October 4, 2004

Em, with my George. She thought he was a little plant. She was slightly surprised.

Ahhh.

I’ve had a wonderful vacation. This whole staying-at-home thing is highly underrated, I think. Traveling is one of my most favorite things to do. But I guess I already knew that I’m a stay at home kind of gal. I’m a Cancer. We like our shells. And I’ve had SO much fun staying in mine recently.

Having Michelle here was wonderful. She just left this morning, and I meant to have a post together before she got home, but she’s already called from the taxicab, saying she was almost home, almost within reach of Scout’s little head. Bless this modern world.

Here she is, as seen over the top of Petunia, my car:

She’d never been to the West Coast before this trip, never seen the Pacific, never seen surfers (!), never ridden the ferry from Oakland to San Francisco, never seen the Golden Gate or Bay Bridges. She was such a good visitor, because she took such honest delight in everything. On the ferry to Fisherman’s Wharf I said, “Listen.” She heard the seals barking and her face just lit up.

(Oh, and I loved that while we were walking down the horribly tacky pier, full of stores that would be in any mall and music-box shops, she said, “Let’s go. I hate this. Can we see the seals?” The girl’s got her priorities straight.)

And how. We went from the wharf to the business district, riding the running board of a cable car, swinging from the poles. I still haven’t figured out how the city lets that happen—the liability must be HUGE from tourists dropping off and under Muni busses, but we both survived, even though the tips of my sneakers hit several construction cones. I actually whipped out the camera for a shot.

Where were we going? Why, Artfibers, of course! I like to think that I enable people to buy yarn, but really, I didn’t have to twist Michelle’s arm. Instead, Kira ended up writing ME a pattern while Michelle shopped away. Joanna met us there for a quick hello and actually managed to not buy anything, clever girl that she is. Lala met us there, too, and then we did a tour of Mission Dolores, the Castro, and the Mission where we had insanely good burritos and beer. We were wiped out, but happy.

The next day was for Mills, which Em will cover in her post, and driving down the coast. We put the top down on a gorgeous sunny afternoon which Em seemed to draw right out of the fog. We went and looked at surfer boys, and fondled yarn at Fengari in Half Moon Bay (we could have mixed the two verbs up, had we been thinking fast enough). Then, of course, it was farther south to Pescadero for olallieberry pie at Duartes. Oh. The joy of olallieberry pie. Oh. A moment of reverent silence, please.

Thanks.

On Saturday, we considered our Sunday. Sunday was going to be busy. No lying around on Sunday. So we had to get all our lying around done on Saturday. We did something touristy (oh, yes, looked at redwoods at Woodminster Amphitheatre (remember, Greta?)) and then went shopping for food and videos. We propped ourselves up on the couches with drinks and knitting and plenty of snacks (one of my mottoes in life: Plenty Of Snacks) and whiled the day away together. It was decadent and relaxing and utterly lovely.

Yesterday? Sunday? Yeah. I ran twenty miles.

Dude. Twenty miles. (Or as my coach said, “You didn’t just run twenty miles. You ran twenty fucking miles.” Yeah.) If you know the City, we went from the windmill in Golden Gate Park up the huge hill past the Cliff House and Sutro Baths, into Sutro Heights and back down, down the Great Highway for a few miles, doubling back again to the park, all the way through the park to the end (and around all the lakes), back out to Sunset, up to Vicente, then up to the zoo at Sloat and back to the windmill down the Great Highway again.

It was hard. But it wasn’t actually as hard as I thought it would be. Miles 15-17 were a breeze; I felt like I had just started. The last two miles, though, were exhausting. I thought I’d never see the end. When we passed the Beach Chalet where people were enjoying their Sunday brunch, I yelled “We just ran twenty miles! Twenty! Not ten! That’s like two tens! Together! Twenty!” I waved. They cheered. I don’t think they understood what I was saying, but they were happy. This is what my teammates looked like coming around that last bend, right before we went to play in the ocean:

Then I went BACK into Golden Gate Park to the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass event to see Gillian Welch play. Lala met me there, carting along not only Em, but her brother and sister-in-law and a big bag of FOOD. Lots of FOOD. Food, food, food. No one has ever looked better to me, and that was before the FOOD. Gillian Welch was amazing, as usual, but that brie? Don’t talk to me while I’m eating brie, okay? After twenty miles, you want to eat a lot. I’m just saying. A LOT.

Then later that night we had pizza with the little mama and Christy and Bethany, but I was really too tired to remember any of that, honestly. I think I was lying on the floor for most of it. I might have been twitching, I’m not really sure.

This has become a Very Long Post, and it contains a lot of “first we, then we, and then we” statements, which I sometimes find tiring, so I’ll end here. No news is good news on condo, hoping the deal will close by the end of this week or middle of next. Yow. Still trying not to think about it.

Mwah!

Comments

[Iris]

Whoa- that's George? Jeez Louise.

Luv those barking seals. Sounds like a great time. I've got to make it out there for some olallieberry pie.

[Mariko]

Good job on your 20 miles! I can't fathom running 20 miles right now, but I CAN fathom eating a lot of brie and olallieberry pie. I'm glad you and Em had such a fun vacation. I LOVE the photos of the two of you. Very happy! And Joanna looks very Work Like in her photos! And I like the "And then we ... " posts, so keep 'em coming!

[monica]

Looks like a wonderful time! 20 fucking miles is AWESOME! Yay!!

[Carrie C]

Oh, you guys look SO FREAKIN BEAUTIFUL in the picture over the water. Now I have a big crush on you and Em. Will you both go out with me?

