Friday, June 7, 2019

Loving....Not Loving

It's a loving...not loving kinda Friday. Sometimes, you just gotta get stuff off your chest. Keeping it positive, even when I'm not.

Let's get right to it!


I'm loving.... that the thermometer has pushed past 70 degrees most days lately. It's been a long, cold winter into a long, cold spring. We're not going to skip summer are we? I'm not loving... ALL THE RAIN. We have had so much rain. How much rain, you ask? In May we got 9 inches of rain. Yesterday, I went for a run after a stormy night and the creek that flows along the bike path was over the banks and licking at the pavement. Ducks were swimming right along beside me as I ran. The tunnel was flooded. While everything is green and blooming, I'm especially not loving... ALL THE MOSQUITOS.

I'm loving... that Design Home game I've been playing has finally spurred me to do some redecorating. We pulled out the carpet from the upstairs bedrooms and exposed the hardwood floors. I finally bought some Adirondack chairs for my backyard patio. I'm not loving... that I have to light a fire under my husband to get him to book the floor refinisher...to go to pick out carpet for the stairs...to clean and refinish the deck. I think he should play the Design Home game.


I'm loving... that my blog post on menopause and running received a ton of views. This is the first time in a long time that a post has done that for me. Cleary, I struck a nerve. I'm not loving... that my overall blog views are down. Aren't people reading blogs anymore? Grateful to my loyal readers who come back every week to read what I've written.


I'm loving... all the quality blogs that continue to post. It's a lot of fun to keep up with everyone and I feel like we have this little circle of virtual running friends. I'm not loving... all the ads. I don't mind a few ads and I get that everyone needs to make money, but there are some blogs I read that have so many ads they make my computer freeze. I keep x-ing out the ads but more pop up in their place. It's like playing Wack-a-Mole. It distracts from the content of the post. Yes, I know it's the advertiser's way of getting me to view their ad. And don't get me started on trying to comment and being marked as spam...yes, it's happening again...


I'm loving... the Heart Zones monitor that I've been testing on my runs. Guys, it's the coolest thing. In fact, it's helping me so much with pacing and I've been feeling so much better on my runs that I canceled the event monitor that my doctor order for me to wear. I'm not loving... that I still spend so much time in the red zone. Either my zones aren't correct or I'm pushing myself way too hard. Stay tuned for my review once I figure this out.


I'm loving... that my local library has free e-downloads of current best selling books. I'm not loving...  that all 4 books I placed on hold came in ON THE SAME DAY. I love to read, but seriously? Plus you can only download 3 at once. I had to let one go. So many books. So little time.


I'm loving... that both my college boy and my older son are still at home. Sorry, not sorry. I know it's not forever. I'm not loving... the late night coming and going. The laundry. The clutter...


What are you loving...not loving? I share mine /via @oldrunningmom #runchat #running 

What are you loving lately? Not loving? Are you having summer or this never-ending rainy spring? Redecorating issues? Do you have issues with ads on blog posts? What's your red zone on a run? Do you download books from your local library to e-read? Grown kids at home--yea or nay?

I'm linking up with Fridays with Fairytales and Fitness.




41 comments :

  1. I can totally relate to you with all of the rain. I'm not sure how much rain we got in May but it seemed to rain almost every day - I was SO over it.

    Love that the Heart Zones monitor has been such a positive for you lately. I've been toying with the idea of using one on my runs. Looking forward to your review too!

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    1. I was never one to rely on gadgets to help me pace my run--I always ran by feel. That clearly isn't working for me anymore.

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  2. It is weird having both kids home again over here too. The laundry and the dishes oh my! Also seems like people are coming and going all night over here. I also love our little blog circle and so forward to reading and catching up with everyone. I am interested in chatting w you more about the heart zones monitor. Looks like I am having one come my way as well. I have never really paid much attention to HR and summer seems like the perfect time.

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    1. I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the heart zones monitor!

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  3. The Ad Block Plus extension is a game changer...it makes blogs readable again;-)

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    1. Yep, I've used it for years and it makes a world of difference.

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  4. I can relate to you over the husband! We finally picked ... curtain poles! That's it, just curtain poles last night but he wanted to review the order and not rush into it. Cur. Tain. Poles. ARGHHHH. Ahem. I am glad I got your blog post showcased to my menopausal ladies tribe and loved all the nice comments it got! My views are down on my work blog but that's because I don't post much on it, my home one is about as normal but it does come and go pretty randomly. Oh and books? Yes, a publisher offered their catalogue to the book mag I review for and I picked three, to have one out of, in January. In May, all three arrive!! Lovely, but ... fortunately I do love my editors who are relaxed about when I get those reviews in!

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  5. Yes, to having grown kids back home (even if it's just one of my three). Yes, to the summer temps (finally). And a big NO to the mosquitoes...who were more enamored with my bug spray than repelled by it yesterday morning. Two outta three ain't bad ;-)

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  6. I'm with you on the weather! We've had a lot of rain too and while I love the warmer weather, I hate the mosquitoes.

