Back Home

When we travel to the beach, we always take a few days to get there with either the first stop being a secondary destination or a number of small stops along the way to see things. It's a good way to ease into vacation. 

We did a little of both this last time. Two stops on our way to our first destination. One family business, the other just a sightseeing adventure. 

Once at the beach, sometimes we just never leave. We only got in the car once after arriving. Either we stayed in and made our meals or walked to the places to which we ate out. The rest of the time was reading, relaxing and swimming.  And running - for me.

Grandiose plans of going to movies and the like all fell away. A few dinners where we were going to go out just ended up simple meals sitting outside on the deck watching the ocean. 

Coming back is quite different. 

We start early and drive straight through - save gas, food and pee stops. About 11 hours. And we're beating a two hour window when we can pick up Shep from boarding. 

Knowing I'd be in a car that long, my day started earlier: a four mile run starting shortly after 04:00. 

I wanted some movement time knowing I'd have close to none until we picked up the dog and took him for walk. 

Oddly - or not? - there was one other person running at that time. Not so oddly, the two times we passed each other, there was zero interaction. No "'sup", no wave, no nothing. I put my hand up the first time to no response. I didn't bother the second. 

All said though - the stars and planet were amazing to view at that time. 

The drive, while not grueling during a holiday weekend, did provide bleacher butt that required stops to stretch............and buy a Powerball ticket worth $1 billion dollars (say like Dr. Evil). 

We are happy to be home, as a pack. Shep is beside himself. It might take him a few days to get back to normal. 

Song by: Graham Nash

Stay

Just because it's vacation week doesn't mean no new pet pics. 

Some are new, a few I've stockpiled for this very reason. We're not at home to get new pics. 

Also, there might be typos (more than usual) today, as I am a few drinks in as I draft this. Probably a bad idea to drink like this before a 10.5 hour car ride the next morning - after a 4 mile run (assuming I'm up for the run), but there's not turning back now. 

Shep at daycare / boarding while we are away. Hope he's happy. 

Willow in front of Lego Pippa. 

Comfy Henry and Virginia. 

Expectant Shep at a picnic. 

Willow and real Pippa. 

Yesterday's pic at daycare. 

We pick him up later this afternoon. We are SO excited. 

Song by: Jackson Browne

Record of the Month

I figured I'd do a monthly 'what I'm listening to' kind of thing. This could be viewed as a lame placeholder kind of post. And probably it is. But it's my blog! So there!  

I did not know of this collaboration, but apparently Wild and Clear and Blue is the sophomore effort by I'm With Her. 

The group is a collaboration of two fairly established Americana artists and the third being more of a newcomer. 

Sarah Jarosz has been around for about a decade building a name for herself. Aoife O'Donovan grew up singing mostly Irish folk songs. Sara Watkins is the best known for her work over the last two decades by being a member of Nickel Creek, The Watkins Family Hour, collaborating with the Decemberists and a number of solo records to her name as well. 

I like Americana music enough and had tentative high hopes for this. 

More in line with bluegrass, as there are no drums on this disk. Barely any percussion that aren't taps on the guitar or fiddle. 

The harmonies are pretty incredible. They do a great job with these. While they don't quite lose me when things become too solo-y, the thing on this disk is all about the harmonies. 

The songs themselves - cowritten by all three - are good, but I think the cowriting ends up homogenizing the tunes. Too many songs end up sounding like some of the others. 

Watkins didn't have that trouble with Nickel Creek or Family Hour, as some of the vocalists were also male. The women's lead vocals don't greatly diverge from any of the others here, so while a similar sounding song can take a different life with a great range of vocalists, that's not happening here. 

Musicianship is A+, as are the vocal arrangements....and again, harmonies. All songs are very good, but almost none are great. Or standouts, I should say. 

It still makes me want to go sample their debut though. 

Margarita

Part of vacation for 710 and myself is our own happy hours.

It's not that we're cheap, but traditionally we do this at the beach house we are renting. 

It is both convenient and limiting. 

