Hi, there!
Ju, I hope you are feeling better!
I am kind of wrapped up in the fundraising party right now. It's mainly getting donations for the raffle, writing thank you notes, mailing the tax letter, sending invitations, begging people to come! Next week will be all about shopping for food and wine and setting up. I think it will be fun; I hope people will come!
I am doing okay on fundraising; I am almost there and I think the party will finish it. Also, Mike will donate and GE will match; just waiting to see what we need.
Jill and I walked 12 miles on Sunday morning. The weather was great and I wasn't as tired as usual after a long walk. Just as hungry, though! Tennis on Monday, Tennis TWICE yesterday, and a 6 mile walk today. Planning a walk on Friday with Laurie, then another long one with Jill on Sunday, weather permitting.
Great news: we finally got the van fixed! It ran before, but the power steering sometimes worked and sometimes didn't, so it was kind of hard to drive and impossible to park. New steering pump and all is well. Good to have 2 reliable vehicles again. Plus, we want Connor to be able to drive the van to work this summer.
I guess I'll just brag about my kids for a minute. Connor's play got chosen to be performed at the Coterie Theatre next month, with professional actors and director! Kyle got nominated for student of the YEAR! Kaitlin won an award for outstanding junior student in the College of Ag! My kids are so awesome. If only I could figure out what I want to be when I grow up...
Sleep tight, ladies!
Love you-
Cheryl
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Back again!!!
Congratulations to Jill!!! Way to go. I did not even think of asking businesses. But good idea!! I am $ 20.00 short of my goal that I wanted to have for this week. Hopefully that will come soooooooonnn!! But I am 65% there...so this feels better. Still want to be complete with my initial $ 1800.00 goal by my birthday, April 15!! I am sending out reminders today. I have been so busy trying to get the walks in amidst the wind and rain. I know I should still walk in these conditions, but I have walked in the snow and the rain/wind a couple of times and it is NO FUN!! On top of that it is cold!! So I may need to go back to the gym and get on the tread mill. I think that how boring it would be to walk 10 miles on a TREADMILL!! So far this week I have only done 2 walks of 5.5 to 6 miles each and ran 4 miles and then walked 2 and 3 miles here and there. I missed my yoga class today. I was just too tired. This is a LOT OF WORK!!! Between trying to write to everyone and call people and reminders and training, everything else is getting way behind. So I have to split my time.
I know we can do this. We can walk and we will raise the money!! But I feel like sometimes I need a break. ....Especially since my legs have been cramping. Maybe I need some type of supplement or nutrition. And even though I am exercising and walking/running my butt off, I still do not loose weight. Not that I need to, but I think something is wrong. I keep thinking my thyroid is off, but my doc keeps saying you are so thin... don't worry about it!! But what about the other symptoms...do you not address thyroid symptoms in thin people!! I am so frustrated with our healthcare system. It is SO BROKEN!!! And I am really loosing faith in the docs who have just "one way" of looking at things. What about how people feel? What about our own knowing? Regardless of what the "guidelines" say. And then on top of that take the idiots who are in government and those who are wanna be's !! Are they not pathetic? They want to continue to break the system with their political views and religious beliefs...like the denying medical coverage to women by not funding Planned Parenthood, denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, or increasing rates to people living in the wrong place or those getting older. I am so sick of it all!! Can someone not stand up to these morons...Where do we, the people (all the people), have a say!! I feel so helpless and the system seems so hopeless!! ARRRRRRRRRRR
OK how did I get off on that!! Sorry..back to what we are doing!! I feel at least like we are doing something...something to make sure that people with this disease get noticed. Something that is not politically or morally driven. Just pure kindness and pure feel good!! That is what I like about this. The excitement I feel when I get a donation. The energy I feel when I just walked a distance toward getting me prepared to participate in this awesome event!! I feel good about these things. So this will be my main focus!! Although I still will send out intentions for people in those government positions and people who are making these crazy decisions to GET IT and CARE about something other than your point of view or self interest. And yes, I do need some type of supplement or something for the leg cramps. Also I have new shoes, but I think I need some type of support because my ankles hurt. Does anyone else have that?
