First Fundraiser!!!

I am hosting my very first fundraiser! Don't worry, this won't be the last one. Kim and I have some great ideas cooking...more details on those later.

Now you can help raise money for Breast Cancer 3-Day without buying or selling anything! Istead of writing a check, you can raise money by writing online reviews of local businesses you already use on insiderpages.com. Each review you write earns up to $1.50 for our fundraiser!

If you are the first person to review a business, your review will earn us up to $1.50. If you post the 2nd - 4th review of a business, Insider Pages will donate up to $0.50! Reviews of chain stores or chain restaurants do not count towards our Fundraiser.

Dates: 07/28/09 - 08/18/09.

How to Participate:
1. Sign up at http://www.insiderpages.com/fundraisers/Breast-Cancer-3-Day-M-Perlman-0908

2. Write reviews of any local businesses or services that you have used within the last 2 years. Just writing 20-30 reviews is a great step towards reaching our goal of $300.00 (this is just a preliminary goal - I'd love to raise much more!)

Check out this list of businesses to help you get started:
Health & Fitness Home & Garden
- Doctor - Plumber
- Dentist - Electrician
- Pediatrician - Contractor
- Gym - Cleaning Service
Financial Services Beauty & Spa
- Accountant - Day Spa
- Tax Attorney - Hair Salon
- Bank - Nail Salon
- Mortgage Company - Dermatologist
Child Care Pets & Animals
- Preschool - Animal Hospital
- Day Care - Pet Sitter
- Summer Camp - Groomer
- Tutor - Pet Store

3. Recruit friends and family to participate. Just direct them to our fundraising page at http://www.insiderpages.com/fundraisers/Breast-Cancer-3-Day-M-Perlman-0908. Anybody over 18 can write reviews and help us reach our goal.

Questions? Contact the Insider Pages Fundraiser team at fundraisers@insiderpages.com. Remember to put "Breast Cancer 3-Day - M-Perlman" in the subject of the email.

We've got 3 weeks to raise as much as we can. Let's get started!!!!

Thanks!
Meredith

Hot Cookie Tuesday!

I am only $405 from reaching the fundraising requirement for the Breast Cancer 3-Day!  I thought that Florida State University was going to dominate this week.  Former classmates Caroline Joy, Margaux Manley, and Melissia Brannen all made donations.  Each of these women have been my cheerleader during this experience.  Caroline is an athlete who regularly participates in events that end in “athalon”; Margaux dragged me to the gym the first time I ever stepped foot on a treadmill and often left me in her dust as we jogged around Blairstone Apts in Tallahasee;  Melissia’s kind words about Aunt Linda kept me going for over 3 hours on Saturday morning.  The FSU monopoly was broken up by the Keup Family!  While part of the USC crew, Jennifer made a donation within 24 hours of returning from Montreal!!  According to the cheater rules, that means she put Canada on my map!!  Their donation was made in memory of a family friend, Mr. John Barulich.

I have created a map to recognize all of my donors-and to brag that I have donations from 7 states + the District of Columbia, and 2 countries (I didn’t count my cheater countries-Germany is legitimate).  Click here to see the many places from which your smiling faces have sent love and encouragement my way! You’ll see people from my many homes including Raleigh, NC; Tallahasee, FL;  Columbia, SC (leading the way with 22 donations) and..oh wait, No one from Fayetteville, NC!  The place where I lived for 22 years and yet, no representation?  Step it up, Fayetteville! 

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=106433585493504638769.00046f63bcef718825701&t=h&z=4

This week I am sending out a challenge to all of my readers who have been planning to donate but have not yet found the time.  Each person to make a donation of $100 or more this week will receive a personal care package, filled with homemade chocolate chip cookies! Jenn-made, in fact!  If you are in the Fayetteville area, I will personally deliver these to you this weekend. Those of you outside the Fayetteville area, the offer comes with overnight shipping! Only the freshest cookies for Team Jenn supporters! If you would rather gift them to a friend, I would be happy to ship them to your designee.  What a great way to honor someone on their birthday, or a breast cancer survivor, your boss just because you hope she/he will give you a raise, or that sweetie you have had your eye on!

This week’s training schedule was the same as last week.  I completed 24 miles in 45,149 steps.  The grand total is 154 miles and 320,174 steps!

