Mom's Visit

Just dropped mom off at the airport. Was great to have her here and run around the state for the weekend. Here are a few of the pics. She even went to sushi with me last night! Love and miss you all.

Siesta Key

Today I spent the day on the Gulf side of Florida at a beautiful white-sand beach, Siesta Key. Yeah, I had a bit of a siesta, mostly just a time of relaxation away. I stayed in Tampa last night and will again tonight to take the drive time off and visit with Drew and Allison.



So the adventure to Siesta Beach was a test of preference. For those of you coming to visit (Mom, Sara, and Alisa very soon and Billina in Dec.), I had to check this place out to see if it was worth the drive...yeah, I think so. The sand is white powder and the water is clear. The beach stretches about 6 miles so though it is crowded, you can find peace and quiet this time of year.

Florida...still acclimating. The weather is turning fall...finally. Last week was HOT and still humid...I mean hot! Eihty-six degrees at 9 PM! And then yesterday I walked out the door at 6:30 for my morning run and suddenly, COLD! Cold here can be 50 degrees, but the humidity makes it feel so much colder. The weekend its supposed to warm up again giving Mom and I good beach weather.

I really am enjoying the fact that it is late October and I can still go to the beach. Not that I've spent a whole lot of time there, but I'm embracing the gift of Florida. Still homeless and looking for a comfortable place that feels like me. Love and miss you all.

Gas Buy Down---GraceRiver Church

Today was our first official event with GraceRiver Church (http://www.ridetheriver.org/) called a gas buy down. I'd never heard of such a thing, but we teamed up with a Hess gas station and paid $5 off the top of the first 127 cars to come through for gas. It was a great "splash" and well recieved by most. We pumped gas, handed out waters, cleaned windows...served the community.

Elizabeth and Gina chatting with UCF football players.

Our first customer...no I did not ride off without a helmet! Just wanted a picture on the Harley!

Fast and Furious

Well, that went much smoother than expected. The gang came over and had me out of my condo in about 5 hours. I've already unloaded and nested in my temporary space with the Rudloff family. A few more photos to add to the moving file!

Moving Day!

Oh I can't even believe the title of this post! Yuck. No wonder I've learned to "travel light!" I'm curious though...wonder how many countries/cities I camped in over the course of this year. I'm tired............................

Life has been so busy these past few weeks and I feel behind in communicating with you all either over the phone or email. We have just finished some major conferences, back to back weeks and now suddenly I realize I'm packing up my belongings. My landlord has been kind enough not to put up a stink about the contract, thankfully. I had been staying in hotels during the conferences and when I came home again this weekend, I realized how bad the smell in here really is. So, I'm outta here! Vagabond...maybe? Somebody want to write a song for me? I can hear it, a fiddle in the background!:) LOL Did Willy Nelson have a song like this?

Last night we (Mary Kay, Greg, Judy, and Mike) went out to Boston's for fish-n-chips and then to Jeremiah's for some really tasty coconut italian ice. mmm

I just got home from a 10 miler this morning. Feels great to be in running shape again, but I'm not so sure about the upcoming long runs...18 miles! My marathon partners, Erin and Sandra, are great to run with. Erin is our coach and keeps us on pace. We spend so much time talking during our runs, we often forget we are running...most of the time!

Sandra (making Erin pretty) works part-time at a sushi place so after our speed workout last week, we had some phenomenal sushi...I know you don't believe me, but this was succulent. Full of flavor! I'm seriuos, it's my new favorite food! Sunset roll and Malibu roll.

Oh, yes! The weather here is BEAUTIFUL. Perfect temperatures, not too humid, I'm headed to Siesta Key next Friday for a much needed mini-break! It's one of the top-rated beaches in the world...I'm checking it out to see if it is worthy of the 2.5 hours to take my visitors from the NW to. I will definately post pics next weekend!

Ok, I've avoided packing as long as possible!

The Battle Within

I don't know why, but my head and my heart cause so many of my battles! I tear up at the idea of having to wrap all my stuff up in boxes again and live as a transient until I can find another place, but I'm left without much of a choice. The Rudloffs (Bill and Beth-Katie and Evan) have opened their extra room to me so I don't have to run out and find another place under pressure. I know I HAVE to move and am disgusted at the idea of mold spores in my lungs, but overwhelmed with the hassle and not having my own place and the reality of the price of houses/condos/for sale/for rent down here!

Saturday was a 12-miler and it felt great. Maybe in the midst of all this frustration, the intensity is relieved through the run. We have been going on our long runs early on Saturday morning while it is still cool and they have been wonderful...it has actually surprised me how much I am enjoying it!



Drew and Allison came over from Tampa this weekend for a visit. Remember, they are the couple I knew from Portland...Allison and I worked together for a short bit of time at my last job and Drew and I spent 3 weeks at Malibu in Canada on the same team, leading the high school kids. We met Friday night out at Celebration (the town Disney developed) for dinner. The weather is getting "cooler" in the evenings so we sat outside. It feels like vacation...the atmosphere and warm weather. Saturday night we went to Universal Studio's City Walk...lots of restaurants-Hard Rock, Emeril's, Bubba Gump Shrimp, Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville- and had dinner. Living around and near all these tourist attractions has made it feel like vacation...in some ways!

In the midst of all of the commotion...I am sad and I miss so much. It doesn't change that I am here and feel right about being here. Never the less, I am still grieving the change and loss. Oh, the battle within! Love sent to you all!