Aloha.

I'm happy to report that our trip to Hawaii was absolutely incredible and we made it there and home safely. I'm sorry to report that we had to come home. :(

We left last Monday for Maui, a much deserved and long-overdue vacation. We packed our bags, dropped Luke off at the puppy palace (let me tell you boarding a dog is 'spensive!) and hauled our cookies to DFW, where we were met with a nice surprise -- upgrade cleared. Thank goodness. I wasn't looking forward to 8+hours in row 11.

Here we are getting settled in for the long flight.



When we finally arrived, we were greeting with a trade wind, mountain and ocean views and a rainbow.



There was a lot to do and we made the most of every day. The first day we hiked to the top of the volcano to watch the sun rise. Magical. And cold. It was 23 degrees at the top. Once the sun was up we hoped in bikes and rode down. Fun times.




We also drove the Hana Highway. Everything you heard about it is true. It's breathtakingly beautiful but a gnarly road. On the side of cliffs, no guardrails, one lane in many directions, you have to hug the side of the road when oncoming traffic needs to pass. But it was worth it. I think being the driver helped. Shawn said being a passenger was a bit scary. One of our stops along the way. Behold the beauty of Mother Nature.



We spent one day at our hotel beach lounging around, trying all the drinks on the menu, and snorkeling. The surf was rough so the visibility wasn't the best but the water was crystal clear, we did see lots of fish, and even swam with a few giant sea turtles. I wish I had an underwater camera.

If you ever go to Maui I have to recommend Mama's Fish House. The best seafood meal I've ever eaten and one of the best meals I've had. Lick your plate good!



Although I am glad to be home, it was hard to leave. It was a perfect week. I now know why so many people go to Hawaii annually. I plan to get back there as frequently as possible.

I have tons more pics on facebook. Check em out.

Aloha y'all.

The Holiday's Are Officially Here!

I love this time of year. There is just something about the Holiday's that makes me excited.

Since Shawn is working this week we couldn't travel to our family for Thanksgiving so we hosted dinner at our place. It was just a few friends and us but we had a really nice time together. I cooked. And I've never cooked this type of food before. I went online found a few recipes (that were all labeled easy and had good reviews), did my shopping, and then dashed to the kitchen to create my masterpieces.

First off, a raw turkey is gross. It had this liquid stuff in the bag, its insides were all crammed up in its cavity, its neck was shoved up its butt, and I had to pull all that nastiness out. Then it got a bath and was off to the roasting pan. The recipe was pretty simple. The turkey turned out really good. This recipe is a keeper and I think would also work nice with a chicken. Chicken is more my style anyway.

While I was busy in and out of the kitchen all day the rest of the peeps in the house were busy noshing and drinking. When the night was over and I was cleaning up I had four empty bottles of wine and one half-bottle left. There were only six of us. HHHHmmmmm, some people slept well last night.

I didn't take any pictures yesterday. Should have and regret not thinking of it.

While Shawn was working today I decided that it's time to start celebrating Christmas. The house is now ready.




I know the top of the tree is crooked. I'll fix it. There are lots of things I'm noticing that I'll mess with over the weekend.

Speaking of this weekend... big plans! We are doing all our pre-vacation shopping. Picking up all the last minute things that we need to bring like sun block, shampoo, that kind of stuff. Then it's off to Hawaii. I'm so excited and looking forward to a week away from it all. I'm just not looking forward to the flight. 8+hours and I don't travel well.

I hope everyone had an incredible Thanksgiving and your Christmas is starting to be merry.

Hiatus Recovery

I know. I know. I took to much time off and now have to write a novel just to fill everyone in on the last few weeks.

Last update was post Redman Half-Ironman. Yes, I had a cruddy race but I finished! Shawn took this pic while I was on the run. I have to say I LOVE this picture.


Once my race over it was time for Shawn’s race. It was his first Olympic distance race. Jumping form a Sprint distance to Olympic distance is hard. He did awesome! Here's a pic of him coming down the home stretch.


A little story about this race. Shawn is not a runner. He could be a great runner but he slacks on his run training. Prior to this race he had been complaining of foot pain and all his sneakers giving him blisters. And after the race he had been complaining about his foot hurting even more. Excuses. Excuses. Turns out his foot was fractured. He had been running on it for a few with it broken. When he finally went to the Dr. all they could do was give him a boot to wear. Which he didn't and hasn't worn. So, no more excuses. His next race, I'm making sure he has lots of runs in his workouts. Time to pick up the pace.

