We celebrated Evelyn’s birthday on Saturday. I can’t believe she is 15!

State #33 — Virginia

Richmond Half Marathon

My best time since before Covid.

It was a great race. It was very well run. Lots of water stops. Oreos and Coke at mile 9.

There were spectators everywhere. I liked the course. Mile 7 was the worse for up hills. Otherwise rolling hills and a huge downhill finish for at least a half mile. It was great! 

Friday we had to drive up from Richmond to Dulles airport to pick up Phil. We met up with Eric's cousin Elizabeth (we stayed with her Belgium a couple times). It was great reconnecting with her, Jim and Calliope, the cat. But the best was seeing Poppy again. Such a sweet dog. 

We went to Severs again on Sunday with Allista and Bailey. 

Tuesday I went swimming and saw this cute mermaid skeleton.

Wednesday my car (Altima) hit a milestone milage. I had been waiting a couple weeks for this:

Mike, Linda, and Alec came up last night. We had a great dinner at Texas Roadhouse and went shopping at Sam's Club. This morning Mike and I went on a 7 mile walk. I showed him the river trail. I really like the trail but it is always an out-n-back and I don't like those. It was a very cool, brisk walk. And windy!

After the walk I made egg, ham and cheese quesadillas for breakfast. Around noon Kennedy and Josh came up. We had my amazing chili for lunch and then we braved the cold and windy at Sever's Corn Maze. It was so windy! 

Eric, Alec and I ran around the straw bale maze. 

We saw an alligator, fox and kangaroo at the Animal Show.

We walked through the maze in 51 minutes.

After that we went into the corn pit. I love the pit!

  

Nancy and Blake came up for another trip to Valleyfair. Blake was not into rollercoasters today. We kept to the low spinning rides. I still had fun, poor Eric didn't get on many rides. 

 Argh!  I bought Danielle's cat, Oreo, a pirate outfit since he lost his eye last year. The eye patch is too big but I tried on the hat on Reba and she was super cute.

 Another amazing night for northern lights. We drove out to Marystown to get a great view.  More pictures found here: Northern Lights

Wicked Half Marathon, Salem, MN ~ Massachusetts is off the map!  State #32 is done. Only 18 to go! They offered an early start so I jumped at the chance to start 30 minutes before Eric and Phil.

The course was mostly an out-and-back with loops at both ends. It was also wickedly hilly!  The most scenic part was running the causeway (Ocean Ave.) to Marblehead Island. The day before when we drove the course the waves were crashing over the wall. The waves were not as violent on race day.

Phil caught me just before mile 7. Eric didn't catch me until mile 10. The last 3 miles were rough but I finished ahead of my goal time!

We went to Hermann Fest yesterday with our New Ulm family. It was fun as always with the cannons and municipal band and then fireworks later.