OK gotta go send out my reminders and get some more email addresses and write the letters to those who I have no email address and go for my walk...or do something because the weather is getting worse! Oh how I wish that Spring would come!!
In peace and love,
Judy
I know we can do this. We can walk and we will raise the money!! But I feel like sometimes I need a break. ....Especially since my legs have been cramping. Maybe I need some type of supplement or nutrition. And even though I am exercising and walking/running my butt off, I still do not loose weight. Not that I need to, but I think something is wrong. I keep thinking my thyroid is off, but my doc keeps saying you are so thin... don't worry about it!! But what about the other symptoms...do you not address thyroid symptoms in thin people!! I am so frustrated with our healthcare system. It is SO BROKEN!!! And I am really loosing faith in the docs who have just "one way" of looking at things. What about how people feel? What about our own knowing? Regardless of what the "guidelines" say. And then on top of that take the idiots who are in government and those who are wanna be's !! Are they not pathetic? They want to continue to break the system with their political views and religious beliefs...like the denying medical coverage to women by not funding Planned Parenthood, denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, or increasing rates to people living in the wrong place or those getting older. I am so sick of it all!! Can someone not stand up to these morons...Where do we, the people (all the people), have a say!! I feel so helpless and the system seems so hopeless!! ARRRRRRRRRRR
OK how did I get off on that!! Sorry..back to what we are doing!! I feel at least like we are doing something...something to make sure that people with this disease get noticed. Something that is not politically or morally driven. Just pure kindness and pure feel good!! That is what I like about this. The excitement I feel when I get a donation. The energy I feel when I just walked a distance toward getting me prepared to participate in this awesome event!! I feel good about these things. So this will be my main focus!! Although I still will send out intentions for people in those government positions and people who are making these crazy decisions to GET IT and CARE about something other than your point of view or self interest. And yes, I do need some type of supplement or something for the leg cramps. Also I have new shoes, but I think I need some type of support because my ankles hurt. Does anyone else have that?
OK gotta go send out my reminders and get some more email addresses and write the letters to those who I have no email address and go for my walk...or do something because the weather is getting worse! Oh how I wish that Spring would come!!
In peace and love,
Judy
Reminder time!
It is definitely time for the reminder letters!! I think I will send mine out this week, along with an invitation to the fundraiser wine party. I am a little over halfway there, but no recent activity. I hope the reminders, the party, and the proceeds from my yoga class will get me to $1800!
Very exciting news for Jill: she got a $500 donation from her hair salon! Way to go!
As for training, I need a long walk. I played tennis twice on Tuesday, then nothing on Wednesday, because I worked the booth at a medical manager's association meeting. On my feet, in heels, for 11 hours! That should count for something!! Walked 5 miles by myself on Thursday. Yesterday (Friday), I walked 6 miles with my friend Laurie. She had some time restraints, so we really picked up the pace and walked it in 1 hour and 28 minutes. This is a best time for me, and I felt it today: sore! Jill is out of town this weekend so I am on my own. We are just totally busy today. I am playing tennis at noon tomorrow. Tomorrow is supposed to be HOT and HUMID. I guess I'll try to get up early and walk. Try. It's hard to get motivated to walk alone, especially for more than 5 miles or so!
If not, I will have to walk a LOT next week!!
Staying positive!
Love, love, love-
Cheryl
Very exciting news for Jill: she got a $500 donation from her hair salon! Way to go!
As for training, I need a long walk. I played tennis twice on Tuesday, then nothing on Wednesday, because I worked the booth at a medical manager's association meeting. On my feet, in heels, for 11 hours! That should count for something!! Walked 5 miles by myself on Thursday. Yesterday (Friday), I walked 6 miles with my friend Laurie. She had some time restraints, so we really picked up the pace and walked it in 1 hour and 28 minutes. This is a best time for me, and I felt it today: sore! Jill is out of town this weekend so I am on my own. We are just totally busy today. I am playing tennis at noon tomorrow. Tomorrow is supposed to be HOT and HUMID. I guess I'll try to get up early and walk. Try. It's hard to get motivated to walk alone, especially for more than 5 miles or so!
