Verdict: Yum and yum. The Vietnamese Cinnamon is smooth, creamy and delicious. The Venezuelan Spiced Chocolate has a kick to it. I think there’s a bit of cayenne pepper in it that made my throat tingle a bit. It was an interesting pairing, as one really balanced the other. Looking forward to next Sunday and already plotting my choices.

So, some friends and I decided to make Sunday visits a regular occurrence until we’ve tried all the unique and tantalizing flavors. This week, I give you:

LEMON CURD WITH BLUEBERRIES (left) and CARAMELIZED PEACH (right)

Absolutely didn’t disappoint. The small size cup fits two flavors, and it’s so rich and delicious you really can’t eat much more in one serving, not to say you won’t want to. I don’t know how he does it, but the man makes some terrific ice cream. It truly is joy, frozen over.

Orange ginger scone, orange spice black tea and the new issue of Runner’s World. And “Meet the Press” but the TV screen didn’t fit in with the rest of the picture.

I’ve once again returned to the blogosphere, tail between my legs and head hung low. I’m just not good at this whole consistency thing, but I’ll keep trying.

Sadly, I didn’t feel like running this morning due to a continuing bout of allergies and the resulting inability to breath. Today’s plans include a trip to CVS for some Zyrtec.

PoliTicker: Did you hear about this? Experts Review S.C. Senate ballots

It will be interesting to watch and see what investigators uncover in relation to this story. I have a sneaking suspicion that he’s a prop-up for the G.O.P. but that’s totally a guess at this point. Still, it’s highly unusual that someone who never made a campaign speech, never ran an ad, never made a robo-call, never did anything that would substantiate a political campaign – could take a out an established, veteran public official that actually did campaign. Strange…

Tip of the Hat: Congrats to the U.S. soccer team for a 1-1 draw against England yesterday. I think I’ve come down with a case of World Cup Fever.

A new goal deserves a pair of running shoes that haven't been worn into submission.

I’ve set a goal for myself: run the Kansas City half-marathon next October. I figured that if I’m going to train for a race, I need a pair of running shoes I haven’t been wearing for the past year and a half. *Cringe*

So, ran a mile and walked a mile today to break them in. So far, so good. I must say, the arch support is rather sublime. Saucony Grid Omni 8s, I think I love you.

**Update** It was every bit as delicious as it looked, and then some!

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m not really a runner. I’ve always loved the idea of it, but haven’t been able to make myself gut it out during a training program to get better. Today I ran mile 1. I walked mile 2. Normally, I would just keep walking to finish, but I ran the third mile and it felt great! One of my fitness goals is to be able to run a full 5K. I’m closer than I realized. There’s a Santa run coming up in December… I think that might be my next goal.

My knees kinda hurt at the moment, and my legs feel like lead, but it’s a great feeling. And I’m thankful I decided to do something today other than gorge myself. Don’t get me wrong, though, that’s next on the agenda…

So here’s a recap of the exciting things that have happened since my last post:

- Got into a car accident (not my fault) which necessitated the purchase of a new vehicle. I bought the same thing (another Civic) but got white this time. Apparently it’s more visible than any other color.

- Attempted a century ride in early August. First crack at it, and made it 82 miles before I decided to pack it in when the course closed and SAG support was no longer available. This was only two weeks post-accident, so I was pretty damn glad to be able to ride at all.

- Rode BikeMS at the end of September and (dah-da-da-DAH!) finished my first century. Followed that with another 80 miles the very next day. That hurt, but the finish was SO worth it. Seriously, I honestly didn’t know if I could do it, but I figured I wouldn’t know unless I tried.

Those are really the highlights. So I’ll try to be better about keeping this whole blogging thing going. BUT, in the spirit of the week, I think I’ll offer a few things that I’m thankful for:

1. Being healthy and able-bodied. Every morning I wake up, feel tired and think I don’t want to go to the gym, I need to remember that it is a blessing to be able to.

2. Having a job. Mine is sometimes stressful, but I’m very happy to have one and I’m blessed to work with some fantastic people. In today’s economy, I’ll chalk that up as a big win.

3. Friends. Mine are pretty spectacular. There have been times in the last year that I’m not sure I could have muddled through without them. Life wouldn’t be worth much without them. I hope that I can be there for them the way they’ve been here for me.

Saturday morning: Early morning power-walk with Amanda, then breakfast at Farm To Market cafe with Amanda and Jami (and Lola the Wonderpup) and shopping at the Overland Park Farmer’s Market.

Looking forward to the NFL Draft today. Not a bad start to the weekend, huh?

2009 Specialized Dolce Triple