Donna's Blog For The Cure

Day 3

2007-12-13T23:48:00.000-05:00

We woke up to a frigid morning. Because the sky the day before had been so clear, there were no clouds to hold in the heat. Someone told me they thought it got down to the low ‘40’s. Sheesh! I got dressed, packed, deflated my mattress and took the tent down, all in the dark. Not an easy task. The tent really didn’t want to go into that little tiny bag. Fortunately, Marvin was out and about, and he helped me pack it up. After I dropped my things off at the gear truck, I headed to the medical tent, knowing it would be packed. Even at 5:30 am! And it was.

I had gotten another big blister, on my right heel this time, and it hadn’t drained on it’s own over night. I needed to have that done, and wrapped, before I could think of having breakfast. The wait was nearly an hour, but finally Leann, one of the nurses (who is absolutely THE BEST) took care of me and sent me on my way. Alas, by the time I got to the food tent, there wasn’t much left. I got a little oatmeal, some milk, and a banana. Oh, and the ever important coffee. I had to hurry because if I wasn’t out on the route by 7:30, I wouldn’t be able to walk and have to be bussed to each pit stop, lunch and then on to PetCo Park. I was out of the gate at 7:20, but there were still so many people behind me! As I was leaving, I looked down to where my tent had been….all but a couple of tents were left….so sad.

It was cooler than the day before, the sun was out a little, and very nice. Walkers were in a better mood, as well, since the “end” was in sight. A lot of walking wounded though: taped shin splints, wrapped knees and ankles, a lot of hobbling and limping. But everyone was generally in a very good mood.

One of the highlights of my day was getting my photo taken with the San Jose Police Department, who were our constant companions during the walk. They ride bikes and kept their eyes on us to keep us safe and out of harm’s way. I also managed to get my picture with Bustin’ Out Billy, a true character who was on the route everyday to cheer us on.

The hard part of my day came when we arrived at Old Town just before lunch. I don’t know if this “hill” was actually worse than Torrey Pines or Sunset Cliffs, but by this time, I was whooped! In addition, when I had packed up in the morning, I had left my other pair of shoes, plus my Crocs, out of my duffle and had stuffed them in my backpack. And since it had been so chilly, I had my jacket and my liner with me…..I had to have had close to 10 pounds, if not more, on my back. I hadn’t gone very far up the hill before I was struggling. I’m sure my face was beat red. I’d go a few yards and stop to catch my breath. Just as I was thinking I needed to find a sweep van to drive me to lunch, two young women came up to me and told me they’d carry my backpack for me! I was so touched. But as I was handing the pack to them, a young man walked up and said he’d carry it. His name was John, a member of our wonderful food crew, and had decided to walk up the hill with his wife in between his duties. John walked all the way up that gosh darn hill with me, carrying that stupidly heavy backpack! We talked about his family, my family, the event and San Diego. I don’t know what I would have done without John. He was my hero of the event. Three cheers for John!

I was so glad I had made it to lunch. Alas, the little sun there had been was now gone, and rain clouds were forming. Looking for a spot to sit down, I ran into some of my teammates, Mary Ann, Tami Jo, Willow and Kathleen. I got my lunch and sat with them for awhile until they got ready to leave. I decided to take a good long rest, and after they left, I went to Medical, changed my moleskin, got new socks, and stretched out.

When it started to sprinkle, I decided it was time to hit the pavement again. Just as I was leaving the park, I ran into sisters-in-law, Ann and Gloria, also on The Breast Defense League team. They had been part of my 3 Day experience since the beginning: I sat with them at our pre-walk dinner, stood with them in the dark at opening ceremonies, and saw them at least once each day on the walk. Two nicer women would be hard to find. We chatted for a few minutes and then I was on my way.

After leaving the park, we headed into downtown. By then it was raining, a fine mist at first which progressively got heavier as we went along. I had forgotten to put a rain poncho in my backpack (I had everything except the kitchen sink in there, but no rain poncho!) so I had to wear my jacket, taking out the lining. Even then it was too hot since the temperature was in the mid ‘60’s. Finally I had to make a decision: get wet or sweat. So I got wet.

Walking through downtown slowed our paced considerably. We had to stop for all the signals. Sometimes the groups were so large we had to wait through 4 changes to get across a street. Occasionally, someone would start singing, and we’d all join in: Singing in the Rain, We’re Off to See the Wizard, and My Favorite Things.

The funniest moment came at one corner that the light to walk was very short. Only a few people were getting across at a time. The SD traffic officers were very conscientious on keeping the walkers safe and moving without tying up traffic. They were very specific about us needing to stay in the crosswalk. Well, after standing (in the rain mind you) at this corner for more than 10 minutes and not getting anywhere the light changed again. Suddenly a voice called out “let’s go everyone!” and everyone did! There were about 100 of us and off the sidewalk we went, running between the cars stopped at the light laughing, cheering and whistling! The officer started to blow his whistle and motioned us to go back but there was no stopping us. Most of the people in the cars were clapping and honking their horns as well.

Another memorable moment occurred as we passed a small store that was closed on Sunday. In the parking, a truck was parked and the driver was passing out cans of cold beer to anyone who wanted one. I don’t know how many cases he had in there. Since SD has a law against open containers, he was also handing out lunch bags for the walkers to put them in. He was definitely a popular guy that day.

And then suddenly we were at the last pit stop at Balboa Park and only 1.3 miles from the end of the walk at Petco Park. That’s when I felt my first tinge of sadness that this awesome experience was drawing to a close. As we walked those last steps to the stadium hundreds people were lined up along the street cheering us on. People started crying, men and women alike, and we all began hugging each other.

Finally it was my turn to cross through the gate at Petco Park. Number 3752. Amazing! On either side of us was a gauntlet of our fellow walkers who’d already finished the event, high-fiving us as we made our way to be officially scanned in and to receive our victory shirt, including team members Bill, and Adrian and Jeff.

I found the rest of my team up on the grassy knoll where we had arranged to meet. I was happy, yet so sad. I had completed my first Cancer 3 Day walk!

Day 2

2007-12-10T23:59:00.000-05:00

Writing about Day 2 has really been tough. Everyone had warned me it was the hardest day, not only physically but mentally as well. To be honest, I don’t remember much about the day. It was all I could do to put one foot in front of the other and keep moving.