If not, I will have to walk a LOT next week!!
Staying positive!
Love, love, love-
Cheryl
Monday, March 26, 2012
I'm Back!!
Hey, Ju!!
Didn't mean to abandon you! Kaitlin was home for spring break last week, and it was so rainy, we decided to go to St. Louis for a few days! It was so much fun. We did all the touristy things and laughed and ate and had a blast. Now that the kids are older, I truly treasure the times we can all be together and enjoy ourselves. I know, more and more, the kids will start to live their own lives, so this little trip was so special.
I'm so sorry to hear about Kathy. I know it sounds condescending, and I don't mean it that way, but to look on the bright side, she didn't suffer for long. I will keep her in my prayers and in my heart.
As for training... I was sort of slack last week, because I am too wimpy to walk in the rain. (it was SERIOUS rain:-) But, we did walk a lot in St. Louis... does that count? Probably not. Well, did 4 miles on Saturday with Kaitlin. Then Jill and I met up on Sunday and walked 9.5 miles, our longest walk yet. I was really exhausted. it was very warm and very sunny. I didn't have enough water, for sure. At the end, I just kept jabbering away to Jill to keep my mind off of how tired I was and how tired my legs were and how much my feet wanted a rest! Then I went home and ATE!! I was so hungry!
So, this made me really think about walking this distance almost 3 times over at one time! I'm just hoping that, with consistent training, I'll make it. I took today off!
As for fundraising, I am a little over halfway there! I am planning the fundraising party for April 20. I think I will send out my reminder emails about 2 weeks before, along with an invitation to the party. People have been really generous with donations for the raffle. I hope this will put me over the top!
Jill is doing pretty well with her fundraising. She is working way more than she wants to and is so short on time. She is working this week Mon. through Thurs., and then she leaves on Friday morning to visit her daughter at college for Parents' Weekend. She's concerned about missing training.
Ju, I am so so so sorry you are mostly walking alone! That must be really hard. I don't know how you are doing it! If you can get a cheap flight, you should come out here the week before the walk so we can do some 20 milers together! I am begging a friend of mine who is a runner to walk a long walk with me this week!
So, now we are all caught up! I, too, am trying to keep focused on WHY I am in this: TO END IT!!! It will all work out.
Love, love to you!!
Cheryl
Didn't mean to abandon you! Kaitlin was home for spring break last week, and it was so rainy, we decided to go to St. Louis for a few days! It was so much fun. We did all the touristy things and laughed and ate and had a blast. Now that the kids are older, I truly treasure the times we can all be together and enjoy ourselves. I know, more and more, the kids will start to live their own lives, so this little trip was so special.
I'm so sorry to hear about Kathy. I know it sounds condescending, and I don't mean it that way, but to look on the bright side, she didn't suffer for long. I will keep her in my prayers and in my heart.
As for training... I was sort of slack last week, because I am too wimpy to walk in the rain. (it was SERIOUS rain:-) But, we did walk a lot in St. Louis... does that count? Probably not. Well, did 4 miles on Saturday with Kaitlin. Then Jill and I met up on Sunday and walked 9.5 miles, our longest walk yet. I was really exhausted. it was very warm and very sunny. I didn't have enough water, for sure. At the end, I just kept jabbering away to Jill to keep my mind off of how tired I was and how tired my legs were and how much my feet wanted a rest! Then I went home and ATE!! I was so hungry!
So, this made me really think about walking this distance almost 3 times over at one time! I'm just hoping that, with consistent training, I'll make it. I took today off!
As for fundraising, I am a little over halfway there! I am planning the fundraising party for April 20. I think I will send out my reminder emails about 2 weeks before, along with an invitation to the party. People have been really generous with donations for the raffle. I hope this will put me over the top!
