Another day, another incredible storm...

Around 8:00 PM  yesterday evening, we became one of 127,000 households in Knoxville who lost power during the latest series of storms that ripped through the city.  The storms started with what has become a familiar sight, rapidly moving gray clouds.    

Angry clouds on the move



Following the clouds, we heard the familiar roar of wind blowing in from the west. As with the April 27th storm we were storm watchers from the safety of our side porch.  Unlike the April storm, the wind lingered and we became anxious as a great, old oak tree at the corner of our driveway violently shook and swayed.   Finally the wind moved out and the rain began.  Hard rain, lots of thunder and lightening but no hail.  The lights flickered off and the rain moved out.  We could see  storm carnage from the porch... a neighbor's tree had split in two and many small branches littered the street and lawns.

As dusk faded into darkness, so did our house.  The candles and headlamps came out as we prepared for bed.  Without ceiling fans and air conditioning, the air in the house was so very, very still. We tossed and turned until the power finally came on, around 3:30 AM.  Along with fans and air conditioner, the lights and TV that had been on before the power failure, also came on.  What an early morning wake up!!

With that said, we are lucky.  Tonight 50,000 Knoxville households are still without power including our friends Mac and Sonya (they were without power for 4 day after the April storm).  Hope our luck holds out.  Gray clouds have rolled in again and we are waiting for another night of severe weather!!  And another on Thursday... 

Up too early for love...

I am a real sap for a good love story so I rolled out of bed at 4:30 AM to watch the marriage of handsome Prince William to his beautiful commoner bride, Kate Middleton. Seems like I did the same thing to watch the marriage of Prince William's parents.  I hope this one turns out better...

The cathedral was decorated to resemble the English countryside with dozens of live trees lining the nave.  I suspect brides all over the US will be looking for a cathedral wedding.  I also expect live trees will be rolled in and out of these churches.  The florist job just got physically more difficult!

I wonder what these two are thinking?

And these two...

The couple sure looked happy after the big doin's were over!  Meanwhile, back in my kitchen, I had polished off several of blueberry scones (Fresh Market offered bunches of them in honor of the event) and lots of coffee.  I too was happy when the big doin's were over so I could put away the scones and butter and take a nap!

Bravo...

This year I have been struggling with running on so many levels. Maybe it's reduced effort, maybe I am just getting older, but the pieces just aren't  coming together as they have in the past.  And then a day like today comes along and I realize why I keep trying.  The feeling of accomplishment that comes with a hard effort is the best! 

For the past few runs, I have been running to Ijams Nature Center, along the Will Skelton Greenway and around the parking lot at the Welcome Center. Once or twice I ventured onto the old paved trail around the old homestead but that was the extent of my trail running.  Today, determined to complete five miles (and to avoid that very nasty hill on the greenway), I detoured to the unpaved trails on the outskirts of the Ijams. 

Once I veered on the woodland trail,  I headed toward the boardwalk along the river.  The trail was mostly flat, very well groomed and an easy run. As a bonus, I caught frequent glimpses of the river.  Once on the river boardwalk, I slowed to be sure I did not miss a step up or down as the boardwalk changes levels to accommodate rocks and trees.  

Shortly past the boardwalk, the trail forks and I had to make a split decision left or right.  I chose left and immediately realized the error of my choice.  The trail began to climb immediately and steeply for .2 miles.  I walked most of the hill to be sure I still had enough to give for the run home.  During the walk I set a goal to be able to run up the hill.  It will take a bit of work!  

The run home was pleasant.  On the outskirts of Ijams, a light rain began to fall.  By the time I reached the greenway I was running in a steady rain.  Very cooling after a good effort...

