38:09

Check out that time! That's my official time from the seven kilometer race I ran this morning, which is quite a bit faster than my goal of 40 minues. I averaged 5:27 per kilometer, which is satisfying. While training I was usually hovering around 6:30/km.

The entire race experience was enjoyable, save for the teeny tiny finish chute, which was blocked when two people ran side by side. I could have finished in less than 38 minutes if I hadn't been hampered by slower finishers in the chute. The general atmosphere was pleasant, helped by the ever sunnier-becoming weather (why can't I think of the appropriate way to express that in English? That is translated directly from German--"das immer sonniger werdene Wetter". I welcome suggestions on the formation of that sentence in the comments section), and the route was simple.

I spent a while today sitting out on my balcony, first brunching after the race and later reading. The sun was intense and I definitely got some color, which makes me happy. There is something about being tan that lends one the appearance of health and vitality (look at the Kennedy/Nixon television debates), although I know that it is actually quite unhealthy to tan. But don't you agree that sun-kissed people look better than pasty white people? Of course I'm not talking about the people that visit the tanning booth daily and are so dark that the crooks of their elbows look dirty. I'm talking about the people who gradually brown even though they apply 15 SPF sunscreen daily. Those people are attractive.

I finally saw Farmer Franz at choir practice today, after a long time of not having seen him in church. Farmer Franz is an Austrian, probably somewhere between 30-40 who owns a small farm by Linz and works for the Ministry of Agriculture in Vienna. Ever since he told me he owns a farm, I've been wanting to ask him if I can come on down and play farm girl for a day, helping him build fence or whatever else he wants me to do, but I haven't seen him for ages and haven't been able to ask! So I was quite pleased to see him today and I told him I really want to come to his farm and help him out for a day, which he said could be arranged! Yippee! I tell you, building fence is definitely my favorite farm task. It fulfills my need for tangible results at the end of a day's work. I intend to hound Farmer Franz until he sets a date when I can come out. Watch out Austrian farmland, here I come!