Spread the cheer

and no I don't mean the laundry detergent.

Yesterday I was feeling like I had a bad case of jet lag. Didn't get much sleep so I was up early and took The Calvinator down to the HMSA 25K course to watch the runners. I was really feeling for those people. You could see the sweat flying off of them and that was on the first loop. I've done that run before and it is an unforgiving three loops from downtown to Shepherd (@Memorial). Sort of like doing the Hokey Pokey "...and turn yourself around..."

It was way to warm of a morning to be running a 25K. It almost seemed like a Summer morning. Montrose RichardP was looking good. He ended up winning his age group. You geaux Montrose RichardP.

I finally took a 2.5 hour nap while I was watching a story about Jimmy Hoffa. When I awakened it was too late to go to the 500P Mass and I wasn't feeling so chipper. That all changed when I watched The Amazing Race (TAR).

Well let me get the unpleasantness out of the way. There is a father and daughter team who are competing and he is an @ss. He is VP/Sales for some company and I can't imagine what his employees must have to put up with. He was making his own daughter cry. He wouldn't shut up.

What got me laughing was the Detour. One team member had to pole vault across a drainage ditch to get the next clue and then vault back. OMG I was laughing so hard because a few of them were landing in the muck and would have to try again. My laughter turned to complete horror (not really but sorta) when the grandfather of the grandfather/grandson team stripped down to some over sized bikini brief underwear. LOL I'm sure the townspeople were thinking Crazy American right before they went blind from looking at him.

So laughing that hard perked me up a bit.

I had every intention of getting up and running this morning but well it didn't happen. And I resigned myself to the fact that I will become as big as a house.

However, this morning something really nice happened. I walked into the office to get my Iced Grande Sugar-free Gingerbread Non-fat Latte and one of the folks there said it was on the house! WHAT?!?! FREE?!?!

He said he wanted to spread the cheer and for me to spread the cheer today. So while I was sitting there drinking my Iced Grande Sugar-free Gingerbread Non-fat Latte he brought me a piece of Gingerbread. What does HE want I kept thinking? (I do have a cynical side.) So once again, he said he wanted me to have a good day and to spread the cheer. UGH. A double whammy of cheer I have to spread?

I took The Calvinator to the vet and when I got the bill I wasn't feeling so cheerful. Please start looking for me at the corner of Shepherd & Memorial (in the afternoons) and please put some quarters in my jar when I beg from you. I'll be dressed nice so that I don't frighten you.

Rather than make some snide remark about "This is the big one Elizabeth. I'm coming to see you." I took it in stride, thanked them, smiled, walked into the parking lot with Calvin and vomited. (OK, not really. Just trying to be dramatic.) While I didn't exactly spread some cheer at the vet's office I figured we were all better off by me not saying something about the cost of the visit.

So the best way for me to spread the cheer today is to make you laugh. This is a portion of an email that I received today from Kenny In Montrose (KIM). It had me LOL!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! I walked into Kroger Saturday morning & the store was jam packed with employees and management (local & district). All were busily preparing for Santa's imminent arrival.

Everyone was wearing elf hats. Poinsettias flooding out of the floral shop, garland & wreaths were on all walls. Fake snow covered the Healthy Choice cooler. Jingle bells was blaring on the muzak, & I could hear live performers with hand bells.

The meat section was loaded with hams & turkeys. Employees were handing out gingerbread cookies & holiday beverages on almost every aisle. The floor to ceiling Christmas tree by the main entrance is grand. It's Christmas!

I felt awkward. How did Christmas just sneak up on me? I just posted Halloween pictures. Sure - my Walgreens has been celebrating Christmas since the 4th of July but no one pays attention to that. As I was leaving Kroger & the cashier wished me Merry Christmas, I was a little disoriented but once I stepped outside & saw that the entire shopping center is covered in Christmas decorations, I realized that it is November & that I am late.

So please allow me to wish you a belated Merry Christmas 2008 & also allow me to wish you a slightly early Merry Christmas 2009 (you can never be too early where Christmas in concerned.)

So in the spirit of the day, I guess I should say, "Don we now our gay apparel."

OH! Before I forget...the radio interview from the other morning is already on the station's website. It can be found at http://www.kpft.org/. Select Archives. It will ask if you want to register as a user (it is optional) and the look for After Hours 11/11/07. At the start of the show is some banter and announcements, followed by an interview with Shy Anne and then we're on.