I've been trying to get this post finished all week...
This is the survivor tree at the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial.
This is one view of the reflecting pool.
The lines of chairs are very powerful.
The little chairs make your breath catch just a little.
Kenny and the boys read every plaque. I'm so glad we made time to go.
Our team trips aren't always just about rowing.
Another view of the pool.
My goofy cousin Rebecca and my equally goofy nephew Andrew playing a little Guitar Hero. Apparently Bec has trouble recruiting kids to play with. AJ was thrilled.
Kristin came home from her sleep over and joined in the fun.
Kim's youngest and Bec's youngest...two peas in a pod.
Busy, busy, busy...oh so busy.
Here is a picture of the gang from last weekend...picture them with a bunch of bling!
We worked 10 hours on the boatyard yesterday...most of the racks are in the ground. We have some cross bars to attach and we're almost moved in. And I can't raise my arms above my head and strangely...my glutes are very sore.
Congrats to my folks who have a new addition to their family. Little Maggie Sue has come to stay. She's a four month old blue heeler mix, sweet disposition, laid back and apparently gets car sick. I can't wait to meet her.
Manda stopped by the community college yesterday and picked up admission info...so proud of her!
Good luck to the Cedar Creek Smokers, cooking this weekend at the BBQ contest in Lawrence.
I'm off to OK City for Central District Championships. Go KCRC!
And then spending the rest of the weekend in Tulsa with my folks, grandma, uncle and cousins.
Happy Mother's day to all the mom's and a special thanks to Kimmy for inviting me to the Mother's Day celebration with Andrew's class this morning.
Whew.
We had one yesterday.
Saturday was windy and frustrating.
I'd packed up my rowers and their boats and we'd made the early morning drive over to Lake Shawnee in Topeka.
We sat around until noon...no one raced...and then we came home.
Sunday was a better day.
A much better day.
The kids raced. They experienced wins and loses, frustration and elation. There were smiles and tears, naps and mad libs. A lot of laughter.
They practiced making squeaking noises with blades of grass...there was a lot of that. And some game that involved a rock.
Parents made sandwiches, took pictures, applied sunscreen, took pictures. Fetched oars, water bottles and shoes...and took pictures. They visited, read the paper and cheered until they were horse. Oh yeah...they took pictures.
My kids received multiple compliments. From the officials, other coaches...other parents.
We helped each other. Paid attention. Listened. We were prepared. They were on time. Handled their equipment with confidence.
I've coached for a long time. I'm pretty good at it. But sometimes I get a little stale. It's not that I don't love the kids...I just get...I don't know, stale?
Then they give me a day like yesterday.
Results:
6 golds
8 silver
3 bronze
Can I just say that one of these looks much bigger when you are on a bike.
I'm not sure who was more startled, me or the deer, when he/she ran in front of me today.
It was a little chilly this morning but Sunday mornings are so quiet it was worth the shiver that didn't leave until about 9am.
I made it in 35 minutes...shave off 5 minutes...probably not having to wait at lights.
Having some trouble with my right shoe clip...very frustrating!
If you can bike to work....DO IT!!!!!!
So much fun.
I did a test ride on Sunday. Just to cover the distance, see how long it would take, see if I could get my fat...hmm...up the hills.
Sunday was great!
So Monday morning, off I went. I left at 7am anticipating a ride of about 40 minutes, just over 7 miles.
I found a nice route that kept me off the main thoroughfares and minimized the hills...
I'd been packing my work stuff in my pannier bags for a month or so trying to figure out what I really needed and what I could leave behind. Two bags carried my laptop, any clothes I needed, my lunch, purse and a book.
The ride was so nice. It was cool enough for long sleeves but warm enough for shorts.
I was struck by how many people said good morning. What a nice way to start the day.
On my ride how this morning I stopped and talked to some kids waiting for the school bus. They asked if I was in a race :-) We talked about Earth Day and what they were doing in school today to celebrate.
It was cooler and I had to stop and pull on some long pants.
There is one hill on the way to work and one hill on the way home that I really HATE. I look forward to my fitness improving so those hills don't kick my butt so bad.
A few dogs give chase but I don't really think their hearts are in it...except one little Jack Russell...I think he thought he could take me.
So...Happy Earth Day and...bike on!
Sorta seems like this is a holiday made just for me! And other greenies like me.
To celebrate Earth Day I will ride my bike home from work in the morning (yes...it's technically not Earth Day yet but...) where I will eat some earth friendly breakfast, take a four minute shower, hang some clothes out up to dry and then...then I will have to get in my pollution spewing suv and drive to about 14 different places.
Here is the place where if I was a 'quality' blogger I would have lists of links and events to celebrate our earth. But you know...I mostly blog sort of...well...sort of what ever comes to mind.
I think about posts and occasionally start one that I plan to work on but...I get side tracked.
...where was I...oh, yeah...Earth Day. Right.
Ummm...I held a 13 day old Alison today while I helped her family meet with the funeral home. Alison's great grandma passed away 3 days ago. Life begins, life ends. Alison's GG was a neat lady. Fiery, funny, nosy, quick with a laugh and a correction if needed. She's been a fixture at the police and fire credit union for 40 years. She'll be missed. Alison will carry on where Edna left off.
So tomorrow for Earth Day I'll be getting new dress uniform pants...I need many more bikes to work before my current ones are comfy again, dropping my class A's at the dry cleaner, running this errand, making that phone call.
Right after I bike home from work.
The dog bed covers needed a wash (the dogs got a wash, too) and Tasha found a soft place to nap.
I took a nap as well.
Steve is explaining how we will win the cook off in a few weeks.
Andrew is somewhat unsure.
Kim definitely isn't buying it!
Brother Steve bought a new smoker.
We went over on Saturday and he fed us.
He painted the side boards red. Looks great!
He's pretty happy.Unless you are on fire that is...and even then we don't really 'clean'. Actually we make quite a mess...
But I digress...
Just now...sitting in the station with the bay doors open. Sitting in the day room that I JUST mopped.
A guy pulls up in a pickup truck, walks into the station to ask for some directions.
It looked like he had been knee deep in mud.
So I mopped again.
Some people have no manners.
"They will not go quietly,the dogs who've shared our lives.
In subtle ways they let us know their spirit still survives.
Old habits still make us think we hear a barking at the door.
Or step back when we drop a tasty morsel on the floor.
Our feet still go around the place the food dish used to be,
And, sometimes, coming home at night, we miss them terribly.
And although time may bring new friends and a new food dish to fill,
That one place in our heart belongs to them...and always will."
...and also for Baxter, Cleo, Rib, Tater, Casey, Murphy, Patch, Spike, Kelley, Annie, Shadow, Lady, Rusty, Fritz, Winston and all the other pups we've loved.
