothing in return. I'd pay a great deal more than that to keep the likes of you from tarnishing future races, cities, charitable organizations, runners and our spirits.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To be fair, no, I didn't run the race, but even if it were the most transcendent and beautifully organized running event in the history of Las Cruces, I've decided I want nothing to do with USRA and the Reinke Group and I'd like you to be educated about this to make your own decision. As runners, I believe our hard work, the reasons we run, and the causes we believe in are worth so much more than this shyster. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">At best, it's a bad value. At worst, well, read these links:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://reinkereviews.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Negative reviews of Reinke Sports Group</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.bbb.org/central-florida/business-reviews/sporting-goods-retail/reinke-sports-group-in-winter-park-fl-1435523" target="_blank">BBB rating of Reinke Sports Group</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://evamadera.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/a-cautionary-tale-warning-against-the-reinke-sports-group/" target="_blank">Personal Account of Cancelled Race (from a blog)* check out what happened in Greeneville!</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://rturner229.blogspot.com/2011/02/another-lawsuit-filed-against-reinke.html" target="_blank">Details of a(nother) lawsuit against Dean Reinke (from a blog) </a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://flaglerlive.com/15476/dean-reinke-marathon/" target="_blank">Reinke's troubled past as a race promoter, Palm Coast, Florida</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/general/2010/101001ThompsonMarathon.html" target="_blank">Purdue U's lawsuit against Reinke</a> </span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I wish you all happy racing, far from this "sports group!" Anyone else ever get involved with the USRA and have an experience (good or bad!) to share?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My experience with RSG is certainly not the worst, it's really just an eye-opener, and a good lesson. I'm going to stick with local races from now on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Finally, I'm curious about the race shirt:</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZUOoZ5WSK-QWqpmh20BiqXmuyCThFMgJJse5H0S1OcSYViOaVfUxOXMhnmLKKGuUJvXVFXyMx2KSKfKOfLqnFevmVXSXlcBKB77ld_XlM_4CdgR3zYKl75VukVtg0Ffc5XDiRcHxmKzPr/s1600/photo(4).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZUOoZ5WSK-QWqpmh20BiqXmuyCThFMgJJse5H0S1OcSYViOaVfUxOXMhnmLKKGuUJvXVFXyMx2KSKfKOfLqnFevmVXSXlcBKB77ld_XlM_4CdgR3zYKl75VukVtg0Ffc5XDiRcHxmKzPr/s400/photo(4).JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Did any of these folks actually sponsor this guy or did RSG create all these "sponsors" without their consent, as he's done in the past?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873008657971613737noreply@blogger.com0