Florida trip

Vacations are nice...even if they begin with an overnight flight:) That meant on Thursday morning we hit Magic Kingdom of Dinsey World full speed - and had lots of fun with it!

Standing for an hour in each line, of course, wasn't anything to be desired, but the few minutes of a ride were a blast. Especially the Space Mountain, where you go roller-costing in a total dark, and since my last 2 visits this always petrifies me as I am trying to hold my kid down (I have a fear he'd fly out of a sit). Stephen was finally fed up with Disney, as he said "for life" (well, at least till he gets his own kids to bring there).

Friday we went to a Blizzard Beach water park - since birth Stephen was nick-named a Fish. He LOVES water (while I really don't). Surprisingly for me, I had an amazing time! The lines were moving much faster and I could tan while standing there, the slashing around kept us cool, the temps were 80F and the rides were FUN! OK, the Summit Plummet took my breath away, as it drops 120 feet at 60 mph straight down before leveling off - yowser, did I tell you I am scared of heights? This is the park to visit in any future trips to FL, Disney doesn't stand near that (I admit, I could care less about characters and history, I didn't grow up here).

Sadly, the park closes at 6pm, so we had to pack and drive to South Florida for 3 hrs to visit Bob. What a great host he is! And I also got to meet "real" Bob I knew he was, not the shaking freaking out guy before his first race at Teton trail 50M last summer:) He is funny, talkative, smart, kind, open, friendly and provided us with real vacation weekend!
That would be a bit later, as on Saturday morning Stephen and I went to visit Alex at his school. Boys had a fun time doing an obstacle course together, and it was heart warming seeing Alex been encouraging yet caring watching out for Stephen going through (he also said Stephen can beat a few guys who are at the school and over 16!). We talked about school (which he is fed up with and counting days) and future (PCC college and a job to pay for it as I said I won't to have him learn some life, about how he thinks he will manage his past and if he could, and about living a new life style of split family). It was over too soon (2 hrs visit on site). Five and half months before his term is over.

When we came back, Bob took us to the pool, where I learned to do pool running (tough thing, seriously, first 10 min knocked me off, but then I got in a groove and watched guys for entertainment). I got 30 min total before flopping on a side of the water to burn some skin. Boys played pool basketball and had a great time - I couldn't believe how well Bob spends time with kids AND enjoys it too! Stephen fell in love with his new buddy:)

Later that day Bob took us to the beach (a whole 5 min drive! ha) and we watched beach volleyball (and hot girls...ok, guys were not bad either, but girls definitely won over in body contest!) and the Atlantic ocean waves. After an hour we of relaxing we went to a food joint and engorged ourselves in Mango Majitas and Mexican style food. Yum!

Sunday I pushed myself out the bed early and got a 12M run in. Man, I have a new respect for Bob! I would have never been a runner had I lived in Florida! Flat, paved, hot and humid...what's to love about it? The whole 2 hrs were a hard work and no pleasure whatsoever. I was surely glad 2 hrs was the only time I had before Stephen and Bob got up and we were ready to hit the roads again - this time to meet another friend and blogger Rick in-land (really, in the middle of nowhere). We had lunch together and a great time laughing before back on roads - and to the airport...

What was supposed to be another overnight flight turned into a regular disaster with me - due to delayed Delta out of Orlando we missed connection in Vegas and there was no more flightes - not that night , not next day, not even Tuesday. As I was sitting and crying by the counter at 1 am while the wonderful woman there tried to call every single airline, I was also realizing how uptight and OCD I am. It wasn't the end of the world, I could spend a day or two in Vegas for nothing (Delta was paying hotel and food), yet I kept thinking about to-be-missed school, work, runs, boxing, track, doctor appointment...gotta change this attitude! Actually, as I was about to accept things as they were, the clerk got a hold of 2 first class tickets next morning on Alaska. So we spend only one night at the hotel (and a pitiful 4 hr sleep) and were back in Portland in time for Stephen's track and field practice and boxing class - and my Active Release Technique appointment. The doc was good and after a gazillion tests told me many things, the most interesting to me was: my stride on the left is about 20% shorter than on the right (the injured hamstring), thus to accommodate my right hip moves all the way back (since the stride on this side is more or less regular length yet I need to propel forward, not in circles). So, besides the pain and whatnot, this is really cutting my speed a lot. We'll be working on it together, and I have to re-learn running again, paying attention to every step now...

I also have to re-think my weekly schedule - I have not a minute to breathe, and it affects my stress level. So that'd be it for now. Full set of pictures is here, enjoy. I had a great run this morning (besides my tummy been frozen and itching the whole time) and plan to hit the Zoo trails at lunch. Ah, life...