San Fransisco Trip #3

 How will I ever keep track of how many times I fly to San Fran?  Is this really the best way?  Well I decided to surprise Stephen and fly early to see him.  I just earned my A-list status on Southwest and I wanted to test out the free standby option.  I went on my bike ride and then went home and packed.  I thought I had a lot of time, but I ran out of time really quickly.  I needed to get my standby ticket one hour before the flight.  Well, I though the plane left at 11:20.  It left at 11:10.  I left my house at 10:00!!  It takes 20 minutes to get the airport.  So I figured it was all in vain.  Right as I was about to leave my dad jumped on the phone with wells fargo and Striker peed in my room. I left the door open for a total of 3 minutes and we walked right in and peed!!  So freaking frustrating.  So I had Nolen clean up the dog pee as I grabbed my dad and we drove quickly to the airport.  I didn't include time to stand at the help desk for 20 minutes and I didn't include time to run all the way back to the back of the terminal to get my ticket.  BUT I MADE IT!!  It was a miracle!!  

I landed in Burbank and left Stephen a Marco Polo that said, "Surprise!  I'm one hour away from seeing you!"  I think he was genuinely surprised and happy.   However, I sat on the tarmack for an hour after I landed so that sucked!  

 Friday, I woke up early and ran 15 miles on Sawyer Camp trail.  I finally got to run the way I had planned a few weeks ago.  OH MY GOD! It was stunning.  No words can describe how beautiful that trail is to me!  I love it.  There are pay phones, bathrooms, drinking fountains, and garbage cans all along the route.  It was tough but I made it.  I did a little weight lifting workout and then showered.  That nearly took the whole time while Stephen was at work.  He came home and we got pizza and foot massages.  It was the perfect Friday!

 Saturday we went on a hike near Muir Woods.  I learned that day that you have to have a reservation to park in Muir woods so we had to park just outside the park and do a totally different unplanned hike that lead us down to the beach.  We missed the trail and went off course for 2 miles so we ended up hiking 10 miles instead of 6.  I was actually really tired after running 15 miles the day before so I was grumpy and Stephen had to put up with my bad attitude.  And to be honest, this back and forth is WAY harder than I ever thought it would be.  What's hard??  Well the hardest part is being away from Stephen.  And the hardest part is being away from my amazing boys.  I want to parent them. I want to be in two places at once.  It is SO HARD!  I feel so torn apart.  I miss Stephen when I'm home and I miss my boys when I am in San Fran.  So what can be done.  Tear myself apart and be in two places at once?  It is extremely difficult.  After hour hike we got a good burger and headed home to sleep.

 Sunday we went shopping at the mall south of Stephen's house.  We stopped at Uniclo and bought a new iphone for me!!  YAY!! Better photos!!  It was a big purchase, but I am glad we did it.  I needed a new phone.  This phone batter lasts all day.  Monday, I ran 10 miles on the same Sawyer Camp Trail and cleaned Stephen's apartment.  He came home from work and we just ate dinner and watched movies.  It was a perfect trip.  I left Tuesday morning again really early to see my boys and work.  

 

Happy Birthday to my Dad!

 This week will always be hard.  Forever.  Moving forward this week will set as a reminder the day my mom died.  I will never forget walking down the stairs knowing she was going to die any minute.  I will never forget holding her hand as she died.  I will never forget the moment she stopped breathing.  I love her.  I miss her.  I love her.  I miss her.  She was so good to me. I didn't deserve a mother like her.  She was so unconditional to me.  She loved me.  No, she wasn't perfect, but she was perfect for me.  I love her.  To the ends of the universe and back a million times over.  I love her.  To remember her, we went for ice cream and talked about our memories of her.  

 

This week is also my Dad's birthday.  He turned 75 on Friday!  I love my dad.  Ooof!  He is taking care of me right now. I am so fucking lucky to have him in my life.  Like really!!  I am so blessed!!  I acknowledge that not everyone gets a dad like mine.  BUT I hit the jackpot.  I had an amazing childhood because he worked so hard.  I love him.  We went to eat at Red Robin.  I learned that we could make a reservation that day.  I should have.  Life lessons.  I bought a cake to eat with him, but everyone was full from dinner so it melted and I threw it away.  HA!  