Day 2 started (for me) at 4:45 am. Someone in one of the nearby tents must have gotten cold during the night and pulled out a Mylar blanket. Every time they moved it sounded like a giant bag of chips was being opened. And it may not rain in Southern California, but the overnight dew can get pretty darn heavy! I thought there had been a downpour during the night, but I was told, no, that’s dew. No wonder Mary Anne told me to make sure to bring a second tarp to go over the tent! The ground was soaked as I stumbled out of my tent and made my way across camp at 5 am to the café to get coffee and breakfast. Even though it was that early, the serving tent was packed with hundreds of other walkers with the same idea of getting an early start on the day.

While Day 1 had been overcast, Day 2 proved to be one of those brilliant, gorgeous days San Diego is famous for. And even though the high was only about 70 degrees, the shining sun made walking a little harder, sapping energy faster and dehydrating everyone. I don’t think I was that sore physically, since I’d been downing the ibuprofen like candy, but exhaustion made me feel like I was 110 years old (no offense is meant to any 110-year-olds out there who might be reading this!). And my feet weren’t feeling so hot, either. I had a pretty big blister on the side of my left heel that, fortunately, had drained during the night. It didn’t so much as hurt as ached. At least, I was aware of it. Within the first mile I was sooooo tempted to head back to camp. I had to keep telling myself, “look at the ocean, clear your mind, take in all the sights and sounds” to keep from thinking about quitting. I can’t tell you how many of the other walkers helped me, just by striking up a conversation.

My only real memory of that day is the hill at Sunset Cliffs. It just about killed me! Yes, the views of the ocean from the cliffs were stunning, but I was so hot, and my feet, legs and butt hurt so much, I was near tears. I just wanted to lie down along the curb and take nap. And at one port-a-potty visit I think I did doze off. Or go unconscious. I don’t know how long I was in there, but someone started pounding on the door asking me if I was ok!

I was delirious with happiness when I finally returned to camp that afternoon! After a much needed shower I crawled into my sleeping bag. I was too spent to go to sleep, but it was so nice not to be walking. I just laid there, listening to the sounds of the camp. Eventually it time to get up and head to the café to get some dinner. I wasn’t the only one who felt bad. Actually, I felt like I was an extra in Night of the Living Dead………
everyone I passed was walking stiffed legged, groaning in pain, with a glazed looked in their eyes, like zombies (but not the “fast” ones!).

I think I missed the rest of my teammates, as I didn’t see anyone I knew. I had the chicken and rice, and several cups of coffee, and watched some of the entertainment, hula dancers. It was all too much for my poor, addled brain to absorb, so I headed “home”. At the media tent I ran into Christine and Marvin and chatted with them for a while before they headed back to their tent. I stayed for a while longer, watching the slideshow of photos taken so far (yes, I was in several of them), talked to a couple of other walkers before heading off to bed. I was fast asleep by 7:30 pm, and didn’t even hear the waste truck empty the port-a-potties! I had survived Day 2!

Day 1

2007-11-26T11:44:00.000-05:00

Josh dropped me off at the Del Mar Fairgrounds at 4:45 am on November 9. I was one of the first people to get there. I left my duffel at the gear truck and headed for the "holding" area. Slowly, the rest of my team arrived, as well as 4,700 other walkers. Everyone was anxious to get started, but the walk didn't begin until 7:15. We had a long time to wait. We talked, and laughed and tried to not think about the fact there were no potty facilities available. I finally was able to meet Nik's sister, Danielle and her husband, Terry.

At 6:30 we started stretching, and soon after the opening ceremonies began. So emotional! There were lots of tears as the names of lost loved ones, as well as survivors, were named aloud. The excitement was palpable as the moment drew near to start. And finally! we were moving, out of the fairgrounds and onto the street. The first thing we saw were the "sweep" vans, ready to go into action. Their job was to pick up people who needed help, and took them to the next pit stop.

And the people lining the streets! It was amazing! Drivers honking their horns, waving at us. Everyone was so pumped. The day itself was perfect for walking. Overcast, mid-60's, slight breeze......you could not have requested a better day for a 21 mile stroll.

Day 1 took us through Del Mar to Torrey Pines State Reverve (and our first "hill), through La Jolla, to Bird Rock, Pacific Beach, and finally to Mission Bay Park (Crown Point) and camp! The scenery was out of this world. San Diego is so gorgeous, and walking by the ocean was certainly a treat.

To my delight, we had a Tent Angel, Mike Taylor, who set up all tents for The Breast Defense League! Yea, Mike! All I had to do was inflate my air mattress and take a nap, which is what I did just as soon as I took a shower in the truck. Now, that was different. After a much needed doze, and a rubdown with Aspercreme, and a handful of Motrin, I headed to the 3 Day Village. There I met up with Danielle and Terry, as well as their good friends, Christine and Marvin. Danielle got me a cup of steaming hot coffee and I have to say it was one of the best cups of coffee ever! We hung out while we waited for Danielle's friend to bring us In-N-Out burgers, read my mail (and I got a bunch! Thank you everyone!) and people watched. After chowing down on the best burgers in the world, I headed for bed, which was about 8:30 pm. Of course that was the exact time the truck came to empty the port-a-potties that were directly across from my tent. It didn't matter, I was out in a matter of minutes.

I had survived the first day, with only one blister on my heel. You can't beat that!

The Villagers Are Getting Restless

2007-11-26T11:38:00.000-05:00

Several people have hinted that I need to get busy already and write more about my experiences with the 3 Day. Without my pc working at home it's been a little difficult. So, for this week I will give my lunchtime at work over to writing. Hopefully you will find it worth the wait.

"We're Not In San Diego Anymore, Toto....."

2007-11-15T11:30:00.000-05:00

Yesterday the weather here in Columbus wasn’t that much different than what I had in San Diego, mid ‘60’s. But today, the high may get up to 40 degrees, and it’s been spitting snow. The forecasters are even talking wind chill! But you know the old Ohio saying, if you don’t like the weather just wait a couple of hours, it’ll change. Drastically. And I have a head cold, of course. A lot of passengers on the plane from DFW were sneezing and coughing, and apparently no one is aware you’re supposed to cover your mouth and nose when spewing germs out of your head. Oh well.

