10 Miles and a Disclaimer

Yep, we're training for a marathon, all right. John and I ran 10 miles yesterday...which to some of you runners out there, doesn't sound like a lot - but imagine, please, this scenario:

1. You have a 3-mile track to run on. That's it.


2. No trees. No bushes. No grass. In fact, nothing green, of any kind.


3. Lots of dust and diesel fumes. Nice.


4. It's hot. And because I'm a woman, and this is an Islamic country, I run in pants. So imagine a sweaty, 39-year-old woman trudging around and around...and around...a 3-mile, rocky, dusty track. So like I said, it's hot, and it's not in the least bit attractive.

Thank Heavens for iPods.



And the disclaimer is this: I can't take photos around here - so there will not be any photos for the next few weeks unless I upload from somebody else's blog or get sent photos - so here at Life with Spectre, it'll be strictly words (so boring!) or links (not bad - there are a lot of great blogs and sites out there I can introduce you to...) or appropriately attributed photos, like this one, from a really interesting blog, with animal pictures that are terrific, just like Jean's:

Unfortunately, this particularly beautiful kitty-cat passed on - apparently the result of a snake bite. Still, I think this photo is great - composition, balance, color, and I just want to snuggle that cat! He's scrumptious!