GOOD BY LINIKIN BAY

We left Maine early Saturday morning heading for Pennsylvania. Buddy had to be moved to a hospital in Portland where he received a blood transfusion. They still aren't sure what caused all the bleeding but he was released from the hospital Monday afternoon and I am happy to report that he arrived home tonight and has an appointment at his vets tomorrow.

We spent 2 days with my husbands brother and wife who live in Slippery Rock, PA. We got caught up on what everyone in the family is doing and saw pictures from their granddaughters wedding that took place this summer.

On Sunday while my husband and his brother were catching up on news I went out for a run/walk. Found a great path in the cemetery and no one was around to bother me.

On Monday Debbi and I went for a fast walk and I showed her my new trail. I'm not so sure she liked walking among the head stones.

This morning we headed back out on the road and are spending the night in Bowling Green, KY, tomorrow we hope to make it home, will take about 12 hours driving time.

SAY A PRAYER FOR BUDDY

Meet Buddy, the cutest little Westie. He got to come to Maine this year and was having a great time enjoying the cool temps, fresh sea air and all the attention from everyone.

Wednesday he started not feeling so good and by Thursday morning it wasn't good. He had blood coming from his mouth. A visit to the vet confirmed it was an infection from a tooth and he was sent home with antibiotics and pain medication.

Thursday night things got worse and he returned to the vet on Friday morning. They said he was bleeding internally and it was either rat poison or and immune disorder.It turned out to be the disorder.

He is stabilized and at the vets while they run more test. He won't be able to travel home for at least two more days.

If your reading this say a prayer for Buddy, he's the cutest little Westie you ever met.

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS AND BIRTHDAYS

After a day of heavy rain all of yesterday I awoke to the sun shinning and temperature around 65. I was going to make the Best ever blueberry muffin that I had printed out from the King Arthur Flour web site. Everyone was still asleep while i was busy baking in the kitchen. By the time the muffins were coming out of the oven the gang was up. We put a candle in one and sang Happy Birthday to Joanne. Oh, and they are the best ever blueberry muffins!

Boot camp was the next thing on my agenda. My sister and I headed out to the drive to set up our last one. We did shoulders, squats, back, legs and push ups. We also ran the hill between exercise.

Tonight we are having our final lobster dinner, Henry is bringing us 12 lobsters.

HERE WE GO AGAIN

This morning the sun was shinning and the temperature was around 64. I needed to get a run in because yesterday my husband and I went to Freeport to shop. There was a new trail that i wanted to try it took me through a path in the woods and then out on a road and then through some more woods and back to the street. I wished I'd put some money in my pocket because it went past the general store and I could have bought a warm cinnamon roll.

When I got back my sister was waiting to do boot camp. We set up 4 different exercises and in between we ran up the hill and back.

After showering the group went in to town to get lunch. Of course we all had something with lobster.

SUNDAY BOOT CAMP

This is our third boot camp for the week. It's been hard trying to keep a variety of exercises with the equipment I have. Today we did triceps dip using the back of the car, chest fly with the elastic cord and the fence post, abs using the Swiss ball, kettle ball for shoulders and back using a rubber loop. In between each exercise we run up the hill and back.

The weather here has been perfect for working out, this morning it was around 65 and overcast.

Last night we went out for dinner and once again had lobster of some kind. I ordered the lobster BLT with sweet potato fries. It seems like we manage to eat lobster at least once a day.

ANOTHER GOOD RUN

The temperature was 59 when I got up this morning, a little too cool for me to start running. I made some coffee and had a blueberry crumb bar and then when it was around 64 took off.

I stay back in Bayville because the main road is busy. Today I even ran up the hiking trail a bit to see how it was. I have to be careful because there are a lot of roots and stones on the trail and I sure wouldn't want to trip.

My husband passed me in the car, he was returning from his morning drive to get the paper. When I was heading back to the cottage he was waiting across from the post office to get my picture. That little building behind me is the post office for Bayville.

MORE THAN WILD BLUEBERRIES IN MAINE

Last night we had a big lobster fest and cooked 15 lobsters down on the rocks. Later in the evening some got dressed in costumes and we had some dancing and singing.

This morning was beautiful, I got out and ran a little over 2 miles and then my sister and I set up boot camp. We did biceps, delts. abs. push ups and reverse lunges with weights. The weather was a perfect temperature to be out side working out.

I have a pan of blueberry crumb bars in the oven and Joanne is making us meat loaf and mashed potatoes along with home made potato rolls for dinner.

YUMMY LOBSTERS

I think I have had lobster every day since we arrived. As Rachel Ray would say Yummo!

This morning I was up early, the temperature was 59, perfect running weather. I made coffee and after my first cup with a banana I got ready to go run. I am staying in the one area to run, a little afraid to go out on the main highway. I remember the year that Steven King got hit by a car while walking along side the highway. So anyways I just keep running in circles around this little area. There are several steep hills that challenge me so I don't get bored. By the time I was finished the sweat was dripping. Did 4 miles.

MAINE BOOT CAMP

Yesterday was cloudy and cool but I went out and did 3 miles on the hilly streets of Bayville. Came back to the cottage and was going to do laundry only to discover that the power was off for the whole area. Later in the day Henry was going to be delivering 12 lobsters so we were hoping we'd have power by then, which we did.