Still working on my thoughts about the 3 Day…I should have that done this weekend. I got my photos back and they are ok….I really need a new camera.

Things I've Never Done Before

2007-11-12T21:36:00.000-05:00

Showered in a semi-truck.
Visited a minimum of 40 port-a-potties in 3 days.
Hugged a man by the name of Bustin' Out Billy (go to http://bustinoutbilly.com/).
Had a gorgeous young man step in front of me, tears in his eyes and give me a hug and kiss and thank me for walking for the cure, because his mother died from cancer.
Attended a slumber party for 4000+ people.

Things I Learned At The 3 Day

2007-11-12T18:37:00.000-05:00

What Californians call "hills", Ohioans call "mountains".
Don't carry more in your backpack than you're willing to carry up a 15 story "hill".
Port-A-Potties don't flush, no matter how many times you look for the handle.
Antiperspirant is useless when you're walking a 20 mile day.
Man! can clothing stink at the end of a 20 mile day.
Man! can you stick at the end of a 20 mile day.
Camp food is great!
An In-N-Out Burger snuck into camp is soooooo much better than camp food.
Getting up at 5 am isn't hard at all when you go to bed at 7 pm.
A roll of mole skin is only useful when you have a pair of scissors to cut it with.

3752

2007-11-11T22:13:00.000-05:00

That's where I came in today, under my own steam, after walking 60 grueling miles! A total of 4700+ walkers participated in this wonderful event.

I'm so tired and can't wait to sleep in a real bed tonight! The kids are making me a fabulous pot roast meal with all the trimmings and apple pie and ice cream.

I had so many wonderful experiences and met so many kind and terrific people. Over the next few days, as I gather my thoughts, I'll be writing about this amazing chapter of my life. I have so many pictures I want to share as well!

Thank you all for being so supportive of me. It made all the difference knowing you were out there, cheering me on from afar. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Walking Time is Nearly Here!

2007-11-06T15:02:00.000-05:00

Well, just a couple of things left do and then California here I come! I can’t believe it’s the first full week of November! I know I’ve said that every month, but it’s still true. So, where do we stand?

Friday I took the last of the pop cans to the recycling center. I can’t begin to tell you how sick I am of aluminum cans! The final tally was 85 pounds of aluminum for $55.35. Yea!

To date, I have officially raised $2, 865 in donations. There are still a couple of pledges outstanding, so I may very well reach my goal of $3,000. I have until December 9th to pull them all in. My team, The Breast Defense League, has raised $110,000 so far. Amazing! I will get to meet most of my team for the first time Thursday evening when we gather to have a pre-race carbo-load dinner.

Most of my gear is gathered, I just need to pack it all in my bright blue duffle. There was a last minute snafu (isn’t there always?)….my furnace decided to completely up and die. And not in a good way (meaning, fixable). So, in the midst of everything else that’s going on, I had to take time out today and arrange to have a new furnace put in. I mean, Jeremy can put on a sweater, but I don’t want to come back next week and find a couple of kitty icicles lying on the sofa!

I Have A Camel Back!

2007-10-22T12:08:00.000-04:00

No, I don't actually have a giant hump on my back, it's a backpack that has a 2 liter fluid bladder. I don't have to carry bottles of watter, I just sip from the giant straw attached to the bladder, completely hands free!

I had been wanting one, as my two-bottle fanny-pack, fully loaded with two bottles of water (46 oz), is very heavy on my hips. However, I had decided to wait and get one for next year (yes, I'm already planning to do this again next year!). But Saturday my darling friend, Nikki, presented me with one and it is so neat! I'm beside myself with joy! And her sister, Danielle, had sent me "race finery" to wear at the event.....pink crown (that says Princess Pixie), a pink scepter, boas, pursette and flip flops! I'm so over the moon with excitement. I can't wait to get this party started. Thank you both, Nikki and Danielle, I loved everything!

"What we have here is a failure to communicate".....Cool Hand Luke, 1967

2007-10-22T12:04:00.000-04:00

I know, I know, it's been a long time since I've posted. My pc at home finally took its final swan dive. And I really don't have time to think about getting it up and running before I leave for San Diego in 2 weeks. So, I will try to get into work early every day and get everyone caught up to where I am. Yikes! It's only 18 days until the walk begins!

Walking, Walking, Walking

2007-09-22T12:15:00.000-04:00

I think facing my first 15 mile walk has been my most daunting challenge to date. I didn't get out as early as I had planned, because, quite frankly, my dears, I wasn't prepared. My pack wasn't ready, my food and water weren't prepared, even my clothes hadn't been cleaned. These I had to do before I took the first step out of the door. I ended up getting on the road about 9:30 am.

And it was the first day of fall, and it was gorgeous! Maybe just a tad bit warmer than I really like, but hey, I'll take it. I brought my camera, and took some photos of my sights along the way.

I've lived in the Westerville area for nearly twenty years, and actually worked at the Friendly Ice Cream that opened there in '74. But I've never got out and explored. Like the sign at the Stoner House, I've passed it I don't know how many times, but never stopped and read it. It was part of the underground railroad!

I got to Max & Erma's at 8 miles and stopped there to have my lunch break. I got the half sandwich, and salad combo--turkey club (yes, I was good and took off the cheese) with a field greens salad, that had roasted tomatoes and balsamic vinegarette. It was soooo good. And it was very relaxing to sit in the coolness in the dimly lit restaurant. I was facing the Nutts sign and it just struck my funny bone.

After I finished my lunch I hit the pavement again. On Cleveland Ave. I passed a farm (yes, we have farms in the middle of Columbus!) with a huge field of corn waiting to be harvested. It would have been perfect if Ray Liotta, as Shoeless Joe Jackson had emerged, looking for a game.

Then it was back to downtown Westerville, and then west on Main towards home. I stopped at Astronaut Grove, a memorial to the Challenger and it's lost crew. It's a beautiful little park.

Nearly home, I stopped to stretch at the little bridge that goes over the creek. This little swamp looked so pretty, and you'd never know there were houses on either side, and the elementary school in front.

