LABOR DAY WEEKEND.....it was a busy one!

 

Did you have a big Labor Day Weekend?

Mine was full. . . and could have been even fuller had my buddy Bonnie not been visited by a respiratory bug that sidelined her for the holiday.

These photos show where we were a year ago last Thursday. . . at a flea market!

Yes, Bonnie and I were planning on attending again this year, but cancelled because she was sick. 

 

I'm sorry she felt horrible, but we probably should not have gone anyway. . .the temperatures were up near 100.  Last year, we shopped in the rain . . . and it was lots cooler. . . but pretty muddy!

 

Something else we always do together on Labor Day Weekend is visit the local festival that goes on around our historic square in Independence.  It's called Santa Cali Gon Days.

We always gripe about how it's not as good as it used to be, but we still head up there....just in case something great is waiting for us!  :)

I took this photo last year when Bonnie and I arrived. . . .first thing on the opening day.  You can see it wasn't too packed at that point.  That's why we always go super early....to avoid the massive crowds that come later in the day and every day through Labor Day.

 

 

 

 

Since Bonnie was still sick, I decided to go check out the craft tents.  You can see that many of the vendors were still setting up, but most have learned that the "hard core shoppers" get there early and they should be ready for business a couple of hours before the "official" opening!  :)

See how lonely I looked. . . shopping all by myself!  :(  Meeeeeee and my shaaaadow. . . . .

 

 That night, my husband and I had planned on attending The Irish Fest.  These photos are from last year's event.  

However, it was still crazy hot on Friday night, so we decided to wait and hit it on Saturday evening. . .

after we attended the second birthday party of our little great niece!

Unfortunately, the heavens opened up and it poured buckets and buckets of rain, so we skipped the festival this year.  :(

BUT. . . the rain was a welcome sight because it brought in a COLD FRONT that is still going on as I type this some three days later!

I sure wish we could send some of our amazing weather to Texas and Oklahoma. 

 

Oh, and because I was entered in a 5K Labor Day Run, I started "carb loading" on Saturday morning!  Carb loading is my favorite part of running!!!  It gives me a legitimate excuse to enjoy one of my favorite food groups..."carbs".  OK....I know carbs are not really a food group, but they are still my favorite foods.

This was my "lunch" on Sunday after church....a cranberry, nut, wheat germ pancake!  SOOO deliciously carbohydrated.

 

 

On Sunday afternoon, my daughter and I headed back to Santa-Cali-Gon Days.  I like this shadow photo much better!

I have to say I have not taken her to this event since she was about 2 years old.  We went there with my brother and sister in law and their two kiddos....we took our two kiddos.  The cousins were five, four, three and two.  It was horrible.

But this time, it was wonderful to be there with her!  :) 

 

And now this was a shot of the crowd around the historic court house on that day. . . .THOUSANDS of folks!  It was almost too much for me.

I was being a real pain to my daughter.....whining about how hard it was to make our way through the crowds, when we spotted the FUNNEL CAKE BOOTH.

YAY!  Another carb loading opportunity!!!

 

While we had to wait quite a while for our funnel cake, because the line was sooooooo long with others who were also anxious to carb load, it was soooooo worth it!

 

 

There were about 7 or 8 huge craft tents at the festival.  On Sunday afternoon, they were PACKED with shoppers.  There was no way I was going to go through them....I'd already done that early Friday and my girl had zero interest in doing that, but she would have if I said I wanted to look.  :)

 

That evening, we grilled steaks and I continued my carb loading with awesome twice baked potatoes!!  After all, the 5K was the next morning!

 

 

Besides the activities mentioned, I checked on my friend's cat while they were out of town over the extended holiday.  

He got friendlier as the days went by!  I also bribed him with kitty treats.  :)   Just call me the "Cat Whisperer"......meeeeeooooow!

 

Another place I went on Saturday afternoon was a funeral.  It was that of the mom of one of my best friends in high school.

I am so glad I did make the effort to attend, even though it meant I was driving, driving, driving that day from one thing to another.  

She was a very important figure in my high school years. . . always opening her house to me when I needed a place to stay after school or over night.  I lived 12 miles from the town where my school was located.  It wasn't easy for my parents to pick me up after school events, so she kindly let me join her family whenever I needed to.