Chance are, I can make a better margarita better than most bartenders. And cheaper. But two of those make it almost a certainty that we don't go out to dinner - which means we have to make our own food or have it delivered, which isn't easy where we go. 

I mix a fairly strong drink. 

We don't just drink. We have historically had an assortment of cheeses, crackers and grapes to compliment the booze. And sitting outside watching the sun sink, the surf and the surfers in the late afternoon is just a major calming effect. 

At home, we rarely go out to dinner. We are fairly Shep-centric, so we stay in. I kind of miss not taking full advantage of that while we are away, but daddy likes his alcohol too. As it is, I drink more this week then I do the rest of the year combined. Ditto for 710 and he drinks less than half of what I do during the year - and lately, my intake has been 4-5 drinks per year!

With our low alcohol intake, it does not take much to get us tipsy. There used to be a time, this would be my warm-up to going out all night. Now I just hope it doesn't fuck up my run the next morning. 

Still, it's good down time, good relaxation. And after seven years here, it is just tradition for us. I like the consistency. 

.....I'm also a little drunk as I draft this. 

Song by: Traveling Wilburys

Dream Police

My favourite heard criticism of porn is how it sets unrealistic expectations of how quickly one can get a plumber to come over. 

I've said similar things about the attractiveness of cable guys, truck drivers, firemen and police. 

Yesterday did nothing to disprove my thoughts. 

As promised, before the sun was over the Atlantic horizon, I stepped off into what would become a seven mile run. Once completed, I walked around the house in which we are staying, shed everything but my shorts and jumped into the ocean. It felt great. 

710 was watching me from the upper balcony with his morning coffee and was nice enough to meet me with a towel. I showered (well, in the most liberal sense of the word) outside wrapped a towel around me and went in. 

Our bedroom is on the second level. The kitchen and main living area are on the third. I know. It seems weird. But on the second level outdoor area, I finished toweling myself off and put on my clothes. For 0.87 seconds I had nothing on. But worry not, I'm not visible to the beach and there is no one occupying the places on either side of us. And anything longer than a full second, I start charging. 

I go up to 3 and make my oatmeal. It cooks, I pour milk in and then there is a pounding on the door - down on 2.  

"POLICE!!!!"

Well. Fuck.

As I open the door to two cops, it seems 710 encounters another out back with a third - as that is where he was having his coffee. Just three floors up. 

To relieve your suspense, no one called on me for being indecent. 

A "neighbor" had called saying it looked like someone was "b&e'ing".  It took me a second. I was not breaking and / or entering. Well, I entered, I suppose.

"They" told the po-po that the place wasn't being rented (!!!) and there was no car, but someone ("matching your description") tugging on doors and walking outside the perimeter of the house. 

710 got his phone to show them the rental agreement. Me telling them my car has been inside the garage for three days and I came back from my run and walked behind the house to get to the ocean. 

The only tugging on a door was me closing the front one behind me. IF anyone saw that, then they also saw me doing 10 minutes of stretching before I ran. Pervs!

I mean, I get it. Better safe than sorry shit. But how the fuck would anyone know - save the owner and rental property folk - who or when something is being rented on an island that has hundreds and hundreds of rentals.

About this time the Sargent came up the stairs and semi-apologized saying that people around here were skittish, as there has been an active shooting incident the summer before. I only half-believed that story. 

Each of the cops were professional and appropriate.  Just unattractive. Each uglier than the last. I mean, where's the payoff????

And the kicker??  My oatmeal had congealed in that 10 minutes. 

Where's MY justice??

Song by: Cheap Trick

That's It

You know, it's vacation. 

What's to write about? 

I'm not in the mood to discuss BLOTUS militarizing DC. 

We are in the last throes of Hurricane Erin. We saw no bad stuff, but the surf is rough. Red flags everywhere. Allegedly our beach had 50 rescues the week before due to rip currents. 

Save going in knee deep after a run and splashing myself with the Atlantic, I haven't been in. Yesterday it seemed much calmer, but I was lazy and read all day. Well, we did do a five mile walk. 

Mondays are generally my 'rest' day from running. One of them. I needed it too. So, I got up late, ate my gruel and read. I'll start book #2 today. 

