mybackup2022 | Apr. 21st, 2011

Unusual amounts of space have been dedicated to running these days, that much is obvious.
And to continue in that vein, I went running yesterday with Stefanie. About 30 minutes very quick walking uphill, then 30 min running on a wonderful, slightly up-and-down wood path, then back again. The thing is, it takes me about 20 minutes to get into gear when I'm walking uphill, until the body has synchronized the walking rhythm and breathing. So that was... tough. But the best warm-up exercise there is, and running went quite well -- I had to walk a few of the uphill stretches but hadn't really expected otherwise.
Remember me boasting about never falling? Well, I didn't exactly fall on the way down, but somehow the muscles of my right thigh refused to cooperate for a second, and I landed on my right knee. On a rather sharp stone. Nothing dramatic, just a cut which didn't even bleed very much, and swelling, which was immediately treated with frozen peas. Frozed peas are dah bestest and managed to reduce the swelling considerably. Before going to bed I put on the homeopathic miracle salve the Ambassador gave me (it's called Traumeel, to be used on contusions, pulled muscles and tendons etc.), and today there's still a bit of swelling, and the knee is a bit tender, but that's it. Will have to be careful when playing tennis, though. Injuries of any kind, however small they may be, tend to make you move differently, which in turn may lead to more injuries.

I'm *so* looking forward to this long weekend and the splendid weather the forecast insisted would come, and lo it did come. For tomorrow -- hah, more running! ;-) -- I'm planning to take my running stuff with me to work, and since I only have to be at the Embassy till 12, afterwards I'll get changed, walk to the river (about 30 mins walk), do some running, walk back to the Embassy, pick up my stuff and go home (either on foot or by taxi, depending on how I feel). Then maybe another little walk in the afternoon, if I feel like it. Have to be home at 5 though, because the groceries etc. I ordered for the weekend will be delivered between 5 and 6.

Oh, and here's a big THANK YOU!!!! to duniazade for the bubbly! You're most awesome, too, my dear, and there *will* be a visit to Paris sooner or later, oh yes there will!

Did I mention that -- since I thought the Lola-meet-boyz project was still on -- I took ze boyz' old carrier to Skopje? It's one of those solid, plastic ones, with a door you can lock (as opposed to the shitty, expensive-but-useless flexible carriers which close with a zipper even a retarded cat like Cornelius can open), and large enuogh to accomodate both boyz unless the trip is too long. I left the blanket, or really an old bath mat, inside because I thought they might like that, and they loved it liek whoa. I'd hardly put the thing on the floor when Lucius already started scratching at the door, trying to open it. I put it -- door open, obviously -- in the room which holds the piano and the desk, and both boyz, but especially Lucius, are extremely happy to have their old sleeping place back. Since I've decided to be a good Mother Goddess this year and actually take them to the vet for vaccines etc., I would have needed the carrier anyway, since there's no way I was going to use that §&/)=/(%§$/&/§$(= bag even one more time.

The bad news -- or maybe it won't be so bad after all, which is usually the case -- is that I wasn't able to wriggle out of a week of training I'll have to attend between 28 June and 1 July in Vienna. It's boring stuff, and since Irene does most of the accounting I thought it would be better if she went, but Vienna was adamant. OTOH, I'll get to see some people I really want to see, I can take the last of my stuff out of my flat and even show it to prospective tenants (from the ministry, which is more practical in many ways), and who says I can't skive off in the afternoons and go to the pool, if the weather is nice. Since the ministry begged us to keep the travelling costs low, I already booked the ticket; this time I'll be flying with Croatian Airlines via Zagreb, but the time between the flights is minimal (not a problem, because the airport is miniature, too), and the tickets are cheaper.
So, gypaetus , I'm sure we'll be able to meet -- I'll arrive on the 27th (evening) and leave on 3 July (evening). Plenty of time.
And my mum will be happy, too.
Considering that travel expenses are being paid by the employer, that doesn't seem too bad.

Wahtever you people are or aren't celebrating this coming weekend, I sincerely hope that 1) it will be a long one and, 2) you're going to have a wonderful time!