After our races were over it was time to veg out for a bit and enjoy some free time. We hit the State Fair on the last weekend with our friends Robert and Gayle. We had a blast. If it was fried, we ate it. And we even got up the nerve to ride a carnival ride. I'm not a fan of carnival rides. I just don't have complete faith that the rides are the most safe. But we threw caution to the wind anyway and jumped on the Crazy Mouse. It was part roller coaster and part tilt-a-whirl. And one spin on the Crazy Mouse was enough for me. I'm much better at eating at the fair than riding the rides.


Shawn and I then jetted to NYC for a few days. It was my Dad's 60th birthday so we all went out for dinner. I had the privilege of sitting next to my nephew Jake. I love Jake. He's the kid that you can't help but laugh at. When we ordered our dinner he ordered the biggest, most expensive thing on the menu. The Prime Rib. It was like something out of the Flintstones. A side of beef, cooked medium just how he requested it, arrived to the table. I had to help him cut it so I got my exercise while eating. Behold the mammoth...


And he ate almost the whole thing. Ugh. I'm full just thinking about it. Oh, and in case you are wondering, I ordered the grilled chicken with a sweet potato and broccoli. I went healthy. The Prime Rib tasted much better.

Now, a lot has happened over the last few weeks. But one area is still a glaring hole of zero progress -- the house. Yes my friends, I am still homeless. We are going to build but between contracts, builder agreements, estimating the build cost, we still have not formally contracted a thing. I know building takes time but weeks have passed and nothing has changed. The good news is that we should have the final contracts shortly and once everything is signed, the project should start moving quickly. Hopefully before Thanksgiving. (Which is code for HAWAII!!!!!) Looking forward to vacation. Me on a beach doing NOTHING at all sounds so exciting. I even have my books selected that I am going to read. I know, I'm such a geek but I do love a good book.

Speaking of books -- Merk -- I'm almost done with the last Twilight book. We'll have to chat when I am done. I have lots of opinions. I'm definitely team Jacob. I think Edward and Alice are manipulating little SOB's. And Bella annoys me because she continually makes bad decisions. Charlie needs to step up, intervene is his daughters life, and get her back on track. And I also know it's a bit too late for that because Bella is all vampired up. Jacob has imprinted on Bella's baby. And the whole time Charlie and Renee never ONCE knocked down the Cullen's door and demanded to see their "sick" kid. Yes, I know these people aren't real but I feel like I need to hop on a plane to Forks and give these people a piece of my mind.

Lastly, just because this is my blog and I can do what I want, I'm posting my new favorite pic. Shawn and I don't have many pics. Not sure why. You'd think we were in the witness protection program or something. But this one was snapped at a race over the summer and I like it. Once we have a house, I'll get this framed and put it on a bookshelf or mantle or something. Assuming we have a mantle.



Last item. Today is a birthday day for lots of my peeps. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Aunt Janet, Uncle Dennis, and Sharon!

That's all for now. I promise I'll try to update this more regularly.

Y'All, I've Been a Bad Blogger

I know. Weeks have passed with no updates or no new content. I've been slacking. Stay tuned. News and updates to start again. But not just yet. I have to slack for just a bit longer.

A Million MIles and All I got were these lousy bag tags.

My American Airlines Million Miler welcome packet finally arrived. What a let down! And I'll warn you in advance I am bitter. I do admit I had false expectations of celebration and grandeur on the part of AA. Like maybe the doorbell would ring (a la Publisher's Clearing House) and there would be the American AAdvantage crew with a marching band and a jumbo size commemorative tchotchke. Instead the mailman dropped an AA envelope in the mailbox one day with all the other junk mail and bills.

In honor of my incredible achievement (so they said in the pre-printed form letter) I am bestowed with luggage tags that include the million-mile "logo" and eight segment upgrades. The upgrades are nice but if they had looked at my account summary they would have noticed there are like 20 upgrades sitting there that I can't use. Now I have 28 that will never clear. The paper stock that the form letter was printed on was probably the most expensive part of the whole deal. Blah.

Behold -- the luggage tag


Maybe two million miles will be better. Maybe?

Redman Race Report

First off, let me just say that I FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!
1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run in six hours, 14 minutes. Not the time I was hoping for but the day was full of the unexpected. Oy Vey.

