Missing the sun

Flashback Friday:  My grandma, on the left, with her friend, sometime in the 1940s I assume.

A picture of sunbathing is so NOT appropriate on a cold and rainy day such as today.... but there you have it. Not that I'm dreading the winter. On the contrary, since discovering boots and leggings, I very much enjoy the colder months.  Not to mention the steaming hot beverages, stuffed squashes, homemade breads/cookies, Christmas movies and fuzzy blankets that abound during this season... fall/winter is glorious, really.

What I fear, however, is this:

(source)

Of course, I will never look this badass.  More like a soggy Basset Hound.  Yes, friends, I have this irrational fear of running in the rain.  I have never done it, and though everyone tells me how wonderful it is, how liberating, etc. etc.... no, thank you.  I know it's mental:  I do not like being cold, I hate wet feet, I'm afraid of slipping in a puddle or falling into mud and having to sludge my way home like some mythical dirt creature, scaring children and elderly dog-walkers along the way.

But it has to happen some time.  I'm aware that training in all conditions is vital because, as evidenced by this year's LA Marathon, it's very possible that race day will come with stormy weather.  Someday, I'll have to do it, especially on a rainy Sunday morning when I have to run with the group and can't hide behind the treadmill.  And I hope it's as exhilarating an experience as everyone says it is.  Sigh.

Today, though, is all about turning on the oven, piling up the blankets... and maybe doing some furniture shopping!

Exercise in Gratitude

Day 2: I am grateful for the salad bar in the cafe at work. Seriously. Eating gluten-free drastically limits my options for healthful eating out, and those options I do have are super expensive. Today, for under $4, I got an enormous salad with onions, mushrooms, beets, carrots, eggs, cheese, broccoli, tomatoes, roasted squash, sunflower seeds, and basalmic vinegar. So many nutrients. My body thanks me.

Day 3: Today I am grateful for learning. For a world full of information and experience, and my brain's ability to take it in, process and make sense of it all. Learning is not always a comfortable or pleasant experience, but the ability to learn from my mistakes and successes makes me a better person every day.

Day 4:  I'm grateful for Fridays.  The pace slows, and we all work a little happier in the shadow of the weekend  :)

 

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!