Kenosha Half Marathon. Subie and Packet Pickup.

It has been a long day.   I'll begin as we did,  early this morning breaking Subie out of the Precision Auto Hospital.   It was a wonderful moment getting our car back and returning the loaner back to its rightful owner....Like switching dance partners at your prom...Back to the one  who is closer to your height and dance level...and prettier.


With Subie in tow....we headed straight out to the packet pickup....there was no time to waste.

The cool thing is Subie likes to go fast now.    I used to feel a certain caution whenever the speed tipped over 65.   Now Subie revs up to 70 without hesitation!   Kind of nice....

We arrived in the City of Kenosha and were starving to death....so we stopped in at the local Meyers and picked up a few things to munch on before the pick up.   Luckily,  Subie had all of our stuff provide a make-shift picnic setting.   On the Meyer lawn...

Packet pickup was easy and non eventful.   There were a few vendors for other races..but no where near the usual suspects trying to get you to buy their latest tech or nutrition.   It really did not matter to me because we just ate a bunch of food and we are essentially broke....so there was no temptation to purchase anything spontaneously.  

So then...Off to the Lake!

Cheryl wanted to look at the water before we set in for the evening.   A couple of photos on the rocks,  on the lighthouse....and a quick dash on the beach and we were ready to retire for the evening.

Tomorrow will be an early one...   With the race starting out at 7:00 AM.   This means we will have to get up very early.   Hopefully I will be in a chipper mood when I catalog the full event.   But for now....I'm kind of spent....   Long week of scoring, car worry, and lack of planning....coupled with a rather long car ride and you may understand.   Ah well,  tomorrow is a new day.

In the mean time...Cheryl is prepping for the run and getting all of hr outfits ready.   The race is along the lake shore...and the lake shore is cold!  Well,  about 10-15 degrees cooler than where we are currently staying.   I remember those days in Grand Haven when a hot summer day would turn to a cool refreshing walk along the beach....Just three miles away.  It will be much cooler in the morning...and then the Lake Effect will kick in..so she might have to dress warmer....we shall see.

Wish us luck!

I'm sure Hiro is observing our every move from home.    I know that cat is secretly plotting something.   His long bouts in front of the computer concern me.

The Wonders of Dementia.

Ever wonder what it would be like to be crazy?   Nothing "bad" mind you, but rather a tamer, "mostly harmless" version of insanity.   Like those old ladies that chase butterflies in the fictitious garden within their living room. Ah butterflies.....so pretty.

Ahem,  yes!  Well, ever wonder how those people found that "Happy Kind of Crazy"?   Perhaps it was a lost love, a broken heart, or traumatic war event that opened that gate in their mind where all the bright colors are alive and vivid.  Everything is cute and cuddly...the animals talk,  the people are nice,  the flowers are always in bloom.....with butterflies...lots of butterflies.  

Well,  there are moments when I wish I could be swept away from the tragedies that happen on this planet, but alas.....I have a college education that forbids me from going there.  Why do smart people have to suffer so...? ( not that I'm very smart....just "aware")   What could have possibly caused this line of thinking within me?    We heard back from the car doctor....Subie will require some MAJOR surgery.

Turns out Subie's  "'sode"  was more like a full blown heart attack!   Not one where you require a transplant...( Although that was an offered option) but one that requires some valves and gaskets replaced...along with a timing belt, water pump and a couple of stitches.   In the end...take the highest number you can imagine it costing...and add 50% more....Yeah!   THAT kind of crazy.

Ah well,   we love Subaru.  What are you going to do?   It's not like it is a child in the 1800's.   We have too much invested to bury it and start over.  Cheryl informs me that the financing is "doable" but it's going to seriously hurt.   Looks like PBJ sandwiches for the next month or so.   And it is going to take longer than expected....Thursday.   We have a  race this weekend...and if we can pull it off....well, I guess things won't be as bad as I "imagine"....   (My imagination is kind of "dark")  The bright side is that we will have the "major repair" all done and out of the way for years to come....Years!    Hopefully.    200,000 miles baby...Yeah!   Now, where are those butterflies?

On a brighter note....if you can call it that.   ETS has offered me Texas STARR for the 9 days I will be between SAT administration...which means I can work more...yeah!   And make more money...yeah!    So I can pay off the Subster's auto repair....Yeah!

Cheryl's "Almost" 20 mile run.