I’ll be in Fayetteville this weekend celebrating my parents’ and aunt’s birthdays.  I will be walking 11miles on Saturday and 5 on Sunday so if are in the area and want in, feel free to join me! 

Happy Steppin!

Jenn

Roll Call!

For 8 weeks, 4 days per week, I have stepped out in an effort to prepare my body for the 60 miles that October 23-25 will bring.  I can feel my body changing in reaction to this training.  My legs are more muscular than they have been in years! I no longer cringe when the weekly training email announces that Thursday will be a 5-mile day. Sunday evening, I was on mile #4 before I even broke a sweat!  The folks who coordinate the 3-Day event have developed a formula to prepare us for the physical challenge of the Walk.  I am confident that in another 2.5 months, I will be ready and able to complete the challenge.  There is not a schedule, however, for the emotional training that this experience has brought to my life over the past 2 months.  

I made myself a promise when I decided that I would post a weekly blog that I would:  1.  Never complain about the training.  No matter how challenging the training may be, it is not even a fraction of the pain that breast cancer causes.  2.  I would share stories that would cause you all to look forward to my weekly updates. I would be witty and clever.  This blog is meant to be a positive and uplifting read. The challenge of this is that Breast Cancer is a monster that has affected many of my readers and I am inspired by all of your stories.  The things that you share with me through responses to my blog and our chats about my training inspire me to keep on keepin’ on.  If those stories inspire me, they may also inspire others.  This week I would like to share the stories of my inspirer-ers with you. While this may not be a 10 on the “witty and clever” scale, they help me stay focused on the purpose for my training and keep the pep in my step!

Many of you have made a donation to my fundraising efforts in honor of someone who has fought or is fighting Breast Cancer.  In the past 2 months, the names of your family and friends have flooded my inbox and accompanied your messages of encouragement.  The dozen women that inspired me to take my first steps have been joined by a long list of your loved ones.  I think of them every time I tie my shoes and hit the pavement.  I think it’s only right that I introduce them all to you as well. It’s time for a Roll Call!

The original inspirers:

Pat Munchick: Mother of my post-college roommate and wonderful friend, Jill.  Pat is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer.  Hearing Jill share her mom’s story pushed me to hit “send” on my 3-Day registration.

Mindy Sopher:  A former classmate and colleague at NCSU.  Mindy’s fight with breast cancer has been a long one.  She has had a positive attitude every step of the way and credits Mindy’s Angels for keeping her moving forward. She writes a wonderful blog about her journey at http://www.mylifeline.org/mindysangels/?page=sharing.cfm

Jan Ziegler:  Co-worker and confidante.  Jan is a member of the counseling staff at USC.  She spends every day helping others cope with their demons.  Last year she met and fought her own.  I am so proud of her and know that her “I will win!” attitude is what got her through. These days Jan is looking perky and peppy! 

Jean Henscheid:  Jean is a former staff member from the NRC who makes every conference a scream!  She is the gal you always want at your dinner table.  Breast cancer didn’t stand a chance against Jean!

Rafael Guerrieri:  “Auntie Rae” was my dad’s aunt; my grandmother’s sister.  She passed away from breast cancer in 1967.  My Aunt Joan wrote to me about her saying that “back then, women didn’t talk much about breasts.”  What would Auntie Rae think of my blog?  Joan remembers Rae as a genius with a photographic memory and feels that if she lived today, she may have survived because of our increased awareness of this disease. 

Jacqueline Brinkman:  Mother of Julianne Dunn.  Julianne is a friend of the Latino family and does my dad and I a wonderful service by accompanying my mom on her annual Disney pilgrimage.  I have joined them once…only once.  Hearing Julianne talk about her late mother and her battle with breast cancer is one of the things that first planted in my mind the idea of participating in the 3-Day.

Mary Simpson:  Mother of Gary Simpson.  Gary is the manager of the Disney store in Raleigh and a great friend of my mom. I get regular updates about her progress.  Mary has finished a round of treatment and is doing well.

Susan Caylor:  Another member of the Disney family, Susan’s daughter is Jennifer Maund, the district manager for my mom’s store.  Since Jennifer joined the Disney team, my mom has begun referring to me as “my Jennifer.” Like Mary, Susan is through with round 1 of treatment and is successfully fighting the fight.

Kay Yow:  I can’t remember when Kay Yow wasn’t battling breast cancer. Her fight brought my attention to this disease. There is nothing more inspiring than attending the Annual NCSU Hoops for Hope event and seeing the sea of pink in the packed Reynolds Coliseum.  

