"If a parsley farmer is sued can they garnish his wages?" - George Carlin

This artist uses a laser to cut pictures into leaves. Impressive!

Well that didn't go like I wanted. Because of the layoff due to my foot procedure I didn't get any track work in. I also went out too slow, realized I was behind my target pace at the 1-mile mark, and then couldn't make up the time over the next two miles. End result, I actually ran 30 seconds slower than last year when I had to walk off a cramp. The good news: I still finished first in my age division, but only because there just aren't many old guys* doing the Scandia Run. So I got a shirt for my efforts.

OI'm determined to find redemption, so I'll identify another 5k in a month or so and do better.
I had planned to do the 1/2 marathon in Florence an hour west of us that's the end of September, but I think the layoff means I'm already too far behind on the necessary training schedule. But I found one this afternoon that's in Grants Pass, two hours south, on October 28, two days before my 67th birthday.
Pam thinks I'm crazy, but she's used to my passing obsessions.

I watched some of the Track & Field World Championships this afternoon (tape delay from London). It was the last appearance of the equally famous Mo Farah and Usain Bolt in a track event. (Farah is moving to marathons and Bolt is retiring.) Farah came in third in his event and Bolt pulled a hamstring almost immediately upon getting the baton. You could see the bulge of the muscle as it cramped up. I wish both could have gone out on top.

Yesterday I put a second coat of paint on the bedroom and today started ripping up the carpet. I'm not sure I like the color and we're going with cheap carpet because this is a temporary fix. But it will give the kids and grandkids a fresh clean place to sleep when the come in about 6 weeks.

We've had Spike for several days now and he's definitely settled in. He's taken charge of his 10 hens and chases them all back into the coop when he thinks they shouldn't be in the pen for some reason. He then strolls around the pen like he owns the place (which he does). And he's HUGE. He didn't look all that big when I held him, but next to the pullets (a hen who hasn't yet laid an egg) he looks monstrous.

We're not going to our church tomorrow. We're going to visit the CMA (Christian Missionary and Alliance) church in Veneta where Marta and David attend. We're not making a switch, just thought it would be interesting to visit and as a way to say thank you for all the help they've given us. Plus, UFC has a new staff guy to take on the college ministry and he's preaching tomorrow, so it made for a good opportunity. Should be interesting.

We're supposed to get some light rain after midnight. If that happens it will be the first measurable precip since June 13. Because we live on a gravel road everything is covered with a light layer of dust. It will be nice to see green leaves again.

*OK, two to be exact.