From The Book of the Obvious

Hey, did you know that West Virginia has hills? And that if you start at the top of something called “Mount Alpha” and move downward, you’ll subsequently find yourself realizing just how very far you are from Wisconsin?

Wow. Nothing like a family visit back east to make you feel like a Hardcore Runner. Eric’s brother warned informed me that from the top of the mountain hill to the bottom is three miles, and then I promptly got lost once I reached the foot, so I wound up with a slightly longer than twelve-mile run that ended up with a three-mile climb. Hard not to do my finest Sylvester Stallone impression when I reached the top. Also, it was pitch black (why, hello there, eastern time zone) and there are few to no street lights on the hill. Guess who forgot to bring her flashlight? I was warning drivers of my presence by flashing my backlit Garmin at them – which tactic luckily worked quite well, thank you very much.

We’re currently at Eric’s aunt’s house, so I better stop being antisocial. Good post-Christmas food here; Gabe tried to throw a fit, claiming that he didn’t like anything at all being served, but he wound up eating, on top of a dinner roll, about a tablespoon of mashed potatoes and turkey. That’s a tablespoon combined. But he won’t starve, I suppose. Sam was quite the gentleman, eating everything in front of him and complimenting his hosts, generall making a good impression…until he got caught passing a note to his cousin, replete with four-letter words (used out of context entirely, so obviously for shock value alone). That discussion was entertaining. :rolleyes: Eric’s brother discovered the note, so naturally part of Sam’s “punishment” was the realization that now the entire family is aware of the letter; he’s embarrassed to his very core. Let’s hope that sticks.

Somebody pass me a mug of coffee, preferably with a little less coffee and a little more “let’s get through this somehow”?