I was so relieved to walk through my front door! I walked in at 3:3o pm, 6 hours after I left. Actual pavement pounding was 4 hours 59 minutes. Not bad, about 3 miles an hour, though those last three miles were slow and really killed my average.

So, what makes up that 15 miles? Well, according to my pedometer, that's 39,906 steps and I burned 1,548.5 calories. That's right, 15 miles only burns 1548.5 calories. That will certainly make me think the next time I order the Flourless Chocolate Cake at Claddaugh!

My Hero!

2007-09-21T01:40:00.000-04:00

Yea! Jeremy! He brought my pc back to life. And we didn't have to spend a dime to do it. It's so nice to be able to sit down at 1:43 am and type an entry.

Against The Clock, Tick Tock, Tick Tock

2007-09-20T12:15:00.000-04:00

Now that my distance walks are improving, I really need to start doing some timed walks, to get my speed up. This isn't a race, but I don't want to be the last one to straggle into camp each night because I'm so slow. So, last night, on my mid-week short walk, I did 3.64 miles in 61 minutes, which is about a 16.75 minute mile. That's down from my last timed walk of an 18 minute mile. On Friday, my 10 mile walk was an average of 21 minutes a mile, but that also included stopping for traffic signals. My goal for the 3 Day is to average 18 minute miles for each day. I have a lot of work to do!

Under The Weather

2007-09-18T07:53:00.000-04:00

Yep, my PC went belly up over the weekend. I've had a problem with it since I've had it, but Jeremy has been able to do patches on it and keep it afloat. Now it looks like I will have to have Windows XP reinstalled, but I don't have the disk. So, until I am able to procure one, I will have to do my updates before work, or during lunch. Hopefully it won't take long and I'll be back to my midnight blogging!

Richard McGuire, 1945-2007

2007-09-13T12:21:00.000-04:00

The loss of Richard on Tuesday was huge, not only personally, but to all who knew him. He had only been diagnosed with cancer in June, and he fought valiantly against the disease. However, lung cancer is a horrible disease and is so hard to beat, but Richard kept his sense of humor to the very end. Today, at work, we held a celebration of his life, and this is what I said:

"Richard is one of the few people I can actually remember meeting for the first time. In ’87 I was still working the switchboard. Back in those days, the front desk was this tall cubicle thing. Even when I sat up straight, all anyone could see of me was from my nose up. Usually, though, I would be working on data reports, so I would be bent over reading them, and anyone walking through the front door would see no one sitting there. This particular day, I was engrossed in a data report, and I looked up to see this big guy peering over the counter at me. Most people would have introduced themselves at that point, but Richard wasn’t most people. Instead, he told a joke, I laughed and thought, “who the heck is this guy?!”.

We got into a routine where I would see him, say “who let you out of your cage”, he’d reply “What’s it to you? You writin’ a book”, I would say, “Why, yes I am”, and then he’d have a quip, like, “Then go hide and you can make it a mystery” or “Kiss me and make it a love story”.

I will always remember Richard for his quick wit and his ability to make everyone laugh. I have no doubts that at this moment, Richard is leaning across St. Peter’s desk, in front of the Pearly Gates, his pipe in one hand, telling him the one about the Priest and the Rabbi who meet a grizzly bear in the woods, which is just his way of introducing himself."

So, to my old pal Richard, this traditional Irish prayer....

May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be always at your back.May the sun shine warm upon your face.May the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, May the Lord hold you in the palm of His hand.

August Round-up

2007-09-01T00:01:00.000-04:00

In some ways, August went by with a snap of the fingers, but with all the extreme heat, the month also seemed to go on and on and on….but hopefully that is behind us. We could use a string of gorgeous days. Shout-outs go to Sue, Patrick, Charlotte, Lois, Diana and Joyce this month. Thank you all so much!

I do have a tidbit of news to share..... Wednesday, we had our annual Employee Appreciation Day picnic. As I was headed up to the buffet, Mr. T. called me aside and told me that when I get back in November, he's going to have the publication department get with me to do an article on the walk and my fundraising. I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. DeVille.....

$$$
As I wrote a couple of days ago, I have achieved my minimum fundraising goal of $2,200. Yesterday I took another load of can to the recycling plant and got $16.90 (16 pounds) for my Pop Cans for the Cure Fund. That brings the fund up to $39.65 now (61 pounds of cans). I want to give special shout-outs to Johnny for collecting two bags of cans, and to his beautiful wife, Nikki, for delivering them to me. Also, to Joyce Metal & Iron for always being so nice to me when I take my monthly load of cans in.

Weight: 210
I just can’t seem to get below that number. I’ve only lost 5 pounds since the end of May. That’s better than nothing, but I’d like to be down to below 200 by the time I leave for SD in November.

Walking
I’ve been doing really great at getting my walks in. I’m to the point where walking 7 miles at one time is quite comfortable. That’s a good thing, because there's only 10 weeks to go until event! I've got a lot of walking this weekend, and thank goodness the weather is going to be great.

Q: Why Are These Frogs Dancing the Dance of Joy?

2007-08-29T21:15:00.000-04:00

A: Because today my friends, Joyce, Diana and Lois, gave me donations that took me over the $2,200 minimum amount I need to participate in the Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk! And I still have 10 weeks of fund raising to go. What a relief! Think I can get another $800 to make my final tally $3,000? Let’s give it a try!

BTW, Nikki’s sister, Danielle, has asked me to join the team she is on and I’ve accepted. It’ll be nice to have others to walk with that I have met. Yea! The team I’m on is called The Breast Defense League……we sound like superheroes! But I need a superhero name, ala Halle Berry in Fantastic Four…..instead of Storm, I could be Deluge, or Jet Stream…..I’ll have to think on this……

If I had to choose three words to discribe myself....

2007-08-14T00:07:00.001-04:00

A Wild Weekend!

2007-08-06T17:15:00.000-04:00

The weekend festivities began with a trip downtown at 11:45 pm to pick my sister, Debbie, up at the bus station. This was her first real "vacation" without kids or grandkids. We could talk to our hearts' content without having to watch for prying little ears.

