Oh, what a night / oh, what a day

All my hours at boot camp and running paid off. 

The company Year End Celebration (read: Christmas) Party was Saturday night, and in anticipation of much alcohol and food, I went for a 17km run with the peeps earlier in the day.  It was a great day for a run, if a bit cold along the route in a few spots.  But still happy I went out (yes, even while cursing under my breath up the hills...at least I hope it was under my breath!).

Our company knows how to throw a good party!  At the Hyatt, in the Grand Ballroom, we have a signature drink upon entering (this year is was blue (company colours), made with Citrus vodka and Gatorade...yes, Gatorade.  Wasn't bad, actually), and then once you are seated (arranged seating), appetizers of salmon nigiri, California rolls, bruschetta, and other bits and bites.  Wine at the table was a lovely Malbec, and then after celebrating long service awards (3 at 30 years and 1 at 35 years!) and watching the annual video (always about something in the year, slamming our competition in a fun way, and just overall fun and funny), we were taken out table by table for the main course.  Greek, Caesar, regular and quinoa salads, grilled asparagus (white & green) and artichokes, amazing smashed potatoes, baked cheese ravioli, roasted turkey and prime rib.  Back at the tables, dessert platters and fresh fruit were laid out for our choosing.

These were small but AH-MAZING!!!  Seriously needed a smoke after this little bite of heaven!  I ate 3 of them!!!!  The live band started after dessert wrapped up, and there was dancing, and laughing and visiting and more drinks than I care to count...let's see...2 glasses of wine with dinner and 5-6 vodka sodas?!  Good thing I had already planned on leaving James in the parkade overnight, so there was never a thought of driving home.  Left the party feeling not so bad, and home and in bed by 1:30.

This is my hang-over face...or my "oh, thank goodness, there's a Starbucks open downtown!".  I was on my way to Eau Claire for the Chase the Elves run.  Yes, I knew at the party that I had a run in the morning, but since I was an elf and not a runner per say, I knew I would be fine.

In all my Elfie glory!!!  We were carrying prize tickets (so that the runners chase and "catch" us for them), so we get about a 5 minute head start on the runners.  I had fun hiding behind poles, trees, moon walking, running in slo-mo, dancing and whatever else I could think of to entertain the runners and Sunday walkers on the pathway.  I had the Monkeys song stuck in my head for most of the morning, for whatever reason, so that helped.  Luckily for the race, the wicked hurricane winds didn't pick up till after the race was over, although it was a bit breezy at times.

After lunch with some of the runners I know, I walked over to the parkade (the wind was really picking up now) and rescued James, heading off to another friend's house, where she was having an open house for Silpada jewellery that she sells.  It's fun walking through downtown Calgary in full elf outfit, and acting like it's my usual Sunday attire.  Got a few funny looks!  Once at C's, I changed (she wanted me to stay in it all afternoon, but I was getting tired) and had another glass of wine and some munchies, while visiting with people I haven't seen in a while.  Finally, around 4pm, I think my weekend caught up to me!  I suddenly wanted my couch, and badly!  However, as I was driving home from the suburbs where she lives, all the news was about downtown Calgary being shut down.  Yes, they closed all the incoming streets into the core, as windows were being blown out of buildings and it was raining glass all over the city.  Winds of over 149km/hour were clocked at one point, so now I just really wanted to get home, if for nothing else than to make sure everything was where it was supposed to be!

I got home okay, and the trees here are still standing, although the fence we share on one side is leaning over more than I'd like.  I'll have to get that fixed this week, before it crashes down and into my building.

Boot camp was at 6am this morning, as I was off to the warehouse for inventory all day.  Gave both Trainer Josh and myself a taste of what December is going to be like!  We'll both adjust, I'm sure.  The good news is I didn't have to be to the warehouse till later than usual, so I came home from boot camp and crawled back into bed for an hour! 

Got home, noshed on some food (not really hungry, as we went for Vietnamese at lunch today), had a wee nap on the couch.  My feet and legs are not liking me right now, after standing in girly shoes all Saturday night, running around with elf booties over my runners on already swollen feet yesterday and then standing on concrete all day today...my dogs are beat!

Now heading to bed for real.  Hope everyone had a great weekend.

Later,