Jill is doing pretty well with her fundraising. She is working way more than she wants to and is so short on time. She is working this week Mon. through Thurs., and then she leaves on Friday morning to visit her daughter at college for Parents' Weekend. She's concerned about missing training.
Ju, I am so so so sorry you are mostly walking alone! That must be really hard. I don't know how you are doing it! If you can get a cheap flight, you should come out here the week before the walk so we can do some 20 milers together! I am begging a friend of mine who is a runner to walk a long walk with me this week!
So, now we are all caught up! I, too, am trying to keep focused on WHY I am in this: TO END IT!!! It will all work out.
Love, love to you!!
Cheryl
Week 3 and where are you all?
Well it is week 3. We have been having lots of wind, rain, snow etc. So I did not get to walk on Saturday and walked in rain on Sunday. And in the wind today. Figured it might be good practice. I still have not gone more than 10 miles in one walk. And that seems so LONG when you are walking alone. I think I have to stop going up the hills because you use a whole lot of energy and yet the miles seem like they take FOREVER to calculate!!! Got a pedometer!! Don't know how to use it except that one day I went 15,000 steps and another day 10,000 steps. How do you convert the steps into miles??
I miss you all, my partners. Where are you? I have not seen a blog entry since last week. How is everything going? I am still sad about Kathy's passing, but know at least she is at peace. This disease causes so much suffering!!
Well today I am going to send out a reminder fund raising letter. I saw a couple of people that said they "just forgot", so hopefully a reminder will help them along. I really want to have all my money raised by my birthday, April 15!! But not sure this will happen, but that is my goal. Then I can just focus on training and not the fundraising goal. No matter how much I try to not worry about it, I still find myself being concerned. What if I don't make it? What if I offended someone? What are people thinking? How is everyone else doing? Anyway I will send out the letter and see how it goes.
OK gotta go start cooking.
Love you all,
Judy
I miss you all, my partners. Where are you? I have not seen a blog entry since last week. How is everything going? I am still sad about Kathy's passing, but know at least she is at peace. This disease causes so much suffering!!
Well today I am going to send out a reminder fund raising letter. I saw a couple of people that said they "just forgot", so hopefully a reminder will help them along. I really want to have all my money raised by my birthday, April 15!! But not sure this will happen, but that is my goal. Then I can just focus on training and not the fundraising goal. No matter how much I try to not worry about it, I still find myself being concerned. What if I don't make it? What if I offended someone? What are people thinking? How is everyone else doing? Anyway I will send out the letter and see how it goes.
OK gotta go start cooking.
Love you all,
Judy
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
In Honor of Kathy....
Today is a sad day. My cousin Kathy died today. It was my mom's first cousin and of all the cousins, this one was really cool!! I loved her. She came to visit us in Atlanta and was so happy and fun and just plain cool!! Kathy was just diagnosed with cancer about 2 weeks ago. She never came home from the hospital and I don't know the source of the cancer except that it infiltrated and poisoned her entire body. Liver, lungs, bones....Last night I had the most unusual dreams. Kathy kept coming to me and I felt her. At one point in my dreams I felt as if I had the cancer and I was dying. It was strange as it kept going back and forth...Kathy and then me.. i have no explanation for this, but I am happy to have spent some time with her (even if it was in my dreams)...i saw my Uncle Bill, her father, come to get her. All of this happened in my dreams yet it felt so real. I even told Michael about it this morning. I had no idea that she would die today. I don't think anyone expected it to be this soon or even if it would happen at all. My mom saw her last week and she told my mom that she would "beat this". She was going to fight. But I guess it was not up to her. Her journey was this way and not through fighting or battling this cancer, but surrendering and letting go! Kathy has 2 daughters and 2 grand children and her husband. My heart breaks for all of them and I send my prayers and my blessings to them. So now I will walk for Kathy as well as Donna!! I am so sorry. I will miss you!!
