I turned on the news this morning to catch the weather and get caught up on what's been happening around here since we've been gone. Of course, the weather team is freaking out because we're expected to get 4-5" of snow between this afternoon and tomorrow afternoon. You would swear we lived in the South and never got snow. Every year it kills me. And it's not just with the first snowfall, we have to hear it every time we get snow. It's crazy.
Mr. Jeep and I were trying to get some last minute yard work done today before it's supposed to snow. We managed to get quite a bit done and then it started to rain. We headed inside and then it started pouring. Now that I'm looking outside, the rain has turned to a wintry mix and as time goes on it's turning into just snow. The drive to work in the morning should be wonderful.
In addition to the weather people freaking every time it snows, as a Michigan driver you also have to deal with the other morons on the road who drive like they've never driven in snow. It's crazy. We'll get a light dusting of snow and people will drive 15 miles below the speed limit! Driving in the snow is kind of like riding a bike, you never forget! Do you hear me? YOU NEVER FORGET! And if you do forget, then maybe you should move to a state that doesn't get snow.
In case you haven't figured it out, I love snow. We used to own snowmobiles and that was a blast. I also cross-country ski and have since I was about 10 years old. I can't wait until we can buy LC some skis. I'm sure she'll love it. I'm asking for a pair of Yak-Traks for Christmas. In case you don't know what they are, they're for your shoes. You put them on the bottoms of your shoes or boots in the winter and it gives you traction so you don't slip. Here's a picture:
I've been wanting them for a few years now and just haven't purchased them. They're only about $30. They'll be perfect for running in the snow and ice. I hope Santa brings them. And I hope they work as well as they say they're supposed to.
The fam and I just got home last night from up north (that's what we Michiganders say when we head to northern MI, for those that don't know). We all left last Friday (before Thanksgiving). The first weekend LC, the dogs and I stayed at my parents' cottage. Mr. Jeep went to his mom's cottage with a couple of friends to go hunting. Way to manly for LC and I! Then Monday we all met up together and spent the remainder of the week at my MIL's cottage. It was very nice to take the week off of work and have a little vacation. There is a lot of snow up there.
Wednesday we bought two sleds, the traditional orange plastic kind that can sit 2-3 people and the good 'ol saucer sled. There's this area by the cottage that we refer to as blueberry valley. Apparently it used to have all these blueberries plants all over and Mr. Jeep's family would pick tons of blueberries. In the 12+ years that I've been going there I have never seen a blueberry. But whatever. And it is a valley of sorts. You have to drive down into it or walk down into it. So needless-to-say there are some excellent sledding hills. After several times of me pushing Mr. Jeep on the sled or vice versa down the hill to get a path worn, we finally had a great run. LC didn't want to ride down with either one of us, she wanted to go by herself. And she wanted to go down on the saucer sled! That's my girl! I should also mention that it was later in the day and so it was getting colder outside. This translates into a very icy sledding run. Very nice!! At one point all three of us were standing at the top of the hill and LC wanted to go down by herself on the saucer sled. We said okay, put her on the sled and gave her a little push. She went flying down the hill, spinning round and round the entire time! She got to the end and hit the soft snow bank and tumbled over backward. She popped up cracking up! She loved it.
I'll have to post pictures later. Mr. Jeep got a really good shot of me going over ass over apple cart down the hill. I'm not quite sure who actually had more fun: LC or us!
So Sunday was my 10K run. My friend Elena and her sister Ro ran with me. They're my usual race running partners. I say that we run together, but in actuality we don't. We go to the race together, or meet there. And we all line up together, but as soon as we hit the start line we're all on our own. Elena usually weaves her way through all the people and goes off in the lead. Ro and I usually stick together for most of the race. Yesterday was a little different though. Elena still took off and started weaving through people to get ahead. I even weaved my way through quite a few people. I was doing pretty good and I thought I had lost Ro. She later told me that I was in her sight until about mile 4 and then I took off and she lost me. It was fun and I did pretty good. Here's the problem from Sunday (isn't there always an issue?). I think it was somewhere around the 1.5 mile mark. I had my headphones on and was rockin' out to my music. Suddenly I started hearing some other music. I assumed it was coming from a nearby car or out of someone's house. I then looked to my right and this woman was pushing a double jogging stroller. She had an ipod music dock on top of the canopy of the jogger and the music was blasting away! I understand that you want to be able to hear your children and be able to talk to them, but other people do not want to hear your music. It was so loud. My next thought was that her kids ears must have been ringing. The music was right on top of their heads! After the race my friend Ro was also complaining about the woman and her music. I guess every race has to have one menace and double jogger lady was it!
