I need this run to kick The Crud so I can see my Aunt

Last week was crazy and sickly and filled with worry over my Aunt. She was discharged to a Rehabilitation Hospital on Friday and doing really well. They started her therapy on Saturday which it was evident when I spoke to her this afternoon. She seemed much more alert and told me how well she was doing except for her throat, which they are looking into. After our conversation I was ecstatic because it was the best I've felt about her health since the stroke first occurred.

I didn't make it to Scranton over the weekend because I was still too sick. So I took leave and I'm going up Thursday morning and coming back Friday. At the Rehab Center they are very strict because the focus is on getting better so visits are limited. Mini Red isn't happy because she wanted to go but I think I'm unhappier about her not going since she is my in-car DJ as well as my buffer with the older nuns at the convent where I'll be staying. So Red is going solo.

I filled out my Request For Leave form and sent it for approval to YDH. YDH was immediately hanging over the wall, "Are you going to Scranton!"

"Yes", I said, "I will get your train whistle from Steamtown."

"Good! Then I will DEFINITELY approve your request and send it through right away."

My company has done work up there and some were given these train whistles. YDH has been talking about this damn whistle a lot lately but today I found out it had something to do with The Office and an episode involving the train whistle. He looked like a school boy dancing around in excitement that soon the train whistle would be his, but that was after he approved and moved my request forward.

So after another exciting day at work starting with a very interesting demo at a power plant in Fredericksburg and ending with YDH's silliness I pick up Mini Red and headed home to get ready for my standing running date with Mrs. M. We haven't run in the past two weeks due to illness between her, Mini Red and me. I was kind of hoping she would cancel because my nose is still running and it's cold outside. I called to make sure she remembered we were meeting at my place to run this week and we joked how we both knew we needed this but were tempted to cancel due to the cold. I layered up and dug out my knit cap. Mini Red laughed at me when I put it on but I knew I needed it.

I think we had one of our best runs ever. Next time, though, I'm wearing gloves. I thought for sure we would cut it short but if anything we extended it a bit. I see now why people run in this weather… It's easy once you get past the initial cold. My goal was for the running to kick the last of this crud outta me and Mrs. M admitted to the same hope for herself.

Right now I feel great from the run and I'm so happy about my Aunt but not enough to dance around like YDH.