Summer

Oh the lost post ... (My 2nd attempt at this posting)

I was reflecting on the end of summer (yes, barely into July and I'm thinking about the end). A time when teachers get a little time off. No more getting up at super early hours (at least for high school teachers). Time to catch up on record keeping, house work, projects and, yes, family and some summer shenanigans. Sometimes the vacations and summer fun can lead us to forget until one day we way up think "oh crap, summers almost over and I haven't done anything!" And next thing we know we are going to training sessions, sitting though endless meetings, and trying to get our rooms ready for students and much of our housework falls into disarray again. 

With this year being a short summer in Florida as we transition back to an "August to May" school year, I'm sure there will be a lot of mixed emotions to the start of this year. Still the excitement of new students and starting a fresh new year, but also the bewilderment of where the summer went and what does this new year hold (good and bad).

Well, Happy New School Year!! 😳

Running @ 50 and parents!

Trying to figure a title, but in the meantime, let's start with observations on turning 50:
I took up running when I was 36 and getting fat - wasn't obese, but headed that direction. So between weight watchers & running, I lost 25 lbs in about nine months. The following year we lost our dog of 14 years, and my husband was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. After seeing him through that, I joined Team in Training and starting training for my first 1/2 marathon. I started to enjoy running, and suddenly I was in the best shape of my life in my 40's! My 40's!!!

At 42 I ran my first full marathon, then a cancer scare took 1/2 my thyroid. At 45 I did my first sprint triathlon. I noticed I was getting injured more often, felt like I was always trying to make a comeback. In 2013 Gil was diagnosed with a second occurrence of Hodgkin's. I wasn't with Team in Training anymore, but RunVie and my church became huge sources of support as we prepared for a stem cell transplant. Just as I was starting to come back from that, in 2015 my father died, throwing us into planning a memorial service, a trip to New York for burial, and taking care of my mom. I dropped off of my training ... But such is life.

Now here I am, 50, and rockin' the look!  At a recent triathlon, when I told the girl doing body marking I was 50, she was shocked. "What? I would have thought 30 or something!"
I wish I were more interested in getting up earlier with the speedy people during the summer when not working (and not already getting up at 5 am), but I really like sleeping. I'm not as fast as I used to be and may not be training as I should, but for now, I am ok with that (or trying to be).

Parenting the parent
We are preparing for mom to move up to Largo to live closer to us which means being more flexible with training. At 87 years old she is doing pretty good. She stopped driving about a year ago, had a back injury and went through surgeries for bladder cancer, so she needs a little help occasionally. We thought it would be good for her to be close by when she needs us, and she agreed. It's a little weird when we get to this age, parenting the parent. Gil is helping take care of his parents too, so we are both helping with bank accounts, appointments, housekeeping, caretaking, and just keeping them company when loneliness sets in. Gil has his sisters helping out, and he will be helping me with mom.
I know she did a lot to take care of her parents in their golden years, so I guess I am following her lead. Besides, they took care of us when we were little; it is our turn to take care of them, right?

I try to accept the stresses in my life. Where some may turn to alcohol or other diversions,  I tend to turn to sugar...and running or exercise (biking & swimming too). It's a balance, I guess. Running continues to be my time away from the craziness of it all. Training gives me a schedule, a plan, a goal to hit but sometimes, ya' just gotta keep it simple and take your time.