Long Way To Run

The running continues. I figure with the new format even though we run less each week (initially) we work out 6 days a week so maybe that makes up for it. The 3 walks a week are tough. We have included lunges, pushups, chinups (the lake we walk around has exercise bars), squats, etc. etc. We are beat! Hopefully the cross training will provide some good definition later on. The runs are also easier! With only 3 runs a week our bodies can recoup really well and with the walking (right now we take a 1 minute walk at mile 2) the third mile seems a lot easier.

This next week we have to run 2 runs for 31:30 minutes (we run about a 9:30 mile) and our long run this week will be for 40:00 minutes (it's supposed to be 4 miles but we don't have an exact benchmark). the 3 walks a week are a constant 40 minutes right now and they will probably just stay that way. We tend to walk DD once we get back for another 15 minutes or so but they are pretty easy minutes.

DD is getting baaaad. She is into everything and her "sweet" days are over. She is a bad puppy! She seems to be training well though which is good and RG's recommendation of Mother Hubbard bits has really helped. Last night was her first night in her crate downstairs and she didn't cry which was great and she made it all through the night without bugging us. Phew. Good puppy. We did have an accident this morning because I left her for 2 minutes (dammit!) and she is scared of something in the yard so she avoided all opportunities when I took her out just 2 minutes prior to that. Who knew dogs could crap so much? She averages 3 to 4 a day. Hopefully that will subside. She used to like just one section of the yard but now she is branching out to other areas. Dammit again. She has also developed a love for belly scratching so when she gets outdoors she immediately rolls over for a belly scratch while peeing. She now smells like puppy pee. We have to nip this one in the butt ASAP.

Yesterday we decided to go ride the new South light rail as it was the first day it was open and it was free. Unfortunately the rest of Denver had the same idea. It was 2 hours of hell. Crowded train beyond belief with no place to sit. AHAHAHA. To add insult to injury RTD thought it would be a great idea to hand out balloons to all the kids which just made the space smaller. I hate balloons.

I am doing absolutely no work at all and anticipate I won't do anything until the new year. Wheee. It's great. I thought it may be busier but what the heck it's too easy to play with DD. I made the huge mistake of going to World Market yesterday and proceeded to purchase $50 worth of English candy. Drat. I think this will counter any benefits from working out. Drat again. Oh well, what can you do?

Dad's In Town

Yeaah! Dad arrived yesterday and it's great having him here. We have created a nice little oasis for him in the Basement so that he can have his own computer (Treacle) and his own bedroom and space.

We have started training for our Marathon! It's very odd because the training says that in the beginning you should walk 1 minute for every 3 minutes that you jog. That seems very odd to me as it seems like a whole lot of walking. The thing I love about the new training schedule is that we only run 3 times a week and we walk 3 times a week. On the walks I am going to incorporate weight lifting, lunges, etc. so that I can cross train while walking (light 3lb weights). We did some lunges today and I'm beat.

Okay, onto the more important topic: Daisy a.k.a Dukers. She is just so amazing and we are so happy. She is also so much work. Here are the things I love about her

* The little noise she makes when she is tired and resting. It's not a whine but more like a little sigh that she exhales. So cute
* Her subtle coloring. She seems very boring but upon further inspection there is more to see. For instance, she has 2 little vertical black lines above her eyes dead center. When she closes her eyes she looks like a clown as the two vertical lines make "eye". It's very funny. Here is a pic with mom and you can see the little black stripes. The left eye (as you look at the photo) is more pronounced

* She has almost no white fur except..right under her tail and around her but. Dammit!
* Her puppy eyes. Hers are almost impossible to resist. Okay, no almost about it. Darn.
* The way she bounds after her toys. Here is a pic Dad took

My dad says we coddle her way too much which I am 100% sure that we do but how can we not? In my head she is growing so big already so I figure I should get all the snuggles I can now. Yesterday was the first day she barked (at Dad's fingers) and today was the first day she entered the house before me (little brat!). Before she would not go back into the house unless I walked well into the house. Here are some more pics.

