This month

June is o-v-e-r. The Summer Solstice has been and gone - it feels like

what should be a proper summer has started.

new boots

However, as I've complained before June has been wild! Tons of rain, soggy, and generally yucky weather. I have fallen in love with my hot water bottle and don't care who knows it. I finally caved and bought myself some wellingtons. They don't have the same feel as my running shoes and aren't as comfortable. But my feet are dry and that's all that counts sometimes.

decoration on canal

And I didn't get to run as much as I wanted to for the usual reasons - turns out chasing an active preschool while breast feeding 

really makes it difficult to get out of bed at 6 am. The weather has out and out sucked, leaving me with very little will to run. I hate making excuses, but sometimes they seem really valid, y'know?

sidewalk art

Another factor has been that Thomas hasn't been the healthiest of little people. He's been in and out of the hospital a number of times over the past month and I've had a difficult time organizing myself and my runs around hospital stays. T seems to be over the worst of it, he's such a happy little guy. We've had a bunch of drs appointments and have a couple more over the next couple of weeks. Hopefully everything checks out and we can head to Canada on a high note.

ain't she sweet?

For my last two runs, I ran with Emma. I realized how much I missed  running with someone the other evening when I went out with Emma (8.5 miles, thankyouverymuch) Not usually a fan of running at night - mostly because I can never quite get the whole what to east before hand right -  but Emma was going and I tagged along. Tagged being the operative word. I knew she was a powerhouse but sweet jasper! That woman can run.  I had fun and she asked me along for a second run this morning (10.5 miles). Running with someone is such great motivation - thanks, Emma! (On a side note, as we chatted about the news of the Tom Cruise / Katie Holmes divorce I realized that I remembered discussing this while running in Ottawa, summer of 2005. I obviously need a better quality of talking points.)

One change that I've made recently is cutting out the dairy products. I came to the conclusion that one of the reasons always feel so crap is that I eat a lot of dairy. So, that's gone and I'm eating a "mostly" vegan diet (occasionally eating some fish). It feels great. I find I have a lot more energy and my stomach isn't bothering me as much. Will I be able to give up seafood? I have no idea but I am seriously debating this. 

Lastly, I'm waiting for Scott Jurek's Eat and Run to show up on my door step. He's really inspiring and seems like a down to earth, nice guy. Compared to Dean Karnazes who comes across like a raging frat boy (have I ranted about Karno yet? If I haven't, I must ...). Anyhoodle, I hope to have the book in my grubby little hands by Tuesday and I am excited.

June's wrapped.