Scattered ashes into the sea and a nice shaded bench is the way I had always planned for remains to be handled in the event of an untimely death. Considering I typically don’t think about death on a regular basis, I actually don’t even have these last requests on paper. Eek! I’m sorry — I’m too busy living. I’m too busy daydreaming, traveling and far too busy revisiting my recent excursion to one of the most extraordinary labyrinths of a cemetery in the world.
Seeing how dead-tired and jet-lagged Natalie and I were when we arrived in Buenos Aires, a nice leisurely stroll through the 14 acre Cementerio de la Recoleta was quite fitting. The cemetery is home to some of Argentina’s presidents, very well-to-do families and military greats. Although neither of us went hunting specifically for Eva Peron’s tomb, I’m pretty sure I can speak for the two of us by saying it was probably impressive like all the rest. Recoleta is like a little city. It was as if I could approach any one of the beautifully designed mausoleum doors, knock and someone would answer. (Shudders) Now you know I never knocked on any glass doors. I did peer inside of many and discovered stairwells descending into what I am guessing was six feet underground or deeper.
The photos here certainly don’t do the experience of wandering the narrow alley’s of Recoleta the kind of justice deserved. This place really left a mark on me. Perhaps it is time I sit down and pay some serious mind to the details of my afterlife. Scratch that simple-minded shaded bench idea. Having my ashes tossed into the sea where oil and whales swim together will not work. I’ll do it bigger. A mini-palace made of marble with a swirling gold stairwell down to the casket bearing my skull bones sounds much more like my style.
Mental will is a muscle that needs exercise, just like the muscles of the body. -Lynn Jennings
Race day is quickly approaching and I’d like to think I’m completely prepared, but I don’t know. Last time I mentioned training I believe I did more moaning about the not-so-glamorous side of this whole ordeal; blisters, chaffing, etc. I’m still having some problems with all of the above, but that isn’t a major concern at this point. I know I can finish a race because I’ve done it before, so that isn’t a concern either. I’m simply trying to make sure I have my head in all the right places. It is all about focus and prayerfully, no injuries.
I totally bombed on my training while in Argentina. I got three runs in the entire 13 days I was away. It should have been 10 runs total. This isn’t a major surprise as I often struggle with managing my runs in foreign destinations. I did manage to get my long run in, so I am letting myself off the hook there. The key now is not to focus on the days that have passed, but on the next 25 days ahead. Eat right, get ample sleep and enjoy every run up to the end when I cross the finish. That includes my third and last 20 miler this coming Sunday. Wish me luck!
Some of you are probably wondering how this whole Argentina trip came about. I admit, it wasn’t on my radar at the start of this year. I hadn’t been dreaming, dying to go or planning it out for ages. It actually didn’t come about until a few days after my birthday when the girl holding the pastry in the photo above put the buzz in my ear to go SOMEWHERE. Natalie or Natalia, is the type of friend to peer pressure you into doing good bad things. For example; traveling to Argentina when your plate is already full delicious destinations to feast on.
Passing up a good foreign affair with a friend is very, very, very hard for me to do. It isn’t often that schedules sync up or that people are willing to go to a far away land. Natalie and I have previously traveled to Spain (2002) and Costa Rica (2004) and it was decided long ago that a third trip would be needed in order to officially consider us as travel buddies. With this year bringing great changes in both our lives (we both got married), the timing was perfect. Just got married and off we go! Of course we titled this trip as, “The Before Babies Tour,” but I’m sure we’ll find a way to get out there in world even with babies. That is if we really want to…
Anyhow, onto the featured presentation… Argentina.
I’ve got the bug for my ancestry research again, not that it ever really went away. I recently discovered a few new clues on my Ancestry.com tree and started clicking around. I got in touch with another member researching some people in my tree and as it turns out they would be my 3rd cousin! They were also the ones to provide me with a few new photos. Like this one to the right, a photo of my great-great grandmother, Fathia Johnson, whom I would peg to be somewhere around 7-9 years old. Fathia was born about 1878 and was the wife of William Fisher Johnson. The state of Mississippi recently placed a historical marker up in honor of William Fisher Johnson for his heroic acts during a Mississippi River flood in 1912. Way cool! Still the searching continues.
My left boob looks like a kitty with a cougar’s paw used it mistakenly for a play toy. Not sexy. The three or four blisters on my feet are more than I can handle. One even looks as though it is attempting to callus. Ick. Do I dare talk about chaffing? I am taking a real beating this time around. Running high mileage in hot & humid Tampa, FL ain’t easy either.
I will push through all of this. With 72 days, 9 hours and 25 minutes between me and the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, I have to remember to stay focused. That, of course, is easier said than done. Shaving 18 minutes off my previous marathon time is very important. More seriously is running this thing with my mantra always in mind:
“Without ego, without injury & without external competition.”
Some obstacles currently troubling me are all found in the gear. I’m uncertain whether it is my Mizuno Wave Rider 12 or socks causing all the blistering, but I’m not a fan. The socks are high quality running socks and the Mizunos were fine during all my low mile runs. This Friday I plan on purchasing the Brooks Trance 9. I ran in this shoe three generations ago and had zero problems during and after my race. If it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it, eh?
Last month I purchased a new running bra top from the Nike outlet and that worked fine. At least I thought it was working fine, but apparently it was rubbing my breast and only my left boob. Placing a band-aid over the area being rubbed seemed like a grand idea, until the Nike sports bra and all the others rubbed the band-aid causing it to rub a new area on the breast raw. :/ This is the main reason I decided not to run today. The breast needs a moment to heal. It’s pretty obvious that I will be avoiding the Nike bra top on future runs.