After we slept in late, we met my cousin, Millie and her husband, Bruce, for lunch at Mimi's Cafe. They, nor my sister, had ever been to Mimi's, and we had a grand time eating and talking. Later that day, we headed for Dublin, amid all the traffic for the Irish Fest, to deliver the dress I made for Renee (for the coronation). Once we left there, we made a reconnaissance trip to check the location of the church for Saturday's wedding (my great-nephew, Josh, and his bride Amy) and the reception hall. On the way home, we stopped for a Crave Case of White Castle hamburgers. Yummo!

Saturday morning dawned much cooler and less humid, after rains during the night. Debbie and I slept in late, then spent the morning drinking tea, watching the Food Network, and talking, before getting ready for the coronation to be held at the Hilton.

There wasn't much down time between the coronation and getting ready for the wedding. Amy and Josh's wedding was held in a beautiful church in Beechwald, with stained glass windows. The church has an actual pipe organ, and the organist played the classical music beautifully. The reception was held at a new facility in Delaware County. The food was great, and everyone had a wonderful time. My 15-year-old great-niece, Kayla, insisted we get out on the dance floor and kick up our heels. We danced with her, and our nieces, and our other sister, Phyllis, grandmother of the groom, and laughed and had so much fun.

Sunday we picked up my eldest son, Jay so we could have a little family get-together. On the way home, we stopped at the bookstore to meet one of my co-workers. My second son, Casey, was adopting her boyfriend's Cornish Rex cat (hence, the "alien" cat) and I was the kitty go-between. A Cornish Rex is nearly hairless, with huge ears and eyes, a whippet-like tail and a body similar to a greyhound. I thought the cat, once let out of the carrier, would head for under the bed, but she came right out of the cage into Casey's lap (they are settling in together nicely, with the kitty--Casey has not yet renamed her--following his every move). We ordered pizza, and had cupcakes and pop and had a nice visit.

Sadly, my sister had to go home to PA this morning. We left for the bus station at 3:30 am, with me barely awake. I got home at 5 am and went back to bed, sleeping until noon. The house is empty without her, and I think my cats, Katie and Dory, actually miss her.

I really need to get out and walk this evening. I'm afraid to get on the scales after all the eating we did. Oh well, back to reality.

It's Good to Be the Queen......

2007-08-06T17:08:00.000-04:00

I am now officially Queen Donna, of The Chicks In Hats, an official chapter of The Red Hat Society. The crown and scepter were passed on to me by our beautiful out-going queen, Nikki, at a ceremony held at the Easton Hilton. The coronation was followed by a proper "tea", befitting royalty.

July Round-Up

2007-08-06T15:51:00.000-04:00

I know I'm late on this, the last few days have been crazy! My sister came to town, there was a coronation, a wedding, an alien cat from Mars, and 'way too much food! So, let me get down to business. My goals for July were:

Collect 25 pounds in aluminum cans for recycling ($16.25)

I came close....21 pounds, for $13.65. That brings my two month total for Pop Cans for the Cure to $22.75.

Walk 100 miles

Well, I started the official training schedule, and following their guidelines, I only needed to walk 70, and I came close, 62 miles.

Lose 5 pounds

I lost 1. I get so frustrated. But one of the other 3 Day walkers told me it's not how much you weigh, it's how you train and prepare yourself, including getting enough sleep, the right food, and your overall mental attitude. She told me to quit being so hard on myself.

Make it to the $2,200 fund raising mark

As of July 31st, I have cash donations of $2,105, making me only $95 shy of my required goal. I have Pop Cans for the Cure money in the total amount of $22.75, bringing me to only $72.25 from my $2,200 goal!

I know that I will make my fund raising goal in August. But I don't want to stop there, I'd like to raise $3,000. I know I can, I know I can!

Happy Birthday....To Me!

2007-07-23T08:52:00.000-04:00

"They say it's your birthday...dadadada....well it's my birthday too!" Yea! The big double nickle.....Can't drive 55..............gee, that's all I could find on 55. But that's ok. It's going to be a grand day, I can tell. I just got an e-card from my friend Hester, and it made me laugh out loud, and that's a good sign. I'm going out for dinner tonight with friends, and the weather is simply beautiful. It's a wonderful day in the neighborhood!

I Feel Awful

2007-07-21T00:00:00.000-04:00

No other way to say it. I feel awful.

This whole week has been one road block to healthy eating after another. We had a huge meeting at work and there was extra food everyday. I tried to be careful with my choices, but the caterer we use, Metro, is awesome, and their food is top-notch. It's hard to walk away from anything they serve.

Then, last night at the bookstore, the last Harry Potter book went on sale. I was scheduled the entire evening, 8 hours, at the register. We had a potluck, which was a good thing because there was no getting to the cafe because of all the customers, but it was all cookies and cakes, and something called Ooey Gooey bars that were wonderful, in addition to Death By Chocolate. I love that stuff (but it doesn't love me.....lactose intolerance hit about 12:45 am......sorry, Carey!)

By midnight, we had over 700 people in the store waiting to get their copy of HPVII, and the noise level was deafening. It was 1 am when the last customer left, but we didn't leave until 2:30 because the store was completely trashed. Once I got home, I was so keyed up I didn't go to sleep until almost 5, and had to be up at 9 am to head out and deliver the book to friends that had me get it for them. My tummy was still bad from last night, so I just ate tea and toast, and crackers and things like that all day. My comfort food is definitely carbs.

At 6pm it was back to the book store and it was still pretty busy. But by then, my legs and back were really starting to get sore from standing all those hours the night before, and I was sooooo exhausted! All my coworkers tonight had been there last night as well, and we were just completely wiped out. When I got my break, I just grazed the whole 30 minutes on more carb junk.

I feel icky, and it's all due to this week's diet (though I did get all my required walking miles in), and the salty food and not enough sleep. Well, I don't have to go to work anywhere until Tuesday night, so I'm going to "detox" until then. I'm going to follow Dr. Ian Smith's Fat Smash Plan, which has worked for me in the past, and drink lots of water, and get plenty of sleep, get my miles in (my training schedule is for 21 this week) and try not to read HPVII without stopping!

If I Was In the Simpson's Movie......

2007-07-17T23:34:00.000-04:00

...................this is what I would look like. Meet Pixie Royale, of Springfield. She takes ballet classes, does genealogy research and practices the ancient art of haiku in between working 7 jobs. Her retirement plans include becoming the neighborhood's crazy cat lady.

