It was the heat, AND the humidity.

We have been busy on the weekends. And work has kept me very busy during the week.

Can I just say that I do love working from home? Although I miss seeing some of the folks from time to time, I still instant message and chat and it seems like just enough. I appreciate the people I do see so much more. Instead of coming home and saying “don’t talk to me”, I am happy to get out and be social now and again.

Although working at home, there are the unique challenges….

So, where were we?

I think we are actually in August now.

We took Beta to the Big Woods in Nerstrand which was a super nice place. Very quiet and very not crowded. We were two of about 7 people in the park that day.

It was kind of humid and there was thunder later, but it was beautiful and Beta had a good time running away from us then running back. Yes, he was running. But first he was walking with Dave.

The flowers were in bloom.

I saw this weird tree thing going on.

  

I don’t know what happened there. Man made? Freak of nature?

Here’s the hidden water fall. It’s lovely, but a little dry this time of year.

I can never get enough of “sun through trees”

I could do a whole series on my “sun through trees” shots.

But likely people would want to stab their eyes out with the monotony of 1000 “sun through trees” pics. I don’t want to be responsible for that.

All in all, a lovely day. We had lunch at the campground and went home before the storm hit.

I ran another race-this time the Western Days Stampede 10 K in Chatfield.

I have run this race many times. I have had good races here, but mostly hot and tired ones.

This year was so different.

It was really cool and fairly dry and I took about two minutes off my last few times of running this damn thing.

The calm before the race.

Get ready….

Go.

and that would be all the race pictures Dave took because he got a little distracted by this-

Instead of running for 36 hours, this year I volunteered for Ragnar. I was at one of the first water stops and I have to say, it was a lot of fun. Especially when it got really hot and I looked into those sweaty red faces after the first five miles, handed them a little cup of water, and thought-huh, better you than me my friend.

Water anyone?

Nice and shady-actually cold in the AM. I had mittens on.

Nice view too--

 

But then it got hot, mittens came off, short and tee shirt put on….

See ya runners…..Sorry for your misery…..

Of course, the weather was cool and sweet up until Ragnar, the steambath race of the summer.

I volunteered for my old Ragnar team mates, some of whom formed a new team. This is one of them, Nanci, on her first leg (it was still sort of dark and cool then).

Here she comes!!

Happy to see a familiar face!

And off she went.

I got some new sewing tables which are the most fabulous things ever.

 

Of course these pictures are terrible. I say if someone is curious they need to come over and see them in PERSON. You know who you are……

That being said. I’ve barely sewn on them although I did finish up this quilt for Rosie girl.

Also not the best picture, but it’s at the quilters now so there should be a better one coming up.

Last Sunday (08/24) Cathy and I ran what was called the Mayo Healthy Human Race 1/2 Marathon.

And may I say there wasn’t much healthy about it.

It was so humid, dew point was 70. That’s Seven-tee. In case you are unfamiliar---

Dew point:
Human perception^[1]
21–24 °C
70–74 °F
Very humid, quite uncomfortable

Follow me??

Cathy and I at the start looking quite dry-calm, cool, and collected.

And 2 hours 7 minutes later-

Are we still alive? Is this hell? Where are we?

The very sad thing is that there were runners standing at the finish—not even sweating. Not even. We were like-are those the undead or what? We didn’t know but we kept clear of them, just in case.

What I did know was that finishing in those conditions in 2:07 was some sort of super human feat that really surprised me when I crossed the finish line.

I also thanked the running gods that it stayed overcast so we didn’t have the super wet air over heated with the super hot sun.

I left the race soon after because we went up to the cities to see The Book of Mormon. It was sooo good. Please go see it. It’s irreverent, a little nasty, but you know, there is a message there.

Photo bomb----Bad selfie at the BOM .

 

Beautiful Venue at the Orpheum.

Stage-we sat high up but had great seats. Only 4 across, no in and out, unobstructed view. That’s what I like.

We had a great time. I sort of wanted to go to the Fair afterwards since we were up in the cities, but when we exited BOM it was 91 degrees, steamy, and there’s no air conditioning outside. I was also a wee bit tired from the whole run/play things.

So it was off to home we went.

Busy month it’s been. We are at the end, Labor Day, and the official beginning of fall.

Happy September!

Another challenge of the workplace…….