Project Progress

Friday, January 25, 2013

Another cold one here today, but I decided to get out anyway. Normally Friday is 13+ miles, but my project has been progressing slowly so I decided out the door that I would time limit myself to 90 minutes.

And 90 minutes was slow today. The inch of snow was still on the sidewalks and some of the melt/refreeze was on the streets. Besides, it was cold.

Here's my question, Professor Science: It was well below freezing all day and all night since the little bit of snow fell. What was up with the melting? It happens all the time, but I have never figured it out. One chemistry Professor went on about "sublimation" but that made little sense either because I thought sublimation was passing from solid to gas without going through liquid, like dry ice to CO2.

Never mind.

There was much ice. So careful running was slow. 7.5 miles today, 22+ miles for the week. Not too shabby.

The real issue was when we took up the terracotta tiles near the laundry, we discovered that the subflooring was rotted through. Apparently several years ago when the Washer had a leak, water got trapped and in addition to mold that is still making me sneeze, it rotted about 12 square feet of the floor. At least the joists are good. But that means carpentry. Luckily, I have the skills to do it myself. Unluckily, cutting outside is going to be COLD.

Ah, well, I got all the rot gone (I watched as my son's dog was too dumb to stay away and he fell right through the insulation to under the house) and I can start filling it back in tomorrow.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

-POOKIE- 1/26/2013 7:57AM

*laughs* when we had to change some boards in our living room after taking out some partial walls, we kept the cats OUT so they couldn't investigate under the floor! Report Inappropriate Comment

GARDENCHRIS 1/25/2013 10:41PM

good for you .... the snow /ice melting thingy.... my son plows snow and the municipalities put a beet juice and saline solution sprayed on all streets which raises the temp of the street and prevents snow from turning to ice, but is is so cold out and tires are constantly going over the roads which wear down the mix.... it is all rather facinating Report Inappropriate Comment

Cold running inspiration

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Yeah it finally got cold here in Baltimore. Last year I didn't take my heavy coats out even once. No topcoat, no parka, nothin'. This week I am in my parka ... when I'm not running.

Today we got a little snow. And by a little I mean almost enough to cover the grass. Tomorrow more snow. Maybe about the same so maybe the grass will be covered. So gald I went to the Giant today.

But if it is snowing it will be an amazing run!

And I was inspired by a little something my brother sent me:



And a few others:









And in conclusion:

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

-DYET- 1/25/2013 11:36AM

Awesome!!! Report Inappropriate Comment

DEBBYFROMMT 1/25/2013 10:09AM

LOVE it! Report Inappropriate Comment

MARATHONDAD 1/25/2013 9:21AM

p.s your Ravens will loose this weekend to my 49ers lol Report Inappropriate Comment

MARATHONDAD 1/25/2013 9:21AM

p.s your ravens are going down next weekend to my 49ers lol Report Inappropriate Comment

MARATHONDAD 1/25/2013 9:21AM

p.s your ravens are going down next weekend to my 49ers lol Report Inappropriate Comment

MARATHONDAD 1/25/2013 9:20AM

these posters are all over my facebook page. It has been insanely cold here in Canada this week it has ranged form -41 to -46 degrees Celsius but I keep running you keep up all the hard work u are a beast Report Inappropriate Comment

OTA_2012 1/24/2013 11:46PM

I admire your dedication! I have started taking my treadmill run to the street. Yes, you are right. It is harder to be on the treadmill now!! Report Inappropriate Comment

Yep! It is officially cold in Baltimore.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

I don't mind running in the cold. I do mind going from a nice warm house out into the cold even though I know that within a quarter mile, I won't be cold any more.

It took me a while to screw up my courage but I did it.

This year, while still warmer than normal so far, we have finally gotten hit with a deep freeze. Not like you all in the mid-west. My niece, Krissy, in Minneapolis has been reporting -18F (-27.8C) back to us. She is laughing at our +18F (-7.8C).

So today, with Krissy on my mind, I ventured out:


After a couple of miles, that scarf does get unwrapped a bit. Under the scarf is a balaclava (not to be confused with a baklava) which helped keep my nose warm but also fogged my glasses. So for long stretches, I was running with naked lips and nose.

And my beard froze.

I got down to near the house and I saw that I was "only" at 8.5 miles. On a warmer day, I may have pushed on for that last half mile, but my water was freezing. My beard was freezing. It was time to be done.

