Welcome to Issue #267
by Rachel Brandes
Quote of the Week
“Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace.”
– Dalai Lama
Feline Tomfoolery
with Brady & Belichick
Dear Humans,
Look at my brother begging for the human to brush his teeth (insert evil meow here). Doesn’t he realize that when he sits there watching her brush her teeth, she is going for him next? He doesn’t seem to like it much but keeps coming back for more.
As for me, I am never getting into things I can’t get out of. Well, okay, maybe I seem to have a pattern here. I have gotten myself stuck in the laundry room several times and in this box more than once. The human continues to get me out, so she must not mind. Wait, why is my box upside down now? That’s no fun.
Much Love, Brady
Brady & Belichick are Rachel’s adorable felines. These two cute boys turned two on May 4, 2025.
Random Photo of the Week
A vibrant purple iris with yellow accents sure is lovely. Photo by Rachel.
Mental Health Minute
Let’s Talk Bruxism
Bruxism, also known as teeth grinding, can be caused by anxiety and stress. Oddly enough, certain anti-anxiety drugs can cause bruxism, too. This is something Rachel deals with daily and has gotten so bad in recent months that she is unable, at times, to open her mouth enough to eat even a sandwich or chew food in general. It’s a good thing she likes mashed potatoes.
One thing that helps is to relax your tongue… Did you just became aware of your tongue? Was it pressed to the top of your mouth or was it relaxed? When you find yourself feeling anxious, check in with your tongue, Rachel finds this makes a world of difference in the moment.
If you are interested in learning more about bruxism, visit the link below.
Sunday FunDay RunDay
with Tacoma Run Club
The last two weeks with the Tacoma Run Club (TRC) have been walking days for Rachel with her continued IT band issue. Look at those groups… great turnouts. You may notice the same dog in the group photo each week, this is Yogi. Yogi’s human lives nearby and brings Yogi down to visit with the TRC each Sunday. Saturday, July 5th was Yogi’s 4th birthday. Happy Belated Birthday, Yogi.
Tacoma’s 12 Annual Independence Day 5k
A Sea of Red, White & Blue
O Porta Potty, Where Art Thou
As Rachel and her friend, Jennie, approached the start line for the Independence Day 5k (3.1 miles), they immediately noticed there were no porta potty lines. What? Being ladies in their fifth decade of life, the ability to use the restroom before an event link this is essential. They would have to do their best to hold it.
Jennie did make the observation that a lot of people were walking towards the start line from the other side. This was odd, as the road was closed for the race. Where were these people parking? Even as the race started, they noticed people walking back on the sidewalks to get to the right side of the starting line. Weird.
Ohhhhhhh… there are the porta potties. Too late now. These ladies were in motion.
A Downhill Journey
This 5k event in Tacoma, Washington is hosted by the Tacoma City Marathon Association and is said to be the fastest 5k in town. It provides a great opportunity for speedsters to test out their skills. The course is a point-to-point, flat, downhill, paved course. The race culminated at Owen Beach in Point Defiance Park. More than 1,000 participants showed up for the event with even more friends and family cheering them on.
No Running While Injured
Well… Okay, Rachel is very stubborn and while she’s been dealing with an IT band flare up for more than five weeks, she has had significant improvements. She’s been testing out speed walking and finds that she has no pain, as her gait when speed walking protects her knee. Now, the trick to the proper speed walking technique is all about the glutes and abs. Prior to this, she had only been able to sustain a speed walk for two miles on a flat course. This would be 3.1 on a downhill course. She wasn’t sure how long she would last.
Not only did she last, but she felt well enough to try out a short run at the end. Once the watch buzzed that they had hit the 3-mile mark, she broke into a very casual jog and she was able to cross the finish line with Jennie in step. Look at that photo finish, they couldn’t have planned it better.
A Missed Calling
For some reason, Rachel is extremely fast when speed walking. She’s been told she looks like a speed walker in the Olympics. Maybe she could have been had she only known of this hidden talent when she was younger. Jennie had previously joked by saying that her jog is the same pace as Rachel’s speed walk. They would test this theory.
Theory proven. Keep in mind this was a downhill course. This speed never would have been achieved and held otherwise, by Rachel in any case. She was able to keep up with Jennie for the most part but Jennie did need to slow down a couple of times. As you will see below, they averaged an 11:26 minute mile for the 3.1 miles. Alright, maybe not Olympic speeds, but darn fast.
Run Club Friends Everywhere
The nice thing about being part of a run club is that you always find friends at an event such as this. The photo below was just a sampling of the Tacoma Run Club members at the event Friday. With two photographers, eyes are going in two directions, of course. Either way, look at those smiling faces and that amazing background that is the Puget Sound.
Post-Event Waffles — Absolutely
Before we get into the waffles, as you will see below, Jennie and Rachel’s friend Alanna was with them at breakfast. That is because Alanna had volunteered for the event and was directing runners. Jennie and Rachel didn’t know this until they ran past and heard someone cheer their names. What a fantastic surprise.
Okay, waffles. There isn’t much more that can be said other than wowzers. Even though Rachel’s waffle this time was a bit dry on the edge, she didn’t care, it was amazing. Next time she vows to photograph everyone’s waffles, as they are all so aesthetically pleasing.
Pictured Above LT to RT: Jennie, Alanna and Rachel after enjoying waffles at Waffle Stop in the Proctor District of Tacoma. Thank you Stephen, Jennie’s husband, for being their drive and photographer for the day. On the right, mmm, that Bacon Cookie Butter Waffle.
This was another fun day with friends and another race medal in the medal bin. If you have been reading My Monday Memo for long, you will see that running seems to have taken over. Rachel does plan on adventuring in the wilderness again where no running will take place. Unless there is a bear. Hold on… no, you don’t run from bears. Until next time, be well.