Just kidding. I'm so glad you guys had such a good time, and twenty miles is SO FAR. YAY YOU!

[Silvia]

20 fucking miles! Get out! Can you even walk now?

I love the tourist shots, living here we forget how lucky we are.

Are we still knitting together Sunday 10/10? Same place as last time and speaking of time--what time? Very exciting...

[amy]

No wonder George has a name, cripes!

Sounds like you had a fantastic time with Em, lucky girl, you obviously make a fun tour guide.

TWENTY MILES?! Amazing!!!

[claudia]

Gosh, I haven't thought about the windmill in years and years....

[Cari]

1) George...oh my. I really had no idea. None.
2)You and Em are too damn cute
3)As is Lala
4)Olly Olly Ollieollyberry. Mmm.
5)Twenty fucking miles. Damn. Have another slice of pie, my friend. You are my add-just-a-handful-more-miles-to-that-and-you're-marathoning hero
6)Have I mentioned enough that I'm conflicted and vaguely nauseous thanks to the unsettling combo of love/happiness/intense jealousy Em's trip has stirred?
7)GAWK convergence. Seriously.
8)See number seven and repeat.

MWAH!

[melissa]

Good Lord that is a huge plant. Helloooo, George!

And, I agree completely with Cari. (who was very eloquent... she humbles me) But, I want to say WHOOHOO about the whole 20 mile thing - that is absolutely amazing!! I'm SO impressed!

Hope the shin splints don't knock you flat after that feat. 26.2 miles is looking SO doable, isn't it!

[J Strizzy]

TWENTY MILES -- you are Amazing and I'm awed. I had a great time, even if Sunday didn't work out (I can explain...). Can't wait 'til Sunday!

[Ann]

Um, do you realize that you and Em have the exact same mouth? Or are you secretly photoshopping your vacation pix? ;)

Twenty miles. Damn.

[froggy]

ok, george is straight out of jurassic park. wow. and those pics of you guys are great! i just love how you document happenings! and 20 miles! YOU GO!

[Christy]

I was walking home from work on Thursday and I thought to myself: "I wonder what Rachael and Em are doing?" I was totally going to call your cell because I have it saved in mine from MS&W but didn't know if that would be stalkerish.

Anyhoo, I am so glad you had a great time.

And 20 miles...I have no words.

[Dagny]

My mom's car is P-Tunia! Is yours a P-T Cruiser too?? Way too funny :)

[Becca]

Wow, 20 miles is a, um, milestone! You're inspiring me to step up my running. Thanks for sharing your fun, relaxing weekend with us.

[Nathania]

Dumbfounded, gobsmacked, speechless. The utter fabulousness of your vacation week, followed by a 20 mile run overwhelms me. Smooch you in person on Sunday! Yippee!!!!!

[Rebecca]

Rach! You did it! You ran 20 miles and you didn't die. Then you got to have Food! Isn't food the best after 20 miles?

Looks like Em and you had a fantastic time! I'm lusting after Art Fibers!

Congrats on the run, I have my second 20 miler this weekend. I'm actually looking forward to it. I think I have the running fever.

[Celia]

TWENTY MILES!!??? I bow to your awesome accomplishment.

[Rachel T]

Woo Hoo!!! 20 miles. That's four times what I ran on Saturday and my legs still hurt. Please give my kind regards to your heroic leggies!

I'm just confused cuz I thought Sunday runs were all in Berkeley? That's just me I guess.

[margene]

Twenty miles! Just awesome...Gillian Welch! Just awesome! LOL
You make me wish for a trip to SF. I love that place and don't get there often enough. Sounds like you had a super time.

[K. Coghlan]

Lady, you did twenty miles, you're there. My main sqeeze lives by the rule that if you can do two thirds of the distance before the race, then you can do the whole thing and he (and I, his believer[at least on this issue]) have always finished. Bravo

[anj]

em, brie and gillian welsch. *sob* you had SUCH fun!

and George.. or perhaps The George. goodness.

20 miles. fabulous. I had heard (from other marathoners) that if you could do 1/2 you could do the whole enchilada. you are spectacular.

[Evelyn]

Glad you had a great time! It looked fun! I love being at home....I do need a routine otherwise the whole day just disappears and I've done nothing! I haven't been running for 4 weeks (spent 2 weeks in Italy) and today was my first day back and it was HARD! You are such an inspiration! I only did about 2.5 miles today and you did TWENTY!

[mindy]

Holy Crap! Twenty miles is unbelievable! Well, not really, considering how seriously you've been training. Have more brie!

And Holy Crap again, George is one big fucking plant.

Gillian Welch is amazing - - your musical taste is, as always, impeccable.

[Eklectika]

Good gods...that George could moisturize an entire third-world country, LOL!!!

[alison]

I can't believe I'm just catching up on this post today -- priorities are way off. Anyhoo, that photo of Em with George looks like it could be on the cover of News of the World, or whatever the paper is that shows 90-pound infants with multiple heads. Crazy! And everything else, well, thanks. I could've read "and then we, and then we" for another hour. All the photos are wonderful, the pair of you are too adorable, and twenty fucking miles ROCK.

See Cari's #7, and repeat.

[natalie]

Don't you just feel like a badass after running twenty *fucking* miles?! I did my second 20-miler on Sunday and was the biggest goofball ever afterwards. Miles 15-17 are always the hardest for me. Beyond that, I start to "smell the barn" and pick it up a bit. Way to go!!! When's the marathon?