Been slack on the blog...

So here's some updates.
Hawaii - awesome! Went to Maui and stayed in a condo away from the maddening crowds.



Our balcony view ... Every night. Condos were in a cove where we got to swim with turtles and watch them night and day.



In the evenings we drove a couple of miles to where all the hotels were, had dinner and Madison and Braxton "pool hoped". Hotel pools are right on the beach, not fenced and nobody cares after 5pm who swims in them (very un-American).



Who knew there a penguins in Hawaii.



And these!



We hired life jackets for Madison and Braxton, buddies up and snorkeled everyday.
I even went running twice! Once in the rain, which was yummy.












Life's a beach and I love how these photos o Sharene and I have us look almost the same height....not even close!
Next, 4th of July and El Rancho!


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Baseball, whale watching.....Hawaii

Off to Hawaii on Thursday.....can't wait!

In the interim Friday night we all headed off to the baseball game at AT&T Stadium in the city.  I can't tell you how many times I've run past this place, so actually walking in the gate was cool.

What was really funny was we realized we mostly didn't watch the game at all!  To the point where it was 3 all and......we left.  We did lots of people watching, ate some bad/good food, I had a beer and watched Braxton play on the slide for a while.  It's all such an American thing.....not really something Sharene and the kids normally do, it was unexpected fun.

The Thursday before I took a day off work and we all went to Monterey.  At the last minute Sharene found a good well priced lodge in Carmel so we stayed over Wednesday night so we could go whale watching.  I've never been whale watching!!  Arriving 830ish Wednesday night we found a good place to eat near the lodge we stayed at.  Got up bright and early Thursday and headed to the wharf.  It was pretty rough so we all took motion sickness pills and waited to see whales!  We got two humpbacks and a gaggle of white stripped dolphins.

Afterwards we went to the Monterey Aquarium, which I loved, as always!

I've done my usual thing and waited a little too long for my holiday.  We've rented a condo on Maui and I can't wait to get there and stop.....

Added bonus, Karen and Brice are back living on the Ranch in New Mexico so Sharene the kids and I (it's the summer holidays here so kids of school) are going for a four day weekend in July.  I am very happy to have K & B closer and very excited to share the ranch!  On balance, life is lovely!

Working life

The last few weeks have been big and busy.  Coming back from surgery and landing in the thick of it.  My first year as a senior manager is all but done.  Really we are an up or out culture so now I have to do all the things that would have me be positioned to be a managing director (partner).  Yikes, I really can't decide if I am into that.  Right now a lot of what I do is "delivery"; put things on the ground and make them happen.  MDs do "sales".  It's not as sleazy as it sounds but I will have to find the love for it to actually want to do it!  Davin, my forever mentor, is teaching me how it works.  There are big numbers involved and a whole lot of behaviors I don't yet understand.  I guess it's complicated and easy all at the same time.
My team has grown to 6, which doesn't sound like much but I think I might be the largest team on the project.
Oh best thing this week.  It was the Prom (the yearly celebration we have across the company that has a very swanky party at a nice venue with great food etc etc).  This year it didn't all quite stack up.  Sharene and I have been busy and still have busyness planned.  She couldn't come to the Prom because she was working and I didn't much feel like going (it's still work after all). But the folks from my last project had a "reunion" before the Prom. So I went to the before party.  You should all know my brand is mostly "doesn't show up".  In my defense I never say I will from the outset.  I got a bunch of messages asking if I was going so decided I would.  It was great fun to see everyone, laugh alot and hear what they are doing.  It was also lovely that they asked about Sharene and were genuinely disappointed she wasn't there.  It really is nice when you build working relationships where you are more than the job.
Counting the days to Hawaii.....taking this Thursday off and heading to Monterey with Sharene and the kids - whale watching and the aquarium, bliss.

Rockn Jump.....

One of the delights of having kids in my life is it keeps me honest and simple and sometimes it's also complicated.  What isn't complicated is Rockn Jump!

Bunch of trampolines where you get to JUMP!

Then this cool thing where you jump into a bunch of foam bricks!!!