Sunday it was ok to run a little later than I normally do. The temps have gone up up up, so I suspect I will be running before the sun fully rises tomorrow. It'll be a quick 6-8 miles. Or is the plan in my head. 

Allegedly we'll be able to see a rocket launch tonight (last night now), but it's getting foggy, so I suspect we will see nothing, which is a shame. 

Ok. That's it. Almost time for bed. 

Song by: the Cars

My Music Monday

Archives?  Kind of. 2018.  Not that long ago. And from a very little known band, Smokey Brights. 

"Different Windows" is just kind of a fun vibe. There is nothing super special or super different about it. Sometimes songs like this hit the right way at the right time. 

I see in the video that the title says something about Tuner Classic Movies. I have zero idea what that is about, but I'm guessing they used the song as some incidental music at one point 

House of Leaves

Each time we are in DC, we try to do different things than we have in the past. This proves difficult, as we've been coming to the city for three decades.

Oddly, any of the Smithsonian museums are out for me now. This administration is actively taking down displays that tell our history, but they want to whitewash it. I cannot abide by this. 

While we did one or two new things, we did one thing we always do - stop at Kramer Bookstore.

I have an active liberry card, but I am a sap when it comes to buying books. And I'm back to reading, after taking a break for a few months. I had a list. 

Have a list. I just made a slight dent in it. 

While we were looking around, an attractive young woman came right up to us and goes, "what's your favourite book?"

BOING. 

Talk about being put on the spot. 

She followed up with she's looking for something new and good to read. She then asked "what's your favourite genre". 

I don't like the game "what's your favourite.....".   Movies, music and books are hard to nail down that way. Movies might be best drama, comedy, suspense, etc. But just one?  Nahhhhh. Ditto with music and books. 

But we stood for about 10 minutes exchanging recommendations. She really gave me nothing of note, but she was intrigued by one of my selections House of Leaves.  She seemed like she'd enjoy a very very non-traditional fiction selection, so she went off to find it. 

We both checked out at the same time, but I didn't see what she actually purchased. It was too small to be my suggestion. She seemed happy I didn't buy any non-fiction. All fiction this go-round. 

I crack open one of these tomorrow. 

Song: Poe

a fun note: Poe's brother, Mark Danielewsk wrote the book House of Leaves. She the song. Both were released around the same time back in 2000. 

Outside the Rain

A slight hodge podge. We are traveling so I'm splicing this together. 

Shep meets Ralphie. 

Everyone behaved appropriately. Ralphie was cute and fun. 

Bailey's 6th 'gotcha' day. 

Virginia (top) and Henry (floor). 

Loving how they explore. 

Shep on the daycare IG feed. 

Bailey licking her chops for the gotcha day treat. 

Chillaxing on the car drive home from a weekend day out and about. 

Song by: Stevie Nicks

Flipping the Bird

I'm (well, we're) on an adventure. 

Two evenings ago we made it to D.C., for a few days before we continue on.

There was much discussion on whether we should. Personally, I voted against it. Clearly I lost. 

With multiple states sending National Guard units to the capital to save it from imminent peril (and hand to g-d, BLOTUS riding with them last night!.........with three dozen Secret Service folks), I really wanted little to do with this. 

710 felt the folks of DC shouldn't have to be punished for this dickweed's actions, and while I get that, I was hoping to send a message that not going is financially impacting the city. 

I told 710 to have bail money ready, because no doubt I am going to piss off the wrong someone. He nodded in the affirmative. Not about the bail bonds, but about me. 

For the record, I've seen six National Guardspeople (two were women). All were on my morning run. All on the Mall, where in fact there was zero crime.  ....and expected to be zero crime other than some homeless who might be sleeping on a bench. 

Except there were none. Nor in Farragut Square where homeless not only congregate, but where I've never not seen a truck there feeding them and tending to them. 

I do believe the government shipped them all out. Is ANYONE asking 'to where?'.  Of course not. They're homeless and undeserving of you know, just breathing. It is so fucking heartless. It's possible they had them all killed. It's unclear. 

