Za, I'm hot! Coming in from a run, the only place to sit down is at the kitchen table - because I can wipe down the chair after I get up. Ew. Anyway, here I am at the table, right next to the laptop, and before I know it, I'm blogging.

I entertained myself in this morning's run. I've been actively working on my inner dialogue-- I have a tendency to be negative sometimes and that does not help! So, I was in the middle of a particularly rough stretch and I wanted to walk soooo bad. Help!! So I start conjuring up images of animals that run- horses and cheetahs and um... gazelles, I think. This is perfect, I assure my body. This is the most natural state you can be in- running. Feels good doesn't it? Just imagine that you are the star of an animal documentary. Yeah, you're human, but you're mammal, right? I then narrated the documentary, featuring yours truly running in slow mo, but I won't go into that. I realize that you can't commit the entire rest of the day to read my blog. Sad, really. Cause, baby- I am not short on material these days. I could blab and blab and blab. Anyway, my "technique" worked for a while. Till my brain got in the way. Stupid brain. Shut up! I yell at my mind. Get out of the way and let my body do it's stuff!

But it wasn't enough. My brain went right on trying to interfere, so I had to play hard ball. I had to visualize. (scary, huh?) So I thought of a cartoon version of my brain. I put headphones on it, in an attempt to distract it. I start giggling a little. Then the brain started to get bored, so I had it playing videogames. Then chess. Then reading a book. Then at the opera with a bowtie on. In a chef hat on a cooking show. I looked up, and I was nearly done! Hallelujah!

I wonder sometimes. Do other people do this? Am I normal? I don't think I'm any stranger than the next person - I just assume we all have moments when it seems appropriate to make up cartoon brains doing dumb stuff. Right? A little reassurance would be nice here, folks. Shannon's not weird. She's not.

Oh, and all right. I also have to confess that when I got to the top of a hill, I raised my arms up like I was winning a race and sort of hooha'd around for a moment.

On to other subjects, today the kids and I are meeting Debby and her gang at the park. We'll picnic and play and try not to get too hot. Pictures will be taken. PB&J will be eaten. Then, Thursday, Joey (Uncle Jokey) will be staying another night with us on his way to New Orleans. He's dropping off his Nordic Track for me to play around with. And on Friday, my friend Amy and her family will stop by on their way through to Mississippi from Texas. (Her oldest daughter is named Shannon-- yeah, I have a namesake!! Again, more proof that I do, indeed, rock like a hurricane.) Saturday- sweet succulent Saturday- will be full of last minute school preparations and laundry and grocery shopping. Then, there's church on Sunday, and Monday, Wrenn starts school.

And so it appears that I'm booked until the year 2018. I might be able to pencil you in on a holiday, or put you on our cancellation list, but that's the best I can do. It's a busy, busy world.

Okay, that's enough for the a.m. hours, I'll see you guys on the flip side.