Tooting my own horn again (surprise, surprise) – in addition to completing 32 marathons in 32 different states in 2015, put my creative cap on, focused & custom-designed Christmas cards this year. AND they came out looking AWESOME!
One time a year it’s still ok to go ‘old school’ & USPS greetings to friends & family. LOVE it 🙂
-
- this year’s holiday design
-
- 4 Christmases together — this guy steals my heart
ALSO, über appreciative of my employer’s unique ways to give back each Holiday Season.
In addition to sponsoring a Company gingerbread house competition (my Team lost, ‘cause I may have bent the rules…again), this year each employee chose a charity close to their heart & dropped the name in a box near HR. After our games concluded, ALL charities were revealed & it was announced EVERY charity would receive a $100. Classy, huh?
Sometimes the ‘little guys’ do a mighty good job at getting it right. Thanks PS.
-
- company gingerbread competition
-
- disqualified for bringing secret supplies (again)
Monday November 9th – on the way to the doctor (nothing special, annual appt), old guy pulls in front of my hybrid & CRASH BOOM BAH…I’m driving a rental ‘til December. INSTA-Life change. Wasn’t intentional; no one was hurt (stiff neck for 3 days) – but dang, whatta life hassle. I go from owning a car outright to financing its replacement. Not cool.
[Point to story – don’t go to the doctor, if you’re not sick.]
Spent the next two weeks, searching for a new ride. Received a lotta great advice from fellow marathoner Heidi (weekend Maniac marathoner, weekday GM employee). Familiar sounding lifestyle, huh? (thanks again Heidi)
-
- crash boom bah — pieces everywhere
new ride: 2010 Jeep Wrangler
Saturday November 28th – despite an estimated $10k in repairs, insurance company chose to fix my 2010 Prius. Ugh, no new car 🙁 Repair timeline expectation? Week before Christmas…2 weeks after my free rental expires. Double ugh.
[Accident not my fault, holiday repair delays not my fault – super disappointing.]
Prius is paid off, sports great gas mileage but doesn’t fit my Colorado lifestyle. How many trailheads have I hiked to before actually starting my summer 14er hikes?
What to do?
[well-timed] Email spam: Black Friday financing thru Boulder Valley Credit Union (banks have Black Friday sales?) Took this as a sign. Found a 2010 Jeep on Craigslist (thanks Cliff) – odometer tick < 35,000 miles, 3 hours away in Cañon City.
Road tripped south & test drove my new ride, Saturday after Turkey Day. 4WD, 6-speed standard – gotta, hafta, wanna get this Jeep!
Sunday December 6th – Day after marathoning St Jude’s, retraced my trek south – keys in pocket…proud owner of a new (used) weekend gas guzzler. Snow treks, off-road dirt disasters – finally, a Colorado car for my Colorado lifestyle. HAPPY day!
3 months later — FINALLY, PLATES!
UPDATE (Tuesday March 15th): 3 rounds of temp tags & 3 months later (Colorado DMV title transfer bureaucracy) – FINALLY, plates. AND not just any plates – threw a few $$ bucks more to support our Armed Forces Veterans. FAAANNNTASTIC!
Another year to give thanks – grateful I lead such a blessed life.
Good health, great friends, amazing family & even more new life adventures. Completed 30+ marathons in 30+ different states this year. Marathon’d the deep South, Midwest, the Great Plains, Pacific West – then 10 weeks up & down the East Coast. Biggest pre-race adventures? orca whale watching in Washington’s San Juan Islands (seaplaned from downtown Seattle), hiked Mt Hood & Crater Lake in Oregon, zip-lined at 8800ft in Angel Fire NM. Saw soooo much FAMILY. Whatta crazy FULL year!
Shared Thanksgiving Day feast with Ash & Tom in their new home in Westminster – along with Ro & Marty (our fur babies). For this I’m most thankful. To my Blog Family: God Bless & Happy Thanksgiving 2015!
-
- busy Fall season — lot to be thankful for
-
- 50 State medal display (only 4 states to go)
-
- turkey & the fixin’s
-
- bundled for movie nite
-
- chicken in a pot, my first attempt
