You Better Run

This was a great weekend for constructive boredom. I have some days off work that have to be taken before the end of the year, so I used one of them Friday. It was great to sleep in, have a big pot of coffee, and a long shower and shave. After a good read, I headed out to meet some of my former lunch buddies for a much anticipated lunch. While I miss these guys and gals everyday, I didn't realize how much until we were all back together, sharing a meal and getting caught up. This a group of friends who all share the same warped sense of humor and are not afraid to laugh at themselves as well as each other - all in friendship of course.

After a tearful goodbye to end our lunch, I headed over to the Harris Teeter to pick up ingredients for a giant pot of chili. Apparently everyone else had the same idea since the shelves were pretty bare of the required fixings. But, I prevailed and got the pot up to boiling by 3:30. Besides my signature ingredients, everyone knows that a good pot of chili requires many hours of simmering, so I curled up on the sofa for a long evening of guilty pleasure television and pot stirring.

Early Saturday morning, the pot of chili went back on the stove to warm up and I prepared myself for a long run in the cold weather.  My friends, Cathy and Arjay, were holding the 4th annual Wandering Beaver: Loose on the Neuse charity 5K / 10K run to benefit the Special Operations Fallen Warriors foundation. This run started out as a fun run a few years ago and has steadily grown over the years. This year approximately 40 people participated in the run, which was followed by a huge spread of carbs, fruit, hot beverages, and chili all chased down by either Arjay's Scottish Ale or Cedar Plank Porter home brew. There was music, a fire pit, great stories, laughter, and general holiday merry making for a great cause. This year, the race raised over $800 for the foundation, which was more than double last year's contribution. Although I have fervently and vocally complained about running in the cold both years that I have participated, this will soon become one of my most cherished Christmas traditions - plus I shaved 5 minutes off my time from last year.

Needless to say, with the home brew flowing, the die-hards who stayed to the bitter end, were brimming with "holiday spirits." When I arrived home, I smelled a bit like a drunk boy scout, just home from a three day camping trip - musky, beery, and smokey. The bed never felt so comfortable as it did Saturday afternoon. The early evening hangover, however, put a damper on the remainder of the evening's festivities and after a hearty dinner of leftovers, I was back in bed dreaming of running through neighborhoods festooned with holiday decorations in the cold winter sun.  Good times!

Black Friday 2011

As mentioned in the Thanksgiving Day post, John and Jay requested that their brunch guests bring nonperishable food items as a donation to the Poverello Center in Wilton Manors rather than a host gift of wine or liquor. Everyone was very generous with their donations. When we consolidated all the food items into full bags, we had about 20 paper grocery bags full of food. We were very excited to drop off the donations at the center.

The center's director was quite surprised by the size of our delivery and very grateful. He offered to give us a tour of the food bank. This facility provides for the nutritional needs of approximately 2500 HIV+ people who live below the poverty line in Broward County, Florida. The center receives grant money from the Ryan White foundation, but the foundation dictates the items that can be purchased using the grant money.  Recipients then can choose from a set menu of items (7 fresh fruits, 7 fresh veggies, 7 canned goods, 7 meat servings, and various baked goods) once per month.  Since most recipients had already picked up their Thanksgiving boxes, the items we delivered were to be divided into bonus bags to be distributed in December. Besides grant money donations, several area grocery stores (Publix and Costco) also donate meats and baked goods. The food bank appeared very clean and organized with several walk-in coolers containing a variety of fresh goods.

There was also a large room off the main area that appeared to be a conference room with book shelves surrounding the table in the center of the room.  The shelves were stacked high with what looked like blankets. This is actually an area in which panels for the AIDS quilt are repaired by volunteers. The quote that choked us all up was "this room holds so many souls."

At the end of the tour we thanked our guide and rushed out into the parking lot - each of us staking out a different corner of the car - crying our eyes out. It was a very moving and rewarding experience. These folks are dedicated and are doing God's work with grace and integrity.

After a quick lunch, John and I decided to head to the beach for a little relaxation time in the sun. Once we arrived at the beach, it was a bit cloudy and windy, so we detoured to the Royal Palms Resort.

The Resort

Picture it, two pools, full service bar, food, two DJ's, and a spa. After chasing the sun around the resort and a light lunch where we shared an excellent Cuban sandwich, we headed to the spa for our 3:00 deep tissue massages.

The pool by the bar

The massages were a delightful way to spend the afternoon - instead of braving the mall and the hoards of zombie shoppers. Rubbed, pulled, relaxed, and well oiled, we returned home for a quick nap before the evening's planned festivities.

Jay had tickets to the White Party.

White Party at the Miami Seaquarium - Jay is in there somewhere....

John and I had tickets for the Leather Masked Ball. It was Black Friday after all...

Sorry, no pics of this event  - but you can Google it if you are curious.

It was a late night for us all. I ended it chowing down on an open-faced turkey sandwich with dressing, gravy, and homemade cranberry sauce. Delish! I slept like a baby for the rest of the night.