We rode-tripped it up there on Friday with Davis and Graham. It was a fun ride and it's been a long time since I had a road trip. We made it to Oklahoma City. Got to the race site, checked in for the race, got all signed in, dropped off our bikes, and went for a practice swim. I have to say, the practice swim was quite a surprise. The lake had a cement bottom. Well, not the whole lake but where we entered the water was cement. I'm sure it was a boat ramp or something but still cement vs. mushy, grodie, muddy lake-floor is a nice change. Did a little bit of swimming but got out pretty quick. The water was cold and I didn't put on my wetsuit for the practice swim.

We then went to the hotel; checked-in, and met up with a bunch of other folks we knew who were doing the race for dinner. Pre-race diners are my favorite -- Carb Loading. I love carbs. I could sustain on pasta and every other type of carb and be perfectly happy. I inhaled my pasta and then it was back to the hotel for some rest.

Rest is relative the night before a big event. I slept in 20-minute intervals for most of the night. The anxiety was killer.

We woke up to a nice morning. A little overcast. 60 degree's-ish. And headed out to the race site.

Since the bikes were checked in the night before, there wasn't much to do that morning other than set up my transition area which entails putting out my bike stuff and run stuff so it's ready for when I get to that stage of the race. I double-checked my tires at the LAST minute just to make sure I was aired up, in the right gears, and ready to go. GUESS WHAT??? Flat rear tire. Yup. Flat. And these are my race wheels so the tire is glued to the wheel. There's no changing this puppy easily. Luckily, and I am so glad I am anal, I had a back-up wheel set in the car. I found Shawn (who had the car keys). We RAN to the car, grabbed my other wheel set and swapped out the wheels. We made it with five minutes to spare. Disaster. Recovery. Nice.

Then the sky opened up and it poured. I mean pouring rain. Monsoon. The storm stalled over the race site for about an hour. Since this was at the lake it was all grass and dirt. Which quickly became mud. It was disgusting. The race start was delayed for over an hour and we weren't sure it was even going to go off. There was talk of cancellation. Here is an early morning "race pic" that Shawn took. I thought it would be the only one of the day. Notice the level of the water. Ankle deep. This was the start and the theme for the day. Ugh.

At least I was dressed for the occasion. When else does a wetsuit come in so handy????

After an hour+ the race director decided that the race would go on. This race was the National Championships. Everyone who has been winning Half-Ironman's across the country qualified to compete in this race for a chance to win the National title. I think that was the reason the race went on. If it were a normal race it would have been canceled.

I was ready to bail but I think Davis and Graham were on the fence. Graham, at a minimum, wanted to get the swim in. While I tried to talk some sense into these boys Shawn snapped a picture. Here we are huddled under a tent trying to stay warm and dry. Notice the matching wetsuits. Coincidence.


Okay, storm passes, drama over, time to race. I have to admit, I was nervous. I had a horrible morning, anxiety was in overdrive, weather, and race conditions were horrible. But this was part of our Ironman training and if the weather is bad on Ironman day, I have to deal with it. So that's what I did.

Davis and I were in the same swim (start) wave. Graham was in the wave after us. Davis and I get in the lake, cannon goes off, and we start swimming. It took me a few minutes to get into my groove. I swam slow and stayed towards the back of the pack. After some time swimming I had to give myself a swift kick in the butt and a pep talk. I picked it up a little bit and swam like I was an Ironman in training. There were a few moments of panic during the swim but I dealt with it and finished the swim in 37 minutes. Wow. That's all I can say. That is a good time for me. And somewhere along the way I passed half of my swim wave to get out of the water in the top half of the age group.

On to the bike. When I got to the bike EVERYTHING was soaked. I put on my socks and bike shoes, grabbed my bike and hoped for the best. It started pouring again at about mile 2. And it rained on and off for the entire bike ride, 56 miles, which I did in three hours. I averaged 18.7 mph for 56 miles. Not at all the fastest bike time of the race but I'm proud of me. OOOOOHHHHHH and at mile six, the road was flooded. Yup. 6+ inches of standing water. We had to get off our bikes and carry our bikes across this impromptu pond. If my feet weren't wet enough already. I almost fell once on the bike but recovered. Don't know how. But I did.

About mile 30 on the bike, I started to feel a little sick to my stomach. Nothing gross but I just felt "full." So I laid off the gu's and the Gatorade for a bit but it didn't help. Drinking or trying to eat wasn't helping. I finished the bike and transitioned into the run.

