Here we are. Somehow, I blinked, and A entered his senior year. He’s tall, confident, kind, and ready to take on the last year of high school. It’s happening fast, and we are all in orbit around the big things to come. It’s going to be an exciting adventure! Are you ready for it? I hope I am!
Sunday
- Cardio: 5 miles, walking
It was the last day before the start of school, and we packed in quite a bit. It took myself for a five mile walk and Mr PugRunner made pancakes. A had work, but he was able to grab some breakfast on his way out.
From there, the day was packed: we had lunch with my parents and dinner with a friend. All good things, of course, but I was exhausted and so ready for bed.
Monday
- Cardio: 6.16 miles, running
I’m not going to say it was cooler out, but what I will say is there was a breeze, and I was out super early so it didn’t feel quite as oppressive. I had a fantastic run, which made me feel so motivated and accomplished. Those are the best days. Really.
I made it home just in time for A to have his breakfast and head on off to his first day of senior year. He’s got his Lightning McQueen backpack (kachow!) and he’s ready for the year! Look at how far we’ve come!
For dinner we made spicy salmon bowls. I love bowls in general, but this is my favorite, with avocado, sriracha mayo and pickled cucumbers. We skip the cilantro and make a few other adjustments, but the end result is yummy.
Tuesday
- Cardio: 6.80 miles, walking + running, .36 miles, walking
And just like that, we are back in the routine. I was able to see J for some of our morning constitutional and then we were off for another big day. Look at that sunrise.
One nice thing with back to school is that I feel much better getting up and out earlier. It means I can beat all the people who are out and about and still get home to see the boys off on their day. And I get to see the sunrise which always starts the day right.
I’m always happy to get extra miles with my dog walking clients, too! I can’t wait for cooler days where those walks can be longer!
Wednesday
- Cardio: 5.53 miles, walking
And we’ve reached the middle of the week! Yay! But why is everything so sweaty??? I’m really hoping for some relief soon.
I did get some sad news: the owner of my very first overnight client reached out to me to ask if she could pass along my info to a neighbor. She also wanted to tell me that her sweet pup had passed. Oh, my heart. I did several long term stays with her, and she was a very special senior dog. I was grateful that she shared with me, but still very sad.
The neighbor in question needed a walker right away, so I scrambled to make my schedule work. I was very grateful for the connection and loved meeting a new friend.
In the evening, A went out to dinner with my parents and we went to a local Yelp event to meet our new community manager. This is our third CM since I became a Yelp Elite five years go. We loved our last two, and I have no doubt our current CM will be amazing, too! We had fun but it was a late night and went way past my bedtime!
Thursday
- Cardio: 6.08 miles, running + .63 miles, walking
I was still pretty sad when I headed out, in the morning. My run dragged a little but I kept at it.
Since I was about embark on a nine-day overnight (with a 10th night at a second client), Mr PugRunner took me out to lunch at the new French Pantry in St. Augustine. The original location is in a warehouse strip in Jacksonville. From what I recall, you had to start lining up at 10:30 in the morning to get seated in a reasonable amount of time, and yes, it was worth it.
The new location is stunning, and offers lunch and dinner. There is even a full bar. We split a fresh mozzarella bruschetta and a bang bang shrimp sandwich. We also got slices of cake to go, because their baked goods are divine and we were too full to indulge there. So, so good!
Friday
- Cardio: 6.08 miles, running + .33 miles, walking
TGIF! A had his senior sunrise, where the students go to school early to watch the sun rise over the stadium. The view is much better for sunset, but it was nice for them. They served chicken biscuits for breakfast, and all the seniors got to sign the statue of our mascot.
While he was doing that, I got in my run, followed by my last dog walk of the week.
Then I packed it all up for some pet sitting! It’s a crew I’ve had before and I adore them.
Saturday
- Cardio: 4.45 miles, walking
I did get up a little later, which was sort of a bummer, but I also did find a mostly shaded walking route, so not the end of the world. As an added treat, I got to enjoy my coffee poolside, and I even took a little dip before the sun rose overhead.
Thoughts + Goals
People joke that senior year is the most expensive, and they’re not joking! In the first week of school, we’ve made so many payments! We have to order the yearbook (it’s cheapest when you order now, and they do sell out), senior dues, yearbook formal photos, senior banners (our marching band kiddos get theirs displayed on the football field fence), and some other things I’m sure I’m not remembering.
As you can see, the gym is back out of the picture. I said to Mr PugRunenr that I am just incredibly unsettled. I love what I do, but I feel like I’m always just waiting for the next time I need to be somewhere, which makes it hard to feel secure. As a result, I just haven’t been able to squeeze in a good weights and stair workout, which sucks. But I will figure it out.
On the plus side, I’m reading again and plowing through some books! I’ll be back at book club at the end of the month! And I have some other fun things planned, too! Oh, and will I be racing soon? YES! I’m signing up for the local Labor Day 5K!