Those are the women who inspired me to begin this journey.  These are the women and men who inspire me to keep going. I have shared a small bit of their story here but would love to give them the attention they deserve.  Let’s put some faces with these names!  I invite you all to share stories of your loved ones including the battles that they have faced and their triumphs!

Helen Jones:  Mother of my fabulous friend, SaJo (Sara Jones). Helen wasn’t on my original list.  Her fight has begun very recently.  “Mama Helen” was chief of the prayer team for my mom when she was fighting a brain tumor and I am terribly sad that we are now returning the favor.  I am confident she is going to have great results from her first round of treatment.  Go Helen, Go!

John Barulich:  Friend of the Keup family.  “About 5 years ago, Mr. Barulich died of breast cancer. It was a very sad reminder that it isn't only a women's disease. In that instance, it was a man's disease and a family's fight against it. Although they lost that fight, I am hopeful that others won't have to because of what you are doing.”

Cathy Schachner: Friend of Jenny Bloom.

Becky Brown and Elaine Weaver: These are the mother’s of my friends Ella and John Weaver.  Ella’s mother, Becky, fought and beat Breast Cancer!  We wish her same strength to John’s mom, Elaine, who is currently in the battle.

Frances Swayze, Hazel Hopwood, & Dee Barron:  The grandmother, great aunt, and grandmother of my wonderful friend, and first donor, Amber Garrison.  The women in Amber’s family have faced the fight three times.  Amber is also a 3-Day walker and shares my passion for finding a cure. 

Judy Casey:  Friend of the Kolvick/Houston/Nazario family.  Judy is currently in chemo treatment and the Houston family made their donation in her name.

Susan MaGahee:  Friend of the Hunter family.  Stuart and David made their donation in Susan’s memory.

Mary Etheridge:  Mother of Trish McDowell.  Trish is a member of the staff at my parent's church and a wonderful mother to 2 beautiful girls (who I used to have the pleasure of babysitting in the church nursery).  I know that Mary has a team of support from the McDowell family.  Since her diagnosis in March she has completed radiation and is in the "wait and see" phase.  We are expecting great results for Mary!  

Jamia Clark:  Grandmother of Mandie Thacker.  She was a breast cancer survivor! I know that she had a major impact on Mandie's life. Though I never met Jamia, I've seen her influence first hand. She inspired Mandie to be a woman of immense faith and strength.

Aunt Linda:  Aunt of Melissia Brannen. Melissia’s message about her aunt inspired me to write this special edition blog. “My Aunt Linda is a breast cancer survivor (amongst several other forms of cancer and she has had a heart transplant, too!). She is what I believe in because every step she takes she does so for others. She is the funniest and most selfless person I have ever known. You remind me a lot of her.”  I dedicated my 10 mile Saturday this week to Aunt Linda.  I sent positive thoughts to her and her family with each of the 19,630 steps it took!

What is the story of your loved on the Roll Call?

My favorite communities

First, thanks to friends I made my goal of $1000 by my birthday! Thanks to Elizabeth Black, a dear Jessup friend who is great on encouragement and advice. She added Florida to my list of states. Next, thanks to my friend Chandra. She started out as a work friend but has become a great trivia buddy too. Thanks to Katherine Wright, who was one of my senior year roommates. Finally, thanks again to Rachel Roberts-Galbraith (and I assume her wonderful husband, Kyle) for their SECOND donation and a wonderful birthday present. Next stop: 50% of my goal and then $2300!

So for those of you keeping track, my state count is:

1. North Carolina


2. Georgia


3. Missouri


4. Wisconsin


5. Illinois


6. New York


7. Virginia


8. Tennessee


9. Alabama


10. Pennsylvania


11. Oregon


12. Florida

So, my post is late because Ben's cousin Mario was in town last night from LA. He played at Smith's Olde Bar with Trevor Hall and the show was great! Before the show, we took Mario to Fat Matt's Rib Shack for some great ribs in Atlanta and one of his favorite places that he talks about (he even called Gigi, his wife, to brag that he was going). Over dinner we talked about lots of tops but one that kind of stuck with me was talking about places we would live. One thing that was mentioned was that it would be hard to leave friends in our current cities.