But yes, I went on my morning run. Pre-dawn. Well.......there was no dawn. It was so grey the black just lightened up a bit. 

I had an idea of where I wanted to run, but set no map nor time. Once again, as last time I ran in DC, not one person did the normal runner wave or nod. Not one. Including me. I opted not to be the only guy who tries. 

The time on my run was ok, but not great. Mostly due to needing to cross busy roads with long 'don't walk' times (yes, even at 06:30), or circles which have multiple crosswalks. 

Oh, and I stopped thrice to take a few pics. Not that those were horribly time consuming, but they must be counted. 

You see the top one. 

To be fair, 2015-2020 I took similar images a lot. At first I said it was for the man not the office. This time it is both. I needed the updated pic.

To be honest, I wasn't sure I would (or could or should) take the image. The area in front of (well, back of?) is usually crowded. Yesterday, it was just me. Well, me and Secret Service. I was half convinced I would be tackled, arrested and deported. 

Worth it!

But there was zero fan fare. I mean, it took like 4 seconds to take. And then I ran. Not like a coward, but like I needed to finish my run. 

And to cover all bases, I got the legislative branch too. 

It somehow made me feel slightly better.

Song by: Garbage

Gonna Make You Sweat

Let's face it:  I'm gross. 

Perhaps I'm telling you something you don't know. Perhaps you're just shrugging and going "he's the last to know". 

....and perhaps I am. 

Honestly, there was a time before I started taking spin class where I rarely sweated. Or I should say, where it showed that I sweated. 

Spin opened a barn door to which I could never get the horse back inside. 

If I thought spin was bad, running is far far worse. 

I swear I break into a sweat just getting ready to run. Obviously warmer months are sub-optimal in terms of perspiration, but I sweat just as much during the cold ones too. I just don't bring a change of clothing for those. 

Yesterday, I ran five miles on the treadmill. Unlike many, I don't mind the treadmill for things under six. After that, I'm not a huge fan. 

I do know that when using, I have to starting wiping my brow........and egghead......shortly after mile 1. It gets worse and more frequent with each mile. 

Look at the pic. That was the base of my machine after the five. On both left and right side. There was also beads on the screen. 

Outside, it's just...........icky. 

I was telling my peeps on our Sunday call, that when I started running a direct report thought it was great and loved seeing people running outside. I emphatically told her I'd never be one of those people - as I was far too embarrassed to be seen outside the gym trying to run. 

Clearly, I got over that. 

Then I was the guy who would never run outside without a shirt. That ship has sailed too - avec caveats. 

On long runs when I've gone out early, and then pass all my group who are heading out to start their run as I'm coming in, I can - and have - taken off my shirt. Just so they won't see me. Strangers have to see me, but I try not to worry about that. 

And on vacation. In NC two years ago, it was boiling hot after the sun comes up, so I go out san shirt. The big plus is: I don't know anyone there and in a few days I'll have fled town before the authorities can serve me a summons. 

I am never ever ever going to feel good enough about my body to not be super self conscious. Guys who race shirtless are extremely confident or extremely oblivious - neither a bad way to go, at least until the race pictures are posted on-line. 

As for the treadmill, now I feel the need to see if others who use it leave as big of a mess as I. 

I certainly hope so. 

Song by: C+C Music Factory

Whatever's Left

I've seen it before, but never captured it on video. 

Worst. Car. Design. Flaw.  ....well at least since the Corvair, or Pontiac Aztec. 

I'm not even going to spell it out for you all.  IF you can't figure it out, you'll just have to trust me. 

Song by: Snow Patrol

No Sir

Way back in 2023, when I started running with my training group (when zero people talked to me or acknowledged my presence) I remember telling Morty of the only attractive male in the pack. 

He "joked" that I'd probably accidentally run a full marathon just because I was following the guy. 

....as if I could keep up with this guys 7:30 / mi pace!  ....but I got the point. 

Just because no one got to know me doesn't mean I didn't figure out who was who. 

