It's fall here!

Grandparenting from home

First minute steaks for the little girl Lots of stories to read (Wree!!! Wree!!!) First computer (EB's first computer experience was when she was 2. Things happen earlier these days!)

Austin trip

I was glad to get to spend a little time with Granny & Papa at Grace House. AND after flying Southwest Airlines for 30+ years, I finally got to ride on Shamu!!! Yippee!! A whale plane!

• AND I got to see Kathryn, who came down from FW just for the night.
• AND I got to set the house alarm off at around 530 this morning.
• AND I got to drive to Kelsey's school in Cedar Park in my PJ's with no shoes (Kathryn says at least they were cool PJ's!)
• AND I got to watch chickens scurry around when Jack fed them bugs (ew!)
• AND I learned what Underarmor is (thanks Cade!)
• AND I learned what emo kids and scene kids are.(thanks Kelsey & Kathryn)
• AND my sister and I solved all the world's problems.
• AND, best of all, there was an Optic Miracle!!!

I love my family! :)

I think she's got it down!

Chickens!!!

The McDonalds have chickens! They are future ranch chickens, but they currently live in the garage. Cade takes care of them, and my only job is to open the garage door when I'm home in the day so they know it's daytime. I'm not sure why it's important they know day from night, but I try not to ask too many questions. I'm here to serve!

How many things can go wrong?

• My flight out was 5 hours late arriving in Chicago
• I waited 45 minutes for my luggage to unload
• I got to M&B's too late for the lovely roast, cooked 12 hours in crock pot, served with famous Bry Biscuits
• After getting up at 4am yesterday, I went to bed at 1245am after changing time zones, so I could get up by 4am today to catch another plane
• As I was eating my breakfast in a rocking chair next to one of the 4 plugs at Midway, I heard them say my flight was boarding already, and anyone who wanted on, needed to come asap
• As I leapt up so I wouldn't miss the flight, I splilled coffee on my pink shirt
• When I arrived in Austin, I watched all the other passengers descend the escalators and retrieve their baggage with a 5 minute wait. I, on the other hand, was in a holding cell for people who have had evil thoughts about baggage handlers. I waited 45 minutes but they never lit the sign to say my flight was being placed on the carousel.
• I waited in line for the not-so-concerned employees (whose bags have never been missing.) They filed a missing luggage report and told me I'd probably have it within 24 hours. Though they didn't say this, their demeanor said, "What about your bags? Hmm. Don't know, don't care. How's that?
• When I went to get the rental car, it smelled like the chain smoker club was still in it. So I had to trade.
• As I drove to Nancy's house, I drove right by the Chick Fil A because I missed the exit and wasn't sure I could get back!

But the good news is I figure the weekend can only get better from this point! In truth, I know that in the grand scheme of things, these things are nothing more than irritations, and nothing that really matters is out of order at all.

Flying into Chicago at Night

Lots of Fish

Survival of the Fittest (M&M's)

Whenever I get a package of plain M&Ms, I make it my duty to continue the strength and robustness of the candy as a species. To this end, I hold M&M duels.

Taking two candies between my thumb and forefinger, I apply pressure, squeezing them together until one of them cracks and splinters. That is the "loser," and I eat the inferior one immediately. The winner gets to go another round.

I have found that, in general, the brown and red M&Ms are tougher, and the newer blue ones are genetically inferior. I have hypothesized that the blue M&Ms as a race cannot survive long in the intense theater of competition that is the modern candy and snack-food world.

Occasionally I will get a mutation, a candy that is misshapen, or pointier, or flatter than the rest. Almost invariably this proves to be a weakness, but on very rare occasions it gives the candy extra strength. In this way, the species continues to adapt to its environment.

When I reach the end of the pack, I am left with one M&M, the strongest of the herd. Since it would make no sense to eat this one as well, I pack it neatly in an envelope and send it to M&M Mars, A Division of Mars, Inc., Hackettstown, NJ 17840-1503 U.S.A., along with a 3x5 card reading, "Please use this M&M for breeding purposes."

This week they wrote back to thank me, and sent me a coupon for a free 1/2 pound bag of plain M&Ms. I consider this "grant money." I have set aside the weekend for a grand tournament. From a field of hundreds, we will discover the True Champion.

There can be only one.

From here
I think perhaps the record should show that though I might have peculiar habits with M&M's, I would never do anything like this. Line them up and eat all of one color at a time, or make the colors come out even, things like this maybe. But smashing M&M's against each other? Never!

Marathon - The Finish

All three of our runners made it! But it was a hard hard day. The photo below was taken at the train station as we were leaving downtown. As we waited at the end, we began to hear rumors about the race being cancelled and about runners being transported by bus to the finish line. You could hear sirens not too far away, and you knew it must be serious. It was very scary being a waiter at this point. We spent some time keeping Carolyn entertained and hydrated. We were signed up to receive text messages as our runners passed certain points, but this service was spotty at best. I think it was because we were underground for the train when certain messages were sent. But I got one that said Craig had crossed the finish line with a 3:52 time, beating his goal by a whopping 8 minutes, and that on a very hot day! We knew that Bryan and Laura had passed the 35K point. After waiting a good bit, Michelle & Kristin(Bryan's sister) decided to go wait for them at the 25 mile point, and run that last mile with them. This from my non-impulsive daughter - she must really be in love! This they did, and finally in came Bryan and Laura together, with Michelle & Kristin. Bryan was quite sick by this time (heat exhaustion, I presume) Laura was on some kind of runner's high, though she has a rather severe blister on her toe, I think she considers it a sort of badge. All done - heading home now. What a day! How about those neon yellow shirts? This were made by a cousin of Bryan's, and they were perfect for the support team. We could find each other from a distance, and we all have a souvenir!

We are thankful that all our runners are well. It was a hard day!

Marathon - Chasing Runners

After we left our runners in the starting corral, we began to plan to spend our morning chasing our runners, trying to be in position so we could see them go by at various points. We started out at Starbucks. Then we headed for the train so we could get to Mile 4. After that, we split up. Most of the group headed for Mile 11, but EB & I decided we would head for the Halfway Point. Laura was planning on running just a half marathon, since she had not trained for the 26. We hoped to meet her at 13.1, and bring her to follow the rest of the race with us. We had to run alongside the runners for about 2 miles in order to get to Halfway before we figured Laura would. The others did get to see Craig, who was running along at a good pace and looking good by all reports. You can see him below, skinny guy in black just to the right of the guy in the white shirt. By the time we got to the Halfway Point, Little Carolyn had decided she needed a nap, no matter the noise, the heat, or the racing stroller. We waited at there, but did not see any of our runners. It was so loud, I did not hear my cell phone, so Laura left a message that she felt good, and had decided to continue as long as she could. So we joined together again, and headed for Mile 17. Below, you can see Bryan taking a breather, walking and drinking a bit. He was not feeling so well by then. Below is Laura at Mile I Don't Know What, looking way too good for someone who didn't really train! I think she may be hooked! This is all her father's fault! Back to the train now, to go to the Runners Reunite, just beyond the Finish Line. This time, the train was really really crowded. We barely fit!

Marathon Morning

We left at 615 and took the train downtown. Runners ready to run. . . Supporters ready to support. . . This is the corral holding all the runners. Well, maybe not all. The "elite runners" are at the very front. The rest are back here, and I guess it's first come first serve. Come early to get a good place in line! The electronic chip on your shoelace records when you actually cross the start line as well as the finish.