Pre-Christmas update

Hi. Just a quick ( I hope ) update on my goings on. This week has slowed down considerably, at least at work. A normal 6 day/ 8 hours per day week. 3-11 this week. Actually it should be a five day week since I took an extra day off to visit with family. Tammy and I went to my sister and brother-in-laws home for a little get together tonight. My father and his wife were here from Ashland, WI for the weekend and an early Christmas. With my crazy schedule it was nice to just relax, eat too much and visit. I don't get to see my Dad as much as I would like and when I do it seems to be too short of a visit. I had a great time and just loved listening to the stories and catching up with what everyone has been up to.
I have been getting some runs in. I would rather be skiing but just haven't found time to get out as often as I like. It seems the cleaning/waxing/traveling just doesn't mesh well on 3-11. I did get out one day early this week. The rest has been running. A nice long run today in the fog/mist. 41 degrees on the 22nd of December! Probably could have run in shorts. Felt pretty beat and tired. It was one of the runs I should have cut short but I never have the sense to do that. I slogged through it and the felt drained afterwards. I even took a short 30 minute nap waiting for Tammy to get home.
On the way home from our visit tonight it was raining! That will certainly put a crimp on the cross country skiing. They are calling for the rain to change to snow and possible accumulations of 4-8 inches. We'll see. I am hoping they are right. The snow we had has been disappearing with the warm weather the last couple days.
Okay, off I go. I probably won't post on here until after the holidays so I would like to wish everyone Happy Holidays, what ever Holiday you may celebrate.
Later.....

Yes, it's been a while

Yes, I'm still here. Not that anyone is looking or missing me. Just when I thought it would start slowing down, my life and work schedule is back on the road to Crazytown. After a relatively quiet couple of weeks this week is INSANE! Okay, I've read all about how individuals who run a business or who are medical students compete on an elite level and still maintain some semblance of a normal (what's normal?) life but I need some hints on how they do it. I spent the better part of Monday doing some Christmas shopping out of town. I came home and had a message on the phone asking if I wanted to go to work early to help out with heavy truck shipments. Like an idiot I said yes. In my defense, there are times in my job if you don't work a little extra you are just creating a longer/harder/busier day for yourself. So....day one of 7pm to 7am. Oh, and I did get a short run in before that 12 hour shift. Home in the morning to sleep. Up early for a meeting with our realtor-we're trying to sell our home-more stress and insanity- and in early again. So day two of 12 hours-7pm to 7am. Home again to sleep a few hours. Got up and did a short half hour on the bike on the windtrainer. Then.......yep, in again early to work, 7pm t 7am. Can anyone see a pattern here? Finally a day off! Yeah right. After sleeping a couple hours I went to work 3pm to 11pm on my supposed day off. So, 4 days-44 hours worked, maybe 12 hours sleep. Again, how do people manage to fit in time to train at any level with long and crazy hours or difficult jobs. Yes, I know, people do it. I would just like some hints on how to stay sane with these conditions. I know people do even more; juggling kids, household duties, work, etc.... BUT HOW? Yes, most, if not all of this weeks insanity was self-induced, but as I stated, sometimes I feel like I have to just so my regular shift at work isn't so crazy. So, all this work and no play is making my crabby, moody and slightly depressed. It is now Friday morning and I haven't seen my wife since Tuesday afternoon. I think she is the one who suffers the most during these busy times. I never have said I am an easy guy to live with and this kind of hectic schedule just makes it harder to be around me. I need, yes, NEED, my run or bike or whatever to de-stress and clear my head and when time is short and I don't get it I get blue. That's the best way to describe it. Little sleep, crappy eating, no workouts, too much time at work all add up to one cranky fella.
Okay, time to finish my beer and head off to dreamland. If the phone rings tomorrow with an opportunity for more overtime at work, I hope I have the brains to say NO!!!!
Seriously, any hints, ideas, help with workout schedules would be greatly appreciated.
Next time I hope to address goals for the new year. Maybe if I write them down for all the world to be able to see I will be held more accountable and try to meet them.
Later........