Do I know anyone's last name? Mostly not.  Do I know most people's first name?  Si.   ....except for Bob, who for two plus years I've been calling him "Jim" to which he's never corrected me.  I found this out this last weekend.  

But back to the guy in the pic, Chris. 

He is one of two in the bigger group who are handsome in person, less so in images. It doesn't do him justice. He is also like 25-30 years younger than I. And runs at a pace I can't even imagine, let alone do. 

......and he doesn't know who I am. Barely even a little. 

In the first five (of six) training programs (16 weeks each), not so much as a chin raised in an upward motion with a " 'sup ". All the folks in his advanced cohort "know" me, talk to me, call me by name and even give positive reinforcement. 

No worries. I wasn't losing sleep over this. If nothing else, he's fun to look at. 

But last Saturday, I started my 14 mile run earlier than the main group. My running wife joined me, as did Jim Bob.  After mile 4, I was just way ahead of them and saw them after my turn around. Slightly farther down the road, Chris and I passed as well. 

He was alone. I was alone.  Clearly he started early too, just later than the three of us. 

Now, when I see him, I always call him by his name, even though it's not reciprocated or acknowledged. I'm a guy who was raised to address people. My parents used to make sure I shook hands with everyone and look them in the eye - them in their adulthood, me in my pre-teens. 

Anyhoooo.......as we are about to pass, I say, "good job, Chris".   

His response?  "Morning Sir". 

O-U-C-H. 

Yes, he couldn't say my name, because he doesn't know it. And he didn't use 'buddy', 'sport' or 'pal', for which I'm semi-grateful. 

It wasn't a militaristic 'Sir'.  It was a, "you're my elder" kind of Sir.  

That 0.03 seconds hit hard. 

I should have taken that he recognized I was alive to be a step forward, but in reality I figured, I MIGHT be older than his father.  

FUCK!

Ouch, indeed. 

Song by: the Both

My Music Monday

I'm still back in the archives. 1998 to be precise. Canada, in fact. 

A little known band called 54-40.

It's safe to say you haven't heard them, though their biggest claim to fame was writing and recording "I Go Blind" a decade before it would be covered on Hootie & the Blowfish's incredibly successful debut disk. 

At least the boys made some money - even if it was in loonies. 

However, I'm going with a cut closer to that Hootie release date. "Since When" is the title track to 54-40's 8th (?) album. But as you will hear, it could have easily been a decade or two earlier. 

The word that keeps coming to mind is: Groovy. 

It all comes down to the Wurlitzer electric piano. 

There is a Zombies meets Monkees meets Partridge Family thing going on. This includes the vocal arrangement and how the song is structured. Even though pushing 30 years old (ugh, that hurt!) it still sounds modern and nostalgic at the same time. 

I don't mean 1998 nostalgic, I'm talking late 60's early 70's.   Tell me I'm wrong. 

Ad of the Month

I'll be honest - I don't know if this is an ad per se. 

It is a declaration. 

Gavin Newsom, California Governor, put out a video piece (which is at the far end of this post) on the redistricting of his state. He has vowed to do so if Texas moved forward with their plan. Texas democratic state senate and house members fled the state so TX could not have quorum to vote. 

Glad they had the balls. Ohio didn't when they more quietly redrew the map a few years back. To be honest, I don't even know if the dems in Ohio would walk out if that would even affect quorum here. Either way, no one in the state had the gonads to try it.  Pity. 

But allegedly (and I have not done the electoral math) if Newsom goes through with it and is successful, it will more than counteract anything Texas might do and cut the stranglehold on MAGA and their shitty ways. 

Overall, I had been no fan of Newsom. I have questioned his judgement when he married that FOX skank Kimberly Guilfoyle. She'd go on to bounce on BLOTUS Jr's pole, if the coke didn't make him totally flaccid.  

Say what you want, but to me Newsom's decision to date, let alone marry, her was a huge huge huge lapse in judgement. It's one I cannot let go of easily no matter how much he has done correctly. 

That all said, this last week, I have such new respect for him. He - or someone on his media team posing as him - has been an EXCELLENT troll.  Perfect, actually:

OMFG. The Christopher Columbus reference. But the uppercase. The style. The braggadocious tone is just everything to me right now. 

