Mom's Sexy Clock

Let's see if I can email movies here like I can photos. Went home for Thanksgiving. It appears my mom got a new, uh, interesting clock... She's cooking in the background.

Scaredy Cat

Took Eloise back to the vet the other day. She was terrified. Vet walked in and couldn't find her she'd wedged herself in so far behind me. My poor girl still has behavioral (rage/anxiety) issues.

Funky Shirt Friday

Odd angle while watching The Avengers, you can't really see it, but that's a cat operating a computer mouse on top.

Seasonal Scents... One Step Too Far

Yeah, so I figured out when seasonal scents jumped the shark. It was when this was invented. Or maybe even when it was brainstormed. That's right. Limited edition cat litter.

And in case you're curious, no, I did not buy it.

Kitty Heaven

Courtesy of Brenner Brewing Co, paper in a box. The ultimate cat toy. He was so mad at me when I threw it out.

Seems Legit

WINDOW KITTENS!

Aww. You know that house where the Jesus mobile always parks? And where the old lady and old man are always having screaming matches by the garbage cans? Well, they have WINDOW KITTENS! Possibly related, I'm convinced its a hoarding house.

Try and ignore my head in the reflection ruining the cuteness.

Yep.

Drove up behind this gem on my way to work earlier in the week.

Kitty Cuddles

Seen on my Run

A shoe bigger than my shoed foot next to a bench. Sorry about the chicken ankles.

Pretty tree. I liked the way it almost covered the entire building. 

Sidewalk toddler glasses. As a side note, there are two little twin girl toddlers that live upstairs and across the hall from me. The other day my cat tried to bolt out of the apartment and escape upstairs, then heard one of the girls crying, and freaked out and tore back into the apartment. Good call cat, good call.

They're at it again. Not quite as good as the last two, but I still dig it.

Autumn just came on so fast. This red/orange tree really made me realize it. 

Remember Pimp my Ride?

I used to watch that all the time.

Brother Visit Part 3

I'll text this one up too.

After our time on the beach, we spent some time at home where my sister-in-law had just gotten out of bed. I envy her.

This is Lola. My sister-in-law had her since before my brother met her. She looks grouchy, but really she just loves on her own terms. She treated me just like family in that she was nice enough to vom while I was there. On the one small 3 by 2 foot rug they have in the place. Everything else is tile, linoleum or wood.

This is Pancake, whom my brother found in a park one day. Declawed, spayed, and abandoned. She has the loudest meow quite possibly ever.

Played some video games from our youth. Yes. We beat one of the helicopter levels, but didn't get past the fourth level on expert. Also, Big Al is a snarky ass.

After going out to dinner somewhere my mom freaked out about in the past, we stopped for ice cream on the way back. I had key lime, my brother had a malt and my sister-in-law had blueberry pie. Very delicious.

The next day, we went out for breakfast, played some more games, and then dinked around the city before I took the 3:00ish train back to Milwaukee. This is the storm hanging out over the lake as I was leaving town. The photo doesn't do it justice. Also, totally picked the wrong side of the train. It was all sun.

Brother Visit Part 2

I'll text up these posts soon. I promise. I'm just so tired tonight!

See, I told you I'd text these up. After our Flugtag plans were cancelled, we walked around the beach, including through some water. 

Sorry for the veiny feet. Hopefully there aren't any crazy foot-fetishist out there that found my blog because of them. I'm thin, and I run a lot, so it just happens if I get hot. Plus, I was sitting on firm concrete, so it was slightly cutting off my circulation. Anyway, it was so windy that the waves at the pier (I would say it was about 12 feet down) were almost hitting our feet. Yes, I need to repaint my toenails, but as it was just my brother, I didn't really care. 

More sitting on the beach. The sky was such a gorgeous blue. Also, can you tell we're related in this picture? I mean, there are some differences but wow.

I was bending down to take a picture of a popsicle stick with a riddle on it, but accidentally had my camera on front facing. It turned into a funny shot, so I went with it. And yes, we did haul the backpack around the entire time.

Here's the popsicle stick. Hardy-har-har.

Finally, mini-golf at the public course near Diversey. I think my brother won, but we both had fun. After that we headed back up to my brother's apartment by simply hopping on one of the CTA buses. I've gotta say, the public transportation there is super convenient where he lives. We may or may not have kept singing "putt, putt, in the butt" the entire time we were playing mini golf.

Brother Visit Part 1

I went down to Chicago on the weekend on September 8th. I got up at 5:30 to make the 6:15am train. We were going to watch the Redbull Flugtag, but sadly it was cancelled due to high winds. We still had a fantastic time!

For some reason Dan and I have always met up in the awesome room in the old part of the station. I've always loved the way the ceiling looks. And on such a gorgeous, mostly cloudless morning (before 8am, I'm barely at work at that time), I managed to catch a wonderful picture. 

Before we knew the Flugtag was cancelled, we made a stop off for coffee at one of Dan's favorite coffee shops near his work, Lavazza. It was very tasty. The heart on top made me smile. 

We saw this sign on our walk to Flugtag. We both cracked up, as the rocks plus small plants continued on for another ten feet, and that was the extent of the "lawn."

Once we found out Flugtag was cancelled, we took a walk on the beach just past the staging ground and sat down above the waves and had some brother-sister talk time. I really miss my brother and I should go see him more often.

