Drama at the Table - Performed by Kyra Jones

Feeling, passion, mystery . .. intrigue . . .art at its purest form . . . .Drama Queen

Home at Last . .for now . . and Happy Birthday Keelin!!

None the worse for wear . .I've made it back from Oklahoma City. It was an interesting and tiring trip - - and it sure is great to be home. Tonight we celebrated Keelin's 12th birthday

Keelin requested one of her favorite dinners: baked steaked in the over, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob AND peas. Summer performed wonderfully and everything was delicious. From a health perspective I have slid down a treacherous slope the last few weeks - -not running, eating like a pot crazed locust once a day and continually staying wound up as tight as Dick's hatband. I find myself everyday coming up with an excuse why today is not the day I am getting back to running. However . . .after I indulge in Keelin's birthday cake with a good side of ice cream - - I am heading back to the pavement starting tomorrow and will be more than ready for the Possum Ridge 5K come June 12th. The only things that will prevent me from completing that race will be a massive storm somewhere in this great country of ours, or having a massive coronary during the race itself. Other than that book it baby. Man_boobs and I have been communicato non-sympatico for the past few weeks - -I'm hoping he is still coming - -LOL - -I don't think a herd of horses could keep him away.

Here is a photo of the gang this evening

Greetings from Oklahoma City!!

Yep, that is right . . .when it rains it pours . . no pun intended.  While in Nashville, I was contacted by one of the firms Summer and I contract with and they asked if I could possibly work some hail and tornado claims out in Oklahoma City.  So after a short 12 hour drive through last nights tornado's (you may have seen it on the news) I arrived at the Midwest hotspot of OK City.  I am staying at the luxurious Day's Inn . . which I am sure at one time was a prime destination - - but now . . .well, maybe not as much . . .for $39 a night I can't complain though

Nice view - -big window - - "home away from home".  I keep the television on Nickelodeon (you can see Dora and Swiper there on the TV) when I work.  It reminds me of being at home - - I work better - -weird huh?

I think this Days Inn was years ahead of the "People with Disabilites" requirements as my shower is designed for a "Little Person", I do believe

No schtick, no joking . .I am standing flatfooted in the shower - - -what are ya going to do?

This is the view right outside my room - -however, don't get jealous . . . .the pools are empty . . .other than a little black rainwater in the very bottom

All in all not too bad - - it isn't home - -but it does the job.  Will start working claims tomorrow and should be here for a while.  Am going to get back to running today - -it has been nearly two weeks of eating crap with no exercise - - jumping back on it today.

Wish everyone the best and I'll try to do better staying in touch

B

Been predisposed . . quick update

Becoming a prolific blogger - -several have wondered if I have fallen off of the face of the earth - - no I haven't.  I am currently working the flooding catastrophe suffered by Tennessee and have been adjusting claims 18 hours a day for the last week.  Even as we speak, Summer and I are working diligently to get these processed - -I will be returning to Nashville tomorrow and staying indefinitely . . . . . My running was put on hold for a week at least now - - I am in limbo at W8D1 - - -below are a few shots of I took the other day

All of the roads - -miles and miles are lined with everything from a persons home - -no discretion, no humility- - -the smell of rot is thick in the humidity and the heat

This next one you can see my truck parked in the background - - but there are literally cars everywhere abandoned

What struck me was the feeling that these piles of muck & rubble and disaster appeared to go of into infinity - - whatever direction you look, up or down a street any direction - - -it just keeps going

You get the idea - - I'm still here - - just busy - - -I'll be back though . . .charge . . .

Reid job

View - Car port - North end - 2x6x16 joists with 2x4 batten boards on top

Nashville - - makes you think

Been a long day - - Couch to 5K has been put on hold for a week - -I am in Week 8 limbo.  I am on-site in Nashville - - as a Catastrophe Insurance Adjuster . . .just like a police officer, doctor, EMT . . you would think you would get used to things . . . . .I don't have the words at this point . . . . .  Nashville, TN . .

This next one is Titan's Stadium

I heard on the radio they have found another body . . . it is interesting that I am not hearing the outcry and concern for the what many would consider the heart of rural, country America - -Nashville . .that I heard about the "cultural loss" of New Orleans and Katrina. 

More claims tomorrow . . . . . not in the mood to be chatty . . . . .We should count our blessings and kiss our baby's foreheads this evening . . .what a tough go of it these folks are having . . .

B

W7D3 complete and my Garmin info - - Thanks Dave!

Yesterday, Friday, I completed W7D3. After my totally crappy run of Wednesday, I made it a point to get up and out early. The run proved to be pretty uneventful.  It was a beautiful morning.  The route I took was pretty much through the neighborhood.  We have a couple monster hills close by  - I incorporated a few but they mostly fell within the "walking portion" of the entertainment.

Thanks to Dave's patience, I have been able to figure out how to post my Garmin stats - -so Dave, here you go

I'm still trying to figure out what I am looking at  - -what is good; what should be a red flag . . . numbers, numbers, numbers . . .

Here is a chart with some pretty colors

Last, but not least, the Google Earth version of my route

I seem to have plateaued a bit in my weight loss.  I think it is a result of a combination of things - - 1)  I am not nearly doing the exercise that I was doing the first three months of the year.  For 3 solid months I walked at least 4 miles every day, 60 minutes - -without fail - -7 days a week.  Since starting C25K, I have limited myself to only what the program calls for - - about 30 minutes of exercise - -3 days a week.  I wanted to make sure that I didn't reinjure myself (knees, shins, ankles).  That exercise plus the 100/200/200 program has been all I have been doing.  I stuck to those Rest days.  Additionally, I have become lax on my caloric intake.  I am still eating healthy, just a lot more of it - - since I have started running, I have become ravenous.  Come Monday (thanks for the phrase Jimmy B.) it will be all right.  Starting Monday - W8D1 - I am going back to bootcamp - -along with my running for the program - -after the completion of my run - I am walking another 2 miles at a 4 mph pace.  Additionally, I am going back to my Spark People Nutrition Calculator - so I can keep track of my calories.  I would like to get at least another 10 pounds off by June 12th - Possum Ridge -so I can look Ultra Svelte on race day.  I've not gained any weight - -it has just stopped coming off for like the last 2 to 3 weeks - -I have been stuck in the 258 - 260 range.  We'll see what happens . . .