Home Sweet Home

Phew, it was a long trip! There are many stories to tell and share, yet I think I will keep it short and simple:

• Driving 2,000 miles and back again is TOO far (we nicknamed the trip: "The Cuba to Canada Cruisade")! Scooter was very good in the car and he mostly slept (he has sprung back from his injury as if nothing ever happened). As for the states we covered, I can say this: Iowa -- boring, Tenessee and Kentucky -- beautiful, but filled with a few characters from "Deliverance," Illinois -- long, Georgia -- they want to sell you lots of boiled peanuts, and Florida? It feels like the blessed land now!
• We saw, literally, a hundred friends and family members. It was great to see so many people, but I feel like it was a marathon of visiting, eating, drinking, talking, and picture sharing. Every single day was busy with people to see, and it wore me out! But it was also loads of fun (had a little too much fun at my brother's b-day party -- I barfed in his kitchen sink!) and Christmas was great (lots of good loot!).
• I did my running, but failed to get the 20 in like I thought I might. Running in MN was hard for me: It was cold (although, according to Minnesotans, it was like a heat wave at 30 degrees) so the air kinda burned my lungs, it was windy, and there were hills. One day I ran 6 miles into the wind at 30 degrees (probably less with the wind chill) up and down hills; I felt as though I'd run twice that far! I have my last "long" run tomorrow -- 8 miles -- and then it's a few short ones, and the marathon is 7 days from today!! Needless to note, I am starting to get both nervous and excited (mostly nervous).

Well, I have only begun to make a dent in the unpacking and the house looks like a bomb went off, so I'd best get back to it! Hope everyone had a great holiday -- I'll read your resolutions tomorrow.