With 8 miles scheduled for this Saturday and 17 miles for Sunday, let’s hope I can find some comfort in my sole and threads. Next week is the half-way point.
Yackety-yack! Here’s a little face time from your’s truly. I’m basically telling you everything you already know, unless you haven’t swung by the blog as of recent. For those having trouble with my new last name this video shall help you with that. Or at least it will give you some examples of how not to pronounce my name. I do confess I am still working on it myself, but I do LOVE the sound of it. Muahaha. Enjoy.
My mind and eyes are on several different maps at the moment, so if I seem a bit disoriented these days -ho hum. It’s all part of the organizational process needed to plan these great escapes.
I thought I sort of had trip planning for Argentina all worked out, but I think Nats and I will be letting the winds carry us in country. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing and we’ve done it before in Costa Rica. Problem with Argentina is that we’d REALLY like to go to Patagonia, but I don’t think it would be very practical. For starters my amiga only has 10 days to work with where I have 13 total in country. Getting to Rio Gallegos or El Calafate by bus would take us about 38 hours / 2 days ride. (The key is shoestring travel folks.) Secondly, we’d like to see penguins and go ice hiking on glaciers, but neither looks HIGHLY probable until mid or late September. Would it be worth it to go all the way to Ushuaia, freeze, get our bragging rights and then make the long journey back to B.A.? Eh… Not so sure.
So the question now is aside from Buenos Aires, where should we go? The guidebooks suggest heading north or northwest, but should we follow? If so, where exactly other than Iguazu is worth visiting? Any tipsters out there?
I think I have enough B.A. ideas. Examples: Looking into tango classes at Darcos and other locations, dancing at one of the many milongas (social dance), checking out various neighborhoods like La Boca & San Telmo, sipping Malbec and chomping on juicy Argentine beef at a parrilla…
Oh, and for those wondering about where I’ll be resting my head. Two words: Couch Surfing. In the process of securing our hosts. All the fun!
This is one of the many views of the mountains within Glacier National park. This photo and all the others can not do the justice it deserves. This is a place that must be seen live, with your own eyes and in the flesh. The crisp, fresh, air must be inhaled in person. I do not wish to describe it. I don’t know the words. Photo:Adrienne Abiodun
Montana is a very special place for me now and for very obvious reasons. Having just wed in the 4th largest state in the U.S., I am sure you can possibly imagine why. My husband (gasp) and I do see ourselves going back over and over again. Right now we’re still swimming in the memories of our wedding week and a return to Glacier is obvious, but we’re sure we’ll get to some of those other Montana gems as well. In one giant nutshell, Montana was amazing!
Please allow me to tell you more.
A lot of this going on in Brennan’s Wave in Missoula. Rafting and water sports are big in this part of the country. Too bad I’m just not that brave yet.Photo:Adrienne Abiodun
There are definite standouts I’d like to list about the Treasure State.
1. The people in Montana are REALLY friendly! Could have been our luck, but almost everyone we encountered was very pleasant. The folks at the Flathead Dept of Justice, Jim at the West Glacier camera shop and the peeps at the hotel (of course). Super decent people out that way.
2. They drive fast in MT. The speed limit is 70 for the most part, but this means something like 85 for the average native of the state. If I had a slice of huckleberry pie for all the cars that sped past Dayo and me, I’d be 20lbs heavier and still poking along in the right lane at 70 mph.
On my wedding day in Montana after the ceremony. Photo: Him
Well, what’s done is done and it is most certainly wonderfully official. I am now Mrs. Abiodun. As many of you already know the knot was tied during a private ceremony in West Glacier, MT just last Thursday, June 17th. (This would make today my one-week anniversary. Ew, right? )
I suppose some of you are interested in photos from this joyous occasion. Those can be found here or by clicking on the beautiful bride above. Others may just want to know how I was feeling and whether my palms were all icky and sweaty the day of. To answer that question, no. There was no nervousness, anxiety or second-thoughts here. I don’t think either of us stopped smiling the entire time. We were quite the googly-eyed pair, if you ask me. Maybe my palms were sweaty. I’ll have to ask the Mr.
Anyhow, our original plan was to marry in the national park, but we were shut out due to the rainy weather conditions. We were able to move our event to the cozy and warm fireplace in the lobby of the Belton lodge, where we were staying. Having the ability to switch up the venue is possibly one of the greatest beauties of having a ceremony with just 2-4 persons. (Sidenote: I still missed not having mumsy, dad and my bro around, of course.)
The wedding day and ceremony was really as simple as that. The only thing to do now is to enjoy being a newlywed and wait for all the other adventures ahead with my lifetime partner in crime, Mr. Abiodun.
Here is a shot of me and Lily from her cousin’s wedding she invited me to over the weekend. The ceremony was simply beautiful and it was very nice seeing Lily. Wish I could have stayed and gone to the reception, but there is another very important wedding to attend soon… my own.
I’ve got the bug for my ancestry research again, not that it ever really went away. I recently discovered a few new clues on my Ancestry.com tree and started clicking around. I got in touch with another member researching some people in my tree and as it turns out they would be my 3rd cousin! They were also the ones to provide me with a few new photos. Like this one to the right, a photo of my great-great grandmother, Fathia Johnson, whom I would peg to be somewhere around 7-9 years old. Fathia was born about 1878 and was the wife of William Fisher Johnson. The state of Mississippi recently placed 
My mind and eyes are on several different maps at the moment, so if I seem a bit disoriented these days -ho hum. It’s all part of the organizational process needed to plan these great escapes. 
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