We just finished the 20 mile training run.    They are always tough, and somehow, we managed to complete it without any loss of limps or marriage counseling.   I say "almost"  20 miles, because Cheryl's Garmen blanked out on us after about mile 3...so it was all guess work from there on.  Luckily, we are familiar with the trail enough by now so I'm fairly confident in our guestimation.


This is an impressive feat....more than simply the mileage.  There have been many distractions this week.   As if  the car, the cat, the jobs, the weather were not enough....there is always the economy, famine pestilence, war, Global Warming,  and the certainty of our own mortality....making any amount of human achievement worth celebrating.

There was probably a bunch more that I wanted to write, but I'm currently tapping out this post between prompts.   And besides,  sometimes I just need a break from papers.   This post is one of those ways without getting too sidetracked.

Hope everyone is enjoying the weather....( cool and misty)   and the weekend.   With a little luck...Subie will be fixed and back up and running .   BTW.   I have never been a ford fan.   Not that they are "bad" cars...I'm sure people who have had luck with them will swear by them.  But I feel very much like a turtle without his shell in this Ford Taurus that the auto place loaned us. I'm not totally "anti-american" when it comes to vehicles.  My brother works for GM after all..and I have owned a several AMC vehicles and a Chevy....  But I miss the Subster...  I am looking forward to having him back home safe and sound.

Subaru Woes! The Best Possible Outcome to the Worst Possible Scenerio

Doc, I have this bad cough and no energy.

Subie is sick.   We knew about this "problem" for some time, yet, as with everything....we ignored it until it became a REAL problem.

And it did....Today!

Talking about car problems is a lot like taking about diseases and ailments that you have.    They interest you... And no one else.   But since this is my blog.....I get to write about things that interest me... most of the time.    And...if I keep this short and somewhat entertaining, perhaps I can do something where others fail.

On our way to Iowa city...just past the half way point....Subie started making a funny buzzing sound.   Two seconds later....check engine light is blinking...BLINKING!   Never seen that before.   Then the battery light pops on.   I pull over to see what the problem could be...and Subie stalls.    Not a good sign.

My first thought is it is the alternator....or possibly a fan belt breaking.   Nope.   But there is definitely something wrong.   Even Cheryl is concerned. ( Which terrifies me!)  After allowing the sudden wave of panic subside....we hatch a plan.   Subie is able to  start...but has to have a high rpm to continue without stalling.    We decide to head straight to the mechanic in Iowa City.  10+ miles of shear anxiety!

I'll spare you the drawn out drama and just come out with it....Head Gasket!    A problem we have been aware of for over two years now.   I recently had the head gasket issue re-emerge  a month ago during my last oil change.   It was a job that needed to be done, but we could never find the time ( or money) to just DO IT.

And so,   Subie had an "Episode" on a long, bleak track of Iowa country road.  Scaring the CRAP out of us so we would solve it NOW....Dammit NOW!

When I replay the other likely scenarios in my mind...they are all worse.   Cheryl has been driving the car to Iowa city ALONE for the last three weeks and this happened today.....the one day I'm with her because I had the day off of work.( good thing)  Our Phone disconnected us because it is  the 29th and they never remind us when to top up.(Bad thing)

   Subie...was able to limp the remaining 10 miles to Iowa city under his own power...so no tow truck. ( good thing!)    The Mechanics were able to look and evaluate the car immediately.....(Really good thing!)   The price is going to hurt....but we knew that two years ago...that is why we have put it off this long.

Trust me!  I'm a professional...

And finally.   The Auto place had a Loaner Vehicle that we could putt around in until the repair is finished.   (Yeah!  Good thing)  The job will (hopefully) be finished Monday...and the Mechanic has done head gaskets on Subarus before...so I'm guessing her has a little experience to draw from.

RULE #1 This always ends badly!

So...in the end, we are home.  Safe and sound... And Subie is in the shop seeing the doctor so he gets all better.   My hope and prayer is that he comes back better than ever and this dark, looming cloud of head gasket mischief will be behind us. I'm just happy Cheryl ( Or I ) was not alone when this happened.  Misery loves company and Cheryl and I are pretty good at being miserable.... This is why we Never Split Up!

The Unsung Perks of Scoring From Home.

I usually rant about scoring.   And not always in a good way.  Don't get me wrong,  there certainly are a number of pitfalls to navigate around or over.   However,  from time to time,  the advantages of working from home shine through the misty, murky fog that is "Working".



For example....Today,  I'm scoring in my underwear.



Now I know some of you might find that "uncomfortable".....You would rather score papers naked.   But I have my own standards of decency and comfort.

