Red Flags

Life is too short to eat bad, overpriced Chinese food. On my commute home each night, there is the scent of hot garlic and good Chinese food permeating the air through one section of trail along the river. I've often thought to sniff out the pervayor of this amazing smell, but am usually trying to race the light at the end of the day. So, tonight, when JE asked if I wanted to go out for dinner, and asked where I would like to go, I asked to go adventuring and find this place. I don't believe we found it. I can't believe we found it. We must have been on the wrong side of the river! The only Chinese food place we found was a place filled with Caucasians. Perhaps I'm a bigot for saying this, but generally a truly decent Asian restaurant isn't filled with fair haired people. When we walked in and looked at the menu, prices were far more than our usual haunts on Jeffery and Walnut, or near Hmart. Skip that. We tried the new pho place around the corner. But I'm still determined to seek out who really makes that unbelievable smelling food. JE thinks its probably coming from a house in the neighborhood. Sad...

We ran today. Before we left the house this morning, I knew it would be a challenging run. I'd hoped to achieve another thirteen miles and to feel more comfortable with it than I did last week. However, several times during the night, I awoke witha deep muscular pain in my right hip. Stretching and massage over the foam roller were helpful, and so I figured I'd at least try for my 13 mile goal.

The weather report had set a red flag warning about the winds for today. Hot dry weather with gusts up to 20-30 mph was to be expected. On the trail, the Santa Ana's were hurling debris and branches at us. We ran the first half of our run into the wind.

The trail runs next to a river, also, and continues into a wooded area, closed to traffic. It's really beautiful, with the sycamores just starting to get buds, and a few eucs in bloom. The herons and egrets are all dressed in their mating plumage, with mohawks and ruffs at their necks. These are the things I see. These are the things I try to notice to take my thoughts off the pain in my hip and ankle. It sort of worked. That magical mile: 9.5, had me over and out; I was hurting. JE brought a giant ibuprofen for me, which I took as soon as I had water. We walked the rest of the way to the car.

A doctor visit is in order. Again. Hopefully, this time I can get some solid answers and maybe some physical therapy instead of a muscle relaxing pill. Not a fan of The flexeril hangover. But we just changed from kaiser permanente to a PPO, so I need to find a doc, first. Good grief. And speaking of red flags, shouldn't the name kaiser permanente be warning enough?