Today's run

We are now into week two of car shopping.  Since the 1996 I30 has reached 500,000 miles, it is behaving like a little old person and I risk being stranded somewhere. We are looking at gently used cars and have test driven a:

Nissan Altima (boring)

Honda Element (odd)

Honda Fit (cute but really small)

Nissan Rogue (nice, like driving a sedan)

Subaru Legacy sedan (like driving a little sports car)

Subaru Forrester (a bit truck like)

Subaru Outback (another sedan type ride).  

The list has been narrowed down to a Subaru.  John is less fond of the 2009 Forrester, I like the Outback but it is slightly higher mileage and higher price AND the dashboard has a few screws implanted where someone must have mounted a GPS system. The Legacy sedan is in our price range, the right mileage and will probably be our choice.     

Maundy Thursday...

John and I slipped into a pew in Knoxville's grand downtown church, Church Street United Methodist Church a bit  early this evening.  We wanted a little extra time to shake off our workday burdens and transition into a contemplative mood for the evening ahead.  Maunday Thursday is arguably the most beautiful of all the Christian services and a yearly ritual for us.

For the next hour and a half, we focused on the night before the Crucifixion.  We listened to readings of scripture, beautiful music and a thought provoking sermon. After the solemn ritual of stripping the alter, we walked out of a dark, silent church into a soft spring evening. 

Good-bye March...

I am not sorry to see March leave.  It arrived angry and is leaving me very sad. But life is settling down now; I look forward to April and getting outdoors.  The moments of sadness that take my breath away are little less.  I expect they will never go away. 

I wanted to remember the flowers and cards that surrounded me during this time.  Below is a bud vase of Lenten Roses that sat at the alter with the beautiful urn holding my mother's ashes. Mother loved Lenten Roses and every time I look at a Lenten Rose blossom, I will remember her.

John's wonderful mother was the first person to respond to my loss and sent me a beautiful arrangement of flowers.  As several of the flowers began to fade, I pulled them out and re-arranged the others.  Two weeks later, the arrangement is still causing me to smile.

The arrangement below was part of a grouping of three small spring arrangements that graced a table in the Chapel during my mother's memorial service.  The entire arrangement, called a break away arrangement, was joined by long branches of pussy willow that formed an arch over a picture of my mother.  The three arrangements represented the three daughters.  Each of us took an arrangement home after the service.

The Peace Lily below is a gift from my work.  I found it on the front porch one day when I was returning home.  Nice, don't you think??!!

And finally, this is just a few of the many cards I have received.  So many thoughtful and heartfelt words in each... 

I miss my mother more than I can begin to express... 

On a less significant note, my 1996 I30 Infiniti reached a milestone today. It finally turned over 500,000 miles.  Infiniti launched the I30 in Fall 1995 as its entry luxury car. I brought one of the first in Knoxville and drove it proudly, to and from Cleveland, TN (150 miles/day) for 10 years, then  to and from Mt. Airy, NC, once a month for 2 years and finally, to my current job, round trip 14 miles a day.

The car has been a solid, dependable vehicle, leaving me almost stranded only once in 15 years (Vacation Save by Russells Garage ).  I have kept the mechanical parts meticulously maintained and until the last few years, the body too. Maintaining both has been crazy expensive.  Recently I decided against doing body work and the car is beginning to look like a dirt car racer, bumped, scrapped and dented (a whole new perspective on my driving).   Nevertheless, I kept driving the car in search of my 500,000 mile goal.  Now that I have made it, the car is beginning to look like what it is, a very old car in need of replacement.   

Rainy Day Saturday...

Summer thunderstorms dominated today's weather with occasional bouts of sunshine. John and I took advantage of a small window of sunshine to go walking on the Will Skelton greenway. Half mile into our walk the skies opened and we found ourselves in the midst of a rain shower. Do we go back to the car or do we go on? We chose to go on.

The rain did not let up. We grumbled a bit and finally gave into the moment. Splashing in puddles, pushing, shoving, laughing and playing. Two soaking wet, scraggly looking oversized kids completed their 3.5-mile and returned to the car holding hands.

Rainy day Saturdays always make me smile!