The run was horrible. I ran for about three seconds and quickly knew running wasn't in my future. I was not feeling so hot. I was also getting worried because I was feeling worse and I hadn't eaten or drank anything in hours. I walked 90% of the run but made sure I was running whenever I passed the photographers so I at least looked good in the race photos (hey, I have my priorities, even when I feel like death is calling).

I've never pushed my body so far or so hard. I never knew my limits and I'm still not sure I know how much further I could have pushed. But I finished. I'm not the most spiritual person but there are times when you have to thank God for what he allows us to do. I know I wasn't alone on that racecourse. There was definitely someone above looking out for me and giving me strength. It was humbling and exhilarating. A miserable day and a day full of rewards.

Going into this weekend, my goal was to finish under six hours. I very quickly went from that objective to just finishing. And I can't thank Shawn and Gayle enough for being out there and cheering us on all day. hey were stuck out in the rain and mud for hours. But with smiles on their faces and words of encouragement.

Race pics to be posted once I get them. I know there are a few cute ones. That's all for now. Now my week of ZERO training. Yee hah.

Getting Ready to Race!

It's hard to believe that my first Ironman prep race is here. Saturday is the Redman Half-Ironman in Oklahoma City. It's supposed to be a great race, despite its politically incorrect name.

Friday is all the pre-race mandatories. Participant check-in (where I will get a super-cool wristband), race packet pick-up, pre-race meeting, bike check-in, bag drop off, and practice swim. Saturday is the race. The anxiety is already starting. I know I'll do fine (I keep telling myself), I've done it before, but I'm still nervous. I'll let you guys know how it goes. Supposedly, you can track an athlete on their website on race day.

http://www.redmantriathlon.com/

Since this page isn't live yet I don't know if you track by my name or my bib/race number. I do know my bib/race number is 570. I'd love to finish under 6 hours but finishing is my general goal.

On a happier note, I did a little retail therapy and my part to bring an end to the recession Saturday. Check out my new, awesome boots.


There were a few other goodies that were screaming my name but my financial conscious (a.k.a. Shawn) wouldn't let me buy them. I'll have to hit the mall solo so I can splurge. Besides, all my winter clothes are in storage. What other choice do I have but to buy all new stuff?????

This week also marks the start of the Fall TV Line Up. I'm so excited. Ever since I got a DVR I've become a TV junkie. Last night was The Biggest Loser. It was an episode full of laughter, tears, gasps, and shocking weigh-ins. First off, home-girl collapses after running a mile, tries to crawl her way to the finish line, and then totally passes out. And for a sure ratings spike, they don't just load her into an ambulance and cart her to the hospital, they call in a helicopter. Yes. They air lifted Traci right on out. Wow. I hope she has a low-fat IV at the hospital or else those extra calories will affect her weigh in.

And they brought Dan back... Come on... I know he needs help but he had his chance and was sent home last season. Let someone else have a chance. Boo.

But you have to love Bob and Jillian. Bring on the tough love. Except for Abby. She needs a little tender love. But just for a few weeks.

I also stumbled upon a fantastic Twitter feed. The guy tweeting is 29 years old. He moved back in with his parents. We don't know much about his mom but his dad is 79 years old. And is quite opinionated. Verbose. And a bit profane. The son tweets things his dad says. The Twitter feed is titled "Shit My Dad Says." Priceless one-liners.

We may have so me new news on the house front. We're considering expanding our geography to include a new part of town. In our budget. Either new construction or teardowns. I'm optimistic. Perhaps foolishly. But optimistic none-the-less.

Not much else to report. I've got some stretching and hydrating to attend to before the big weekend. I'll post pics and updates when I have them.

Think of me on Saturday. I'll need the good vibes.
1.2 mile swim. 56 mile bike. 13.1 run.

Homeless In Highland Park Almost A Reality

Yes, the headline is a teaser. You have to read this post to get to the punch line. It's been a few days since my last post so I'll go in chronological order ending with the culmination of the holiday weekend.

Where to start, where to start....

Sorry to be a downer, but I'm going to start with some sad new. My friend Rodney, who I have known since college, lost his mother last week. His mom, Wanda K Booker, lost her battle with breast cancer. She was only 56. It was the third round of breast cancer and Wanda decided she fought all she could the first two times and upon the third, she would enjoy her days to the fullest and give in when the time came. She had a few fabulous weeks with her friends and family but when the end was near, it came fast. A sad, sad day.

