Each Day Is a Gift

Judy made us a scrumptious breakfast of omlet (w/ red pepper, onions and cheese) while Scott made fluffy blueberry pancakes.  Fresh orange and apple juice, Greek yogurt.  We have been treated like royalty this weekend in their home.

Got in the car just as the 10am General Conference started.  Listened to the entire session and made it home in time to watch the 2pm session.

After Conference hubby and I went for a walk. When we got home, we returned the phone message from our long-time friends of college days, who are visiting in Utah for their mission reunion (they served as mission president in HK a few years ago) in conjunction with GC.  Their son and family live in Saratoga Springs.  So they invited us over for dinner.  It was so wonderful to visit with them and their families as well as the Tai's who served as HK mission pres. temple pres and quorum of seventy. 

Brenda made a spread of delicious authentic Taiwanese dinner:  beef noodle soup (ngau lam fun with boiled egg, seaweed, daufugeung, cylantro), charsiu bau, bolo bau, fried tofu, taro cake, lo mai te, hondau tonyun tonsheu, spring rolls, fresh fruits.  I ATE SO MUCH!!!  It made me "homesick" for Steven.  I think I need to learn to cook like this when he comes home next May!  :) :) :)

Walked with Wendy and Karen to recap our SGM experiences.  SO FUN!!!!  Hubby ran 2 solo miles.  Got a lot of "what's wrong" teasing from our friendly neighbors with our Frankenstein walks!  Hehe! :) :) :) 

Hubby and I went to the pool.  Did some walking in the lazy river then swam a few laps.  The best part was the hydro-massage in the hot tub afterwards.  

AM:  Legs still sore, going downstairs sideways! :)  Walked 3 miles with Wendy and Karen while hubby ran by himself.  Then we went to the pool for some hydrotherapy! :)

Evening:  Talked Karen into going to Yoga class with me.  The hammies and calves definitely felt the love! :)  The instructor asked what we wanted to work on before class.  I requested quads stretches...as a result...we did this dancer pose holding one foot behind us pulling it toward the back wall or ceiling while standing on one leg and balancing with one arm stretching forward.  So fun!!!  So relaxing!!!  I love this class! :) :) :)

Jogged with Karen, Wendy and hubby on the canal trail.  We could barely keep up with hubby the first mile!  I think he loved that we ran together the entire time! :) :) :)

We then went to water aerobics, Wet & Wild, finished with 15 min lap swim and again hydrotherapy in the hot tub.

Still lots of knots in the calves and shins.  Going up and down stairs normally now...so quads are recovering better than the lower legs where the muscle cramped up during the last 5K at SGM. 

Ran with Karen (Sky) and hubby.  Wendy's toes/nails were too tender to put on shoes so she rested.  

Hubby and I went to the Temple with my friends of 32+ years for our monthly get-together temple/luncheon.  Such joy and delight to be in the temple and have lunch with my faithful friends, to recap favorite talks from General Conference, to catch up on our children's happenings.  We've been doing this for over 20 years.  These were my neighbors when we moved to our first home.  We were all young couples in our early twenties. We became fast friends raising our children together.  We remained close friends even after moving away. :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

Evening:  Swimming a few laps and hydrotherapy.  Shins and calves still tender, lots of massages while watching movie.  :)

Legs feel pretty good and wanting to run but will save it for tomorrow.  Swam for 45 min and 10 min hydrotherapy.

30 min CSE.  

Dinner date tonight with another couple, long time friends from college days in the Asian Ward.  We got married the same year.  Anna and I had our first babies (her boy, my girl) in the same hospital, same year, exactly one day apart! :)

Ran first mile with hubby to Jimmy John's where he purchased a newspaper then ran home.  I then got on the Murdock Canal Trail heading east and turned around at the tunnel by Smith's (mile 2.5).  Continued west to Center where the tunnel construction is not complete and got my shoes muddy (mile 4).  Stopped to stretch and clean the mud off the shoes; then continued west to near rail trail junction (mile 5.5) then turned around.  Got a headwind going east and uphill. 

I have not run alone for a long time so it was nice to focus on form:  belly button to spine, go to the glutes and hammies when the quads were squawking, tall puppet and elbows back.  No drink nor fuel for the run which took 90 min.  Last year on the Sat after SGM I ran 10 miles and the pace was a min per mile faster.  Dang, I'm so out of shape! :( Didn't help that I have gained 5 pounds over the year.  On the bright side, I am so grateful and happy to be running on a beautiful Fall morning!!! 

Got a call from my daughter who ran the Ten for Texas this morning.  It's the longest distance race she's ever done!  So proud of her!  Can't wait to run with her in Dec.