All The Ways the Walking Dead Freaked Me Out In Regular Life

I have started binge watching The Walking Dead on Netflix.  I know, I know, I always said I would never watch a show about zombies because well, they scare me, but I can't say that any longer.  I am obsessed with it and all I can think about is zombies, zombies, zombies.

I am only on Season 4, 2nd episode but that show gets in your head!  I came up with this list last night on the way home from work.  I'm telling you...it's ALL I can think about.  I stay up late into the night saying "Just one more episode" and then someone dies or get attacked and you watch another one.  It's a vicious cycle.

A new season starts in October and I have no doubt I will finish before then.  I have to talk myself out of reading the Wikipedia page about the show and it's characters every day.

All the ways the Walking Dead freaked me out in regular life.

Here are some things I think about ALL DAY long because of the Walking Dead:

-You see someone limping at the store and you watch them closely to make sure they aren’t a Walker pushing a cart.  You are relieved to find out they just have a bad hip.  You never thought you would smile at the thought of someone ‘just’ having a bad hip, but you do. #nowalkersatTraderJoes

-Someone yawns near you and you cringe thinking they are coming in for the bite but you realize they are just tired…like you from all the binge watching of the Walking Dead that you do all night when you should be sleeping.

-You pass a group of runners and think it is a “Herd of Walkers” but then notice the sweat dripping down their faces and the running attire they have on.  You’re safe for now.  You mentally congratulate them on their tempo.

-You see cars entering freeway at high rates of speed and you think it is another survivor group trying to jack all of your supplies.  Then you remember you are on the freeway and you are going just as fast. Your pulse returns to its normal, resting state.

-You walk outside and you look both ways, listening for the sounds of walkers.  Then you realize that it is just a TV show and there are no Walkers.  As you walk to your car you look behind you every few seconds…just to be on the safe side of course.

-You pass building and think about how they can be used for shelter and scavenging for supplies if need be.  You know those desks in that office building have Skittles and other snacks in them; you make a mental note of the location ‘just in case’.  You mentally skip some buildings because they have too much glass and are easily broken into by walkers.  That would not make a safe, fortified location.  You wonder how far you are from a prison.

-You hear “Breaking News” on the news and think ‘This is it, this is the announcement from the CDC’ and think how you should have made your emergency pack already.  Then you continue watching the news and see the “breaking news” is just a Listeria outbreak at Blue Bell.  #getittogetherBlueBell  You mentally put the emergency pack  back on your to-do list.  You are too busy to do that of course because you are only on Season 4 of your binge watching and don’t have time to make an emergency pack.

-You see an image of Santa Clause and think of wise old Hershel.

-Someone is coughing around you and your first instinct is to tell them to go to Cell Block A (solitary confinement) with the other flu victims of the prison.  Then you realize that it might be just a cough and not the flu that killed so many of the group.  You then go get a flu shot and stock up on antibiotics at CVS, just to be sure.

-You only eat half of your sandwich at lunch and you think about throwing it away.  You realize Karma is a B and this moment just might flash before your eyes when you are on the road scavenging for food while Walkers wait to eat you once you go outside.  You save the sandwich for lunch the next day. #dontwastefood

-You wonder weird thoughts like ‘If Edward Cullen bites a Walker, would the Walker now become immortal?  They do have lots of blood that would attract vampires’ and then you realize you shouldn’t combine two genres because that would REALLY make you seem crazy.

Off to the Zoo We Go

My plan was to hang out around the house and do some cleaning and exercising all day on Saturday but that all changed when my sister called to see I wanted to do anything that day.  I drive A LOT, like a lot, a lot.  I drive two hours a day to get to work and back plus any other things I need to do.  My poor car needs a break!  I knew I had a race on Sunday in Kemah so I wasn't planning on going anywhere.  When my sister called I knew I would have to drive to Spring to pick them up, drive to wherever we were going, drive home, and then drive by back to my home that night.  For a brief minute I was about to say no, but then I remembered, say yes more and also that I love hanging out with my niece.

It was decided that we were going to the Zoo and we also invited our other sister, Laura, but she didn't want to go but my nephew Cole did.  After a long fight with traffic we finally made it to the zoo around 1:30 pm.  The entire way we were singing "The Wheels on the Bus", "ABC's", "If your Happy and You Know It", and "5 Little Monkeys".  We made up our own lyrics to "If you are happy and you know it" to include "if you're happy and you know it poot in your seat".  What is it with kids and poop talk?  LOL.  

We saw the monkey area first and then made our way around the entire park. We made it to the giraffe section!

I think Cole was most excited about the Bald Eagle.  

I'm not sure what section this was, but it was in a fabulously air-conditioned building that I wanted to stay in ALL DAY.

After went to the petting zoo and rode the carousel it was time for FLAMINGOS!!  

The kids were getting sleepy but we had promised to take them on the paddle boats.  Cole rode in the front with me while Kali and Tori rode in the back.  Kali was not happy for a little bit but about halfway through we let her climb in the front and sit between us. I let them both "steer" the boat as I peddled.  They felt accomplished.