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  7. The mosquitos are out now - I am not looking forward to seeing them in full force! I've just been grateful that we've had a few days without rain. I'll take all the slow summer runs if it means no more rain for a while.
    That's fantastic that the HR zones monitor is working so well for you!

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    1. I am at the point where I am looking forward to running in the heat. Sure beats rain!

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  8. The rain. Oh my the rain. Will it ever stop I loved your post on menopause.so informational. I am not there yet, but it's good to know what is ahead!

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  9. We typically don't have a lot of mosquitos here (in TX it was awful and I could barely be outside!). But we have also had so much rain -- including this week -- argh. Last time a Hurricane blew through we did have mosquitoes.

    But yes, there was a lot nice weather runs this week!

    The HZ monitor just didn't do it for me. It's why I didn't reup as an Ambassador. I was really hopeful, since I don't have a HR GPS watch yet -- glad you're enjoying it though!

    I think I missed your menopause post, gotta go see that. In general I haven't had too hard a time (perimenopause, on the other hand, nearly did me in).

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    1. Perimenopause was a different animal. I didn't gain weight and I didn't feel lethargic. I had other issues, tho...

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  10. We're having great weather in So Cal. What we call "June Gloom" = a marine layer in the morning, keeping things nice and cool. It typically burns off by noon and we have warm, but not hot, sunny afternoons.

    Les is digging out the sprinklers in our backyard. He is not loving the convoluted way it was laid out 15 years ago! It seems there is no real pattern. And he found that 2 zones are combined somewhere which means they have both been running twice.

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    1. We have gloom all year around! It's been nice the past couple of days so I hope the worst of it is behind us.

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  11. Oh gosh I hope people are still reading (and writing) blogs... they're my favorite! Best for long-form writing and I hate when people to try cram all that crap onto Instagram.

    I use an ad blocker so it's WAY less annoying now.

    And lol at the flood of holds from your library. That happens to be frequently and I actually get stressed about all the reading I "have" to do. Such a 1st-world problem but I like to laugh at myself for this self-imposed panic. :-)

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    1. I'd rather read a blog post than a lengthy instagram post too! And you get me with regards to the books! I find myself rushing to get them all read! LOL

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  12. I feel ripped off that May was so cold and wet. That's usually one of our few nice months. I'll bet you are pushing yourself too hard....just guessing... :P

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  13. we did our home improvement stuff last summer so I GET YOU! I also have my 18 year old stepson living with us about 50% of the time and it's fine, in fact it's even better than when he "had" to come over every two weeks. I only mind the pop bottles in his bedroom and dirty socks and underwear on the floor ... And on the topic of blogs and ads - I get so annoyed! Ads, popups, asking me to sign up for newsletters. The answer is no to everything! I get that bloggers want to make use of ads, but annoying. I feel you on the menopause thing too.

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    1. I have to ease my husband into things...so I drop my plans one at a time. I've learned a few things over the years. When I pushes back, I have to back away. It's like a dance.

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  14. We've gone from May Gray to June Gloom. Ugh! It's great for running but hard to motivate to do anything else.
    I won't read blogs with a lot of pop up ads, I don't have enough patience for that.

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    1. We had May gray and we've had June Gloom. What's July going to be?

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  15. I was just talking today about the inevitable mosquito infestation after all this rain. I already spotted one in my house yesterday. I don't do ads on my site and probably never will. I absolutely hate that and unless it's someone I regularly follow, if it happens enough, I'm out of there.

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    1. They aren't bad yet but you know it's just a matter of time! We were just sitting outside and had to bat away a few. I've got Deep Woods Off at the ready!

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  16. Maybe if you act like you're going to hire someone to come refinish your floors your husband will finally decide to get going with them. Any case, wood floors!! How nice that you've had them all along and get to see them now! I'm happy for you with the fixing up - I know you have talked about that for a while now. :)

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    1. I'm all inspired! Your house turned out amazing. We can't do a complete redo (nor do we want to--we're still dreaming of that retirement on a lake), but we definitely need to do some updating.

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  17. Enjoy having your boys at home. I can't remember the last time all of mine were home at the same time and I miss that! I know exactly what you mean about the ads. There are some sites I don't visit anymore even though I enjoy the bloggeer's posts because of the pop ups and ads. Ugh!

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    1. I'm all about reciprocating but it gets frustrating trying to leave a comment when the blog freezes!

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  18. My library has ebooks as well but they are usually never new ones and you still have to wait on hold for it. Why do ebooks have to be on hold?

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    1. I wonder the same thing, but it probably has to do with licensure--the publishers probably don't allow libraries to have unlimited copies available. How would they make any money? :p

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  19. Heart rate stuff is challenging me too. I realize it's probably b/c of where I am w/ surgery etc. but it's so frustrating grrrr.

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    1. You are definitely in a challenging spot right now! I can only imagine your frustration. <3

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  20. Oh a big no on the mosquitos! We've had rain but the bugs haven't followed yet. And I'm so with you on all the ads on some blogs - it's just become a little too much!

    Enjoy having your boys at home! :)

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