Pixie likes long walks on the beach, Paris in spring and slacks that have elastic in the waist. Her favorite saying is "why have one cat when you can have seven?" Although she is not actively seeking a mate, she prefers men that have their own place, their own car and are gainfully employed. Pixie likes a man with a full head of hair on his head....just not on his back, knuckles, toes or growing out of his nose or ears. Other than that, she's not picky.

"You Are Strong, My Mother"

2007-07-02T19:56:00.000-04:00

After work today I did my Monday training walk at Sharon Woods (3.8 miles). A truly gorgeous day, blue sky, light breeze, not too hot. About 1 1/2 miles down the trail, going counter-clockwise, there is a very steep incline (I was told by one of the rangers once it was a 12 degree incline). Anyway, if you want a cardio workout, that's the hill to do. I was about a quarter of a mile away from the hill, and this very tall (6'3 at least) young man passed me. He looked to be African, maybe Nigerian, very dark, very fit. He ran up the hill, then back down; ran up the hill again and back down; and as I was starting up the hill he ran effortlessly by me and disappeared into the distance. Let me tell you, my heart was pounding like a drum after only one trip up that incline and I wasn't even running.

Later, towards the end of my walk, the same young man passed me, still running in that seemingly effortless way, for the second time (yes, he ran the entire circuit 2 times). He had gone just a few steps beyond me when he stopped, turned to me and said, "you are strong, my mother" in a very African accent and then resumed his run.

It was a very odd, but inspiring moment. I got goosebumps when he said that. I am strong.

June Round-up--Yee Haw, Y'all!

2007-07-01T20:15:00.000-04:00

I can't believe this month is over already! It's July 1st (my birthday month, don't you know) and the 3 Day is inching closer and closer. Lot's to cover, so let's get to it!

A great big shout out goes to my exec-director, Mr. T, a true southern gentlemen who really believes in what I'm doing. I'm still in awe of your generous gift. Diane and Beth, you're both so great. And of course Lee, a true benefactor if there ever was one. She presented me with a bevy of gifts today, including an official 3 Day training T, luggage tags and a photo album. I was overwhelmed to say the least.

Yesterday I turned in my first "Pop Cans for the Cure". I took 14 pounds of aluminum to the salvage yard and got $9.10. My goal for July is 25 pounds, so all you pop drinkers, get busy!

I lost 3 pounds this month, yea! BTW, I want to send out major props to Suellen, who has lost 10 pounds. Way to go! I've been averaging 15-20 miles a week, and feeling really good. The new shoes have really helped. I did some cross training by painting my bathroom this week. Up and down the step ladder, a lot of work with the arms. You would think I got as much paint on me as I did the walls.

This week I will start my letter campaign. I'm hoping to make it to $2,200 by August 1st, so I can go ahead and "check in". You all can help.....every $5 makes a difference. This is a worthy cause and the sooner we find a cure the better.

Ok, so if I want to have goals for July, I need to list them. Here goes....

Collect 25 pounds in aluminum cans for recycling ($16.25)
Walk a total of 100 miles
Lose 5 pounds
Make it to the $2,200 fund raising mark

That's a pretty good list of goals. I guess I'll start now and take a walk.

3 Day Expo

2007-06-17T13:19:00.000-04:00

Apparently, one trip to the Cleveland area wasn't enough for one month. Bright and early yesterday morning I got myself out of the house, coffee and Egg McMuffin in hand, and headed to Independence, Ohio. The Cleveland 3 Day Walk, to be held in August, was holding a 6 mile training walk, to be followed by an Expo at the Independence Civic Center. There was no way I would be able to get up early enough to make the walk, and after all, it's a two hour drive each way and I had to work last night. In any case, it was the Expo I was interested in.

I arrived promptly at 11 a.m., just in time for the doors to open. It didn't take long for the Main Room of the civic center to start rockin' with happy and enthusiastic 3 Day walkers, many who had just finished the 6 mile training walk. I didn't know where to start first, there were so many things to see. Off to my left I saw a table that wasn't surrounded by people, so I headed there. It happened to be a team sign-up table. I explained to the woman in charge that I was actually headed for San Diego, and she told me that was just fine, she had all sorts of souvenirs that could be obtained with a small donation. My eyes lit upon the neatest pin I've ever seen, and I had to have it. The pin is a silver heart, with the pink ribbon in the middle and surrounded by filigree work. If I had to leave that moment I would have been happy with just that pin.

Then went over to the New Balance booth. New Balance is one of the official sponsors of the 3 Day. They were doing foot analysis. You had to walk on a pad, that had a piece of paper in the middle topped by an ink pad. When the specialist looked at my imprint, he said "you have all kinds of issues with your feet!". Tell me about it. I have a super high, rigid arch; my feet roll out, and most of my weight centers on the balls of my feet. Then I got fitted for a pair of shoes that were recommended for my "problems" and yes, I bought another pair of shoes. I need two pairs anyway.

My next stop was at the "camp". They had the actual type of tents we would be using. They showed us how to set up the tent, which we will do every day, and ideas for how to decorate them. There will be a prize for the best decorated tent. They encouraged us to get in and get a feel for the space and believe me, there's not much. Just enough for two people, two sleeping bags, our duffel bags, and that's it. And getting in was a lot easier than getting out.

The camp councilor also showed us how to pack, as well as what not to pack. Our duffel bags can't weigh any more than 35 pounds, and that includes our sleeping bags. We can't bring food, make-up, radios, headphones, laptops, hair spray, or any superfluous gear. Just exactly what we need for the three days.

I also got the chance to speak with several different people, men included, had done previous walks. One woman had done 6, in different parts of the U.S. This was her second Cleveland. They told me what to expect, gave me advice on taking full advantage of all the rest stops, and tips for decorating my tent. I stayed long enough to hear the names called for the door prizes (which I didn't win) and then headed home. I'm even more excited about my 3 Day then I was before. I can't wait!

"I'm Late, I'm Late, For A Very Important Date!"

2007-06-13T22:38:00.000-04:00

I'm feeling a little like the Mad Hatter (pun intended) from Alice In Wonderland lately. Rushing, rushing, always rushing. Kinda like a rabbit on roller skates.....my feet are going in all different directions but getting absolutely no where.