There are others, of course. But fuck!

I don't know he'd make a good president or presidential candidate, but no one - and I mean NO ONE - in the Democratic party is remotely stepping up to the plate in this style. And they need to. I'd say the 'old guard' has to go, but I am not seeing a newer guard anywhere on the horizon. 

I also have not seen GOP reaction to his tweets. I mean, they can hardly complain about the style, right?

But back to 'the ad'. I see no such video on YouTube, so I have a download of an IG post Newsom put up. I find it powerful.   .....and I hope it gets under the orange skin of that would-be dictator till he has a fucking coronary. 

I can't tell you how much I LOVE how Newsom says Greg(g) Abbot "rolled over", as they get a shot of him in his wheelchair.  

PRICELESS. 

Love in Store

There is a small sampling this week. It was just that kind of period where nothing much happened and no one sent me kitty pics. 

Bailey at daycare, which they treated as 'back to school' with portraits and eveyrthing. 

River swimming. 

Another scorcher day and Shep in a river to cool down. 

Bailey wiped after daycare. 

No worries on the flag. My sister got it at the No Kings rally. She's not MAGA. 

Lulu would love to be Shep's girlfriend. 

She is always SO excited to see him. He's starting to come around. 

Song by: Fleetwood Mac

Say it to Me

I'm not sure what to think about my Instagram algorithm.

Yay for pegging me as against fascism. 

Not quite sure what to do about the faggot thing. 

I mean, I am..........but that's "our" word. 

Honestly, it's not the first time I've been identified that way called it.  Doubtful it will be the last. 

As you'd imagine, it used to bother me. Shame me. Belittle me. 

Now?  If some random straight person yelled it at me, I'd laugh in their face. 

Well, I say that, but I was a little stunned when someone called 710 and myself "fucking faggots' near Times Square after leaving a Broadway play. I didn't act as I wasn't looking to get stabbed. 

But the IG algorithm "suggested" this shirt for me to purchase. 

Now, I need another t-shirt like I need to be stabbed outside a Broadway play. Anymore, my t-shirts are all race shirts. So, in a way, I could use one that isn't running related. And in wearing it, I've already put any person about to call me 'faggot' in a position where they could be deemed a 'fascist'. 

At least I'd be owning it. 

For the slightly less controversial folks, it does come in "BETTER TO BE A FA**OT....." version. 

I don't know different laws on using the word - even in t-shirt form - out in public. I mean, if you're gonna say it, SAY IT. 

I mean, I don't know exactly where I'd wear this. Pride seems the right thing to say, but no one is batting an eye there at something like this. I barely got a blip with my "So Many Gerbils So Little Time" shirt eons ago. 

I've been quite anti-social lately, and it seems extreme for the grocery store. Or the gym. 

It's a, "I kind of want it, just in case...." scenario. But I'm also practical enough to know I'm not prying my wallet open to actually get it. 

But it was good enough for a post. So there. 

Song by: Pet Shop Boys

the Gauntlet

I would say, "I made my decision on a Fall marathon", but that would only be partially true. 

Chicago did not want me. New York City as well. That ended up leaving a few options of which I previously mentioned:

Minneapolis. Indianapolis. Columbus. Philadelphia. Detroit. Marine Corps (DC). 

All promising, but each with challenges. 

Minneapolis is first week in October. That would be a challenge to run with with losing at least three weeks of needed training. Indy conflicts with a wedding which we are attending. Columbus I'd love to do again, but not just yet. Philly is late late, but it conflicts with a half-marathon relay to which I've agreed, Detroit was sold out. 

That left MCM. 

But I fucked around on committing and lo and behold, it sold out too. 

It's one of those things - you weren't sure you wanted it until it was gone. So for both Detroit and MCM, I trolled FB for people wanting to transfer bibs. And lord, people are nuts. Well, not nuts........but nasty and devious. 

Most big marathons have an official bib transfer process (assuming they allow it at all). All warn against scammers. And I had more than a few try to get me.  

