Giving Thanks!

I made it to taper!  Oh it was getting close there.  I've been consistently hitting workouts although it's been tough the past 10 days as I was definitely getting tired.  I opted for a two week taper knowing with my overall lower mileage, taking too much of a cut was going to leave my legs feeling a bit lost.  I am definitely looking forward to some rest.  Two weeks tomorrow, I'll be lining up at Seattle Center for marathon number three.  I can't wait!  I already have the pub picked out where I want a hamburger and beer (race tradition!). 

Between getting in the miles (thankful I'm healthy enough to have gotten through all workouts), busy work (thankful for a well-paying job I enjoy) and various house projects, it's been very full weeks lately.  

K's parents are in town visiting and we will host Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow evening.  I'm really looking forward to them visiting and having everyone (my mom and K's brother included) over for a nice afternoon.  Last year we ended up doing this as well.  K's parents ended up staying with us as his brother was sick with a bad flu at the time and they didn't want to be exposed.  it worked out well as we were just back from England and dealing with a terminally ill Dexter the Cat.  While we were at work, they were able to hang out with him at home and made this very social cat content.


I still really miss Dexter and Legos.  Looking at photos of Dex still causes a tearing up though of course we have new felines who are near and dear to our hearts now.  Keswick (black) and York (orange) are a year and a half old and goofy, affectionate, friendly, active... Basically they are just wonderful.  Keswick is already a lap cat and just requires a look. He'll then fall over and let you scritch his belly.  York is orange cat cool.  He's busy and into his toys yet affectionate and sweet.  It's not uncommon to have both cats on your lap snoozing. 

I did spend many weekends and evening working on painting trim, walls and ceiling of our new room off the kitchen.  We are calling it the Blue Room 'cause of the blue painted walls. This room was formally known as the Awkward Addition off the Kitchen (AAK) because it was just awful looking and this former garage had been converted to a room long ago.   It's amazing to have the last room of the house renovated.  Finally!  Once I'd painted that room, I realized the kitchen needed a new coat of paint as it's been over 10 years since we remodeled.

That meant painting over one last very visible reminder of Dexter.  He'd walked through paint and left his very clear pawprint on the corner of the windowsill in the kitchen (white paw print) York, continuing Orange Cat Tradition, could not stay out of the windowsill while paint dried.  yep, he too managed to track paint over counter and floor.