All of this totally appeals to me.  Friday night we took Madi and Brax, but really we took ourselves too.  This is where lots of parents take their kids for birthday parties.  What was really funny was Sharene and I were the ONLY adults who actually jumped.

Crashing into Hawaii

Well that's an overly dramatic headline but you get the idea.  End of June Sharene, Madi, Brax and I head to Hawaii for the long awaited celebration of Sharene's birthday.  I can't wait!!!  It's been over 20yrs since I last went to Hawaii (then with Michelle as part of my first trip to the US of A).  We are heading to Maui and I will post pics.

Sad news too.....some may remember, when I was living on the Ranch (El Rancho) in New Mexico I worked with Peter, the part time 80yr old ranch hand who used to own diners in NY State.  Well Karen texted the other day, he passed away two days ago.  As always, these things give you a moment to pause.  Time on the ranch was incredibly peaceful for me as I tried to figure out my life having newly immigrated to the US.  Peter was a big part of that.  We did simple chores, raking leaves, painting fences and barns.  He always had a word of advice and a story to tell.  He lived a long and colorful life and, for a time, had a huge impact in my world.  Such is the nature of life I guess people move in and out of our lives but he most assuredly left a mark in mine.

Time ticks on....well it races on....

It's June and this has been a BIG year and far from over!  My health is good but not quite "there" yet.  I have the marathon as my goal and this takes both a physical and mental commitment (I am not entirely in charge of the physical bit! And not always as strong mentally as I would like.....recovery is exhausting!).  Really there is nothing wrong beyond getting over surgery.  I am working on it and Sharene is helping me with her knowledge of massage and generally being an easier person in the world physically than I am.  I don't much like being uncomfortable in my body and, really, I feel a thousand times better than I did before the surgery.  Funny how we sometimes don't even know how unwell we are and then we are forced to deal and get reminded.  So, whinging aside, I am really really good.
Work is intense and busy and I am starting to feel and get what it means to have that promotion and be a senior manager at my company.  I also feel I need to understand and decide my commitment to this.  I don't mean day to day.....we are an up or out culture, so I have four years (one down) to either decide I am on the path to partner or .... decide I am not and figure out what is next.  Right now I am a little overwhelmed to think I can even choose a path to partner and have them think that's vaguely reasonable..... well they've told me it is.....but....really.......it's a long way from getting on that plane in NZ with no job, nothing being quite what I thought it would be and just "believing" in something......

Back on a plan

I know I'm not posting much these days. No excuses, I've been very focused on the here and now, not so much the telling the story!
Today I got back on "the plan".



There is a chance I might make the Nike Women's lottery and be able to run the Marathon in October!!!! I'm part of a team entry, so if one of us gets in we all do. I am going to train like I will make it in. They give you a Tiffany gift, needless to say Sharene is happy.
Work has been intense and stressful. Mostly I am taking it day by day - doing the job.
I've been having some fun times too.



Eating out (no Bluff Oysters but making do), Braxton's birthday....life is good.




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Miranda Lambert

Last weekend a friend of Sharene's (drummer for Randy Houser) was in town as one of the warm up acts for the Miranda Lambert concert...,if you don't know country music this may all be meaningless! But he got Sharene, Madi and I guest passes, including ViP parking beside the bands tour bus and Kevin taking is back stage. It was all great fun!!!'



Kevin in action.






Kevin & Madi....he was so sweet to us and Madi in particular.



Awesome light show.












Went out to dinner last night.....yummy food and company.





Back at work. Busy busy busy.....no soft landing. Right back on it!

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Back to work, not quite running....but close

Today was my first day back at work.......drinking from the fire hydrant.....no commute this week which was/is good as getting back into it is tiring.  I'm being philosophical about the nonsense.

My plan is to start the running regime again this weekend.  I did a "baseline" run at Sharene's before my op.  I'm going to use it to measure my fitness and progress.  I miss running and being in the world in that way.  Running is challenging; but post op recovery makes me very protective of my body so it's a journey back to health and I'm not about to screw it up by getting out there too early.  I do feel 100% better than I did.  Laughing too as  I am getting the night sweats but not so terrible......I do get some flushes too.  So my body is changing. I'm just looking forward to feeling 100+%.