As I am smarter than your average bear, I caught on early, and often, to their jive. Each one joining the marathon FB page that same day. You can see how many other people they messaged. And the second you had any credibility in what you were talking about, they ghosted you. 

I did my share of reporting to the site administrator. One poor woman messaged me saying she saw Ms X messaged me and not to deal with her. She had lost $200 in a venmo-like transfer, only to find out there was no bib. Never was. 

But another woman responded to a very specific post of mine, which said, if you're not willing to give me the registrant name and email address to verify with the MCM folks, don't bother me. That kept the scum away. 

Though this nice woman really wanted to swap. I got her 4-1-1 verified at the site. She set forth in motion to start the transfer and kept me up to date. She didn't even consider that I would not just pay the reg fee, but also the transfer fee. It took two days for MCM to do their part, and bing bang boom, I was a few hundred dollars poorer and now registered to run 26.2 with / for the marines. 

FUCK. 

That was my immediate reaction after registering and paying her. Now I have to actually run the 50th Marine Corp Marathon.

710 says it is good for me to have goals, and he is not wrong. It will not be easy, but I know I can finish. If I can finish with a personal record, who knows. 

I have two goals now - three, I guess.  

1. Do the training. Which is going to consist of some 16, 18 and 20 mile runs.   

2. Finish the marathon.   

3. ....and most importantly:  don't get injured between #1 and #2. 

hehehehehe........number 2. 

This will be my largest event yet. 40,000 runners. All doing the marathon. There is no half. So there is no lessening of the crowd after 13.1.  This could be good in terms of camaraderie, as usually you're running by yourself after the half-marathoners peel off. 

It's a bit humbling to know even if I'm in the top half (which has yet to be determined), that I'd still be like the 19,873rd runner to finish. 

As far as I know, I'll know (or know of) three other people doing this race. 40k folks, so I don't know I'll connect with them while there, but maybe we can make a concerted effort for a pic before or after.

This is military driven, which isn't a huge draw for me in best of times, less so now. Lots of flags and shit, and me feeling extremely unpatriotic.  Getting my Gatorade from a 19 year old in Marine camo at Mile 17 isn't the porn origin story I really want.  

.....now, if it was their dad............

Come late October, I expect to hear "OORAH" more than I ever have, and more than I ever want. 

(those in DC, perhaps I'll see you as spectators????)  

Song by: Dropkick Murphys

12 of 12

So I'm doing my 184th 12 of 12.

Normally it is 12 pictures taken on the 12th of the month. Since I only post once per day, you get my images the following day. All pictures taken with my iPhone. Click images to enlarge, if you choose.

Created by Chad Darnell and picked up from, what I can tell, any number of random bloggers who then link back to him and vice versa. Chad is no longer doing this, nor is successor coordinating the linking of other 12 of 12'ers anymore.   

05:43. Lacing up. About to do run #1 of the day.

06:52. Post run. Core strengthening

07:27. Caffeine pick-up. 

07:41. Oats, Granola & Fruit b'fast. 

9:07. My normal mid-morning snack.

13:07. Lunch. 

Half a sammie and cherries. 

The cherries this year have been phenomenal, but you can tell it's nearing the end of season. 

16:47. Washing my hands. 

Loving my automated soap dispenser. 

17:45. Getting ready for run #2

19:03. Post run. Just awful.

90°F +.  400m sprints x 6. 200m cool downs. Plus 2 mile run. Nobody was happy.

19:16. Buried. 

I've parked in this lost most Tuesdays for the last three years. I've never noticed the adjacent cemetery. 

19:47. Second shower of the day. 

21:32.  Cookie. 

Singular. I didn't eat both. It was fair - not worth the calories. 

Cooking with Blobby

You know, in summer months I don't think you see a lot of 'cooking' segments from me. 

As hot as it's been here - and it remains in the 90s - I'd rather do salads or stand over a grill for a short amount of time rather than turn the stove to 375°F . 

Still, there is only so much grilled chicken and corn one can have, you know?  So I opted to change things up. I thought I'd surprise 710 with something new. He knew nothing until we sat down for dinner. 

