Things of interest or new experiences....

Just some interesting things of note that have happened to me or I've done/seen in the last week or so...

1. Downtown Milwaukee and driving - I need to do some random driving around down there to get more familiar with it.... there's so much to do there!

2. Lakefront Brewery - dinner with a couple bookcrossing friends (Amy and Joann) Friday night. You are seated at tables with strangers - to fill the tables. Actually pretty cool and the restaurant is a renovated warehouse building with a good fish fry and live polka music.

3. Miller Park - Thursday night on my way home from picking up my race packet it had the most beautiful blue glow coming from inside the stadium and the roof was closed, so it resembled an odd shaped globe. Almost an eeerie effect - fitting for this time of year.

4. Runners are extremely friendly and helpful people. At my recent race (today), I chatted with a couple guys who were also running this race for the first time and were signed up for the 5K, I met the runner #1 (on his bib), #32, and #64 - as we were the first ones to register this morning and the three of them all said hello and made small talk with me as they joked with each other about which of them would win the race that morning (they were doing the 15K event) - none of them were in the top 10.

5. ELLA - she went to bed with small leg weights on one night (yes, seriously) - I think Leah and I had had very long days to not have noticed....

6. Letterboxing on Halloween! Rumor has it that there is a box being planted that day for interested letterboxing fanatics to find that evening and I'm definitely doing this (with Amy and Joann and others).

7. Milwaukee and it's architecture - I never realized it before today when I walked back to my car at the starting line - from the finish line. Definitely going to have to do a few walking tours around the city.

8. Halloween costumes - I'm on the hunt for a halloween costume idea.... if there are any suggestions, let me know!

9. Michigan Street Diner - I walked past there this morning on the way back to my car. Need to stop there and have breakfast in that cozy little place sometime soon.

10. Raspberry filling stuffed donut holes - Oh my god, I've died and gone to heaven. Sentry grocery store on 68th and State!

11. Fiddlesticks restaurant - Not only the best "stuffed" french toast, but also the best warm, homemade donuts.

(Can you tell, I was hungry this morning after my race and all I could think about was food...)

12. Lakefront Discovery 15K/5K Run - definitely one I'll be doing again next year. Yep, it was cold, but fun!

13. Mitchell's Fish Market in Brookfield, WI - the absolute BEST Key Lime pie in the world!

14. Appaloosa - Good western movie with Viggo Mortensen.

15. Budget Movie theater - Hwy. 100 and Layton Ave. - get in there for the $2.00 movies while it lasts!

16. 160 - the number of pounds I weigh. I was worried a bit when the weight stopped coming off, but I've adjusted my diet again and I'm on my way down - with the occasional plateau as I add more and more lean muscle. I'm fitting into Medium running pants - no more Larges for me!

Many more to come.... next week is a very full week on the calendar!

Always reach for the hand of the one you love and hold it like you'll never let go. Have a great evening all! Time to turn up the heat, get a blanket, find my favorite spot on the couch and read running magazines, eat mediocre Mac & Cheese (I never did make it as good as someone else) and watch Saturday Night Live - who doesn't love the Sarah Palin routine by Tina Fey?!?!?!

Erin