The funeral was a very nice service. And in true southern, Baptist, African-American style, her funeral service was a celebration of life complete with daring fashion, the most incredible hats I've ever seen, lots of song, and a vocal congregation agreeing with the pastor. Being Catholic, our services are not "interactive." We get to sit, stand, and kneel and only when told to do so, we answer the priest. And it's not answering as much as it is formal response. Well, not at this church. If you have something to say, just shout it out. And if people agree with you, they will let it be known. Um hmmm, that's right. You know it's true.

Not to make light of the service at all, it was very touching but it's nice to see people celebrate an incredible life than mourn death. When I go, I'm having the same service. Start planning your outfit and making your hats people. I'm going to invite Heidi Klum and Nina Garcia who are going to vote on your creation as you enter the sanctuary. Make it work!

Since I attended the service, I had to rearrange my training schedule. I sort of bailed on my long swim; I just didn't have the time or the desire to go swim. But I did get 65 miles in on the bike in 3.5 hours and a 14-mile run in two hours. I bought new shoes last week and thought I'd break them in before my race. Let me tell you...these are the same exact shoes I've been running in for the longest time. Well, these weren't shoes. They were torture chambers. The first few miles I felt fine. And about mile 5 or 6 I started to "feel" my left foot. When running, you shouldn't feel anything. If you feel, it's no good. When I was done, my feet were killing me and I had two blisters. Twins. Lucky me. I got home, showered, went back to the store where I bought them and returned them. I have a new pair that I'll try out tonight. Wish me luck. Now is not the time to have shoe issues.

On a happier and more exciting note, this was the last big training weekend before the race! I am so glad to be out of peak training and into my taper. The race is 10 days away. I can't believe it! Redman Half-Ironman here I come, blisters and all!

Sunday afternoon Gayle, Davis, and I met with Chuck and Michelle who are the head coached of Fit 2 Train, the group I train and coach with. We planned out the rest of the year and started planning for 2010. I'm so excited. We are going to keep our Rookie/beginner group but also add a long-distance training program for beginners. No more details on that yet but I'm excited to have a plan and to get a group of people trained for a half-Ironman. And it will dovetail nicely with my Ironman training.

On Monday, a bunch of our Rookies had their first triathlon. It was so exciting to be out there, helping them set up their transition areas, calming nerves, and answering all the last minute questions. It was a hot day, the race started late, and I was glad to be spectating and not racing. Everyone did awesome and finished. Gayle, Davis, and I couldn't be prouder. We even had a few place in their division! Here are some pics.

The day started with the kids’ tri. These kids were so cute. There was one little girl with training wheels on her bike. I didn't get a pic but it was the cutest thing ever.


Here is our group all sticking together before the swim start. Ugh, I remember the anxiety like it was just minutes ago. The nerves, the fear, the OMG, I am crazy.



The next pic is of Brian. Brian is kind of amazing. Brian isn't in our group but he's an honorary member. Brian is dating Amanda, the daughter of Gayle's boyfriend Steve (Gayle is the head Rookie coach). Brian has a horrible bone/joint disease, which makes walking hard and running almost impossible. But he can swim like a fish. He started swimming with Gayle a few months ago just for exercise. He's a good swimmer and has been swimming for years prior to Gayle. But that was the extent of it. Then Gayle, Amanda, and Brian decided they would form a team and do tri's as a relay team. Brian swims, Gayle bikes, and Amanda runs. Needless to say it's a heartwarming story. Brian has decided that he is going to compete in a short-distance tri next year. Gayle is going to coach him. His doctors have cleared it. It's going to be hard for him. He'll have to walk the 5k, who knows how his biking will be, but he'll finish. Unfortunately, his disease is only getting worse and walking will be impossible in the future. So, we're super proud of him.


Post-race team photo.


And the most wonderful coaches ever.


After a long day of spectating and cheering we made it back home. I took a long nap and Shawn went to see a movie. When I woke up from my nap, I was hungry. So I pulled out my leftovers from the previous night and threw it in the microwave. The tray had silver/metal on it. Who knew????? After a minute or so I smelt something burning only to find the microwave in flames. I thought animals were supposed to sense danger. Not Luke. He was sleeping on the chair and never even moved. I guess he's not going to wake us up in the middle of the night to save us from the burning building. Luckily, there was a big bowl on the counter so I grabbed it, filled it with water, and threw it into the microwave. Didn't really work. So I filled it again, and tried to douse the flames. After a few attempts, the flames were out. But not before turning the microwave black and scorching the cabinets above. AND my food was ruined. Soaking wet. I'm glad I didn't burn the house down but there were a few seconds where I thought I should abandon my firefighting efforts, grab my valuables, the dog, and my cell phone and call 911. The house still stinks. No clue how to get the burnt smell out. But no one got hurt.