It made me start to think about the different communities I belong to. We have great friends here in Atlanta from all different walks of life and activities that we are involved in. I'm involved with Kappa Kappa Gamma alumnae activities. I have met a great group of women through helping with Emory's chapter. They are people that have some of the same beliefs as I do but they are very diverse women.

Ben and I are involved with the Emory Alumni Group. We love getting to see old friends and catch up. It is a great outlet for lots of different activities and we love to go when we can.

We're also involved in a potluck club. While at times I think it is something my parents would be involved in, I love it. We just hosted the July dinner at our house and it was so much fun to have 13 people over to our house to chat and enjoy Mexican food, our theme for the night.

I'm involved in a wonderful community of volunteers from all over the world that help with the Jessup Moot Court competition, an international law competition. There are regionals and nationals all over the world and in the spring students from around the world descend on DC to compete and have fun.

There are so many other "communities" I am involved in but the newest one is the Breast Cancer 3-Day. Last year there were 3500 people that walked in Atlanta alone. As I sat the expo and looked at the women and men around me, I was very excited to be part of this new community.

This was even more evident last weekend as I walked by 6 mile walk. A woman stopped me and asked if I was walking the 3-Day. She had on a camelbak and said no one else would be walking with a backpack! Her name was Bunny Lenhard, and she is walking the Michigan 3-Day for the second time and her niece is a survivor. She started offering me advice and when I mentioned I was getting tired of the same route, she offered to tell me different routes she uses.

This community may be new to me but the encouragement I feel from it is overwhelming. I am so excited to be walking the 3-Day this year and to be part of this wonderful group of women and men! Don't you want to be a part of this wonderful community of people that includes walkers, crew members and contributors?

Happy Walking!

Meredith

Dont call it a comeback - I been here for years

We are back in the training business and it feels great! Tuesday was my first training walk back since my bout with the Plague. I was super excited to get back on my feet both literally and figuratively! Our three miles on Tuesday felt really good. My legs fell right back into the routine and could have done another mile or 2. My lungs were a little less into the whole thing but I have high hopes for our 5 miles tonight.

On the fundraising front, I am THRILLED to report that, with the generous contribution made by my favorite mother-in-law and father-in-law, I hit the $1K mark over the weekend! BIG Thanks to Bill & JoAnn! This makes a second contribution from the state of Georgia; this time representing one of our favorite cities, Savannah. Here is a link to my visual representation of all of my contributions so far. It plots each of my 3 Day angels on the map. Check it out HERE!

With love, hope, and LOTS of Walking,
Kim

"I Believe...What Do You Believe?"

Tuesdays kick off my training week with a short session (usually 3-4 miles) and every step gets me closer to the big Saturday challenge.  This week that challenge was 10 miles!  10 miles!  10 miles takes about 3 hours to complete, 2 bathroom and stretch breaks, 100 ounces of water (hence the 2 bathroom breaks), one granola bar, one apple, and 21,333 steps!  10 miles feels great! 

10 miles is 50% of the first day of the actual 3-Day event.  On Friday morning we will have an opening ceremony and then take on 20 miles before we arrive at camp.  I’m halfway there! 

Things got tough around mile 8.  Prior to Saturday, 8 miles was the most I had done in one training session.  To push through the last 2 miles I tested my memory and tried to name the 31 donations I have received so far.  31 friends and family have made donations to support Breast Cancer research and to help me secure the $2300 required for participation in this event.  It was a tearful final 2 miles-but I did manage to name you all!! 

New names on the list this week include co-worker and neighbor Shana Harrison who has promised to take a walk with me once she finishes summer school! Another fellow Gamecock, Michelle Burcin, showed her support.  Michelle has been cheering me on a lot lately and is my model for healthy behaviors. The Anderson Family, including Aunt Julie & Grammy and Pop Pop, are cheering Aunt Jenn along (it’s okay to talk in 3^rd person when you share a love for the Anderson kiddos like we do).  I especially appreciate Julie for making not only a financial gift but for passing down her energy boosters from her own marathon training last year.  I added some energy beans to the weekend line up and it made a huge difference!  Joan and Barry McLendon, my favorite “throw down” friends from Johnston County, and Kate Byrne, my high school side kick (and the unnamed spandex partner in my marching band photo-see July 6^th blog) added their gifts to the list.

I have only $755 left to reach the walking minimum!  I am confident I can get there! 