Sharene and I have signed up for a 5 miler at Big Sur.  This is fun and funny; Sharene loves that area but she hates running!  She does like exercise though.....we hike (that's day walking for the kiwis) a lot, which I love as she's taken me to some awesome places.  For non-runners the 5 miler is a very manageable walk or walk/run. I don't much care, it will be lovely to do it together and I love the area and couldn't do the run I'd signed up for earlier this year because of the op.  I do love to plan ahead!

Back to work...almost

Week 4 is almost done and I have decided to go back to work, remotely, next week. While I know I am not 100% it's a tough working world out here and I feel I need to get back. Working remotely will ease the transition as I will have no commute. If it doesn't go well I can back out. I feel it's time to go back as I am starting to work by default! I really am remarkably good overall. Funny though I know people will think four weeks off is grand fun....but really it's exhausting to recover from this surgery. Today would be the first day where I haven't felt some significant discomfort. Having a massage therapist for a girlfriend has definitely helped ease the discomfort that comes with the op! She also takes none of my "I'm okay" when she sees I am not! Never a bad thing to be called out. I am waiting another week before I try running - I'll roll with how my body feels on that one. But this week I realize how much I miss it.......
Pic of Sharene and I hanging out at the beach....last time we were here I could only sit on a bench, this time able to take a stroll.



Oh and Madi and I went to PetSmart today ....saw this cute fish...



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Walking

Saturday Sharene and I went walking at Crystal Springs Reservoir. So pretty and perfect for me as not many hills....still not quite ready to run.






Mandatory coffee!



Plan is to go back to work working remotely next week then a mix of onsite/remote the following week. That feels manageable and I have to say work have been pretty awesome about time off. Really it's up to me to engage or not so I've been good and really only dealt with the important stuff i.e annual performance reviews for my people.

Last week I also went to a naturopath and massage therapist who deals specifically with muscle balance. The naturopath has prescribed a bunch of stuff for menopause. General feeling from my surgeon was I don't necessarily need to default to HRT and should see how I go. Naturopath was excellent and we talked through a bunch of options. I've started taking some things to see how I go. Feels like the right thing but I have estrogen patches to fall back on if needed!




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More boring

I continue on the path of healing! Today I went to Sharene's naturopath and her massage therapist.  Right or wrong, better or worse menopause is here.......awesome!  That said, there are some things to consider.  My surgeon wasn't all gun-ho on HRT, gave me some options and today I went and spoke to the naturopath.  Wow, there's a lot of stuff to consider and options.  For the record post-op I didn't need nor want to take the big arse painkillers I had prescribed.  They were there if I needed them, but I didn't.  So I was also interested in not necessarily going into HRT by default.  Kudos to my surgeon, he doesn't think prescribing just "because" is worth it either.
So today I sat through 90mins of a lot of options, choices, things to think about.  I have no interest, nor fascination with all this stuff.  Firstly, just like my mum, I don't care to take synthetic, prescribed anything......on the upside, simple painkillers work for me.... paracetomol in NZ or tylenol in the US.  Secondly, tell me what I gotta do and I'll do it......so now I have a bunch of stuff to take.  Ironicallly, and by default, there's one thing I have been taking thanks to Ironman Girl that works awesomely for menopausal woman......that's my life right now....boring but true.

Ugh

Today I have been sore. No surprises of course, I have been restrained and done my very best to not "over extend". But my right side is sore - the surgeon predicted it. In an odd twist Irene's girlfriend also had major surgery (similar but different from mine) a week or two before mine. She had given me a support belt or wrap (really no idea what to call it) to wear around my waist. I am naturally loathe to wear these things but have, this weekend, taken it up as it is helping my posture, having me be mindful about how I move when walking. I think I have been twisting in an odd way, not helping my healing. Anyway, these things are a process and I will see how I feel next week......the ache from a long run seems so much more "welcome". On the upside I do feel overall physically better off for having all this nonsense removed. Momentary discomfort shouldn't be confused with the overall sense of well being I have!


