The Puppy Dilemma

Over the last several weeks I’ve been casually debating the adoption of a little companion. Over the weekend during a fun trip across the sound to visit Liv and Oz, we stopped at the Kitsap Humane Society (the now employer of my dear friend Olivia).

I managed to make it through the entire shelter until I got to one of the very last kennels and there he was. A Gordon Setter mix stray temporarily named Punchy, sitting quietly in his kennel with big sweet eyes gazing upwards. And from that moment, I was hooked. He is approx. 1 yr old, a stray found in Port Orchard, seems laid back and calm, very gentle when eating treats out of my hand, knows how to sit. Because of his size, I could take him running or out for activities. He's a medium sized dog (about the height of my knee) so I wonder how he would do in a condo.

This of course has sent me into a spiral of over-analyzing my life to determine if I'm ready for a pet. If so, is a dog best? Medium size dog? Small dog? Is a cat best? For anyone who knows me, you'll know that I have to thoroughly explore all options before making a decision. I always say "You don't know it's the right decision until you've explored all the bad ones." SOOOO I took a quick trip down the street to the Seattle Humane Society hoping this would validate my love for Punchy or determine if something else is better.

In the process, I fell in love with another little pup.... a 2 yr old miniature pincher (always thought this breed was so adorable). He is pretty independent, not a jump-up-in-your-face type of dog, doesn't seem to be interested in toys, would need a little more training in terms of sitting, etc, but is smaller and would maybe work better in my condo? The shelter said he would need to pee about every 4 hours (which conflicts with work, maybe a pee pad?), seemed very cuddly when holding him and he gets along with other pets, children, etc.

Thoughts anyone?? Any wise words of advice around pet ownership, around certain breeds, etc? Votes for Punchy or the min pin?

#2?

I must be taking crazy pills... I've started considering running my second half marathon. I hear there is an amazing half-marathon in Victoria, B.C. on 10/10/10 that runs (no pun intended) through downtown Victoria, along the waterfront and through a large park. I may have convinced my new roomie to join as well!

http://www.runvictoriamarathon.com/events/halfmarathon.php

Hmmm.... to run or not to run....

Outlaws win Back-to-Back National Championship!!!

I had the pleasure of making it to Billings, MT this weekend to watch the IFL National Championship game. Another showdown between the Billings Outlaws and the Sioux Falls Storm. These two rivals have been battling it out over the last couple years to combine for a total of 6 championship titles in the last 6 years.

Due to the tornado that ripped through Billings and tore the roof off the Metra Park Arena, the championship game (as were the other playoff games) were held in their morphed practice facility, the SportsPlex. And there was no lack of fans or noise in this packed building.

The game started off with some great plays by my personal favorite, #19 Michael Eby. And it stayed neck and neck throughout all four quarters. Here are some pictures from throughout the game.

(from Billings Gazette)

With a Sioux Falls attempt to jump over a pack of players for an attempted touchdown with seconds left in the fourth quarter and an Outlaws crowd-surfing-like rejection, the Outlaws clenched their back-to-back IFL Championship title. Final score: 43-34.

Here are some pictures of the post-win celebration:

One of Michael's interviews:

Michael and his biggest fans:

Me and Michael:

Coach O'Neil and Michael Eby:

(from Billings Gazette)

Garret Palmer, Tim Brown and Michael Eby:

For more information about the game, check out the Billings Gazette Article: Outlaws Top Sioux Falls.

Progress on the Remodel!

After about a month of remodeling, the condo has really come quite far!! Today the new granite counters were installed and it really makes a world of a difference. Here are some pictures of the install and final product:

The Final Product:

Although, there is still a ways to go, it has come very far and I have to give HUGE thanks those who have helped!! My dad, my brother, Bethanne, Michael and all my friends who have helped me move in, helped paint and install things, provided food for our tummies, helped me calm down when I was freaking out about making a decision....

THANK YOU!!!! You mean the world to me!!

Here's a list of what we've been busy doing so far:

• Installed amazingly beautiful granite countertops with a new sink/faucet/garbage disposal
• Installed new baseboards throughout the entire condo (thanks for cutting so perfectly, Scottie)
• Ripped up the kitchen vinyl floor and dining room carpet and installed new flooring (just my dad and I - yes I am a pro at a chop saw now)
• Stripped and repainted the kitchen cabinets.
• Tore down a hideous brick backsplash and had to rehang drywall - to be covered in tile by the end of the month!
• Purchased and installed new stainless steel appliances (fridge, stove and the fun project of replacing a stove hood with an above the stove microwave - much more difficult than you'd imagine)
• Painted EVERY SINGLE WALL in this entire condo - including the gigantor 15 foot living room wall and the hideous yellow smoke stained pantry.
• Installed new light fixtures in the kitchen, dining room, both bathrooms and the hallway.
• Ripped out and replaced the vinyl flooring in the laundry closet that dated back to ancient times.
• Installed two new and very amazing low-flow toilets (the old toilets were so old the bolts disintegrated when we... sorry, my dad... tried to unscrew them)
• Painted and hung new doors for the hall closet and laundry closet.

Sigh... that's all I can remember. More to come as the condo becomes more of a home! Keep posted!

Half Marathon - Check!

Another check off the list... definitely not an easy check either! This weekend I completed my first half marathon after about 10 weeks of training (minus one week for Costa Rica – totally worth it). The Seattle Rock ‘n Roll Marathon!!

More than 27,000 runners from all 50 states and 23 countries ran from Tukwila to Seattle for the second annual Rock ‘n Roll Seattle Marathon & ½ Marathon benefiting the American Cancer Society.

It all started before the crack of dawn when we headed south to Tukwila to the runner drop off area. Apparently, the city of Tukwila was caught off guard by the massively planned event and wasn't ready for the volume of cars. So I started the morning with 2 miles of walking just to get to the start line!! Talk about a warm-up.

After arriving at the start line I was blown away by the sheer number of people corralled into the start line gates. I love the guy in this picture with his green race shirt on backwards. Don’t let the light fool you – it was really early – easy mistake apparently.

Once out of the gates we were immediately greeted by a variety of bands (hence, the name), cheerleading groups and a multitude of spectators along the way. From the start in Tukwila, the course headed up the west side of Lake Washington to the I-90 Bridge (we got to run through one of the tunnels) and then looped through downtown Seattle before finishing at the steps of Qwest Field. Thanks to the huge crowds and all the excitement, the race went very well. Right up until Mile 11 when my knees REALLY started screaming at me – thank you Seattle spectators for cheering and making it slightly easier to finish the last 2.1 miles!

I finished in 2:13, which is right around where I had hoped to be. We even received a medal and yummy treats after. Here are some pictures taken by the paparazzi (a.k.a. my dad).

The Finish Line:

Finisher!

Best Dad EVER!

Roomies!

Me and Michael...

The Medal: