Power, no power, power, no power

I think I could live without power if I HAD TO. I think I could live without always having tv and computer and stuff at home..... as long as I still had access at work. :) What I cannot live without is air conditioning in the city of Houston in a home that has windows painted shut, and even if they weren't, has no screens to keep out the scores of bugs trying to take up residence with us. Sharing a bed upstairs with a big guy when the temp is 85 degrees inside doesn't lead to a restful nights sleep.

We made the most of our situation. Lots of eating out, lots of drinking red wine outside until it became dark, playing cards, taking baths by candle/flashlight, counting change (yes, we actually counted and rolled tons and tons of change), hanging out with neighbors (one of the best parts of having no power-- new friends who don't have power either!), and talking. We live in a world where we are so distracted by technology that we can forget the simple pleasures of conversation with loved ones.

Well, even though I think I could live without power, I definitely didn't mind when it came back on Saturday afternoon. D and I had taken adorable niece Ann-Marie out to lunch and to play for the afternoon to get out of the sweltering house. We got the phone call around 3pm that the power had returned, and it was awesome, awesome news. D told me that if I chose to be more excited about that announcement than our engagement, it was okay. He would understand.

We celebrated by buying several bottles of champagne and drinking in our air conditioned home. I wish I could have physically hugged my power. I will never take it for granted again. Saturday night, I shot straight up in bed while sleeping, because I had a nightmare the power went out again. I kept looking up to see if the ceiling fan was still spinning, and I was able to release a sigh of relief when I saw it was. Sunday and Monday were spent relishing our once-again pleasant home, doing laundry, cleaning.... all those thing you neglect during a power outage. I was getting used to being back to normal again when tragedy struck.

We lost power on Tuesday afternoon. I literally felt like I had been punched in the gut, dumped, spat on, and then rolled in dirt. I almost cried. I was sure that since we lost it after getting it back, it would be months before it was restored again. They are projecting some people without power now won't get it back until NOVEMBER. Wow. It just felt so cruel to give it back to us for a couple of days and then take it away. Everyone I have spoken to has agreed that is worse than never getting it back at all.

Well, this story has a happy ending. Apparently, the AT&T guys were working on some telephone poles and accidentally knocked out the power to our block. My very..... feisty neighbor saw them out here window and went out to give them a piece of her mind. They assured her it would be fixed before the evening was over, and sure enough, it was. Power, I will never, ever take you for granted, I will love you and hug you, and treat you like the glorious being that you are forever!

So, that's the power situation. I still have some friends without power, and I openly welcome them to use our home to their hearts' content.

So, in running news, our Saturday run went on. We did 5.5 miles, and it was really strange showing up at 6:30am when it was still dark, and having Memorial Park be almost completely dark since power had not been restored to the street lamps. We left the park for our run, and I am excited that I was able to do the first almost 3 miles without stopping. We took a water break, and the rest of the run back was a bit harder for me. I struggle after the first time I walk in a run, and I need to work on that. I am also having terrible lower back pain. It's just on my left side, but it really got to me by the second half of the run. I did a walk/jog, but I did jog more than I walked, which felt good. Next up is 6 miles, and I'm curious to see how I can do. I've been giving my back a few days rest, because the last thing I want is any injury getting in the way of me completing this event!

Fundraising has been going awesome, so many thanks to everyone that has donated, and much time is left for anyone who still wants to!

My City

My city has been battered and bruised. Hurricane Ike made it's way through the Texas Gulf Coast and has left its citizens to deal with the destruction left in it's wake.

In a lot of respects, we here in Houston are lucky. It could have been a lot worse. Galveston was not so lucky. It is going to be a long time before they are able to get that city up and running again. Flooding, wind damage, fire..... all of those things destroyed an island that is a second home to many Houstoneans, a first home to lots of people, and a special place for even more.

Driving around Houston, you can see the signs that the hurricane went through here. Downed power lines, torn up billboards, uprooted trees, destroyed fences, blown out windows, business closed and boarded up, hours long lines at the gas stations that are open.... it's almost eery that a city that is so alive and bustling all the time is operating at half speed.

I miss power. Pretending to be like our pioneering ancestors was fun for about the first 5 minutes, and then you realize all that you don't have when you don't have power. No fridge, no stove, no oven, no washing machine, no television, no internet, no dvd players, no lights, no AIR CONDITIONING. However, we do have running water, and we do have a home, so all in all I consider us lucky. D and I played cards by candlelight last night. We may be doing that for up to a month, depending on when power is restored.

Please keep Houston, Galveston, and all the communities devastated by Hurricane Ike in your thoughts and prayers. It is going to take some time to get back up on our feet, but we have a strong community down here, and we'll make it happen.

Hurricane Ike is Coming

So, the only thing on anyone's minds, from Houstoneans to the media, is Hurricane Ike. The good news is that it provides a happy distraction from the insane over-coverage of Sarah Palin. The bad news is that it is coming straight for my city, and the media keeps tossing around terms like "certain death". Granted, the "certain death" is meant for those who are staying in Galveston, but it still terrifies me.

I almost feel ashamed for admitting this, but D and I evacuated yesterday. We left Houston yesterday afternoon and came to his parents house just north of Dallas. I was afraid for the kind of gridlock that Hurricane Rita brought (it took my mother and sister 15 hours to get to Conroe, a normally 45 minute trip), but it wasn't so bad. It took us two hours to get past Conroe, but after that, with a few exceptions, traffic was flowing pretty well. It only took us about an extra 2 hours to make the trip, which was considerably better than I had anticipated.

