Family Weekend

I took Friday and Monday off work to head up to my parents' in the north San Francisco Bay Area.  The main reason for going was the attend a 90th birthday party for my uncle's mother-in-law.  Louise is therefore, no direct relation to me, but she's the closest thing I have to grandmother right now.  She was doing pretty well at Christmas, but has definitely gone downhill since she broke a hip earlier this year.  It was hard to see her like that since she has always been so sharp and full of life.

It was a great time, however.  Naturally, there were plenty of people on my aunt's side of the family there.  I hadn't seen most of them for a year or two, so it was good to see them and chat a bit.  A good time was had by all.

And I got some running in, too, while I was up there.  There's a walking trail around a man made lake.  It's been there for as long as I can remember.  It's a 3.7 mile loop.  We've walked it for years, and I've ridden my bike around it plenty of times.  But I've always wanted to run it.  I don't know why, but I have.  I tried once in college, but I wasn't running regularly, so I may have made it half way.  Saturday after the party, we went home so I could change clothes, then hit the lake.  Mom and Dad walked it, and I ran.  After I completed, I turned around and run until I caught up to them, so all told I got in at least 4 miles on Saturday.  If I realized I was going to do it Saturday afternoon (I was thinking more Sunday after church), I probably wouldn't have started grazing the buffet again about half an hour before we left, but I made it.  I know it isn't much, at least on the running blogs I read, but I really feel accomplished.

Sunday, we went out to a redwood forest and did some walking.  Don't get me wrong, I love so much about living in Southern California.  But I wish we had redwoods closer.  They smell so wonderful, and they are always so quiet.  Being desert, we just don't have trees that compare here.

Monday, I stopped and had lunch with Donald, as usual.  He seems very interested in joining me in a future mud run.  Hopefully, I can talk him into it.  Have you figured out I am slightly addicted to these things after only one?