I also get to take a break when I want and (Usually) I get to work the hours I feel like.   This recent project has a different schedule, but I still get to take a few "liberties".   ETS is unlike Pearson in that they demand you show up within 20 minutes of your start time.   Pearson used to allow you to score whenever....as long as you were logged out by midnight.  It's a small inconvenience that I have to work around.

Other than that. I have been scoring this week and making money instead of simply playing video games while waiting for Cheryl to arrive from Iowa City.    We went out for a long run yesterday....In the rain.   Luckily, we managed to finish the entire 12 miles, but it rained on us for the first 2...so that made for a comfortable experience for the  remaining 10.  BUT...We did it.....Hooray!

I'm just kidding about the underwear.   I'm actually wearing clothes today.    But while suffering along on that bike ride next to Cheryl, ( In the rain!)   I thought up that cool line and joke and simply HAD to put it in the blog.   Weird, I know...But that is how my brain works.  And it is OBVIOUSLY not the first time this joke has been used.    I think the MEMES gave away my punchline like a drunken heckler in a nightclub.   But I put them in there for color.   After all,  What is a Bar without drunk people?   ( Answer:  Empty!)

Cheryl's Race to Home..2016.

1st place age group!

The Trophy Table!

Cheryl ran the Race to Home today...and did pretty well.   She placed 2nd overall female.   Meaning there was only one woman that was faster than her...total.   Not too bad I guess.  The bad news is that even though she placed first in her age group....she did not get a medal.  And I was soooo looking forward to that.

The 2nd Overall Female Prize!

But...She did get a bat....which is kind of cool....and USEFUL!   Even though we do not play baseball,  we can use it for home security.   And keeping those rascally dogs at bay.  Cheryl urged me to think up a bunch of Baseball puns to add a little zest to the post.   I'll see what I can do....

Early Morning packet pickup.

But before we skip ahead too far....let's change gears and switch things up  back to the beginning.

Cheryl checks out the Goodie Bag.

Time to dress light for the race

We were forced to get up way too early this morning.  We had a short window to pick up out packet in Davenport.   As with the previous race....doing a race for a second time is so much easier.    We missed the window, but still had an hour before the race began...and picked it up then.    Easy!   Cheryl inspected her goodies and had a much easier time securing her bib and chip.
  (Even though the safety pins were missing...)

Cheryl feels like she is being watched...

By someone...or some- THING!

Cheryl had to make a decision on how to dress and eventually went with the lighter clothes....since it was warming up rapidly.    I snapped a few pictures of he start.  To Cheryl's delight,  there were plenty of dogs there.

Herding the slow group along...

Race officials applying motivation

 I know that they are there mostly to provide motivation for the slow group.   But if they end up helping Cheryl run faster..then I guess that is a good thing.

Cheryl at the start!

Cheryl in the Fray...

Start photos are always a hit or miss thing.  Sometimes I capture Cheryl in focus and alone.....other times I strike out totally.   Today I mostly caught her shoes and a few glimpses of her back.  I quickly ran to the finish line to see if I could do better.

Cheryl runs by

As she ran to home,  I barely noticed that only one other female had come in before her.   When we looked up the results, we found out that she had, in fact, placed 2nd  as the over-all female finisher.

Cheryl running up to the gate.

It was a bit confusing at first because they did not have a medal for her...but then they remembered they handed out bats for the top three overall finishers for male and female.   Cheryl really wanted one of those bats...

Running home.

Just don't slide....

At the finish!

Time for Beer!

So after the award ceremony,  we headed back to home.   It was a late night and early morning...and I'm hitting the part of the day where a nap or anything else that does not require my brain sounds the most appealing.   So ....as a result....I'm afraid this blog post will suffer a bit.   But who really cares what I have to say anyway?   It's all about the pictures after all.

Second only to Super Girl!

Cheryl show off her bat

I guess I should point out that Cheryl put in her second fastest official 5K time.   (22:32)  Second only to that infamous "Turkey Trott".   At least she did not hurt herself on this one.

Time to play Jedi Master

And pose with the T-Shirt

I think they spelled the "K" backwards.

   In reading past blog postings;  last year,  the day after this race,  we ran a long 20 mile run that ended in a melt down 18 miler.   Similar to what happened last Sunday.   So...I'm hoping that we already got that meltdown run out of the way and can look forward to a nice pleasant long run tomorrow without the drama or blood loss.   We shall see.