Karen Foley
Lynn Raye Harris
Ellen Hartman
Diana Holquist
Samantha Hunter
Shirley Jump
Dee Tenorio
Jeannie Watt
Bits and Pieces
I got back from a mini vacation to Taos yesterday, so of course I forgot that it was my blog day. That’s why I’m real fast coming up with a blog topic. So, in the interest of getting a blog up for your viewing pleasure, I’ve decided to do some blog flashes:
Blog Flash 1 Security in the Albuquerque airport:
First--Kudos to the security staff—they are polite and efficient. As we approached the security check, there were small lines at all of the x-ray conveyors except for the last one. My husband cleverly chose that one. Soon we found out why no one was at that conveyor-to get through the checkpoint we had to go through the new machine that basically looks under your clothing ---“…Hands above your head, hold still…" mmmmmmm (that’s the sound of the machine looking under my clothes)---then get patted down, and then get our toothpaste confiscated. Again, these people did a wonderful job of convincing me that I really was better off without my toothpaste and I was appreciative of their professionalism. The things they must see, the cranky people they must deal with in the course of a day. I am so proud to say I wasn't one of them.
Blog Flash 2 Another year under the belt:
Tomorrow is my 28th anniversary, which is a nice milestone, since I think there were many people who thought it wouldn’t last. This is what happens where you marry an older man who is your polar opposite (on the outside, anyway). People get cynical. Well pfft to cynics. We’re doing just fine, thank you very much. Of course, I had to set him straight on a few things over the years and vice versa, but it just keeps getting better.
Blog Flash 3 Track season begins-weather becomes frigid:
Gary and I are junior high coaches. We have nearly 100 kids come out for track. Many of them are stunned—stunned, I say—to discover that we expect them to run. Everyday! Can you imagine? Apparently they were looking for a sport where they get out of school, travel to distant cities on a yellow bus with their friends while eating junk food and sharing headphones, then win some big prizes, all without having to exert themselves too much. These kids fall by the wayside and then we are left with a tough little core of dedicated kids and the season progresses nicely. On Monday, though, some of the kids are in for a bit of a surprise. “Yes, you have to run.”
I hope you’ve enjoyed my blog flashes. Details at eleven.
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Cool blog flashes!
But why did they take your toothpaste?
Congrats on 28 years! I think it's awesome that people can stay together for so long. People change and it's nice to hear some couples are able to change together.
Hi Marcie--Even though my
Hi Marcie--Even though my toothpaste was half empty, had it been full, it would have contained 4 oz. of toothpaste. The limit for gels is 3.2 oz. They can't go by what is obviously half-empty--they have to go by what is printed on the package. Lesson learned.
Peek-a-boo machine
Yeah, Jeannie, the THINGS THEY SEE. Especially with that new machine. Not so sure how I feel about that. Maybe it beats getting groped, but I don't know. LOL.
Susan Gable
A Kid to the Rescue - 4.5 Stars, Top Pick!
H Superromance - Feb 2009
Hey Susan--I figure anyone
Hey Susan--I figure anyone who is manning that machine has received in depth training. You know--the kind where you don't look away even if you want to, and where you are taught not to smile too much. I was groped by a sweet little lady.
Jeannie, you're killing me!!
Jeannie, you're killing me!! They'd have to look away with me or risk their eyeballs exploding.
huh
Learn something new everyday. I didn't know there was a restriction on toothpaste. I guess it's that way for all beauty products.
Cross country
Hi Jeannie!
I ran cross country my senior year of high school because the coach was hot.
The running part was not only a shock and a disappointment, it never got easier. I did, doggedly, run all of those many, many miles for the entire season. But I was not happy about it. At. All. Until I would gaze at the coach or better yet, speak to him, and again my purpose was made clear.
Is the track coach at your school hot? ;-)
P.S. In the meet to qualify for states I practically killed myself because the top ten finishers got to go to states on the bus with the coach and stay in a hotel with the coach and eat meals with the coach. We missed qualifying by a few points, but it wasn't due to any lack of effort on my part.
Ellen--I had no idea you
Ellen--I had no idea you were a XC runner! Way to go! And yes, a hot coach is quite the incentive. When I was in college gymnastics, our spotter was hot. He drove the van and assisted the coach at the meets. And he spotted us. "Oh, Rick, could you please come spot me... (while I try this difficult move that will undoubtedly cause me to fall into your arms)?"
Hilarious
Fall into your arms...I wonder if anyone on your team ever got good at any of the moves?
