Changes

Let the chronicles record that the flat sheets on the royal bed have been washed and retired for the winter, replaced by my nice, snuggly flannel sheets.

In other news.....

I am just two weeks away from the most major home project of my administration so far, the remodeling of my bathroom.
This will involve removal of all the tile on the walls, removal of the current steel bathtub, toilet, and sink, and installation of a new one-piece fiberglass tub, new high-fiber toilet and a custom vanity.
I will have to install new sheet rock on the lower four feet of the walls.
And then repaint the whole new bathroom. (color still to be determined)
I plan to keep the tile floor as is.


To install the new tub, I will have to tear out the entire wall behind the current tub, carry the new tub in the front door and pass it through the hole in the wall from the living room to the bathroom, then rebuild the wall and refinish it with new sheet rock and paint.
I very dread this project, but it needs to be done.

On a more pleasant topic.....

The thermometer on my back porch read 45 degrees when I stepped out for my morning run Saturday.
It was 5:45 AM.
I had dressed according to the prognostications of a local weatherperson from the night before.
That prediction proved to be accurate and in accordance with the reading on my thermometer.
I drove to research park – west and started my familiar journey.
My watch read: 6:00:00.
What a great way to measure my running time!

Interestingly, even though it was totally dark, there were no street lights on the first quarter mile of my course.
I assume this was either because of the new construction of Bridge Street, or because someone had already set the timing clock for the lights back in anticipation of daylight savings time this weekend.
My presumption about daylight savings time became less probable when I saw the street lights on along the second quarter mile of my course.

Going up the first hill it was really dark.
There are no street lights or office buildings here.
I could just barely see the lines in the road (I run down the center lane of the road here even though there is a sidewalk fifteen feet away.)
There was a faint quarter moon that provided a small amount of light all during my traverse.
I could even see my shadow in the darker areas.

Just about the time I was sure that the construction was the cause of the lights being out, I came across another section of darkened streetlights in mile two, almost a mile from the construction area.
Go figure.
And it was still really dark.

I was a bit concerned about my strength this session because my left knee tried to collapse Friday at work.
This was not a major event or even a “problem” other than I constantly am aware of how my body is functioning prior to a running event.
A collapsed knee is not a big deal at work where there are other people around to assist you to a chair, if need be, etc.
A collapsed knee when one is alone a mile and a half from one's car in near total darkness at 6:15 AM on Saturday morning, is quite another matter.
So I take notice of my physical resources constantly.

My concern was not needed.
I had a fine run up until the last half mile or so.
That was when my hip flexors began to whine.
Why they were complaining I know not.
It mattered not.
Every time I lifted a leg to take another step, the front of my hips barked.
Running Central duly noted the complaint.
The coach in me said, “Shuddup an run!”
Not a problem.

Steevee was in race mode again and pushed himself all the way to the finish line/crack.
Mind you, it prolly did not look impressive, but I was giving all I had the last few hundred feet of the session.
My watch read: 6:41:15.
I must have done too much sightseeing – even in the darkness.

When I finished, the eastern sky was light but the sun was not up.
This will be the last weekend this year for that circumstance.
In exchange for sunset at 4:30 in the afternoon, I will be able to run in the morning twilight from now on.