I have added a few audio books to my iPod to help keep me company on my walks.  I am enjoying the first edition of This I Believe.  For my non NPR listening friends (shame on you!) This I Believe began as a 1950s radio program during which Edward Murrow would ask folks to share a short story about their beliefs.  NPR picked this up 4 years ago and asked folks, famous and common, to share their essays. Selected essays have since been compiled into two editions of a book.  All of them can be found on the NPR website: http://thisibelieve.org/

The purpose of the This I Believe project is to have folks elaborate on a personal belief.  Most of the essays are quite philosophical.  Margaret Mead discussed human destiny; Jackie Robinson reflected on his battles with racism in the sport of baseball; the sister of a murdered 17-year old Hispanic man issued caution to other youth about the dangers of gangs.  I don’t have the eloquence to offer insights such as these (I missed the Blarney Stone on my visit to Ireland) but I do have lots of time on my hands as I walk. Many of you ask me what I think about during the 8-10 hours of walking I do each week.  On my walks this week, I found myself making a list of the things that I believe.  This is not the first time I have thought about this prompt: "What do you believe?"  Curtis Z asked this question of me and every new freshman at FSU nightly for 2 summers (http://www.curtiszimmerman.com/itemInfo.cfm?itemID=186).  Cher asked us all.  I thought I’d share my thoughts-not deep or profound-but the things that come to mind as I walk. 

• The color pink is growing on me. 
  
• Vegetables aren’t so bad after all-except brussel sprouts.  I draw the line at brussel sprouts.
  
• The best weekend begins with leaving work at 2pm, Taking off on a road trip-snack bag packed with orange slices and peanut butter M&Ms (Not the pnut kind, peanut butter-right SaJo?), on an adventure to see live music and visit old friends.
  
• Puppy breath should be bottled and sold as air freshener.
  
• A parade is magical!  Any parade:  The 3:00pm parade at the Magic Kingdom, a Gay Pride parade, the nightly parade of costumes that the kids I used to babysit would perform between bath time and bed time, the Macy’s parade on Thanksgiving morning which, for the Latino family, always signals the beginning of the holiday season…ANY parade!  You name it, a parade = F-U-N!
  
• That “Passion supersedes natural ability, every time!” –Curtis Zimmerman  **That one has gotten me and will get us over the physical challenges of this event.
  
• That switching to a Mac was the best decision I ever made toward making myself a more efficient worker.  I also believe it will, in the long run, cost me many more $$ to maintain this preference than my PC friends.
  
• In saying I Love You before you hang up the phone.
  
• That speeding in a school zone should be punishable by jail time.  Slow it down, folks!
  
• In doing two things every day:  1.  Laugh!  2.  Break a sweat!  Both will contribute to your overall wellness in more ways than any multivitamin or low fat diet. 
  
• That the daily “Welcome Home” greeting from Riley can cure whatever ails me!
  
• In a junk free house.  No knick knacks or chotchkies cluttering the shelves or table tops.  However, one full shelf in my garage is reserved for Jimmy Buffet concert gear and paraphernalia. THAT is totally acceptable!
  
• People are not for hitting.
  
• Boom Boom Pow can put the pep back in your step at the 5.75 mile mark!
  
• Watermelon is the perfect image of summer and should be consumed daily from mid June-August.
  
• Every season that THIS will be the time that the Bachelor/Bachelorette will find true love.  I’m wrong every time-except 1-and I still watch, and believe.
  
• In eating Al Fresco whenever possible!  Next time the host asks, “Would you like a table inside or outside?”  Answer, “Outside.”  It’s worth the extra 10 minutes you may have to wait. 
  
• That the New Kids on the Walk will create memories on October 23-25, 2009 that we will never forget!  I believe our friends and family will make it possible!
  

What do you believe?? *Feel free to comment here or send your “Believe” statement to me. 

Our training this week is the same as last week.  Bring on the 10 mile Saturday!  I believe I can do it!

Miles this week:  24 Steps taken:  51,694

Total Miles:  130  Total Steps taken:  275,025

Thanks for reading!

Jenn L.

99 days and Counting...

Oh my gosh, we have 99 days until the walk! Not much time for training but hopefully enough for fundraising! That is no longer in the 3 digits!

This week has been great! 3 of the New Kids got together for a training walk on Saturday and Kim powered her way through it even while feeling not so great. Latino and I then tackled 8 miles on Sunday! We missed Jen Dooley but realized the Latino-pod, Mere-pod, and Kim-pod are going to be entertaining for 60 miles and 3 days. She will just add a Dooley-pod which will hopefully keep us entertained.