Nothing new on the house-hunting front. We're going to meet with a builder and see if building is a possibility. There is nothing on the market that we like enough to buy and what is there is still priced more than it should be. Ugh, if only Dallas was hit with the housing bust like so many other markets.

Be careful in the kitchen y'all and make sure you have a working fire extinguisher. Also test your smoke alarms and makes sure they work. I know mine don't.

News and Updates

Greetings to all my cyber-readers. I have to apologize for the lack of posts over the last few weeks. I've been busy but will catch you up to speed on all the latest.

Training has been going well, when I actually am around to train. Work has been super busy and I've been out of town A LOT the last few weeks. So, my workouts have mostly been on the weekends. I have Redman Half-Ironman in less than three weeks and I'm nervous. I know I can get through it but I feel like I just haven't put in the training hours needed. I'm not traveling next week so I'll use next week as my benchmark of ability. If I can get through all my workouts and am where I should be based on the training schedule, I'm still in. If I feel like death next week, then it's time to regroup with my coach and see if I bail on Redman. We'll see. But, honestly, I don't want to bail. There was a great sale this past week on tri gear and I bought a few new pieces that I want to wear in that race. I may have a bad race but I'll look good doing it.

Last weekend Shawn and I (and a few other people) raced in a local Sprint. Everyone did really well. It was a hard bike course. Lots of hills. The run was partly a trail run, which is not fun. I have to say, I had a great race. I finished 85 overall. I've never broken into the top 100 finishers. I'm stoked.


Shawn also did really well and had an incredible finish.


After that race, I had to haul my cookies to NYC. I had meetings and since I was there, I went to see Britney Spears. I saw here in Dallas a few months ago so this was my second time. Although she is suffering from a bad case of crazy, she puts on a good show. My sister made a few friends who certainly dressed for the occasion.


And here is one of our Miss Brit. I don't know about you but someone who is deadly behind the wheel of a car, who can turn an umbrella into a weapon, and has a long list of oddities and nuttiness under her belt shouldn't be allowed so close to fire.


Updates on Being Homeless
Yes, we're still homeless. We had an offer on a house that we liked. It was a bit over-priced. Our agent said it was over-priced. The sellers’ agent agreed that it was an aggressive price and suggested we make an offer. However, the seller himself is quite proud of his home and feels it’s worth every penny. Unfortunately for him, his house has been on the market several months and he just hasn't had an offer yet he will accept. Anyway, here are a few pics of what could have been. I do think that it will be on the market for a few more months so if the price drops we'll go back and see if he can will himself to accept.






And yes, it has a pool.


But in the end, we weren't willing to overpay for a house. We're going to take this weekend and next week off from house hunting and resume after Labor Day. We need a break. I'm worn out from looking and I think we also need to regroup and determine if we should broaden our search area, or give up and build.

I mentioned before that I have been traveling lots. I have. And I'm reaching a milestone. I'm not sure if I should be proud or accept the fact that I travel too much and I need to be home more but I am going to make one million miles on American this week. Once my trip to/from NYC posts, I will be a million-miler.


And in all my free time...
I went to see Julie and Julia. If you haven't seen it yet, you must. The Julie part of the move was okay but the Julia Childs story was awesome. The acting, the story, the humor, the drive, ambition, etc. It should have been a biopic all on its own. And it made me want to leave and bake a cake using 20 lbs. of butter.

Lastly, and I'm going to lose some cool points here for admitting it, but I started reading the Twilight series. I was curious about all the hype and after my aunt was gushing over it, I picked it up. I finished Twilight and am now on New Moon. I understand the hype. I have to keep reminding myself that these people are not real and it's a story. But I want to jump into the page and intervene. Ugh, the drama.

That's about it for now folk. Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the last days of summer.

TGIF!

Honestly folks. This week has had its ups and downs and I am very glad to have a weekend upon me. Let's start with the fun stuff.

Last week I had client meeting in NY. I met Aunt Diane for breakfast Friday and then it was off to do important thinking and strategizing. After a long day I headed to NYC to spend the weekend with the fam.

