Lumberjack with pretty feet

And the internet wins again.

This past weekend I finally did a few things that were long overdue. For one? I got a freaking pedicure!

I never do red. So mainstream of me.

It's probably been over a year since I've gotten one and, as with getting my hair cut, after I have it done and realize how much I needed it, I promise myself I'll do it more often. And then I don't.

Only time will tell.

The next thing I did that was long overdue has to do with a very large, ugly bush. Let's all get the giggles out of the way now. LARGE UGLY BUSH!

Ok, on to the story of said bush.

The first time I pulled up to my house (which wasn't mine yet) for an open house, my first thought was, "Holy crap, that large, ugly bush has got to go."

I mean, come on.

I vaguely remember asking the property manager if I could remove it and her telling me I'm not allowed. And then lately there have been break-ins in my neighborhood and what better place to hide than behind the LARGE UGLY BUSH, right? My agenda was clear: chop down the bush!

And so, saw in hand...

BOOM!

As you can see, there's still a stump there. I don't have the necessary tools to dig it out, but my brother suggested using the Jeep's 4-wheel-drive power to do it. Not surprisingly, I've already gotten an offer from a friend to do it for me...in exchange for beer. Aaaand...done.

Come spring, I plan on planting something much more aesthetically pleasing in the spot than the large, ugly bush. Suggestions welcome. Clearly, the HOA's landscaping company pretty much sucks at choosing greenery....and trimming it.

They trimmed this dude a couple months ago and left it like this.

Now, had they trimmed the large, ugly bush like this, I would have kept it.

I mean, who would burgle a house with this out front?

NO ONE!

If I don't answer, blame the flesh-eating snails

So here's the deal, kids. I'm leaving tomorrow morning to go to VA Beach for my mom until Monday. I'm not sure whether I'll have internet or not, and so I've made the decision to wait until Tuesday morning to choose my giveaway winners. (Yes, winners, plural!) So, if you haven't entered yet, go do it!

Last night I was lying in bed dead asleep and woke up to itchy legs, and feet, and, OH MY GOD MAYBE IT'S BEDBUGS. Actually, I'm pretty sure it's bug bites from chasing my dog through the woods on Monday night. I also have bruises all over my legs from Pippi jumping on me, and a rope burn from her running after something while on the rope outside. My legs have never looked sexier, I assure you.

You're welcome, momma.

Also, the outfit I went for a run in today is THE sexiest thing known to man. I like to treat the neighbors.

Didn't see me? Yeah, okay!
(The shorts have pink dots all over them)

Jeremy and Amanda decided they want to start a new flower garden. They marked out the border, and started to dig the area for the mulch. Because Jeremy is a man, and has a friend who owns a tractor, this is how he did it.

Give a man a tractor...

 So, since I'm leaving tomorrow morning around 7am for the beach, I've decided I'm getting up early to do my long run tomorrow before I leave, so that I only have to run once while at the beach (since it's really a vacation for my mom and I to spend together). It will be my first run in the dark and I'm scared shitless. If there is no post from me on Daily Mile tomorrow morning, I was eaten by a bear, or a snake, or...a snail. They can be vicious, right?

Have a wonderous weekend, my friends. If the hotel has no internets, I'll be in touch on Tuesday...with winners!

The ridiculousness of it all

Lots of things have happened between yesterday and today. This morning is where the ridiculousness occurred, but I'll begin with last night's events because, well, they came first.

I got home after the gym last night to not one, not two, but FOUR packages!

I knew that at least two of them were supplies for my etsy endeavor, but the other two were a mystery. And I like surprises!

I'm so excited that now I can run at the park with my SPIbelt and not have to leave anything in my car and hope that no one will break in and steal it (when you drive a Jeep Wrangler with a soft top, "breaking in" isn't exactly a difficult task). I'm even more excited about my Nathan Quickdraw Plus.  Now on my runs I won't have to consider knocking on strangers' doors and begging for some water. I went with the blue one, for strategic reasons. Mainly because I'm cheap. I ordered it off Amazon and the blue was the cheapest one that I could get free shipping on. The true test of my cheapness is in the fact that there was a purple option and I didn't choose it because it was like a dollar more expensive and I'd have had to pay shipping. Same with the SPIbelt.

Truth be told, if I were rich I'd own one in every color.

And also, just a side note, but does "runs" remind anyone else of diarrhea? No? Just me?

Onto the ridiculousness of this morning. I have been trying to cut down on caffeine to see if maybe it will help with the dizzies. I've been having a small cup of regular coffee in the morning and that's all the caffeine for the day. If I have a second cup or coffee after lunch, it's decaf. So this morning I poured my cup of regular coffee, fixed it up to make it delicious (sorry, Alyssa, no black coffee for me), and per our usual routine, Pippi and I went up to watch FRIENDS for 20 minutes before I got in the shower.

I set my mug down on my nightstand, reached for the remote, and knocked the entire mug of coffee onto the carpet. THE. ENTIRE. MUG! I didn't even get a sip! As per usual, I closed my eyes and shook my head at my idiot-osity. What else can you really do once the stupid thing is done? I then cleaned it up and took it as a sign that I shouldn't pour myself more.

I decided to check out the news before turning on FRIENDS and the story they were discussing was about a kid who died from playing video games. No, I'm not kidding. He sat still for so damn long, he got a blood clot and died. From playing a video game. I bet his parents are proud.

On my way to work, I stopped at Harris Teeter for lunch and snack items for the day. This was my total:

For crying out loud!

One time I was at a restaurant and the lady in front of me ended up with this total and she decided to buy something else to ward off Lucifer. I wasn't that desperate.

On a lighter note, today I am wearing opaque tights for the first time ever, with a tunic top...also for the first time. I'm feeling somewhat stylish, which doesn't happen often. I worry, however, that it's a bit scandalous. Tights aren't pants and I'm not sure that I'm wearing them legally since the shirt is a shirt and not a dress. You be the judge

Yes, I took the picture in the bathroom at
work and I'm holding the stall door closed
so it doesn't swing back and hit me. Classy.

Today is my last day or running before my rest day tomorrow, and I can't wait. I'm taking a vacation day tomorrow and sleeping in. I've been so tired this week, that I'm practically ecstatic about it.

Also yesterday I was reminded of when I was at the beach over the fourth of July week and I ran two miles straight a couple of times, without stopping to walk. Amanda was running, too, and her pace is slower than mine (and probably much more consistent). I was aware that she was behind me and so I was probably keeping a pretty regular, much better pace, than when I run alone. This told me two things: I wish she would run with me more (she hasn't ran with me since) and also, I know that I CAN keep a consistent pace and I CAN run at least two miles without walking. I feel like a bunch of doors have opened up. Lame? Probably. But it made me feel more confident.

Are you superstitious about things like the number 666?

What do you do when you've done something stupid that you can't take back?