The 5K--Sara Goes Down in Flames!!!

SATURDAY APRIL 24, 2010

THE DAY WAS BRISK & SUNNY

SARA & I BEFORE THE RACE!!

DURING THE RACE...
AT THE FINISH LINE!!!

It was a photo finish....
GOOD THING SOMEONE TOOK A PHOTO!!!
IN A SPIRIT OF CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
THERE WAS NO TRASH TALK

BUT CLEARLY THERE WAS A WINNER!!!
Okay, this is how it went. Charlotte, the second grade teacher (and our other competitor) finished first. We actually let her. She was struggling most of the way and knowing how embarrassing it would be for a youngster in her 30s to be beat by a 60 year old and a 55 year old...Sara and I took pity on her. Yet, I must be completely honest...Sara and I were struggling too. We knew the race was shorter and we had to work a different strategy to win.....no taking it slow for the first mile and a half and then picking up the speed when we felt our rivals were starting to pant. We had to start out panting right away. This caused us some diminished energy during that last final push ahead. In fact, I think our brains were a little de-oxygenated, because both Sara and I came across what we thought was the finish line at the same time. You could say it was a "photo finish"---however we were quickly informed that it WAS NOT the finish line. We still had about 10 yards to go. By the time we realized this, we had to put in that last full measure of devotion (to quote Abe Lincoln).

It turned out that we finished at about the same time...though Sara does think that my toe crossed the finish line before her foot.

That’s my story and I’m sticking with it.
OKAY--TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST

IT WAS ONLY A 2K...WE GOT KICKED OUT

OF THE 5 K FOR BEING TOO OLD

AND TOO SLOW.

BLUE SKIES & OTHER THINGS

I couldn't help capturing these jet streams...
with my cell phone camera last week on a walk...

No one up there flying high can see these by my mailbox...
or these blossom petals gathering by the curb--
where just last month snow was piled.

What a treat to run into Johnny at church last week...
all the way from LaPaz
for the Together for the Gospel Conference in KY.

The annual University of Maryland
Sports Writers Workshop was yesterday.

Kevin Blackistone of ESPN was one of the hosts...

It was a joy to accompany these young journalists

and my colleague Neal

George Solomon (left) who spent 28 years at the Washington Post
as a managing editor for sports
was just one of the terrific people we got to hear.
Here's hoping that next years
Covenant Life School Growl will benefit.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG & MY BIRTHDAY CONTINUES

After a long hard winter, God has sent us a beautiful Spring!

It makes rush hour traffic more tolerable---
on streets lined with blossoms!
Yellows and pinks
are everywhere!
If I HAVE to turn 60--let's extend the celebration...
Sara takes me out to dinner...
So does Chung Hae ...and Stephanie joins us!

I was planning on spending my spring break dieting...

But I love the calories anyway!!!
~~~~~~~~~~

Mom needs an Easter smile...

Come on, Sam...
You can do it...
A little stiff...but better...
That's pretty good...
Your mother loves you!!!
~~~~~~~~~
A wonderful Easter bar-b-que with Mim--
Rewind a few weeks ago...Sara's birthday celebration.
She is so much younger than I am!!!
And now for a picture of the...
Two Meanest Mothers in the World!
At least that is what our 4 children told us 20 years ago.
How nice of Rosemary to come all the way from Oregon.
so she and I could discuss more ways
to torment our adult children.
It never ends...Clare, Abby, Sam and Max!!!!

SIXTY YEARS an APRIL FOOL

What do you get when you combine
the last day of school before Spring Break +
April Fool's Day + my 60th birthday???
Pretty much a crazy wonderful day.

Presents must await as I have a first period class at school.
My "Birthday Twin" Betsy turns 15 today.
However, the GROWL (our school paper) ran this picture--
with the following caption....
Happy Birthday to Betsy Garris who turns 60 today
and Mrs. Furnish who turns 15. (April Fool)!!
Uh, where did these balloons come from and
where is all the toilet paper???
Looks like the senior boys are up to their old pranks!!!
Then I get my own serenade by the 7th grade boys---
who were a little off key---but too cute for me to complain!! My husband got me my own personal Bobblehead...
Does this look like me???
What better way to start our spring break...
than to join my friends
for sangria and fellowship. I love these ladies!!
The day just keeps getting better....off to P.F. Changs
3 glasses of wine...lettuce wraps and sea bass dinner
with my two favorite men
a great birthday dinner...
followed by a quick visit to pick up birthday dessert "to go"
then home...

to Becky...

and brownie sundae cheesecake X 2.
What a great day!!! It is not so bad turning 60 after all.