In Case You Missed It
- In Which We Say Goodbye To Summer
- Let’s Talk About The “Why”
- Our Tips + Tricks For Your Running Shoe Fitting
- Five Ways To Beat A Running Plateau
How was your week in training? Are you back to school? Do you feel unsettled when you have too many times obligations?
Weekly Rundown
I am linking up with the Weekly Rundown, with Confessions of A Mother Runner and Running on the Fly! Check them out!
What a busy week! It will feel good to settle into a routine–as much as you can with your housesitting gig. I think it would be hard to be away from home that long! And how sad that one of the pups you care for passed. I never even considered that happening. Sigh. Hang in there Jenn!
I am so grateful I wasn’t there. It’s hard with the senior pets and I am just heartbroken for her.
In some cases it’s hard, while in others, it’s just really peaceful and quiet. Of course, it depends on the house and the pets. Right now, I’m reclined ib a couch, with two dogs snuggled up on me, and that’s just fine by me.
It sounds like it will be a busy year for your whole family, but I love the fun traditions A will participate in.
Doing all those overnight stays is tough — maybe you will get used to all the transitions and not feel as unsettled when it’s part of your routine?
Coco recently posted…Back To The Grind
The overnights are easier than the walks and drop ins. Even though I’m mostly free to come and go as I please when I’m overnighting, I do err on the side of parking it on the couch with the pets, a laptop and a book, and just existing. But when I have to set alarms because I need to be at this drop in at 9:30 with back to back walks at noon and 1 and then a dinner drop in at 6, etc… I just feel like all I’m doing is waiting for the alarm to beep.
Oh, yes, I remember those senior photos! We spent tons of money on them, SIGH! But, sounds like A is going to have a fun and exciting year.
Busy is good! You’ll figure out a way to get back to the gym when the time is right. In the meantime you’re getting out there for all the runs and walks. I agree, the heat is so oppressive. I think you’ll get a break from it before we will- down here, it won’t cool down till the end of October (if we’re lucky- could be November).
We did the lifestyle shoot with our own photographer, so I can print those or use them how I wish. The school’s photographer only took his formal and cap and gown headshot. I can get two formal 5×7 pics for a whopping $55. Which I will buy (one for us and one of my parents). And that’s it.
I really need a break. We are supposed to go on a hosted ghost tour and I asked the company to please wait until it’s not 90 degrees!
Nice job getting in all those runs and walks and workouts with a busy week. Sounds like it’s going to be a busy but fun (and expensive) year! That’s spicy salmon bowl looks so delicious.
LOL! So expensive! I want another bowl!
It will be a busy week for you! If you think senior year is expensive wait until college! LOL Hope AJ and you have a fantastic year ahead. Spicy salmon bowls are my jam too!
I can’t imagine! I mean… I guess it’s not that bad,…. it’s just every day it’s another fee. I literally just got an email for a $25 lab fee for Chem 2. Ok. Here you go!
Bowls are really a perfect food. I love to make my own.
So sorry for the loss of your special client. Although Iowa’s humidity isn’t quite as intense as Florida’s, this weekend has been crazy. My shorts were SO saturated yesterday, they were almost falling off by the time I finished my run (#SaggingAndBagging, LOL).
It was really sad 🙁 I’m glad it didn’t happen on my watch.
Everything is soggy and gross. I hate it.
Awwww, I love that kindergarten pictures. We are big Cars fans! The rollercoaster is senior year is well underway now. How fun for your son! Hope it’s a fun journey for the whole family with all of the big events coming up. Interesting that the senior sunrise was at the beginning of the year. Our school does it at the end of the year!
We do a sunrise the first week of school and then a sunset at the end. I’ll be a mess for the sunset.
I think it’s going to be a mostly fun year.
What a busy and exciting year you’ve got ahead! What a fun comparison between A’s kindergarten (pre-k?) and his senior pictures. It seems like he was in kindergarten or first grade when we first discovered each others blogs. 🙂 And yes, I do remember how expensive senior year was for our sons. Every time they turned around they needed money for something else.
It probably was that long ago! I just can’t believe these days have come!
oh, so sorry about your client’s senior pup. 🙁 I remember telling our dog sitters and walkers about Matilda; its good to know as the owner that so many people cared about your pup though!
Love the contrasting first day of school pics, how fun!
Looks like a fun filled week Jen!
I was so, so sad. I love watching the senior babies, but it’s always in the back of my mind that something might happen. I have also learned that some people will actually leave their dogs with a sitter, knowing the end is near, because they don’t want to deal with it!!!! I would be devastated.
It’s just amazing how he’s grown!
It is hard to fit the gym in, isn’t it – I’m struggling to keep my gym and running going but not on the same day every time! I can never believe how early you guys go back to school – our kids here aren’t back till early September and university is late September. Hope your overnights are going well with your client’s dogs!
The kids go back later up north (more around our Labor Day in early September), but it’s not typically as hot up there as it is here. They want us to be able to enjoy a little bit of the summer (end of May and June) before it’s too hot to exist.