My entire family and most of my friends stayed behind, and that terrifies me. I think they will be alright, but it has been a long time since a storm of this strength has been on a path for a direct hit of Houston. The idea of 100 mph winds in my neighborhood makes me sick. My mom and my sister have plenty of water and non perishable food, but I am still scared!

Please keep Houston in your thoughts and prayers, there is no dodging this bullet, but we are hoping for the best case scenario.

Stand up to Cancer

I am really, really disappointed that I didn't get to see Stand up to Cancer on Friday night. I had to attend a work event that I organized, and unfortunately, we don't have Tivo at home. However, I have read about the event and the incredible amount of money they have raised, and I am excited and proud. There isn't a lot to be excited about when you get cancer, but I am proud to be a part of a community that is so strong and so determined to give back. Being a member of the cancer club is not a membership that people want, but it creates a bond between its members that people on the outside can't quite understand.

I am proud to be a survivor. I am proud that I am doing something to ensure that we cut off membership from this club. For a couple months, Stand up to Cancer was airing a commercial prior to movies in the theater featuring celebrities literally standing up while an Eddie Vedder song played in the background and Sidney Poitier narrated. Every single freakin time that commercial aired, I found myself getting incredibly choked up... but also moved. Moved that so many as as determined as I am to put an end to this horrible epidemic.

Saturday morning was a run out at Memorial, but prior to the run, it was time for me to introduce myself to the group. I am an honored teammate this season for Team Memorial, which means I kind of serve as living proof of why people are out there. I don't think many people knew at that point that I was the girl whose bio page on the Team in Training website talked about her cancer story. I think most people just thought I was another runner out there. Next weekend is the honored teammate breakfast which I am unable to attend, so I wanted to say hello and thank everyone for getting involved. As I stood on a picnic table and looked out into the crowd of about 50 or so faces, I started getting choked up again. My voice was very shaky as I addressed the crowd, but I didn't cry. I told them a little bit about my cancer story, how I got involved with Team in Training, and I said thank you to everyone. I shudder to think of how I sounded, of how my voice must have squeaked, but I hope I gave people a little more motivation/inspiration? I don't know, I'll do anything to get people as excited as I am about finding a better, faster, more efficient cure for blood cancer!

Saturdays run was 4 miles, and it was awesome. Awesome weather, and something just "clicked". Definitely my best run yet. D and I hopped to Frisco after that, went to a Beach Boys concert with his folks on Saturday night, and then celebrated his mom's birthday party on Sunday evening. Needless to say, we didn't make it home until very late last night, and I am very tired today, but it was a good weekend. Very good weekend.

Headed to F-Town

D and I are headed to Frisco, TX this weekend for his mother's 60th birthday. His dad knows we are coming, but his mom doesn't, so hopefully it will be a happy birthday surprise for her. D's dad is throwing her a party on Sunday afternoon, so I'm sure every single one of their friends will bombard us with questions about when we are getting married. It seems to be a popular theme lately.

I have a 4 mile run tomorrow morning before we can hit the road. Running is still certainly NOT easy for me.... but I am getting better. Kelsey and I were able to run for 25 minutes on Tuesday night. That might not sound awesome to anyone who actually runs, but it was HUGE for the two of us. I was kind of hoping the Rocky soundtrack would start blaring after we'd finished, and we could pump our fists and jump up and down. Oh wait, we could hardly breathe, so maybe it would have been more like collapsing on the ground gasping.

Wednesday night was our track night at Memorial. The purpose is to help us with speed. Sometimes I think I should be working on going further rather than going faster, but it's only one night a week, and I figure it's something different to keep it interesting. Fast is something I'm definitely not right now.... but I think I might be getting a little faster? Day by day? That's how I've got to take this event!

I got my race packet in the mail yesterday for a Komen 5K in October. I figured it would be good to see what an official "race" is like, and it's a good cause. In my spare time, when I'm not curing blood cancers, I like to focus on the other cancers as well :).

So..... keep up the donations, and I'll keep up the running! :)

Relationships

Relationships are tricky. Whether they be relationships with your significant other, relationships with friends, relationships with family.... there is no such thing as a simple relationship. At least when you are discussing relationships you care about.

The good news is that my relationship with D is stronger than ever. I think that once you make the decision to spend your life with someone, and plans for the future become more real, it solidifies the bond between two people. We are solid, and it's an amazing feeling. We spent a lot of the weekend just talking with one another, discussing our hopes and dreams and desires for the future.

Other relationships.... are troubled. I have faith that bridges will heal, but it will take time.

Gosh, that all sounds kind of cryptic :).

In less serious news, I went to IKEA for the first time this weekend. Apparently D and I, along with half of Houston, decided that this was the place to be over labor day weekend. We are looking for furniture, since we will be moving within the next few months, and while law school furniture is awesome and all, we'd like something new. Sadly, furniture is expensive as hell, so IKEA it was! We sifted through a lot of stuff we didn't like, but ended up finding a whole living room worth of furniture that we did like. No purchases on this trip, but we took pictures, and it's in our minds for when we make the jump to a new place.

We also went to the Dynamos game on Sunday night with a group, and it was very fun. Probably a few too many drinks, but it was a merry good time. Soccer games are pretty fun to watch.

Today I am battling with the two sides of my brain. One is telling me to go indulge in some wings for lunch, the other prompting me to eat well. I have actually shed a few pounds, so it would be nice to continue the trend....

Blasted Wings and Things across the street from my office!!!!!