Saturday was a BEACH DAY!

We packed up the car with everything you could need for an entire day at the beach and went to Smith Point.

The kids had a blast, complete with the obligatory "let's bury someone in the sand" game.

Notice the football. Yes Jake was going to kick the ball. I'm sure repeatedly. I had to walk away because I was sure that Jake would miss the ball but kick him in the face unleashing blood, a broken nose, and probably some teeth. Luckily, everyone went unscathed.

Did you know that there are deer on the beach? Yup, this little girl came out to work on her tan and grab a burger or two. She jetted before anyone could hang her above their fireplace.


After a full day at the beach, my tan finally appeared. Yes, I turned from my normal milky-white complexion to a deep, beautiful eggshell white color. I don’t know why but I just don’t tan. I’m either white or red. No other options. However, and this is where the story gets sad, as the day progressed I started feeling a bit wonky. Then I got really chilly. I finally made it home, showered, and passed out. Only to wake up a half hour later with the flu. :(

I made one brief stop at Rob and Jenine's new house on Sunday, which is very nice, but a majority of the weekend was spent sleeping.

The good thing about the flu is that you can drop a few needed pounds quickly. When I went back to work on Tuesday I wore a cute button-down shirt that I've yet been able to wear because it was a bit snug around the belly. Not no more! It fit perfectly and I even got compliments on my shirt.

This weekend is going to be jam packed with activities.

Saturday and Sunday are the typical workouts. Swims, lots of time on the bike, and runs.

We're also going to hit a few houses. One house just came on the market that we are going to look at and Shawn found the other while doing a neighborhood drive by. Pictures in respective order.





(Merk – I’ll try to snap pics of the insides when we make our stops)

I know you have to kiss a lot of toads before you get your prince but this house hunt has been all toads. I think I'm starting to fall for toads. Even the uglies need love.

Sunday afternoon I have another hot date with American Airlines. We’ve been seeing a lot of each other recently. It’s a love-hate relationship but we make it work.

That's all for now. Hope everyone is enjoying the last of the summer days. September is looming over us.

The Hunt Is (still) On

Not much new to report on the Ironman training front. Had a weekend of workouts but Saturday's was cut short because of the rain. We got 20 miles, headed back to our cars since we had our Rookie group with us who only needed to ride 20, were about to head out to get an additional 40 miles in, and boom. Thunder and rain. So I jumped in the car and headed to the gym and swam with Gayle.

The Redman half-Iron is around the corner so only a few more intense weeks, then taper for the half, and then I'm back in full swing after the race. Funny, last year I spent so much time training for my half-Ironman and it was my goal race. Now my half-Iron is just a training race. What a difference a year makes.

Sunday was another day of house hunting. We saw about a dozen properties. There were four we really liked. Not sure I'm in love yet. Here's the short version.

House one was a total remodel and expansion by previous owners. The main house was incredible. Really nice. But the kitchen and family room were in the extension which was completely isolated from the rest of the house. The way it was done killed the flow. They say the kitchen is the heart of the home, well, someone call a code red and charge the paddles because this house and kitchen needs a major jolt to make it work and bring it back to life. Honestly, Shawn and I cold have made it really cool but resale is a major concern.

House two was really pretty. Only a two bedroom and a bit more traditional than I'd like. Plus it was towards the top of our price range. I think it may have been too pretty. Don't really see myself there. But I could image an over sized sofa with floral print sitting in that house. Yeah, not my style.

House three was a traditional house that was just flipped. The inside was gorgeous! Location on this one is an issue. A bit further west than we'd like. And with any flip there were corners cut and some sloppy work so as much as it is "move-in" ready, once we are there we will continue to find things that need to be fixed or redone correctly. But it is a great house.



House four is a head-scratcher. It's one of those houses that COULD be so incredible. It's on almost an acre of land. In the city! It's landscaping is very "rustic" so it needs to be cleaned up and tamed. It's only a two bedroom but we could add on. Anything it needs is really cosmetic. You can't hate a house because it's current owners have bad taste. (Really -- knotty pine -- who has installed that since 1975?) And we could design and construct an amazing outside living area and pool and still have plenty of yard left over. I'm leaning towards the latter two. Now it's just time to start doing some math and see what makes the most sense.



So, no decisions yet but I think we'll have one made soon.

The Weekly Update

Things have been kind of quiet around here, but busy none-the-less.

