thanksgiving - day sixteen.

I will openly attest to the fact that Writer's Block happens.  Sitting in my living room amidst a million distractions, I doubt I am in a prime location to attempt picking up where I left off.  Nevertheless, a fearless cheerleader, whom I will gladly label as [day eight] entered stage left a few days ago with an unexpected way of reminding me which way is up.  This might be one of the most disconnected entries ever published, but I'm hoping that a recommendation to just "bang out a couple hundred words" on the first thing that comes to mind will have eight more days of Thanksgiving hidden between the lines.  Tomorrow is a new day [day nine].

Friday morning, I boarded a plane with two of my coworkers to travel to the beautiful coast of California to embark on a November adventure!  As soon as we landed, the clouds came in for a huddle and for the next nine hours or more, buckets of rain were falling from the heavens.  With the Santa Barbara International scheduled for the next morning, the thought of running for 13.1 miles, drenched from head to toe, suddenly seemed less appealing than all the hours that were devoted to training for my fourth half marathon.  It was such a relief to wake to mostly clear skies, take in the fresh scent of eucalyptus at mile seven and gaze out over the coast for the final stretch!  When it was time to return home, I couldn't help myself but to be thankful for health and wholeness in my body, enjoyable company and another great escape that will go down in the history books [day ten]!

Everything in me wants to fast forward to feeling "caught up" on my personal assignment, so I'm resorting to a list of six of the most random things I am thankful for on this sixteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven (as a side note, today President Obama officially proclaimed November 24th as Thanksgiving Day www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/11/16/presidential-proclamation-thanksgiving-day-2011):

[day eleven].    6:00 a.m. spin class - "That's not sweat, your fat are cells CRYING!"

[day twelve].   Sorting through all of my work email after being "unplugged" for five days.

[day thirteen].  Chamomile Citrus tea.

[day fourteen].  Connecting with one of my best friends from high school who is engaged to be married in 24 days!  "Have sons, Rachel.  Have sons."

[day fifteen].  Catching up on the U COUNT trip to India.

[day sixteen].  Unlimited text messages. (This one is borrowed, without permission.)