Plus her daughter and I were very close during high school.  Sadly, we drifted apart over the years....she moved to another state and I left that rural area and rarely saw anyone I went to school with.

On Saturday, at the funeral, I had the honor of visiting for awhile with that friend and three others.  The last time  I saw them was three years ago when another high school friend had died.  At that time, we vowed we'd get together and not wait to see each other at such sad times.

We didn't follow through with those plans.

I hope we do this time.  We're all in our mid sixties.  What on earth are we waiting for?

 

OK...so bright and early on Labor Day morning, I ate a banana and a piece of whole wheat toast.....carb loading to the bitter end.

I  put on my running clothes and shoes and. . . .

 

 participated in my first every Labor Day 5K run!!!

It was the perfect day. . . cool and clear and the course was FLAT!!!

I will share more about that fun experience in a couple of days.

I can't believe that I just started running a year ago and have now participated in six 5K runs.  It's something I'm very proud of. . . and so is my doctor.  In fact, when I went to his office today to  review my recent lab report, I was THRILLED to see that my over all cholesterol level had dropped 30 points since February.  I was a really bad girl over the holidays.  I've backed off the sweets and was able to get back to my running as well as taking a couple of great classes at our gym each week that are big in cardio exercise, strength, balance and core work!!

*I'm in my mid-sixties.

*I am a runner.

*Push ups are still a challenge, but I can jump rope. . . and I don't mean "skipping" rope....I mean JUMPING rope!  :)

*I love to carb load!  :)

DANA

Comments

[Sandy Blaxland]

Happy belated Birthday.

And just where is that recipe for those awesome sounding pancakes? You really should share it -- especially as I'm not drooling on my keyboard after all the food you showed me!

[Sandy Blaxland]

Oh my goodness! It's not your birthday breakfast. While I was reading that, I was thinking about my own birthday next month! Duh!

Happy 5K Labour Day Run!

[Ceekay]

It is fantastic that you are running in races like you do. I totally understand not doing some things because their are too many people or it is too hot. I think that comes naturally with age. Not saying it is a good thing...just it is the way it is sometimes. Hope Bonnie is feeling better.

[Nan]

Loved your post. You are doing wonderful to take all this up in your 60's. Dana Dana carb loading is out! Haven't you heard out there? Personally I do not eat any of those foods and have so much energy without any low blood sugar bouts I used to get from carbs. They make your body over produce insulin. Running helps you a lot get by the storing up of fat part caused by carb eating. I'm sure you must have picked up on what I eat reading my blog from time to time. It's not all that popular with carb lovers but it's all real food: meats, vegetables, eggs, nuts, and fruits.
Well enough of that preachy preachy sorry I do hope you get together with those friends of yours as time is flying by the older we get it moves at lightening speed it seems. How did my youngest grandson start college this semester he's that old where did all the time go ??

[pat h]

What a great weekend! Hope Bonnie, is better. Gary sister was in town we had a nice quiet weekend. Don't you just love this weather??? Take care Pat

[Anne Fannie]

Hope your friend Bonnie is feeling better. Looks like she missed out on some great things! Wow, look at your running! You go girl!
Hugs, Ann

[jeanne]

Good morning Dana, I love this post today. I too love carbs but the good thing is my cholesterol has never been high. I do have to watch my sugar level. Diabetes runs through my family and I fight to keep my sugar down. The one thing I can NEVER eat is funnel cake or donuts. I start getting hot flashes and feeling terrible. Grease and sugar is not a good thing for me to eat. If I watch those two things, I never have hot flashes.

Your post about the market was fun to read. I know being with your daughter was a special day. I am sure I would love to go to Santa-Cali-Gon Days. The one thing I would not enjoy is a huge crowd of people. I would definitely be early. I hope Bonnie is on the mend by now. Since you were rained out of 'The Irish Fest' this year, you saved some bucks for another day.

I'm sorry about your friend's mom. I haven't been to see any of my high school friends for quite a few years. I missed our 50th reunion as well. I hope you do see your old friends for a happier time frame.

I am very proud of your running too Dana. Jumping rope, not me. You go girl.

You should find the basket Dana. It is so pretty. The handle's broke on mine too. Diana never lifts her basket by the handles because of what happened to mine.

I better get going this morning. Enjoy the cooler weather. We are have a cool spell too.
Love, Jeanne