This morning the sun was shinning and a cool breeze was coming in off the bay. I told my sister I was going for a mile warm up and then we would set up boot camp. We had 5 stations set up and did 3 sets of 10 reps. In between each exercise we ran up the road behind us and back down. We also did 15 sit ups on the ball.

ARRIVED

We were up at 5:30 and leaving the hotel at 6:45 in the morning. Crossed into New York and then an hour later into Connecticut. The weather was sunny and in the 70's and the traffic was light. Next state was Massachusetts and then New Hampshire where we stopped at the liquor store and stocked up on some wines. Finally we were in Maine and headed for our final stop in Bayville. The ladies were out shopping when we arrived but soon returned home.

Dinner was a pork roast with delicious macaroni and fresh tomatoes from Joanne's garden. And for dessert, a fresh baked peach pie.

This morning I awoke to the sound of rain so delayed my workout and run. The temperature wa 65 and breezey. We are all enjoying this cool weather.

ROAD TRIP DAY 3

Pulled out of Bristol and headed north to Virginia. Took about 5 hours to get through then we had a short bit in West Virginia. Stopped at a welcome center and I had to rummage through my suitcase to find my fleece. Was I complaining about the cool weather. Shut my mouth. Next state to mark off was Maryland and then we were headed north into Pennsylvania with a stop for the night in Stranton.

When we checked in I asked about the fitness center and oops, they are remodeling it so for now it is closed. Guess I will take the day off and we can get an earlier start for the final 500 miles to Maine.

ROAD TRIP DAY 2

Left Little Rock at 9 and headed for Tennessee. Most of the trip the traffic was light but there were some spots with construction and then you come to a crawl. We were at Knoxville around 7 Eastern time and my husband said he felt good enough to go on. So this morning I woke up in Bristol,TN which shares a main street with Bristol,VA. That's kind of cool.

I was up at 6 and didn't feel like going to the exercise room but it beat sitting in my room while someone is sleeping. I headed down and was a bit disappointed after the nice exercise room I had yesterday. There was a treadmill, stair climber and bike. There was this girl on the bike who said she couldn't get the treadmill to work. Oh great, I thought. I climbed on and got it going, did 1.50 miles. You know how I hate the treadmill.

Today we're hoping to make 500 miles. We''ll see, we're in the East and traffic is heavier.

ROAD TRIP

Yesterday we headed out for our trip to Maine around 3 in the afternoon. Our goal was to get to North Little Rock for the night. Happy to say we made it.

This morning I was up around 4 and trust me there is nothing to do in a Hampton Inn at that hour of the morning. I had to wait until six before I could use the exercise room.

I was pleasantly surprised when I got down to workout how much nice equipment they had for such a small space. There was this Total Body Workout machine that had illustrated instructions for using it. There were also medicine balls and a Swiss ball along with treadmill, elliptical and bike. Perfect!

I did a mile running on the treadmill and then switched to the machine. Worked biceps, chest, back, delts. I figured I was getting a good workout, maybe not quite as hard as at boot camp but I was sweating.

TABATA

Next week I'll be making blueberry muffins for breakfast and enjoying them out on the porch.

I finally got it straight what they do at boot camp, it's TABATA! Today Heidi had us doing this for part of our workout. I asked her how you spelled it and then came home and looked it up. Here's what it is.

A Tabata workout (also called a Tabata sequence) is an interval training cycle of 20 seconds of maximum intensity exercise, followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated without pause 8 times for a total of four minutes

It felt good to get a workout in especially since I will be in a car four 4 days.

NEXT WEEK

This time next week I'll be enjoying some delicious Maine lobster pulled out of the bay by Henry the lobster man.
Today I felt like a lobster, my run was very humid and hot even though I went out early.

I stayed on the trails and made sure I stopped at the water fountains and sipped the warm water. I managed 5.20 miles.

GOT THE WORD

This week my husband saw the Dr. and we were given the okay to travel, so later this week we will be heading for Maine and hopefully cooler weather.
This morning I needed to get out on the trails and get some miles in. It was early but much cooler than when the sun is up. We are expected to reach 105 today! I took the usual trail but added another street to give me 5.29 miles.
There are about 100 days until the Women's Half Marathon in St. Pete, Fla and I need to start thinking about a training plan. I'd like to get under 3 hours.
Christy and I did Wed. and Fridays boot camp. Wednesday was cardio and she had us doing 40 sec on 20 secs off for 4 minutes. It doesn't sound bad but it is.
Friday was pull exercises, my favorite was working on pull ups. I can do 2 but would like to be able to do ten.We'll see.

MY RUN

No breeze

Sore knees

Sweat dripping

Glasses slipping

Hot feet

I'm beat

Miles run

4.70 done

KEEPING UP

I convinced Christy that she should go to boot camp with me this morning. At first she was having none of it but then a talk with Jenny changed her mind.

Shayla was back and she put us through a routine similar to Friday's , here it is:

15 Reps x 5
Dumbbell squats with shoulder press
push ups
roll ups

15 Reps x 3
leg press
bench dips with legs on stability ball
dumbbell reverse lunge
incline dumbbell press
leg extensions


Christy did great in keeping up with the ladies and liked it so much she is going to go on Wednesday!