Run Faster Always

Running season is in full swing, and summer is trying to hit Bend, which makes it officially my favorite time of the year. It's warm enough that I don't need layers upon layers upon layers for even a long run, cool enough that I don't have to make sure there's a water source halfway through my run, and sunny and gorgeous. Aren't you jealous?

On Sunday, I chose to take my long run up some hills on the West side of town.

Now something you should know that I haven't talked about before. Bend is divided in two: Eastside and Westside. We live on the Eastside, which used to be the less favorable side of town -- and while still developing, is getting nicer by the minute. Westside is still the nice side of town, as it features heights and buttes that allow for expansive homes with excellent views of the surrounding area, including Mt. Bachelor, the Sisters and Mt. Hood.

I prefer the Eastside, because much like the waterfront properties of Manhattan beach, unless you're dropping millions on a home even in this economy, you are living cheek to cheek with your neighbors. Our friends who live in Northwest Crossing, which is a fancier but still middle-class area, literally have four square feet of lawn as their "backyard."

I like a little breathing room, thankyouverymuch.

Anyways, if you want to run hills in this town (unless its Pilot Butte, which is 1.25 miles from my house and then a mile straight up and a mile straight down), you have to run on the Westside.

So I did.

I mapped out my 9 miles beforehand, and went running.

It is amazing how distances shrink when you have to run longer ones. There's a road that loops around a large butte on the Westside that I've been dying to run -- which I included in my run on Sunday -- due to the vistas it provides, and as it takes ten minutes or so to drive it, I figured it had to be long. Even with a generous loop, I still had to do some out and back stuff to get 9 miles in! The place you live in shrinks in size when you start putting the miles under your feet.

It's amazing, it really is.

The main point of this post, as meandering as it has been, was to tell you that I ran a ginormous hill on Sunday.

And then, for kicks, I ran another.

And then one that kept going.

All before mile 5.

And then I reached the top, and was rewarded with a gorgeous view of Bachelor and the Sisters, Brokentop and Mt. Hood. With such a gorgeous sunny day like we had on Sunday, you could see forever and it was amazing. Totally worth all the hills. And the four miles I had to run to get back to my car.

Ciao,
kc

Windowsills

Maddie has discovered windowsills. To the point where it's hilarious. She will climb up on the sidetable under the windowsill in our living room and sit a meow imperiously for us to open the shade so she can sit on the windowsill. Alternately, she will do the same in my office when I'm on my computer: she'll climb behind my computer and knock everything over until I've opened the shade, where she'll sit happily on the sill for quite some time.

She did almost faceplant coming off the windowsill this morning. There was a notepad on the edge of my desk that wasn't quite on the edge of my desk that she chose to step on. It went, and so did she. She stood and collected herself for a minute looking supremely embarrassed while I laughed.

I'm so mean.

Love,
kc

Big Word Wednesday: Avuncular

I'm not recalling where I found the word this week. I know I read it somewhere, and I know I read it while I was at work, because I wrote it down on my notepad two days ago to remind myself of this word. It's certainly not a word one sees often, that's for certain. I think I read it when I was reading a book on my iPad...but who knows.

avuncular: adjective. [uh-vuhng-kyuh-ler] of, pertaining to, or characteristic of an uncle: avuncular affection.

• He's warm and avuncular, the kind of guy who welcomes dogs and children in the office.

• His avuncular manner goes down well in a country shaken by three years of non-stop politicking.

• He is alternately avuncular and strident, cajoling and threatening.

 Enjoy!

Ciao,
kc

My Morning

Me at approximately 7:45 a.m.: tossing and turning due to slow climb into wakefulness.

Tyler: "I'll get up so you can sleep in."

Me: "Okay."

Enter fuzzy terrorist who hops on the bed and proceeds to make herself comfortable in the best place she knows: on top of Tyler.

Twenty minutes later...

I get up.

May Flowers

I can't believe May is here already. I just wanted to say that. It's insane.

My life is picking up again, and I leave for Boston in just a few short weeks. I'll keep you updated as best I can.