Kali Claire NOT happy. :)

We went through the water fountain a few times and got soaking wet!  As we were walking back to the car I asked each of them what their favorite part of the day was, it was the water fall!  At first neither of them liked it (even though it was their idea) but then they were begging me to drive back through there.  I was laughing a lot too.  I felt like the lady in the "Help me Janice" Youtube video that keeps laughing at the kid on the bungee ride.

I told the kids we could get ice cream but htey had to stay awake.  They insisted that they could stay awake the entire time but Kali fell asleep within 5 minutes of driving.  I said "No ice cream for sleepers!" and she woke up really fast.  It was really funny. She eventually fell asleep and we couldn't wake her up.  I owe her an ice cream cone, I guess!  

We went to Cloud 10 Creamery in Rice Village because we couldn't find a closer place.  Cole kept saying "I want sprinkles on mine" the entire way but when we got there they didn't have sprinkles. :/  The look on his face must have been so sad because the ice cream guy said "You're breaking my heart little buddy".  LOL. I guess I will need to start carrying around sprinkles with me.  

OTW home Cole fell asleep too.  We wore them out just as much as they wore us out!  #adulting

It was a fun day and I'm so glad that I was able to spend the day with two out of three of my favorite kiddos!  

Toughest 10K Kemah Round 3

On Sunday we completed the 1st of 3 races as part of the Texas Bridge Series, Toughest 10 Kemah.  The two remaining are One Tough 10K-Galveston (October) and the LaPorte by the Bay Half Marathon (November).

I had planned on getting there early to have a stress free morning, but as usual, "Planned" flew out the usual.  Plan:  Wake up at 4:30 and leave by 5 AM.  Reality:  Work up at 4:45 and played on Instagram and FB til 5:15 and then ran around like a crazy person to leave at 5:45.

I had stayed at my parents house in Spring the night before because I got to hang with Kali and Cole for a little while and I was too tired to drive anywhere.  Those kids wear you out!  So I had to drive from Spring allllllll the way to Kemah and I was freaking out a bit over getting there in time.

I stopped at Starbucks for a drink and oatmeal, because, Starbucks, and that put me even later behind schedule.  There wasn't any traffic until I hit the Kemah Bridge but it moved quickly and I made it to the starting line with about 15 minutes to spare.

On the way I found this neat little wooden maze called The Lighthouse Maze.  Totally added it to my bucket list.

I met my aunt, Laura, at the starting line and we started the race together.  I kept running when she started walking but I thought she kept running.  I knew I was going to do a walk/run combo the entire race but it was so hot I did a lot more walking.  Sometimes I felt my heart working overtime and I didn't want to push myself.

But, let's be honest...I wasn't in the best shape and could have trained way more than I did.  Actually, I hardly trained at all.  It was a huge wake-up call for my next race and the half marathon in November.  My feet feel great, hallelujah (!!), so I know I can keep training and get stronger. If you didn't know, one of the reasons I stopped running (besides marathon training burnout) was because I hurt my foot training and that hasn't quite healed.  My new shoes have helped tremendously though so I feel confident to keep going.  This race was sort of a test to see how it affect my feet. Now I know that I just have to get my booty out there and actually do it.

I made friends throughout the race and finished at 1:42.18, which is my slowest time by 31 minutes (PR set in 2012 when I was training for my marathon).  I got in the food line and got a strawberry popsicle and waited for Laura to finish.  I had seen her going down the other side of the bridge (3rd hill) while I was coming up my (4th bridge) final hill and knew she wouldn't be too far behind me.  She finished at 1:51:28.

Afterwards we went to Crazy Alan's Swamp Shack for lunch and drinks before heading home.  As you can imagine there isn't much plant based at a seafood place called the Swamp Shack, but I had a delicious meal of side veggies!

It was a great and even though I am slightly dreading the next two of the series, I am excited about the medals and calorie burning!  Ha!  I have a cruise in November after all! :)

Jabba's 2nd Angel Birthday

Today is Jabba's 2nd Angel Birthday!  He has been in Heaven acting as a fluffy angel for two years now and seeing my favorite pictures still gets to me.

I know I need to let it go, and for the most part I have, but there are times I miss him so much.  I see something that reminds me of him like this little orange and white cat coin purse I saw at the store the other day.  I actually teared up because the cat on the coin purse look just like him with his little white nose.  I almost bought it but then I decided I might tear up every time I saw it and I don't want that.

Or sometimes I find a computer file that pertains to him or a picture tucked away in a drawer that I didn't expect to see at that moment.  It's the times when I am not expecting to see something of his that is the hardest.

Some days when I see something I want to see a picture.  My niece had on the 4th of July glasses Jabba is wearing in the photo above and I told her those were Jabba's.  She didn't understand because, obviously, the everything in the world is her's, but I knew they were at one time his.  I searched for about 20 minutes until I found that picture to show her.  Really, it was to show myself that I am OK to see his picture sometimes and it's OK to seek pictures of him sometimes.

One day I will get another cat and he will have a place in my heart.  Today though, my heart is not ready for another one and I need someone to help me share the love first.  I need a spouse to love and then we can add babies and pets.


Happy Birthday, Baby Boy!  Go float on a cloud today and eat some (calorie-free) catnip treats!!!