Truthfully, I wasn't sure how it would come out, but it's all about the sauce. And you could put it on most anything and no one is gonna complain about what it is on. 

I went with Dumpling and Smashed Cucumber Salad With Peanut Sauce. 

In what world is peanut sauce ever going to be bad???

None - I tellz ya!

It's not that labour intensive, and if you do things in a certain order, it helps with timing.  Overall it takes less than 30 minutes. 

Ingredients 

Yield: 4 servings 

For the Peanut Sauce 

⅓ cup smooth peanut butter, well stirred garlic clove, finely chopped. 

½ cup just boiled water (or more as needed) 

2 tablespoons soy sauce 

1 tablespoon rice vinegar 

2 teaspoons granulated sugar 

2 teaspoons chile crisp or oil (or use amount to your liking) 

For the Salad 

6 Persian cucumbers 

Salt 

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or other neutral oil 

1 pound frozen potsticker dumplings (not thawed) 

Big handful cilantro  Blech.  No!

Toasted white sesame seeds or chopped roasted peanuts, for topping 

Chile crisp or chile oil, for serving 

"Salad" might be a stretch. 

Preparation 

Step 1 Prepare the sauce: Place the peanut butter, garlic and hot water into a medium bowl and whisk well to combine. (If the peanut butter separates and looks curdled, that’s OK. It will come back together after you add the other seasonings.) Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and chile crisp and whisk again until smooth and well combined. (It may look runny, but it will thicken up as it sits.) 

I also added about a half teaspoon of sesame oil. I mean, how could that hurt anything?? (it did not!)

Step 2 Prepare the salad: Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise and then into 2-inch lengths. Lay them cut side-down on a cutting board and, using the flat side of a chef’s knife or a rolling pin, smack the cucumbers until they break apart. Tear or cut them into bite-size pieces, if necessary. 

Not sure why they are Persian cucumbers. I suppose Iranian cucumbers wouldn't sell as well. 

Careful when / how you smash these. Too hard and it can make a mess. Or put them in a ziplock bag before smashing. 

Step 3 Place the cucumbers in a colander and sprinkle with a pinch or 2 of salt. Allow to sit for 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture. 

NOTE:  probably do steps 2 and 3 first. The 10 minutes it takes to drain the cukes can be used to make the sauce and start step 4. 

Step 4 Meanwhile, heat a large (12-inch) nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high for 1 to 2 minutes, until very hot. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil and, working in batches, add the dumplings, flat-side down, and cook until the bottoms are lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. 

Maybe it was me, but it took a lot longer than 1-2 minutes to brown on the bottom. But when they go - they go! So not a time to walk away. 

Step 5 Carefully add about ¼ cup of water to the pan, just enough to cover the base of the dumplings, then immediately cover and cook until the water has evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes. (If your dumplings contain meat, cook for an extra 1 to 2 minutes, or according to package instructions.) Transfer the cooked dumplings to a plate and continue cooking the remaining dumplings. (If you prefer to steam the dumplings, see Tip.) 

Step 6 To serve, divide the dumplings among plates or shallow bowls and top with the cucumbers. Spoon over a generous amount of peanut sauce, top with cilantro (or throw in the trash can - your choice!), sesame seeds or peanuts and a few drops of chile crisp/oil. 

Sesame seeds or peanuts?  Fuck that - I did both. 

Serve right away, while the dumplings are still warm, or at room temperature. 

The taste was amazing. The chile crisp really came through, making lips burn and noses run, but the cucumber was an antidote for the heat - and it provided a good change in texture to the rest of the dish. The peanut sauce was great - and would be great on chicken as well. 

Dumplings were ok, but honestly they were a delivery method for everything else. 710 loved it.  So - yay me!

This would have NOT served 4 btw. We had partial leftovers, but barely for one. This serves two comfortably - you might be able to eke out three. 

Tip:  To steam, arrange the dumplings in a steaming basket lined with baking paper or cabbage leaves, place over a pan of boiling water and steam for 10 to 15 minutes or according to package directions.