Ciao,
kc

Big Word Wednesday: Pedantic

I hope you all enjoy Big Word Wednesday as much as I do. Because I really do love having to find these words and then sharing them with you. I mean, some of these are words that I have used and thought I was using correctly all along only to discover that I didn't or they're words that I've been asked to define when I do use them.

This week's is kind of fun.

pedantic: adjective. [puh-dan-tik] ostentatious in one's learning. overly concerned with minute details or formalisms, especially in teaching.

• At times, such pedantic details stop the plot cold.

• Not to be pedantic, but there appears to be a unit conversion error here.

• This has been a remarkably silly discussion of pedantic, academic folly.

• While you're technically correct, you're being pedantic.

Ciao,
kc

Annapolis

Tyler and I flew to Annapolis for his cousin's wedding at the United States Naval Academy's Chapel. Pretty cool, huh? It was a whirlwind trip with really early flights, but totally worth it. Tyler's family sure knows how to throw an awesome party.

Tyler and I rolled in, er, flew into Baltimore at 4 p.m. on Friday and made it to the rental house in Annapolis by 6ish. We changed, freshened up, and trundled off to a party held by the groom's family. Around 9:30, the party was breaking up and Katie (the bride) and co. wanted to go out to the bars and continue the party. I did not want to go, having worked the ten days prior and then getting up super duper early to fly out.

Then Katie said the magic words, "...but I have to leave by midnight so I don't turn into a pumpkin! Paul can't see me tomorrow until the wedding!"

Tyler gave me puppy-eyes and I thought to myself, there's a deadline, I can do this!

So out we went. At five til midnight, the bride dutifully began to say her goodbyes and Tyler, her brother and I escorted her back to the house.

The next morning, I blearily drug myself out of bed at the crack of 9:45, trying not to think about the fact that it was 6:45 west-coast time. I found myself coffee and made myself mildly human. I chatted with the fam and had my makeup done by the professional there (though ironically I later got more compliments on my hair that they thought was professionally done!) and dithered between the two dresses I'd brought before finally deciding on the cute navy-inspired striped number by Gap.

We got the bride done up and dressed, and walked ourselves through the overcast, but blessedly still dry day to the chapel.

The chapel was beautiful. It was a perfect place to hold a wedding. Gorgeous. Also, thankfully the ceremony was tastefully short and sweet. It was also followed by a really cool naval tradition where four of the groom's academy buddies did the arch of swords. So fun.

After photos were taken (and dutifully emailed to my mommy who took them over to Grandma back in California), we all went to the Yacht Club where the reception was held. There was an open bar, live dancing, and a fun photo booth that we all had so much fun at. I wish we had those pictures already, as I'm sure some were just too funny...

The food was delicious and the experience unforgettable. Especially when the club shut us down and we all trooped out (parental units included!) to the bars again. Tyler and I left when the bride and groom did...just after 1:30 a.m. and stumbled home past the state building, me with bruised and aching feet from wearing heels all night and with Tyler giggly and surely taking me on the longest route home through the rain.

The next day, I again dragged my butt out of bed to be greeted by some surprisingly perky family members in order to start the party over again with a brunch that lasted well into the afternoon. Luckily, all that was required of me and my poor aching feet was sitting and smiling pretty.

We ended the trip with another early morning flight and twelve hours of travel. We made it home in one piece and I'm looking forward to another trek cross-country in a matter of weeks to Boston for my beautiful sister's graduation!

Now, some photos!

The outside of the chapel on the day of the wedding. It was overcast and cloudy, and a few drops even hit the ground, but that didn't deter the relaxed bride from enjoying her day.

Beautiful stained-glass windows dazzled inside the chapel.

The bride and groom framed by Connie and Lowry, the bride's parents and Tyler's aunt and uncle.

Because the groom knows people, they got to walk through the arch of swords. Very cool.

So beautiful!

 

Tyler's dad took the picture above. We clean up pretty good, huh? This picture, being so much better than the ones I took, made me realize that maybe I need a new phone. Specifically, the iPhone. Sigh. Speaking of sigh, how handsome is that man in his suit and tie?

Being tourists!

Ciao,
kc