Then as Latino said, she and I headed to the Expo. We heard that we need to think of party games to keep us entertained or else you're going to learn things about each other you don't want to know while you try to fill 3 days with chatter. So, we want you to help us think of party games to get us through the days. Start thinking!!!

We're also starting to think of t-shirt ideas. Got something? Send it our way. There were lots of interesting slogans at the Expo but we want ours to be the best. So, be creative.

I want to send my shout-outs. Thanks to Patrick and Danielle Byrnett from Va. Patrick is a high school friend and I appreciate his support. Thanks to my co-worker Doreen Oliver for her very kind donation. And thanks to Mimi Wu, who lived on 2nd Beall with me in high school and was a partner in crime. Finally, special thanks to Joe Bainbridge, who I emailed for fundraising ideas after his offer on the message boards and he donated $50 to my account! Joe is very inspirational and is walking 2 3-days this year and he added Pennsylvania to my list!

My states stand at:

North Carolina

Georgia

Missouri

Wisconsin

Illinois

New York

Virginia

Tennessee

Alabama

Pennsylvania
Oregon

Now, my goal. I'd love to at least reach the $1000 mark by my birthday. When is my birthday you ask. Why, it is Saturday. Yes, this Saturday and I am getting closer and closer to 30. I have $105 to reach in two days. Can I do it? I sure hope so. I know that my friends and family have been generous so far and hope they can help me reach my goal.

P.S. Don't forget to ask your employer to match your donation and I'll get to my goal that much faster!

If Kim sends a shout out, but has no voice, does anyone hear it?

Deep thoughts for this Thursday afternoon! I have been a TOTAL slacker blogger for the past couple weeks. In all fairness, work has been nuts and I have been sick as a dog. More on that later.

First up: SHOUT OUTS Galore! Immediately following my last blog post I was honored to receive a chain of contributions from THREE new states! Thanks to my favorite Cajun, Sonja who is currently living in Texas. Special thanks to dear friends, John & Ella Weaver in Alabama. We will absolutely be walking in honor of Ella's mom who is a survivor and in honor of John's mom who is still fighting her battle! Our hope is that next year we can walk in celebration of John's mom's VICTORY! Thanks as well to my friend, B, who I am so grateful to get to work with every day! Thank you for supporting my journey, friend, and for finally putting Georgia on my contribution map!

I was so excited to receive 2 contributions while we were in Ohio for the fourth from my Aunt Jackie & Uncle David and from the Lankey Crew, Jason, Kathryn, Elyse, Bryanna, & Josh. All of my other contributions have strictly come in online so it was kind of nice to be able to convey my GREAT appreciation face to face!

I knew that I was having a contribution dry spell, when my mom said "So you haven't gotten any new donations recently?" SO I took that as a call to action and posted a new 3 Day facebook application and immediately got an amazing contribution from the McNeals in FLORIDA! Their contribution not only put the Sunshine State on my map but also got me excited for the Sir Paul McCartney show we will be attending together in August! Following Brent & Ashley's lead was my far away friend, Seth, who is a proud fellow Buckeye in the state of California! Thanks for the generous contribution, Seth! And my final contribution of the day came from my Aunt Lori & Uncle Roger who were able to make a thoughtful contribution despite the after math of my cousin Emily's weekend wedding. Thanks Roger & Lori and Congrats Emily & Jeremy!

Kim's Total States Represented: OR, OH (x 3), NY, AZ, CT, VA, MA, IL, TX, AL, GA, FL, & CA! 13 in all Friends!

Training took a bit of a back seat to healing this week as I have been sicker than I have been in 10 years! It all started with an benign scratchy throat Thursday afternoon and snowballed into 4 days in bed and Doctor's orders of NO talking for 2 days. If you know me at all, not talking is VERY hard for me. I barely managed 6 miles with Latino, Mere & Adam Saturday morning but then was done for the day and had to skip both the Expo and REI (MAJOR disappointment!). I haven't been able to walk since then but am hoping to jump back on track perhaps by Saturday! 7 mile Saturday. We'll see!

Overall, BIG thanks to the New Contributors on my Block and Happy Walking or Healing depending who you are! Any typos are credited to the list of meds in my body!
Kim