run on sentences

The older I get the more I appreciate running like my dog Jack does. I don't whine and run around and hump things while I am waiting for my friend Becky to show up in the morning, but I view my runs more as fun than as a competition and not something I have to do. Well, actually, I do have to do it if I am going to appreciate the day. I don't feel complete without being out there at 540 AM and somedays when I see runners on my way to work on days I don't get to run, I envy them. I even have bad thoughts of running them over or something but of course think better of it. I find that I take more time to sniff things (mostly the air), and look and listen instead of getting lost somewhere in the future (what I need to do that day at work) or back in the past (things I could have done to be a better mother, wife, etc). I don't stop to pee on bushes but I let Jack do it as much as he wants. I am trying to stay in the now. It could be because I am getting more enlightened beca...

The bride was 18 and a junior in high school. The groom was 36, a college grad and a soccer coach. She looked like a child bride, he like a balding father figure. He was standing, obviously nervous, in the bride's living room, waiting for her to come down the stairs. He seemed aware of the disapproval that hung next to the festive wedding decorations, and blended with the sounds of the father of the bride's ventilator. I caught his eye and smiled at him. He seemed like he needed one person that might give him the impression that we all didn't hate him. After all, who are we to judge? Well actually I had been judging ever since I heard about this wedding three weeks ago. He smiled back and seemed so happy to find a friendly face in the crowd of his parents, her disapproving (some drunk)siblings and a collection of friends who were just not surprised since this family just seemed to be destined for drama in many forms not even imaginable to most of us. In reality though, all ...

My brother, who we call "Boyou" because my dad called him that, is 51 years old. He is an alcoholic and probably has been since he was about 13 or 14. I can't remember the last time he was sober or when I last talked to him when he wasn't drunk. This picture taken when he was a little boy might be the only picture I have of him sober. He actually was forced into sobriety for three days last week because he spent them in jail. I am not convinced that he didn't con the jailers into bringing him in some beer. I won't go into detail about why he was in jail but it was a second offense and we are hoping he will get 90 days there. Maybe 90 days is a good start. He has a way about him of being able to convince most anyone to do anything for him. Maybe it is part of the disease, I don't know. There's a lot of things I don't know about him. He and I were always close - kind of on the same wave length. He would always try not to cry by opening his eyes real...

In my little town I grew up believing That God keeps his eye On us all Simon and Garfunkle In my little town, the town I grew up in, it is about 7 degrees below zero, the winds are blowing at 50 miles an hour and it is a blizzard. My mom says she can't see across the street. My sister didn't go to work which is a 12 mile drive almost to the shores of Lake Superior or, as Gordon Lightfood would say "The big lake they call Gitchee Gumee" in his song about the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. I sure wish I was there even though and maybe because my sister Barbara Jean said in her last text message " We are still here with our chooks on. It has not let up at all. Don't know if I will get to ma's today". A "chook" is a term used by many folks in my hometown, for a knitted, often homemade hat that is much like a skull cap or a stocking cap (but not as long). It "panks" your hair down, which means, "makes it flat and fly away" s...

I figured I better have one more post in January so here is my final entry for this month, filled with this and that. I did find one more January 5th in an old running journal from 1981, The complete runner's day-by-day log and calendar authored by the now dead James Fixx. James Fixx was one of the gurus of the running movement and ironically enough, died from an undiagnosed heart condition. Just goes to show you that you can do everything right and still die from something you work hard to prevent. I guess we all work hard our entire lives to prevent death, pretty much. And sometimes folks work too hard all of their lives and die just when they are able to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Anyway, on January 5th 1981, the entry says. School starts. 2:30 Pm to park - once around and back. 5 miles. Ran with Kris F. First time in a week - felt a little stiff - first day of period. Wow, that was in the days when I still had a uterus! It was also the year that long gone uterus became a...

I found two old diaries from 1968 and 1969. Here's how January 5th was lived 40 and 39 years ago for me. Friday January 5th 1968 Dear Diary: Boy! Linda Reid said I could ride to the game with her and then they left without me. I wanted to go to the game real bad too because its the first one in our new gym. Ernie Silta thinks he owns our TV. He had to watch Gomer Pyle and I watned to watch Star Trek. I can never watch what I want! And my mother always sticks up for Barbara. Boy if I could have a wish I wish I was a cheerleader. Maybe better news next time. Donna Sunday January 5th 1969 Dear Diary: I didn't go to work today either. I don't even know if I;'ll make it to school tomorrow. I'll try. I did my homework (the rest of it) and my dress is almost finished. Well Good night. Donna I am sort of curious about the rest of January 5ths in my life. Having at least 15 of them documented is pretty darn good. I think life might have been much easier (...

From my running logs: Saturday January 5th 1996: Had today off. 0930 Bailey and I ran the skyline run - not the best for either of us. 4-5 miles. Sunday January 5th, 1997: Cold and windy and maybe I had a few too many white Russians! Didn't go (running). Monday, January 5th 1998 - Didn't run. Work got in the way. Tuesday January 5th 1999 - No entry! Wednesday, January 5th 2000: Snowy so didn't run today. Period started tonight. Friday, January 5th 2001: Didn't run today. Took the day off from running and only worked until noon - then Billy, K., Dan and I went to see the Movie "Ms. Congeniality. Saturday January 5th 2002: Ran with Paula and Jack at 08. Cold but not too. Felt pretty good but legs still sore during the night. Got the tree down - had a productive day. Kitties doing well. 7 miles. (Note: I think I was watching my friend Ramona's kitties while she was out of town). Sunday January 5th 2003: Ran with Julie at 07 - went to church went to coffee - didn...