One of the great things about being older (please do not call me elderly) ? I'm pretty much done with that running shit. :) I got a new pedometer app this week and it has me averaged out at 2.8 mph when I'm out with Sam. I'm sure it's faster on the pavement and slower on the sand but I'm pretty happy with that...
Speaking of, I'm sad/happy for you with Jovi. I know it's hard as anything, but it's part of the deal when you have a doggy in your life. My neighbor across the street just went through it with his 'Buddy'. It was sad and beautiful to see. I got the chance to tell Buddy that he did his doggy duty as well as any one I'd known. Didn't make a bit of difference to him, did to me.
Lost friends come more and more often. When I was a freshman in HS our baseball team started 5 freshmen. We were uniformly bad and uncompetitive but by the time we graduated we were state champs. All but one of those guys has left the building... and he's fighting cancer.
I have been incredibly lucky to make and hold contact with 3 'girls' from my class. We email multi times per week and I've seen each in the last 3 years. It's one of my most joyful things..
I've still got a bit of time to get this running thing figured out. 2.8 MPH seems to be my happy place right now. I'd like to get it up to 3.0, but I am sure it will come in time. Jo has dealt with anxiety most her life, but she has been great for us. I hope she feels the same. This is the first person I was close to that I have had to deal with this. I mean my Grandma and my wife's Grandma was hard. This girl was two grades below me, so the same age as my wife. It's sad. I only keep in touch with a few of my high school friends.