nocturnal habits..

just went down to check on the fridge. make sure it was ok. better check the pantry too, you never know.. sure enough there was peanut butter that had to be eaten. Phew! good thing i went down there!

the good, the bad..

so a quick note on training. the good being my long ride on saturday. got up early (early for me, and on a saturday way before the birds, even the early ones..) headed out about 7 am for 3.5 hours. seemed a bit daunting at first as its my longest ride to date, but turns out it was a great ride. well except for the wind gusts and the spitting rain, and my eerie prediction of a down pour at the exact farthest point from home - no really it poured just as i hit halfway..--but these things helped to keep the ride fresh and hmph somewhat interesting as the time passed. i even uttered to myself - wow this is fun..

i just got some new aerobars, the flat S bars as those in the know call them (note i dont count myself among that group)-- couple that with my fear of riding in the aero position-- i wasnt sure what to expect.- being so new to this sport- the fact that i could ride the bike upright was a plus in my mind!! i was pretty giddy when i used them and felt totally stable. almost as if i had training wheels (hmm interesting idea there..) anyway all in all a GOOD ride for me.

now the down side. bad run on sunday. bad BAD run. the silver lining is that i did it, but i felt like i was trudging thru sludge and had a gas mask on. not a pretty way to muddle thru 90 minutes. done dwelling on that.. anyway.. so thats my good and bad to report. and no there is no ugly. lets hope there continues to be no ugly.

had a great weekend at the beach- the last day is always the best weather day. taunting you to stay longer - but any day at the beach is a good day. who can not love a place that allows you to eat ice cream for lunch and legally drive a golf cart thru the streets and talk about all the things that matter in life like LOST and online shopping..

bartender make it a double

no it hasn't been that kind of day. well not yet anyway.. but i got to thinking today as i drove home for lunch under a gorgeous carolina blue sky, just the right temperature to roll down the windows and just enjoy the drive. - didnt hurt to have a little jack johnson playing either... how lucky i really am.

and not to be arrogant about it, but how sometimes life just deals you a good hand (one you'd go ALL IN for- and step away from the table and watch the river card practically sing to you).. anyway.. so i was thinking about all the people in my life and how thankful i am to have such good friends and family to laugh with and support and be supported.. (looks like i've got the making of a great grammy award winner speech going..)

but then i kind of took a sharp right and i thought of how i met a few of these fine folks - and immediately bars across america and well the globe for that matter sprang to mind. as many of you know i had the good fortune to stumble upon my wonderful husband in a richmond watering hole.. and for the record i was not the one doing the stumbling.. and then meeting a very close dear friend of mine in a beach bar we both graced with our presence and lack of work ethic one brilliant summer... and the discovery of a mutual love of things called woo woo's that truly can create a life long bond.. and a shared path of another good friend meeting her hubby in mc donalds - ok so perhaps not a bar at first glance but i do believe that particular joint in sydney did serve beer along with burgers.. and my sister in law in the middle of idaho, in possibly the smallest small town bar meeting her boyfriend. and how can i forget all of the life lessons and sound advice given within the confines of those walls... see folks... bars=good. good people, good times, good refreshment. ha ha.

so it just goes to show that you never know what your life will bring you or where you will go or who will quite literally fall into your lap. but i think the important part is to take notice and remember how lucky you are to have such wonderful people around you. and heck if they like to have a good time, well all the better. CHEERS!

suffer like a dog...

sounds like of sadistic doesnt it? and no i wont be butchering mr. vick here, though i would like to put a skewer thru him and then perhaps a slow roast over an open flame... but alas that is not the point of this... its a mantra. one that coach jen has begun to instill in me. its the feeling that you are giving it all you have and when the day is done you know that there was nothing more. its a feeling that is still quite a bit foreign to me as my comfort zone is a very nice place to be (complete with toll house and lots of US weekly). but i'm getting there. 'run till you feel like yacking' she sometimes says....hmm not necessarily a happy thought (or one that is appetizing- my apologies if you're snacking...), but one that will get you where you want to be. i told jen she should put that feeling in a pill and bottle it. right next to the advil and the benedryl , i'd buy it.

so as i ran tonight after my bike ride, (between the lightening and the hail storm - nature gave me a perfect 20 minute window) i pushed my self and that little guy on my shoulder told me to go just a bit harder and stay with it just a bit longer. see, sometimes the voices in your head do tell you to do the right thing! and i felt good about it. well once it was done. and i was dried off. and i ate a big dinner. and had dessert. ok enough.

and for the record-- the dogs in this house define the word spoiled. they had their beauty appointments to day and are now sporting new "do's" (somewhat reminiscent of bobby's recent crew cut..) all ready to tackle the waves this weekend at OIB. I admit one looks cute and the other, well thank gosh we love her.

hi ho hi ho...

so we flew back from ATL this afternoon. luckily we were seated in front of the three loudest, most obnoxious girls ever. i mean the "oh no you di-nt"s and the "girl, this feels like we on a rolly coaster!" were flying out faster than free beers at a frat house.. anyway the flight was only an hour, about 58 minutes past my tolerance level.. what got me was the one girl was complaining about having to go back to class on tuesday and her friends were sympathizing with the fact she only had one day to herself before "the tough stuff" started - at 9:45 am mind you. how much i wanted to turn around and say "please trade places with me!!" oh to be young and free of responsibility. to set your clock to only wake you for 'required' classes, to have the hardest thing you have to do this week is write a three page paper, to have meals ready and waiting in plethora at the local dining hall.

reminds me of this fabulous musical we saw here in raleigh a few weeks ago - Avenue Q. the opening number is called "it sucks to be me" - its hilarious. sesame street for adults - complete with useless college degrees, unemployment, the walk of shame- and other hit songs like "everyone is a little bit racist", and "if you were gay that would be ok".. really good stuff! oh and the landlord of this rundown apt building where all of these characters live is none other than gary coleman. love it.

First time for everything

so i've decided to wet my feet in the world of blog. its a friendly place, full of new friends and adventures, but also alot to live up to. question is - does my life have enough drama and action to warrant a piece of this proverbial pie? heck, even if i have to dwell on the mundane i suppose i wont be the first, or the last, to write an entire account of the contents of my trunk and the cute thing my dog did today. dont get me wrong, i love those as much as anything :) so we'll see where the journey goes and how long until i get car sick and have to abandon ship. hope you enjoy the ride. secure your saddle its going to be bumpy!

A very happy birthday to my most adorable niece Julia. She turned 7 this week. remember how great it was to be 7?