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retreat!

I haven't forgotten about the blog, I've just been gone/super busy this past weekend.

It was the annual Young Pro's retreat to the Barkley farm in Marquez, Texas. Central Texas is beautiful, by the way. There are actual hills! (this is a super rare thing in Houston) and we could see the stars.

If you don't believe me, take a look at this beauty of a picture (of us sitting on the barn roof at sunset)







I sadly did not take these pictures. The very talented, Sarah V. did and we have so many beautiful pictures as a result.

Including this one:



I did take a lot of photos that are now on our Facebook group page

Otherwise, let's see what I've done this week... I crocheted a terrible looking scarf. I don't want to include it as a success for the sake of the blog, but it did remind me how to crochet. I also started Jane Austen's Persuasion, which I'm not loving yet. Hopefully it'll pick up in a chapter or two.

Half-marathon is in less than a month. I ran outside on Saturday, somehow hurting my foot. Today it's better, so I'm praying it was just an overuse injury (my right foot had been hurting post-8 mile run) and that I'd been compensating on the left foot. This weekend I also discovered I have a one-piece swimsuit that is an athletic one. If it still fits I'll be able to train for the sprint triathlon in it.

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