Whew, what a couple of few days!

So I finished my first half marathon, the Rock & Roll St. Pete Marathon to be exact.  I ran 13.1 grueling miles in two hours and 19 minutes, in one of the coldest days I have ever experienced in Florida.

Damn those Northerners that showed up to the race wearing hardly a thing for clothes and laughing at us bundled, gloved and scarfed Floridians.

Let's just say their poking fun party ended a short time thereafter.  While in line at the port-o-potty, I overheard them saying...."Holy sh** it's freakin' cold down here! Man! We did not come here for this!"  Oh I was snickering under my scarf.  So go ahead and laugh all you want.  Florida is not only Mickey Mouse, 80 degrees sunshine, umbrella drinks, and beaches.  It is also hurricanes, freeze warnings, panhandling, higher rate of skin cancers and a haven for murderers that make national news on a weekly basis.

So tropical paradise?  Not completely.  Welcome to Tampa.

I have been training for my first half marathon for the past four months.  Had my pace down, was excited and counting down the days, until a few weeks ago when I wished time would stand still.

Dang it, Hootie!  Why can't you be immortal?

The emotional roller coaster of having my cat, whom I had made clear in a previous post, is my most awesomest, beloved, best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-me-other-than-the-birth-of-my-kids-and-sliced sprout-bread, finally came into the station. My sweetheart put an end to Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and peacefully died in my arms on Monday morning- the day after I ran my first half marathon.  Such a combination of emotions.  I felt so empowered and exhilarated because I finished the marathon in good time, but four minutes more than I wanted, but sad because I received a text from Hootie's vet around Mile 7 that said we needed to proceed with the final steps of his life.  I stopped running for a moment to digest the text, got teary eyed and decided to proceed with running because after all I had dedicated this race to him.

I can joke, chuckle at best, but no one will ever see the real hurt.  I cannot stop crying.  I will miss saying his name and him curling up beside me in bed or on the couch.  His presence was felt all around, and still is, I swear I think he is going to meow for his dinner any moment.

Having my sister visiting from Spain for only a week and a half, trying to train for my first half marathon and seeing my cat's health fail miserably, was just too much to handle.  I wanted to be strong so that my sister did not see me in a continual weeping mess, but that is all she got, a crying sister almost the entire time while here.  Just need time to heal.  Such a cry baby!

Godspeed my dear cat!  You rocked my world for 14 years.  Your cancer sucked and I wished I could have done more.  I could not see you suffer any longer.  I will see you again at the foot of the rainbow bridge and we can cuddle for eternity.  I love you and we, (meaning me, the hubs and the kids) miss you so much already.  My son Jac has a great movie he made of you!  He surprised me with that so...I get to see you every time I miss you.

So fat cat, enjoy the catnip, tuna, and sunlit naps...God is an awesome cook, so I have heard, oh, and a bigger plus, you will not have a vet telling you that you need to drop a few pounds (*bonus*).  But please do not forget to check up on us every so often ok?

Oh, and I hope I do not sleep in tomorrow, because you were my alarm clock....it will be weird to see my lamp, picture frame, pen, book, and eyeglasses on my nightstand, exactly where I left them.  Kinda wish you were pushing them off, because that would mean I would have to get up and feed you.

"I'm up, Hoots, I am up."

Nope.  Still gone.  Nightmare real.  Ugh.  This stinks.