Longest. Day. Ever.

So, I'm tapering.  And despite the fact that I'm this is my 12th marathon, the process remains as brutal as it was the first time around.  Even with 2 busy kids and a job, I have way too much time on my hands.  I'm also wound up like a top due to my lack of mileage.  I suppose this is the point of tapering.  And hopefully it will pay off on race day.  But still, I always forget how brutal it is to get through.  Take yesterday, for example.  It was excruciatingly long.  Here's how it played out.

5:15AM  Woke up (no, this is not normal.  It only happens when I'm nervous)
5:15-5:45  Willed myself back to sleep. (no dice)
5:45  Made coffee  (aka the nectar of the Gods)
6:00  Let the dogs out.

6:15  Went downstairs and cleaned the basement (long overdue)
6:45  Walked the dogs.  (no, they don't typically get 2 walks before breakfast.  At least someone benefits from this taper thing)
7:00  Watched a little news (Is Biden going to run or not??)
7:15  Made lunches. (didn't realize it at the time, but I accidentally put both sandwiches in Rosie's lunch.  Still hearing about it from Grace)
7:30  Woke Rosie & Grace up for school
----> keep in mind, I've now been up for over 2 hours.  My girls were like...Mom, what is UP with you?
7:30 - 8:00  Pushed through our standard morning chaos (which included, but wasn't limited to, breakfast, missing homework freakout, rainbow loom bracelet making, minor hair crisis, no clean socks, etc.)
8:15  Dropped girls at school.
8: 30 Headed over to my neighbor's house to use her washing machine bc it's bigger than mine and I had a huge comforter to wash. (also long overdue)
8:45  Stared longingly out the window as I checked email and mourned the fact that I didn't have a run on my schedule on quite possibly the most beautiful day ever.
9:00  Reorganized and updated my marathon playlist and wrote some letters to family and friends.  (no, really.  Actual handwritten letters)

9:30  Texted my bud/running partner, Kirsten, (who's also tapering) and told her I desperately needed something to do.  Thankfully, she understood and invited me over for lunch.  
---> So, I now had 2.5 hrs to kill.  What to do?
10:30  Headed to Toys "R" Us to buy a baby gate to put across our stairs so my 14 yr old lab doesn't try to come upstairs anymore bc it hurts her hips (Sniff. Sniff.  Have been putting this off for over a year)
11:00  Grabbed a few groceries and some sandwiches from Whole Foods.
12:00 - 1:00  Chatted, ate lunch, and hung with Kirsten.  Also bought some wrapping paper from her son, who is selling it for his school fundraiser.  
1:15 - 2:00  Reorganized my own and my daughters' closets.

2:05  Got guilted into buying MORE wrapping paper from my neighbor's daughter.  (yes, I am a sucker)
2:15  Grabbed another coffee from Peets.  Just because.

2:30  Headed to work.
3:00 - 5:00 XC practice.
5:30  Grabbed my clean comforter from my neighbor's machine.
6:00  Worked on XC lineups for our two upcoming meets and helped Rosie and Grace with homework.  (usually, these tasks are tedious.  Last night, I was more than happy to do them)
7:00  Enjoyed dinner with the family. (burgers and fries.  Mmmmm)
8:00  Watched an episode of the Last Man on Earth. (because 8:00pm was just too early to go to bed.  Not that I didn't consider it)
8:30  Read to the girls (we're finishing The Secret Garden.  Oldie but goodie)
9:00  Read some of my own book.
9:30  Lights out.  FINALLY

It was, hands down, the longest day ever.  And today?  Today I got to wake up and do it all over again.  Awesome.

Listen to this:
Quarterback - Kopecky  or listen w/