Whoops. Slipped again, catch me, Rick! ;-)
I was a very bad cross country runner. One time I was really far behind (as usual) but still keeping up with the other two really far behind people. I cut a corner--went in front of a tree instead of behind it. The other coach and my coach were standing together about 1/4 mile away. When I "ran" past them, the other coach said I had to go back and do it right or I'd be disqualified.
I was disgruntled, that's for sure, but I ran back and around the tree the right way. (This later became one of the hot coaches favorite stories.) By that point I was ridiculously far behind and I may have started loafing a bit.
Anyway, I eventually got close to the finish line. You ran through this patch of woods and then up the track on the side of the football field to finish. As I came out of the woods, I saw that one of the jokers from my team had persuaded the entire football team to line both sides of the track and cheer me on. I'm still surprised I didn't keel over and die of embarrassment. All those boys cheering and I was red-faced, disgruntled, running, wearing my ill-fitting cross country uniform, and about 5 minutes behind everyone else. The horror. ;-)
The things I put up with for that hot coach. ;-)
Great story, Ellen. I
Great story, Ellen. I believe that belongs in a book. If you don't use it, then dibs...;)
We had several runners on our team that ran at the rear and they were some of our most inspirational. One of them married at 18, got two undergrad degrees by the age of 21 (Spanish and theology) and is now at Yale studying theology. Now she's expecting her first babies (twins, of course) in July. The thing I loved most about her was that she ran every race against herself, trying to better her time, since she obviously wasn't going to be a front runner.
SOMEONE must must must write the book...
I have the title for it already: The Track Coach's Slow-moving Bride.
edit
The Hot Track Coach's Slow-moving Bride.
Someone else can write it but I've got dibs on the movie role, and I know just the guy for the hero. ;-)
Okay, now I have a hot
Okay, now I have a hot premise, a hot title and stars for the movie--and without breaking a mental sweat, mind you. I'll just run this by my editor and see what she thinks. I believe the part where Ellen is in the movie will win her over.
What a great story!! The
What a great story!! The only two guys I drooled over in high school (besides my hubby) were Steve Hayden, the track coach, and Jon Tudor, who was four years older than me and ran XC. I used to beg my friend to go horsback riding through the Myopia trails in the fall, because that's where the XC team ran and I could gallop past Jon with my long hair flowing out behind me.
Steve Hayden was the hottest thing to ever enter our school; 25 years later, he's still there as the gym instructor and football coach and my 15-year old daughter said he's still pretty hot for an old guy. He's not too impressed with my daughter, though. He gave her a C- in gym and told her that she could take some lessons from her mother, who once held the school record for the 440-yard dash. Yes, there was once a time when I could move fast...
Oh Karen--A fast person! My
Oh Karen--A fast person! My kids are both fast (long distance fast, not sprint fast). I never ran until I was in my 40's, so I have no idea if I could have been fast. Intuition tells me no. Love that the coach is still hot...for an old guy.
Are you sure
the machine did what it was supposed to? Remember those X-ray specs you could order from the back of comics years ago? Was it just a bigger version of that???
And congrats on your anniversary! I'm sure you were a child bride! ;-)
ani
Ani--I was a child bride,
Ani--I was a child bride, but my husband has me beat. He was 8 when I married him. Now he's 15. :)
You're my new hero.
Anyone who does anything with middle schoolers is my hero. I live with one, but that doesn't count, as I get to drink on the job.
Congrats on the anniversary! It's a wonderful accomplishment. (As is getting through airport security...)
Hey Diana,
I get to drink after the job. And trust me, it helps.
Thanks for the congrats :)
Congrats on 28 years! My
Congrats on 28 years!
My youngest daughter ran track--1500 metere, 800 meters, long relay and high jump.
I don't think I have ever been so cold in my life, as I was at some of those track meets.
My daughter being the 1500 meter state champion and second in the 800 made it all worthwhile, tho.
Who would have thought we'd
Who would have thought we'd have so many track affectionados here :) Estella--I, too, have frozen in the stands, watching my kids run. Excellent that your daughter was a state champ! I so appreciate the commitment and drive it takes (for both parents and kid) to become a champ.
Thanks for the congrats!
congrats jeannie
congrats jeannie
Thanks, Kim!
Thanks, Kim!
Congrats!
Woohoo on 28 years, Jeannie! You don't look a day over 29! One of those childhood betrothals and all that? ;)
And yikes, no running for me, although a hot coach would definitely increase the likelihood... that, or being chased by a horde of hungry people-eating monsters. I did briefly date a guy who ran cross-country, and did NOT appreciate that during the season, he weighed less than I did. Bleargh!
Lol, Fedora on the beau
Lol, Fedora on the beau weighing less than you during the season. Too funny.