Daisy Yawning (black stripes more visible)

Daisy Bathing

Close Up

With Dad

Playing Tug

In The Snow - She looks so small here and this was day 2. Now it's day 5 and she seems huge! Stop growing Daisy Dukes.

Daisy Duke's Debut

Here she is! The best puppy ever. We love her to death and I'm convinced that she is the smartest, prettiest, most lovable of them all ( I know, I know, all puppy parents think that).

Last week we tentatively started thinking about getting a puppy (as usual) and we started searching the web. We went to Puppy Lifeline out on Broomfield and looked at some older puppies but I couldn't pull the trigger. On Saturday while I was at work Mike showed up with Daisy. I know, I know, you say how could he go get a puppy and bring it home. I was a bit shocked but totally understood why once I got to know Daisy. I think he just fell in love with her and couldn't leave her. Well that and he knew I really wanted a dog and just couldn't actual pull the trigger

She is a Shepherd/Something mix (don't think Eddie didn't have something to do with this). They told us she is 8 weeks old but I think she is a bit older. She is very mild mannered, timid, and shy but we hope to break her of that. She crates very well, walks on the leash amazingly well (she has designated me the pack leader so she just follows) and sleeps very well. We have lots of time to devote to her now so she is very spoilt (she only has 3 more weeks before her fancy free days are over and the discipline starts to set in). She even had her first bath today. She is afraid of many things (such has wood floors) but we have introduced her to the vacuum cleaner and the power drill so we are making progress.

She hasn't yet hit her crazy puppy stage yet. She sleeps a lot and mildly curious with bouts of energy here and there. Her tail is short which is odd so we think she may have terrier/rottweiler in her.

Wish us luck :-)

Dream a little dream...

Well, seems like dreams are coming true.

Dream 1: Broncos beat the Steelers. Take that you super bowl stealing, screen passing, favorites! Ha, ha, ha. Um, it was awesome. If only the Patriots could have beaten the Colts. Ah well.

Dream 2: We finally, FINALLY bought a new mattress. Ah, the dreaming will be so much sweeter. We settled on what I think is just the most perfect mattress set ever! This may sound odd but we got a floor model for a store that closed and it was hardly ever tested. We bought what can only be described as a bed condom that protects the bed so we feel fine about it being a floor model. We saved 33% on $1800 which I thought was worth it.

Dream 3: There may be a 50% chance that I'll be successful in recruiting my dream assistant. She is very excited about my job offer but I know it will be hard for her to make the change. I'm giving it a 50% probability but what the heck

Dream 4: Out of the House! I have taken a large office at Real Estate Of The Rockies which will alleviate the space constraints should Dream 3 work out and it will also get my but out of the house. This should be a good thing.

Dream 5: I have found someone who may be interested in buying space with me in the future. It's another Realtor who has a very similar business philosophies as myself. Whee.

Dream 6: I took off 2 weekends in a row. WHOOO HOOO. It's been so much fun and just what I've needed to reconnect with the normalcy of non-work. It also is getting me motivated to start working harder.

Dream 7: I'm actually motivated to eat better! This is insane, I know. Mike and I have been munching on fruits instead of chocolate (okay, it really helps that we have eaten everything in the house) and we have been eating in more and cooking. On Saturday I cooked a beef tenderloin with bacon, shallots, and port sauce. Yummy! It was really good. At first when I got to the store I was like "holy @#$%^ they want me to spend how much on meat?". The recipe called for 6lb of tenderloin. In a fit of compromise I bought a 3lb tenderloin and a 3lb roast to compare if there really is a difference. Yeah, right, it was like night and day. MB: I have a much greater appreciation for the yummy dinner you made in Frisco. Thanks. Who the heck knew meat could cost that much?

Dream 8: This may sounds like a nightmare to some but I am ecstatic that my Dad is coming to stay with us for....6 weeks! Yeaaah! It made more sense for him to just stay through the entire holidays. He gets here in a week and I am very happy that he will be here.