Last week I only managed to get 6 miles walking in and no trips to the gym. I had to work Tuesday and Thursday, I went out to dinner with friends on Wednesday, I don't remember Friday at all, and Saturday I went up to Stan Hywet Hall, in Akron, with The Chicks for our June event. I did do a lot of walking there, and walked up and down steps every chance I got. Then 40 minutes after I got home, I had to go to work, and I was there until 11:45 p.m. And all during the week I was going back and forth to Lowe's to set up my bathroom remodel. I slept most of Sunday.

This week has been much better. I've already ready walked 10.5 miles so far. My goal was 16, so I'm really close. But in order to get enough training in, I'm seriously thinking about cutting down to two days at the bookstore. I'm not sure about that.....it's hard to give up the money, even though it's not a lot.

I hit a milestone this week with my fund raising; I'm at the 25% mark. Not bad for the first four weeks. Sunday I plan to start printing my letters so I can have a mass mailing go out by Wednesday. And I have my first corporate sponsor: Happy Tails Pet Sitting Service. Lee, you're A #1!

"I don't pretend to be captain weird. I just do what I do.".......Johnny Depp

2007-06-03T15:51:00.000-04:00

There is rarely a week that goes by that someone doesn't tell me I'm weird. A lot of the time it's my boss, Nikki E. who, though she loves me dearly, doesn't really "get" me. My love of words, reading, going to office supply stores for no reason at all, taking my first ballet class at 51, joining the Red Hat Society and purposely going out into public in purple clothes and exotic red hats so people will look at me....it all mystifies her, as I might say, it does a lot of the people I know.

I can't tell you how much it used to bother me to be told I was weird, or different. As much as I tried to be a cookie-cutter girl, that just never worked for me. It started when I was a kid. A case in point was my favorite toy, my stuffed mouse, Retina. You read correctly....my stuffed mouse, Retina. Yes, he was, at one time over 45 years ago, a real live rodent, scampering happily through the rice fields in China. Retina had a family; a little mousie wife, many small mice children, a nice tiny home with an itty-bitty mortgage. Then, one day on his way to work, he suffered a heart attacked and died. His family, being of a charitable nature, donated his body so that even in death he could continue to bring joy to others. He was stuffed, given red bead eyes, placed in a tiny gilded bird cage, sold in a Chinese marketplace to the grandmother of one of the little girls in my neighborhood and brought to America.

I can still vividly recall the first time I ever saw Retina. It was late on a sunny summer afternoon, and my sister and I were playing on the sidewalk in front of our house. Jonjee, who lived two doors down and was a couple of years younger than Debbie and me, called us over. She held in her hand the little gilded cage her grandmother had just brought back as a souvenir of her trip to mainland China. A beam of sunlight bounced off of one of the golden bars of the cage as I laid my eyes on the most perfect little white mouse I had even seen. His little red eyes twinkled at me, and I knew I must have him for my own. But how?

I needn't have worried. Jonjee was quite astute for a girl of 6; she knew right away she had something I wanted, and I had something she wanted. She laid it out quite simply: I could have Retina (whom she had given the unimaginative name of Squeaky) if I would give her my life-sized baby doll with all her clothes. Now, this doll, Baby Ruth, was special because of her clothes. BR had been a Christmas present from my Aunt Velda. Every piece of her clothing had been sewn by hand by my aunt, who was a seamstress of unequaled talent. She had stitched every seam and hem herself. There was no sewing machine involved at all. Tiny stitches barely visible to the naked eye. Absolutely magnificent.

It was a no brainer; I ran to get BR, and handed her over straight-away to Jonjee. And into my trembling hands was placed my beloved Retina. No, the tiny gilded cage was not part of the bargain, as Jonjee really liked that. I felt like I had made the best deal in the world and took my new acquisition home to show my mom. Boy! did Mom hit the roof! She was furious that I had given the doll away for a stuffed rodent. After all, my aunt had spent months making those outfits. But no amount of threats or cajoling would make me take Retina back to Jonjee. He was mine. Forever. And I still have him to this very day. All of his snowy white fur has rubbed off, his red bead eyes dropped out, and his ears are gone. But he's my prized possession and I love him dearly. Heck, even my own kids were never allowed to play with him when they were little.

So, you ask, what has all this got to do with anything? Well, I went to Staples Office Supply and got to buy tons of stuff today! (Please refer to paragraph one, sentence three above). I bought new ink for my printer, nifty new paper, pink envelopes, pens, a day planner, a paper cutter, notebooks.....so much stuff! I'm all ready to begin my letter campaign for donations! Oh, how I love the smell of an office supply store in the morning!

I told you I was weird.

May Round-Up

2007-06-01T07:59:00.000-04:00

It’s June 1st! What happened to May, and to spring, by the way? It’s been up into the 90’s and it’s all humid and sticky. Yuk. Anyway, May shout-outs go to: Cousin Frank, you’re the best! Friends: Nikki, Renee, Suellen, Steve, Anna, and Michele, thank you, thank you!

Well, we’re at the 23 week mark until the race. There hasn’t been a change in my weight since I started training, but I can tell I’m feeling better from eating more wholesome foods, and less fats and sugar, and my sleep has improved. Suellen and I are going to Antrim Lake for our first walk together after work, and I’ve scheduled training days for next week all ready. So much is going on that I will have to get my butt out of bed early and do some walking in the early morning hours. At least it will be cooler then!

p.s: And to all the people who have given me such positive feedback on my blog, it’s so nice to hear all the great comments. I’m having a lot of fun.

Just Plain Silliness

2007-05-31T22:41:00.000-04:00

Sometimes you just get so tired after a lonnnnnngg day, you just need to have fun with cardboard cutouts.

“I still have my feet on the ground, I just wear better shoes.” ....Oprah Winfrey

2007-05-28T17:00:00.000-04:00

....so, there I was, half way around Sharon Woods Friday evening, and my feet went all crazy on me. Have you ever had a toe spasm? Believe me, not fun. I knew I was eventually going to have to get really good shoes to train, and then, later, to do the walk, in (two pairs are recommended), but I wanted to get some use out of the shoes I had. They were brand new, as of the beginning of April. The first couple of weeks they were fine. But then one Sunday, once again in Sharon Woods, I developed a blister the size of Rhode Island. It took two weeks for it to heal. And since then my feet have ached every time I wore those shoes for an extended period of time, like anything over 10 minutes. Anyway, I guess my feet finally had had enough and went on strike. The rest of the evening they would go into spasms, looking like hideous curled talons. ---hmmmmm, note to self: clip toenails tonight....