Not quit. Just be done.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

-POOKIE- 1/24/2013 1:51PM

chilly! Report Inappropriate Comment

FENWAYGIRL18 1/23/2013 11:46PM

now that's dedication hahahaha good for you! Report Inappropriate Comment

DORAL33178 1/23/2013 11:24PM

Awesome job, Timothy! I grew up in Chicago so I know all about cold weather...and you are definitely braver than me my spark friend. I will agree that wearing the right gear helps to make your run more enjoyable. Report Inappropriate Comment

EWL978 1/23/2013 10:09PM

Wow!! Guess I made the right move going to Florida!! Be careful what you do in this weather!! Report Inappropriate Comment

A few Facebook memes I liked

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Yesterday was Martin Luther King day and this one was all over the place:




This one seems to be the root of most overweight problems



A good one to remember. You have to move AND you have to eat right:



Too many people quit because of a minor setback without remembering that it is minor:

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

CIPHER2012 1/23/2013 4:47PM

Report Inappropriate Comment

DEBBYFROMMT 1/23/2013 10:39AM

Very inspirational. I like what you said about the last one: "Too many people quit because of a minor setback without remembering that it is minor' Report Inappropriate Comment

-DYET- 1/23/2013 10:03AM

Those are great! Report Inappropriate Comment

MINDBODYANDGOAL 1/23/2013 7:10AM

Love them all! Report Inappropriate Comment

KENTUCKYWOMAN 1/23/2013 4:07AM

Love the one...abs are made in the kitchen not the gym....so very true. Report Inappropriate Comment

KMM1123 1/23/2013 1:34AM

The eating while bored is definitely me. I did a good job today though of distracting my stomach from sending me fake hunger pangs. Report Inappropriate Comment

SYDLETZIII 1/22/2013 11:20PM

Amen Report Inappropriate Comment

SLIMINDOWN31 1/22/2013 10:22PM

Perfect! Report Inappropriate Comment

Mike called, football, and other stuff

Monday, January 21, 2013

Mike called last night from Los Angeles. "I have bad news." he began.

I hate it when you kid starts a phone call like that. Worse is when they begin "Everybody is all right." Or the one I haven't yet gotten from Mike, "I need bail money."

It turns out that his car was broken into. He had $80 cash in the glove box (?), and his GPS, phone charger, and cable. The broke a window, slashed a tire. At least they didn't cut the roof or rip out the dash. "But, Dad, I have never changed a tire before." Yeah I am three thousand miles away. You are on your own sucker.
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As I have said many time before, I am not a big NFL fan. But I am a big fan of Baltimore so I did watch the football game last night. The Ravens won! The Patriots who looked before the half to have things well in hand, came out and laid a big stinky on the field for the entire second half. So while I might consider it an inferior game to the one last week (the Raven also won that one) this was good because ....

THE RAVENS WON! THEY'RE GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL™!!! Ooops. I don't want to run afoul of the NFL's trademarked words: THE RAVENS WON! THEY'RE GOING TO THE BIG GAME!!!
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I got to run today. I still have things on my to-do list from the weekend, but doggone it, I didn't run on Wednesday (cold nasty wet icky rain) or Friday (trying to get the carpet out and tile out of here etc). Today I put it at the top of my list: 6 miles or 60 minutes which ever is more. I did 6.5 in 72 minutes.

It was almost cold. I started at 30F (-1.1C) and finished at 32F (0C)
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She(WMBO) arrived home this afternoon and was pleased with my progress for the day. Laundry finished, another room knocked out, and a 6.5 mile run. I was not as pleased as I developed a headache after lunch. Usually water is the cure, but not today. So I worked slower.

She had a big bag from the Apple store. She had bought a Fit Bit Scale and FitBits for each of us. Aren't these things just glorified pedometers?

I suppose I shall find out.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

DEBBYFROMMT 1/22/2013 9:42AM

Almost cold!?? Ok, well, 16* is cold, but if there is no wind and the sun is shining it's doable. But then to be fair, your cold is also humid (well, more humid than here) so I'll give you 30 being cold. Your poor son. But then I wouldn't live in LA anyway. Glad your Ravens made the super bowl. (not a football fan, but glad hockey's back on!) Report Inappropriate Comment

GARDENCHRIS 1/22/2013 5:43AM

glad your son is ok! Report Inappropriate Comment

CIPHER2012 1/22/2013 2:13AM

I am glad it wasn't any worse news yay for the run and She(WMBO) being pleased I hope your headache is gone now. I have no idea about fitbits - I am beginning to feel left out - maybe I should get one Have a great day Report Inappropriate Comment