They all can't be "easy" runs.

4 on the trails after church. It was a pretty good sermon this week. After the run, a guy stopped me on pinebrook road and asked me what the dead animal was, that the vultures were eating. I told him it was an opossum. He said he has never seen one of those before. I told him I have seen more dead ones than living ones. 

3 on the trails after driving back from fort Lauderdale. My niece had a ballet recital. It was really impressive. The run was miserable though. I wasn't feeling it, and a drone enthusiast thought it would be neat to follow me with his drone.

8 miles. Hood route to Legacy Trail over the SWOM bridge and back. No extra effort for the last mile. 80 degrees, 54% hum., 60 d.p.

3 on the trails before sunset after a very long day.

5 pm run. Venetian Waterway Park plus a new thing. At the finish ofthe 5 mile loop, I continued tothe north, went under the north bridge, went over the north bridge over the intracoastal, back under the north bridge, back over the north bridge over the intracoastal, back to the start point. That's only 1.65 of a new thing. But that's way more climbing than I am used to. 72 deg, 81% hum., 65 d.p. I feel like that was a pretty good run, where Iwas pushing paces at times. 

10 miles on Venetian Waterway Park. Finished after dark. 5 pm start. I felt like running longer. It's been a stressful week. 

About a mile into the run I felt the need to pee. Knowing that there is usually no one around at the turn around near the Marina, at 2.5 miles, I figured I would wait until then. As I got to the turn around, there were people sitting on a bench. When I saw them I smiled and said "I was kind of hoping there would be no one here." They asked why and I told them. They said "Go ahead!" She said "I might join you!" which got a laugh out of me. We got to talking. 

Alan and Annie. Both of them were wearing tie dye shirts, she had pink - cotton candy looking - hair. Lots of it. He was wearing a colorful hat and shoes. Very friendly folks. They were in their late sixties, maybe early seventies. She said "Do you want to see my pet turtle? I take him for a walk every day." In her lap was a small box turtle. "You guys are some kind of different, huh?" They asked me how long I lived here, and I gave them my Venice backstory. Since we could see the Circus bridge from where we were, I told them about the whole town turning out to watch Ringling Brothers bring the animals over the bridge to the winter headquarters, when I was young. He told me that's part of the reason they retired here. He was a puppeteer for children. He went to a show with 500 kids, realized he forgot his puppets, and started blowing up balloons. From that day on, he created a show with balloons, that his wife performed in, dressed as as an insect, for some reason. They toured the world doing this balloon show for children. This was their only job for their entire lives. They have an adult son. When they got to Venice, they saw the circus stuff, and decided this place was a good fit. 

I was completely fascinated by this couple and their story. I talked to them for about 30 minutes, but I could have talked to them all night. They spoke every sentence in a non-threatening sing song voice. It was completely obvious, in hindsight, that they have spent their entire lives talking to children. I'm still smiling thinking about this.

THEY RETIRED FROM A CAREER OF BLOWING UP BALLOONS!

5 pm run. Venetian Waterway Park plus. Same deal as Thursday. 67 deg, 94% hum., 65 d.p. I'm Really starting to like this run. No tie dye - pink haired - balloon performers today.