So, started running just over two weeks ago. My first run was for 1.2 miles in 32 minutes. I was quite pleased :) I didn't think I could go a mile! It's actually run/walk couch potato to 5k in 8 weeks program. My CP Partner, and now my running partner :D, and I are doing it in 16 weeks. I caught her at the tail end of week one so mine will be 15 weeks. But this gives me time to strengthen my lungs, which is working!

Yesterday, I did 2.4 miles in 30.34 minutes :)) I thought I'd plateaued at 2.2 which I'd done by 3rd run (I've done 7 runs, 3 of them 2.2 miles) Quite pleased. I also dragged my 11yo along. He did about 1.3 miles :) I run about 1/2 mile from house and back, then run the rest on the block next to my house. Drives the dogs crazy :)

I've been supplementing my running with walks, sometimes at places like costco, sometimes at a park with the kids, whatever it takes, to get a little walking in. I'm also doing pretty hard core yard work. I have to move and condition my soil before planting. So, on top of the planting, I have to shovel dirt, carry heavy bags, rototill, etc. After planting, there's the upkeep of weeding, watering, fertilizing, and squeeing over the seedlings popping through :D

I'm digging a fire pit (one of the places I'm getting dirt from for the low areas) and taking ashes off of old fire area which has built up to a hill, which I'm using to help condition the soil as well. In some places in my yard, not even weeds are growing. Sawdust and ash and potting soil :) Wish I could afford peat moss. Sigh. But it's a start and it's what I've been doing and the area that has gotten treatment both years, was rich this year :D I'm getting somewhere YAY!!

My 8yo is my garden partner, although lately, he's more interested in playing games, but he helped plant the garlic :) and he's helped in other areas. It's so much fun seeing all the plants in our yard :) It's the most I've seen in this yard in years. There were some major flooding of the canal near us about 7 years ago? I'm not sure of the exact time, but it destroyed the grass. Ever since, the yard has slowly deterioated. But now, NOW, I've taken it back! LOL with the help of my kids. My husband, with my help and some from Patrick when I'm busy, (and even a little from Josh when it was first started ') is putting up our fence! He did like 50 ft yesterday  :) The hardest part is digging holes (which the neighbor helped do one yesterday LOL) which I've been helping with the most. We're over halway done. It's hard cuz we can only do it on Nate's days off. But it looks incredible!!

I just had an epiphany. One of my sick boys called me (yes, this will round it out to all three, the 3yo having passed it along and sharing so nice ;P) as I left the room, one of my almost finished paintings caught my eye. As I was writing the post, I'd intended on mentioning how I'm editing since my writing creativity has been hard to find lately. I don't let that stop me, hence the editing. It's actually a good time to edit for grammar.

However, as I stared at that unfinished painting my brain went, "Doh!" See, I've not been paying attention to the painter in me SCREAMING for release. I've only a few canvases and I'm afraid of being out completely. An artist friend, awesome painter Russ Potak, told me that is the wrong way! Paint, paint, paint. Use paper, etc. I'd listened and thought I would soon as I could. Instead, I need to just do it. It's what's holding up my writing side. I've already discovered that the one suffers if I don't do the other. Today would be good day to paint as I'm not feeling great and the boys aren't feeling great. No hardwork allowed today. We'll see if I can get things set up.

Maybe I'll just draw. Oil paints doesn't lend itself well to paper. At. All. Whatever. I need to do something for that part of me so I can replenish and refuel. I know better. Grrr. Wonder how many thousands of words have been balled up because I didn't release my screaming painter? LOL

How many of you do that? Know you need to do something for best results (ie rest, sleep, etc) but don't cuz you have too much to do? We all need to remember to rest our brains the way they need it or our creativity suffers for it :)

I know, I forgot.

I forgot to blog yesterday. However, my goal is 3-5x a week, so I'm still good. I finished the first installment of the Traincoach of Death series (a mystery). It'll need editing, I'm sure, but I love the new world. Imagine if Great Britian won the Revolutionary War, or it would be known as the American Rebellion :D or some such thing. things would progress similarly as they took over this part, but maybe they would have conquered Mexico? I don't know. I haven't decided how far reaching they are in my alternate world. But one thing that's changed...We never made cars. It's all by rail or horses. But we have personal rail cars, called Traincoaches, which work much like our vehicles of today, except they run on rails.

I've been quite fascinated with it, ever since I had a dream set in such a world. I hope others are as fascinated as I am :D Now, I'm getting down and serious on finishing up Dangerous Journey (fantasy set in the world of Splintered Lands, as I've mentioned ad naseum lol)  :D Hopefully before the next set of edits on my paranormal romance, The Ulfric's Mate, get's back to me, or the Barely There edits from the anthology Ravaged, comes back to me.

Oh dear, have I confused you yet? LOL Yes, I have a TON of writing going on, and the best part? ALL of it is paid writing gigs :D *dances* *looks around* Ahem, excuse me, I'm just a bit excited over the whole thing! lol However, this pantster had to put her foot in the door of a plotter (I used to work in an office, I do know HOW to organize) and make files for everything (thank God we have a filing cabinet in the house now!) and make character cards, labeling the series and books each character has appeared in. *Shudder*

It was necessary.

In other news, we've been rearranging things and I'm going to have a painting space again :) I'm so excited I can barely keep the squeees from coming out LOL I've said it before, but I need to paint AND write. One helps the other. They are simbiotic with me. If I don't do both, they both suffer for it. I've been living vicariously through my good artist friend Russ Potak (who really is amazing. I may try to get him to interview here for me someday. I'm in love with his work. I can't get enough of it :) and looking at other art things when I can. As my old professor used to say: YOU CANNOT CREATE IN A VACCUUM!

Okay, soap box done for the day. I won't even go on about how that applies to writers as well and the need to READ...Oh wait, I just did *G* Consider it my PSA for the day.

Now, off to do more writing, reading, and organizing while dreaming about painting!