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Daily life and Boston

Week two is done.  Work is finding it increasingly difficult not to email me.  I am ignoring most of it, except those that directly impact my team and the impending performance review process.  Of course this week was punctuated with the Boston bombing.  It saddens me deeply that something as simple as a marathon can be used in this way.  It seems twice as sad that it was the spectators who bore the brunt, I haven't yet seen mention of a runner being badly hurt.  Watching a marathon seems such an innocent past time.  It also does make me realize how much living here is right for me.  I feel attached to these events, how they are handled and the outcome in the way I would in NZ.  The US has become my home.  2006 (when I immigrated) seems such a long time ago and so much has happened.  This blog is a useful reference for me as it really tells the story of my journey here and my own personal evolution.  I can't say that I would have felt the same affinity to those runners a few years back.....now I am as determined as the rest to reclaim the right to run without fear and enjoy the spectators support.  The difference between "a long run" and "a marathon" are the spectators......without them it's just another training day.

Goodie bag

Well if it's not entirely obvious by now I am clearly not running the planned for 50 miler this weekend.....in truth, I guess I'd given up on it some weeks back when it became increasingly apparent that the requires surgery was likely to be more invasive, not less.
As some consolation I did get this cool water bottle from the hospital - everyone gets one for their water. Very cool as the straw is flexible and can be covered, so easy to sup in bed and hygienic.


These are the exciting things my mind wonders to as my recovery progresses.
The weather is nice so today I have ventured in Sharene's mother's garden to read.



The book is a true story - covering eight weeks in 1945 in Berlin. A young women recorded the fall of the city to the Russian Army. Or more correctly kept a daily record of her life in her apartment building. While the author is unknown it seems she was a journalist. The book is beautifully written; a candid account of what happened for her and the residence around her. I haven't read anything but running books for a while now so this is a "refreshing" change - albeit a somewhat grim subject!

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One day at a time

Came home from hospital on Saturday. Keyhole surgery worked although turns out all a lot more complicated than the doc had hoped. Mostly because the endo was everywhere and everything way more swollen than he anticipated. He gave me a photo of my insides - I won't over share.

I was at El Camino Real Hospital in Mountain View. Very nice setting and good nursing care. Really all the trappings of a private hospital in NZ. Sharene got a few action shots.






Had to get up and moving pretty quick after surgery. Tummy was huge, looked pregnant!!!! Over the next few days I just focused on getting the balance between rest and mobility. I think I all the ops I've had this has been the most intense. As the gas has left my body the tummy had gotten progressively smaller and feels less "stretched". I've got at least two weeks off work then see how it looks for, maybe, part time. Overall I'm really happy to get this done - I figure none of this stuff was doing me much good so better to have it gone.

Today was my first real outdoor adventure. Off to the beach to get some fresh air.



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Weekend updates

Last weekend was St Patricks day and Sharene had the kids create little 'traps' for the leprechauns so that she could leave them little gifts. Madi did an awesome job.



Overnight Sharene left out some bags of sweets and also made a little peg leprechaun. I wish I'd taken a photo because in the morning Brax came flying into the room all excited and said they had left gifts and made a "copy" of themselves so we would know what they look like...riotous. The green milk and water was also noted!

Madi has also joined a softball team; red devillishous, so Saturday I went along and watched her play. The kids are all around 10yrs old; one or two of them look headed for softball scholarships....some very impressive ball skills.



Madi is on the right.

On another note, because telling folk individually is taking to long, on April 5 I am having surgery. Going to have a hysterectomy. No not cancer bunch of other stuff going on so the simple answer is to take I all out, including my last remaining ovary so I guess that's the end of that! Surgeon thinks he can do it laparoscopicly (sp?), making it a day surgery woohoo. Anyway would hate for you all to think I'd got all boring.




Millie at the beach.


California sunset!

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Out and about

In between work etc I've been doing some adventuring. A few weeks back we went and hung out at the Stanford Campus.very beautiful and has an awesome free art gallery.






















































Went out to dinner at a bar in Redwood City. Had a yummy Moscow Mule served in these very cool cups.

Went walking the dish with Sharene and Brax; guess why they call it the dish?















Turns out California girls glow.



















Went to the yummiest Korean Tofu House for work.