I got up early Saturday and headed out to Dublin to the Columbus Running Company. There I met Matt who evaluated my feet (yes, my arches are high enough for a VW Bug to drive under, and they roll to the side so much they could cause a small tsunami) and stride, to determine what shoe would be good for me. Matt's good....the first pair I tried on felt like heaven. My little tootsies audibly sighed in relief. Just to make sure, I tried on a second pair and they just weren't the same.

Yes, these shoes are a little flashy, all chartreuse and silvery, but they feel divine. And, again yes, they are 'way more expensive than I usually spend on athletic shoes, but if I'm going to make this thing work, and finish the 60 miles on foot and not carried in on a stretcher, I have to invest in good shoes. That's it! I'm investing in my feet.

So, the lesson for the weekend is to always wear good shoes to protect your feet. And not to eat White Castles on a training day. 'Nough said.

Woo Hoo, My Training Kit Came!

2007-05-22T22:28:00.000-04:00

I love it when I get packages! My official 3 Day training kit came. As you can see, Katie was thoroughly inspecting the products for quality. There's a shirt, a nifty blue visor, very cool socks, a water bottle, a two-bottle fanny pack (hydration is very important), one water bottle, and something called "Glide". It's supposed to help keep me from chafing. The only thing I'm disappointed about is the shirt....I got an XL, but it looks small. Very small. But maybe it just looks smaller than it actually is. I hope so. Tomorrow is a gym day. I haven't been in a while so I'll probably be very sore.

Training Day vs Sleeping Day?

2007-05-20T17:31:00.001-04:00

The votes are in, and sleeping won over training.

I had fully planned on getting out to Hoover and "walk the steps" today. Hoover is one of the area's reservoirs, and there are a series of steps on either side of the spill way....157 steps on one side, and 123 on the other. One "circuit" is down and up one set of steps, across the spill way, down and up the second set, back across the spill way to my starting point. Last week I was able to do two full circuits before I dropped from exhaustion.

Anyway, with yesterday's Walk for the Cure, and then working 5 hours at my part time job, I logged in 21,309 steps on my pedometer. That's 8.076 miles! By the time I got home at 11:30 p.m., I wasn't even able to stay up and watch my favorite show replay, The Real Deal on TLC. I think I passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow. And today, I just needed to sleep.

All this tells me I have a lot of work to do over the next 5 1/2 months if I'm this tired after only 8 miles! But the good news is that I have two workout buddies lined up. My friends, Suellen and Hester, both want to lose some weight and get in shape. I'm confident that we can inspire each other to reach our goals.

Columbus Walk for the Cure 5K

2007-05-19T12:40:00.001-04:00

The morning was perfect for a 5K. Although it was on the cool side, the sun was out and the sky was blue. I met Hester at the Lennox B&N and then headed downtown. You know how big the event was going to be, just with all the other cars heading the same way we were. Fortunately, Hester knows the ins and outs of downtown driving and we found a parking garage very close to our starting point in the walk. Excitement was in the air and everyone was in a great mood. We had fun listening to the music and looking at all the people, reading their signs and just enjoying each other. This was the first time Hester and I had done something on our own, and it was nice to have some bonding time. Including the 5K (3.1 miles), and the walk to and from the parking garage, we logged 5.6 miles on my pedometer. That's a really good training day! Since neither one of us had had time for breakfast, and we were both starving, we stopped and had lunch at Champps. Man! Were they packed! And 95% of the other diners were Walk participants, as well. What a great day!

Star Power On My Side

2007-05-18T23:26:00.000-04:00

Stinger, the Columbus Blue Jackets mascot, stopped by the store this evening to give me a hug and wish me luck on my journey to San Diego. Hopefully, this will be only the first of many celebrity sightings to come my way!

"You're Walking 60 Miles?? You Must Be Kidding!"

2007-05-17T13:18:00.000-04:00

So……who is Sue Brillhart and why am I walking 60 miles for her? I’ve been asked this question several times in the past few days since I started my blog. The answer is:

Sue was the much loved mother of one of my dearest friends, Nikki. She was diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago, and a lumpectomy was performed to remove the growth. After treatment, her prognosis was pretty good, and Sue went back to living life to the fullest. She even went through a double knee replacement, and felt wonderful afterwards.

Then early in 2006 she found another lump. This time the doctor opted for a mastectomy, followed by chemo. Unfortunately, this cancer proved to be an aggressive and relentless foe, moving into her lymph nodes, and then later into her bones. Finally, there came a point when nothing more could be done. In January 2007, Sue slipped away from this world surrounded by the people she loved most: her daughters, Nikki and Danielle, sons-in-laws, family and friends. Nik’s loss has been profound, as I’m sure it was for Danielle and all of the other people who knew and loved her.

I was never blessed with meeting Sue, but I’ve heard much of her; her warmth, her sense of humor, her sense of community, and above all, her love of family and home. The world will not be the same place without her. That’s why I’m doing the 3 Day Walk for the Cure. If collecting a little money and walking 60 miles will keep one family from experiencing the pain and loss that Nikki and Danielle have, then it’s all worth it.

It's Official!

2007-05-14T10:22:00.000-04:00

Well, folks, I did it! I'm officially signed up to do the 3 Day Walk for the Cure in San Diego! Hopefully over the next 25 weeks I can really get myself into shape. I weighed in at 216.2 last Wednesday. Yikes! I need to lose a minimum of 35 pounds before then, or my poor little tootsies will be crushed under all that pressure.

I hope you will come back and follow my journey. I will take photos along the way, and maybe even get you to chuckle a little bit.

Finally, on this my first ever posting, I hope you will consider helping me get to San Diego. I need to raise $2,200 dollars in pledges in order to actually participate in the walk. Please visit my Walk for the Cure home page at: http://www.the3day.org/sandiego07/princesspixie.

Toodles!