It's hot.

Yes, it's hot today. That's something I never missed about Texas--the obligatory wearing of shorts in December. Huck went outside this morning to jump on the trampoline wearing a t-shirt and a diaper (but I supposed that says more about our general aesthetic than the weather).

I've been surprised by my last two runs. Yesterday morning I was up early to run 5 miles before H left for work, then did another 3 "miles" on the elliptical at the gym (while the kids played joyously in child care--school is out so all the much-admired "big kids" are there). Nothing hurt. Well, nothing except my toe, but that doesn't count. I intended to run early again today, but Helen's midnight escapades left me exhausted and I shoved my iPhone (aka alarm) under the pillow rather than roll out of bed into my running shoes. I did 6 miles on the treadmill at the gym, and--again--nothing really hurt. (Except the toe.) They aren't big runs and they're not going to get me into endurance shape anytime soon, but it's nice to have two consecutive pain-free outings.

This weekend is tricky, running-wise. Everyone will be busy, and I feel bad ducking out for 2 (or 3 or 4) hours. That, and there is really nowhere to run in my hometown--all pavement, no shoulders or sidewalks, and the closest trails are an hour away. If the kids nap, I will likely try to do a couple of 10-12 mile runs in the afternoon. Or maybe I'll just sit on the couch eating buckeyes.

Oh yeah, the toe. It's the big one on my left foot--the one I jammed into a root in Huntsville. The swelling has forced the nail to lift, and there's a nice purple pool of blood underneath. It hurts mildly during the day, but throbs incessantly at night. This, combined with Helen's penchant for late-night theatricals, has left me with very little sleep. Yawn.