We bought my dad a pickle ball set and played later that week. It was pretty fun. I hope Nolen and my Dad can do it every week.   

After dinner with my dad I went out dancing with my friends to an 80's club downtown.  It was such a fun night.  It had been raining a lot so I was prepared to get soaked but the rain let up a bit.  We stayed out until 2 AM.  It was a memorable night.  

ALSO, this week, I took the boys to get updated on their shots.  Last time I took the boys in to After Hours Pediatrics they gave Nolen and expired shot.  Well that was when he was 12.  So MISTAKE!  I waited until now to renew the expired shots.  These nurses and doctors DO NOT KEEP good notes!  They are awful, but I thought, sure, lets give them one more chance.  Well that was a mistake.  Edward went first and got three shots.  Two of which I am pretty sure he already got.  As soon as he got the HPV shot he said, "My stomach really hurts".  The nurse did the other two shots and then Edward came and sat by me.  He started breathing REALLY hard.  Nolen got up on the table and as the nurse is prepping the shots, EDWARD PASSES OUT!!!!  His eyes rolled back in his head and starts shaking a bit. I catch him and scream, "HE'S HAVING A REACTION TO THE SHOT!!!!"  No one hurries.  The nurse walks over, makes sure he is still breathing as I say, "Edward, Edward, are you ok? Are you going to barf?"  I leaned his head forward just in case!  The nurse walks out to get the doctor.  They were SO SLOW!! Considering I was panicking!  They walked in as Edward was waking up.  They gave him water, gave Nolen his shots, and sent us on our way.  Ugh!  What a joke!  NEVER AGAIN!  But now they are caught up on their shots.   

 

San Fransico Trip #2

 I'm not even sure how to title these trips.  I will be going back and forth between Albuquerque and San Fransisco all year.  This was my second trip.  My first trip was when I drove out to the California coast with Stephen in August.  So, do I just title them all, "San Fran"?  HA!? Who even knows.  I asked Stephen for weeks what he wants to do when I come and he has said he wants to do a lot of things but I also think, when the weekend comes he is out of motivation.  Stephen planned a hike and we just sort of hung out around his apartment.  It was great.  

 

I am training for a long race and I have been trying to build up my miles.  My first time exploring where to run in the city left me a little sad.  The neighborhoods are hilly and the stop lights are tedious.  I had sort of planned on running to Golden Gate Park.  It was 13 miles away.  Then my plan was to take an Uber home or ride the bart home.  Well after a lot of route planning, I decided to take the trail west of Stephen's place.  That was my best bet.  It was supposed to be open after being closed for a week so I ran up "Hillcrest" which ended up being a mile and half of STRAIGHT uphill!  I got to the bike path and it was CLOSED!  I was so disappointed.  I wasn't sure where to go from there.  I had planned a 13 mile run that day and I was only a mile in!  Then I saw another part of the trail and decided to follow it.  It was a dirt trail for about a mile and then the bike path returned!!  It was awesome.  I followed that trail for about 4 miles and then turned around at the end of the trail and ran home.  It is a BEAUTIFUL TRAIL!  There is nothing like that in Albuquerque.  We have the Bosque and its gorgeous but this trail has lake views and wildlife everywhere.  The trail is gorgeous as the fog starts to rise in the mid morning.  I think it is called Sawyer Creek Trail?   

Saturday we went for a hike near Stephen's house.  It was a long two miles straight up again!!  We hiked to a dead end and then started looking for another trail to follow.  We then drove down to Half Moon bay and walked around the beach.  We grabbed lunch at a fresh sea food place.  It was yummy!  We did about 6 miles that day and then went home.   

 

Sunday we took the BART to Golden Gate Park and walked around it and then walked up to Golden Gate Bridge!  It was gorgeous!!  Seriously.  We walked about 8 miles that day.  We took an Uber home after crossing the bridge and taking in the views.  It was a full weekend of miles after miles on my feet!  We really had a great time exploring the city.  I flew home early Tuesday morning in order to make it back for my lesson and to help my boys with what ever they need.  I am really lucky my dad is here to help me.  There is no way I could do it with out him.  He went to a wedding this weekend and visited my Mom's grave.  I miss her.   

Our first time riding in a WAYMO!!!