Not much else to say today. Except that nothing is for certain and everything is a mystery. I embrace the mystery of this life. I embrace the mystery of this walk...and all the connections and people I come to know better along the way!!
In memory of Kathy, when I think of you, I just smile..you had that way about you to make so many smile!!
Judy
Not much else to say today. Except that nothing is for certain and everything is a mystery. I embrace the mystery of this life. I embrace the mystery of this walk...and all the connections and people I come to know better along the way!!
In memory of Kathy, when I think of you, I just smile..you had that way about you to make so many smile!!
Judy
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Gratitude is the message of the day!!
Well I must say thank you, Cheryl!! YOu are SO right about bringing me back to what this walk is all about. Yes, we have to raise the money to walk, but I KNOW we will do this. I just sometimes approach my life, my goals, my commitments as if I were still back in Corporate America. Perform, perform, perform!!! But this walk (and so much of life in general) is really about the journey. And What a journey this has been thus far. I have heard so many heart breaking stories of people who have lost their fight to Breast Cancer. I am so sorry for your loss. And I have heard uplifting stories about those who have survived Breast Cancer. So happy for these individuals and I send you my blessings for continued good health!
But had I not chosen to do this walk , I may never have had this connection with so many people and heard stories of how this disease has affected so many. I have become informed, I have become aware, I have become changed by making these connections through my commitment to this walk. I have gratitude for these connections!! So Now I not only walk for Donna, but for so many more people. I walk for ALL of them!! And the gratitude I have had to honor is that of "my good health"!! I just go out there and I walk. I walk, I run, I follow my training...But really would it not be for my heart, my lungs, my legs, my knees, my ankles, and TIME, I may not be able to do this walk. So often we just accept that our health will just "be there"!!! And after hearing the many stories, hearing about Anita's friend and my mom's cousin, Kathy, who has recently been diagnosed with cancer that is all over her body, I have come to realize that "being healthy" is the greatest gift!! REALLY the greatest gift!!
So I send my prayers to Anita's friend, to my mom's cousin, Kathy, and to my partners in this walk, Jill and Cheryl!! Let us all enjoy this journey and remember why we walk. Thank you my friend, Cheryl. You put me back in my place!! I will relax and rest about the fund raising...and get my butt out on the road to walk today!!
It is really cold and wet here. I don't mind walking in the snow or the rain, but to walk in the wind and the dampness ,this is not my thing. And I am up to walking the entire 26.3 miles the first day if we can, but I agree it will depend on the weather at the time and yes, how I feel!!!
In deepest gratitude,
judy
But had I not chosen to do this walk , I may never have had this connection with so many people and heard stories of how this disease has affected so many. I have become informed, I have become aware, I have become changed by making these connections through my commitment to this walk. I have gratitude for these connections!! So Now I not only walk for Donna, but for so many more people. I walk for ALL of them!! And the gratitude I have had to honor is that of "my good health"!! I just go out there and I walk. I walk, I run, I follow my training...But really would it not be for my heart, my lungs, my legs, my knees, my ankles, and TIME, I may not be able to do this walk. So often we just accept that our health will just "be there"!!! And after hearing the many stories, hearing about Anita's friend and my mom's cousin, Kathy, who has recently been diagnosed with cancer that is all over her body, I have come to realize that "being healthy" is the greatest gift!! REALLY the greatest gift!!
So I send my prayers to Anita's friend, to my mom's cousin, Kathy, and to my partners in this walk, Jill and Cheryl!! Let us all enjoy this journey and remember why we walk. Thank you my friend, Cheryl. You put me back in my place!! I will relax and rest about the fund raising...and get my butt out on the road to walk today!!
It is really cold and wet here. I don't mind walking in the snow or the rain, but to walk in the wind and the dampness ,this is not my thing. And I am up to walking the entire 26.3 miles the first day if we can, but I agree it will depend on the weather at the time and yes, how I feel!!!
In deepest gratitude,
judy
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