Troubs

Three years ago today I had to put my cat Trouble to sleep. I'd probably remember the date no matter what, but I'll never forget because it was the day before my birthday, which is now sandwiched in sadness by this and the 19th was my now deceased grandmother's birthday. (Not to mention National Talk Like a Pirate Day). Yar! Grandma Lois, you live on in the great pirate ship in my heart.

I know pet owners always say this, but my Trouble was truly one of the sweetest, friendliest cats you'd ever meet. She was so sweet she even made my roommate at the times parents get a cat. (Why you ask? She and Boo stayed with them when our apartment had a five alarm fire and we had no where to live for a couple weeks).

Trouble stayed sweet through everything life threw at her too. Through a six hour car ride at four years old all the way from Minnesota where she became an indoor cat instead of an outdoor one. Through firemen axing open a smoke and ash filled apartment while she hid under a bed with her son. Through moving to Illinois for a month to let her "parents" rebuild a home in Milwaukee after the fire. Through moving in with my (now ex) boyfriend, who in reflection was nothing but abusive to her (not hitting, but chased her, yelled at her, etc until she hid under the couch or in a corner) and through helping me start over again when all I could do was cry and it felt like the weight of the world was crushing my soul. There was sweet little Trouble, nosing her way under the covers and pushing up against my back.

She welcomed all my friends into my "new" apartment (I am starting my fifth year here now). Pushing herself between us during our LOST parties, our Mad Men parties, and well, whenever she felt like it. Nosing into our snacks; she would not be ignored, nor would she stop purring or asking to be pet by everyone in the apartment (or in the hallway if she ever made it that far).

When she was barely ten years old, she ended up getting cancer of the epithelial cells, which are basically the cells that line your organs against your other organs. So really no chance there. She got really thin, really fast and towards the end I could just tell something wasn't right. She wasn't her sweet little self, who would greet me with mews everyday when I got home from work and not leave my side until I left again in the morning. She would just hide in the closet, and gradually, just after Labor Day, I noticed she was swelling with fluid because her cells were breaking down and giving up.

She was unhappy, she couldn't move comfortably, hid in the closer all of the time and seemed ashamed of the fact that she had lost control of her bladder. One day, in between vet visits, i just looked at my girl and realized I couldn't put her through that anymore, so two of my best friends went with me to let her go. The vet thought she probably had three days left at the most. It was tremendously sad, and we looked like the most unusual little family (my best friend his wife and I), but we all loved her. Just like almost everyone who met her did.

Cancer's a bitch. In humans and pets alike. Hug yours tonight!

Flashlight in my Nose

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Cone of Shame

Seen on my Run

Total mileage this week, 21 miles. Right on par with my goal at this point in half marathon training which is that I have to run three weeks of 20 or more miles, then I get a rest one with 15. I also swam for 1000 yards with Brooke on Tuesday up at the Noyes community pool. It rocked. Go cross training! Can't wait to swim again.

Construction on my run. Not sure what kind of crane it is. My dad asked if it had big wheels or small wheels, and then rough wheels or smooth wheels. I just took a picture to send to him.

Random torn up concrete around the burns common area. Someone forgot their hammer. Also caught one of my running shoes.

On Wednesday I did some speed work that ended up finishing kind of late (six miles!). Running up the hill at the end of my run I came across this sight and found it picture worthy.

Then on Friday I did the Milwaukee version of the color run. It got much worse after this when Pete, Craig and I ended up in a colored corn starch packet fight! So much fun. I'd rock the color run with them again in a second, despite the eventual shot to the eye I took.

My hair once I got home. Totally had dinner at Trocadero on the patio afterward. Adult grilled cheese with sweet potato frites. YUM.

As a side note, when I run, prior to heading out I use a neutrogena acne pad on my face and other acne prone areas that tend to get sweaty. It's still coming up a little green three full days later. I'm guessing it's from my hairline, but I guess you never really know!

Funky Shirt Friday

Can't go wrong with the penguins, unfortunately I did go wrong with my sunglasses, as I left my favorite pair at work and ended up stuck with these.

This Weeks Running Summary

Again, I love this gas station. Cracks me up all the time. 

Wedding. Everyone seemed so happy!

Super forbidding sky to the north. Lightening started moving in on downtown and ended my fantastic feeling run slightly early. That's ok I suppose. Ended at about 23 miles for the week. Not too shabby.

Seen on my Run

Up the Oak Leaf. Four miles down today, plus a bonus leg work out. 

Tree down! Just a block or two from my apartment. I wonder what happened? 

Pretty Sweet Clouds

The photo doesn't completely do them justice, but they were pretty rocking.

As Seen on my Run

Speed work Wednesday turned into rainy day after root canal long run Wednesday with Pete and Tony. Ran around the Nicolet track for 7.12 miles in about an hour. I thought I should keep the risk of cracking my teeth together to a minimum, and avoiding speed work seemed logical at the time. Run felt awesome though!

I Think She Missed Me

Back from NYC and she won't leave my pillow, let alone my side. Sigh. I love my high maintenance girl, even if everyone else considers her a semi-monster/demon spawn.

Also Seen on my Run

Last run before I went out of town.

As Seen on my Vacation Run

Hot, humid, but gorgeous.

Really Not Looking Forward to This

This is only about half of the bill. :(

Seen on my Run

Half marathon training documented in photos!