Hi All,

Sunday, November 18th to Saturday, November 24th: 17.75 miles

I ran the usual 6 mile zoo run around the pond on Tuesday. I do this run but I really don't like the route ... it just seems uphill all the way back.

I ran my third Newark Turkey Day 5 Mile Race on Thanksgiving. It was a raw day, around 40F with a misty rain that got heavier around mile 3. I finished in 38:57, a 7:47 mile pace. I was 65th out of 151, 5th in my age group, M 50-59. Oh, I won a $5 gift card from Dunkin Donuts as a door prize.

I ate Thanksgiving dinner at a JK's house. We had turkey and stuffing (of course), sweet potato souffle, cranberry sauce, leeks and a parsnips, celery, bacon and maple syrup dish whose name escapes me. Dessert was two helpings of homemade chocolate cheesecake and coffee mocha. We also watched "License to Wed" with Robin Williams and Mandy Moore. We had a nice talk. I value her friendship. The rain during the day had turned to a light snow which I had to scrape before I went home.

I ran 6.75 miles around the neighborhood on Saturday in 55:47, a 8:16 pace. It was a beautiful sunny crisp morning. I had painted the baseboard and used my run as a reward.

I am 95% done with my bedroom. The only thing left is pull the blue tape on the floor and move the small stuff back. Next is painting the trim in the upstairs bedroom. Initially I painted the walls and baseboard the same color, antique white. Now that I see how much better white baseboards and trim look I will repaint. It shouldn't take too much effort. Next is Michael's room. I have to be done by December 21st which is when he will be home next.

Speaking of Michael, I took him back to Ithaca College today. I ran over something that looked like aluminum foil just as I got there ... well, I think it put a hole in one of my radiator hoses. I had to buy two gallons of anti-freeze to limp back home ... stopping to cool the car down every so often. It looks like a trip to the auto repair shop is in my future. Oh well.

Update: I needed a new radiator reservoir cap which only cost $12.96! Thanks, Big Mike's Auto Repair, links here and here!

Keep running, Doug

Hi All,

Sunday, November 11th to Saturday, November 17th: 12.75 miles

I only ran two times this week. Work prevented me from running on Tuesday and Wednesday so I ran after work on Wednesday. It was warm (57F) and dark so I ran 6.75 miles around the neighborhood with my reflective vest. I ran a little hard in 56:07, a 8:18 mile pace. I ran the usual 6 mile zoo run around the pond on Friday. It has turned colder.

I am painting my bedroom. I painted the ceiling and trim during the week and the walls during the weekend. I decided to try the expensive Kilz Casual Color in Airy Blue with Kilz as an undercoat. It worked very well. I almost covered the walls in one coat. I need to do one more coat, pull the rug and do the bottom trim. So I should be done by the end of next weekend. I am not taping except to do the ceiling so it is going faster.

I am watching the Bills get pounded by the Patriots 28-7 ... now, it's 56-10 with 11 minutes to go in the 4th quarter.

Keep running, Doug

Hi All,

Sunday, November 4th to Saturday, November 10th: 17.4 miles

I ran the usual 6 mile zoo run around the pond on Tuesday and Thursday. It was cold, windy and rainy on the Tuesday run. But I perserved and trudged on. I ran 5.4 miles around the neighborhood on Saturday morning. I am not really pushing on my runs, maybe 8:30 mile pace. I only wear my Forerunner on the Saturday run.

I learned that the company that I am contracted to will be getting rid of all contractors on December 28th. So besides fixing up the house I also have to find another job. After six years with this company ... what can you do?

I finished painting the right dining room hutch. I am letting it dry before I move stuff back in. I just started painting my bedroom. I put down one coat on the ceiling. It's not bad painting ... the pain in the ass is moving the furniture (bed, dresser and drawers) from one side of the room to the other. I will be working all week on painting besides working on an outside website and computer job. I plan on getting done in a couple of weeks.

Keep running, Doug

P.S. I changed the weather widget from www.wunderground.com to www.blogskinny.com/ which uses www.weatherbug.com.

Hi all,

Sunday, October 28th through Saturday, November 3rd: 17 miles

I ran 6 miles on both Tuesday and Thursday, the usual zoo run around the pond. I ran a nice 5 miles around the neighborhood on Saturday morning. It was nice, frosty and crisp ... just begging me outside to run!

I didn't do as much as I could have to the house last weekend. I lazed on Saturday. I painted the first coat of the right dining room hutch on Sunday ... in between watching the Buffalo Bills pull off an improbable three game winnning streak against the Cincinnati Bengals to get to 4-4. The next game is against the winless Miami Dolphins. Then I watched some of the "first Super Bowl in November", the undefeated New England Patriots against the undefeated Indy Colts. New England won 24-20 with a pair of late TDs.

Keep running, Doug

Happy Halloween, October 31, 2007

Hi All,

Month of October: 50.1 miles, I ran 10 out of 31 days

I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween! I sat in front on my house in a Scream mask and handed out candy to 202 kids of all ages.

Keep running, Doug