2009, The Year in Review

Every year I send out a Holiday/End of Year Letter. Here are the highlights of our year!

It was the year of many home improvements. We got new carpet, a new floor and a sliding glass door in the kitchen. 2009 will ultimately go down as The Year of the Termites. After I noticed a crack in the dining room corner, my husband and his son tore out the dining room wall and corner. They rebuilt it themselves. We seized the opportunity to have much-needed siding and new windows installed. The house looks incredible! Now if we can just get the drywall hung . . .

We celebrated our first anniversary last March. We managed to squeeze in two trips to Colorado and my determined husband learned to ski quite well.

In our second year of gardening, we grew a Stupice heirloom that produced copious amounts of seriously delicious tomatoes. Our habañero did handsomely. We grew lots of garlic. We also grew our first pumpkin, watermelons, muskmelon and butternut squash, though none were impressive. Tragically, we have a black thumb concerning the one vegetable we love most: spinach. We learned a lot and I'm already plotting ways to expand the garden for next summer. We also had a share in a CSA. Getting different vegetables each week forced me to branch out in my cooking. I loved the challenge.

In June, we ran the Highlands Sky 40 Miler in West Virginia. I highly recommend this beautiful and rugged ultra.

We flew back to Kansas in July for my 20-year high school reunion. Eek! It was fun reconnecting with old friends.

We also bought a new Honda Element - the perfect vehicle for two trail runners!

We both had a good year of running. We ran a few new races including Highlands Sky 40 Miler in West Virginia and some shorter road races for a change. I managed to run Personal Record times at Bull Run 50 Miler, Women’s Half Trail Marathon, The Big Schloss 50k, as well as a 10k and a 5 Mile Turkey Trot. My husband set PRs at the 10K and 5 Miler and he can still beat me at all distances longer than the 100-yard dash.

New adventures in 2009: We took some basic climbing skills classes and we were hooked. Now we belong to a climbing gym and go every week. We enjoy our newfound form of cross training.

In sad news, my cat Buster went to the great mousing grounds in the sky in November. He was with me for fourteen years. We miss him and his antics around the house. My cat CousCous meows a lot more now. She misses her brother.

We're currently gearing up for the training runs we put on in the Massanutten Mountains during the winter and early spring. The logistics are all new as the race course has changed.

We are both very happy to be employed in this recession.

In the coming year, we hope to put a few finishing touches on our kitchen, tackle the bathrooms, run many trails, PR a few races, and enjoy time with good friends and family.

Hope 2010 brings new challenges and good things your way!