I had a race on Saturday. It was a small Sprint tri, 350-meter swim, 14-mile bike, and a 5k. Overall, I did really well and had one of my better races. Placed 102 out of about 500. Not bad. I could have been a bit faster but the seconds I would have made up really wouldn't have had much of an effect on the final results. And I'm not training for speed, I'm training for distance. Long, long distance.

We then went to see Harry Potter Saturday afternoon with Brian, Luke, and Joel and after the movie it was dinner and drinks. Fun day but I was so tired and crashed by 9:00.

Sunday we hit a few more houses. It was another strike out. We have now found two houses that we hate in locations we love. I think we may have to snap up on of those houses if the price is right and build something.

Tomorrow, I'm off to Philly for a day trip. Hopefully the weather clears up and I'm not delayed.

Home Sweet Home

This week has been mostly uneventful. I had to head back to Philly for a photo shoot. Nothing exciting. Just a bunch of food.

I had a perfect date with American Airlines on my return flight. My upgrade cleared. There was some dinner, a few drinks, and a movie. I even got home a little later than I thought. It has been awhile since I actually had a decent flight. Let's hope my trip next week is equally as uneventful.

While I was away Shawn did a little house hunting with our real estate agent. Unfortunately, he didn't see anything he liked. Hopefully we'll find something soon that fits the bill. But as of now, Cinderella is in the shoe store and can't find anything she likes.

I have a short race this weekend. I'm really excited about it. It has been a few months since I last raced. I've also been training pretty hard the last few months so I'm very curious to see how I do. My goal is to go all out and try to set some PR's. But as always, I just want to finish so if I need to slow down for any reason I will.

The Lazy Sunday Starts

Not much new to report. This week has been crazy busy. Lots of meetings at work. A day trip for a meeting. Those quick trips kill me. But one day I will cash in all those AA miles and go someplace exotic.

Saturday was a fun day. We all met up for a bike ride. Part of the group split for a shorter loop and the rest of us kept on going to get about 60 miles in. We came a few miles short but I'm not going to complain. The weather was awesome. The first day in a long time it was less than 100 degrees.

Then Shawn and I met up with Marcus and Brian, both of whom I haven't seen in some time. Friends, margaritas, and Mexican food = perfect Saturday night. Asleep on the coach by 10, even better.

Today I met Davis and Graham for a 10 mile run with hills. I had to skip the post-run breakfast to get home. Shawn and I have a busy day of open-housing (not sure if that is a verb but I’m making it one). Hopefully we'll find something we love. Homelessness is looming out there and I'm not sure I would make a good vagrant. My shoes alone won’t fit in one shopping cart. I doubt I could push two through the streets and fit them under the bridge I’ll have to live under

In other exciting news, I'm going to assist with coaching a group of beginner triathletes. I'm very excited. (I hope I get a clipboard and whistle to make it official "coach") Gayle, who one of my first tri coaches when I started years ago, is coaching with a local tri group. She has been asked to run their beginner program. She then asked Davis and I to help out. I'm super excited. I remember starting out and feeling like the goal race was an impossibility but after a few weeks it all came together and ultimately, finished the race, and watching this group have the same experience and finishing their goal race is such a thrill.

Next week is going to be busy. Have to head to Philly for a shoot. Then I'm racing on Saturday.

And thanks to all of you who have said you want to try to make it out to IM CDA. I know it may not be feasible for all of you but it means SO MUCH that you are going to try. I'm excited! And if you think you may want to go, reserve a room. I know you can release rooms at the Ameritel with no penalty within a few days notice.

Oh and today is Heather’s birthday. Happy Birthday Heather! It’s her first birthday as a married woman. I hope Brian made it special. I’m sure he did. He’s an awesome guy. I think the first birthday present, as a married person is either diamonds or a Porsche.

Shawn – if you read this, I don’t like diamonds. I hope that helps narrow your gift selection ;)

Ironman Coeur d' Alene Details

The race I am doing is Ironman Coeur d' Alene (Core da Lane) on June 27, 2010. It's in Idaho.

The race website is:
http://ironmancda.com/

For those of you wishng to attend here are detailed details.

I have my room holding at the Coeur d' Alene Resort. It's pricey but everyone said worth staying at if you are racing since it's connected to the race site. The resort's website is:
http://www.cdaresort.com/

I also have four rooms holding at a hotel close to the race site. (One of which has already been claimed, so three rooms left.) It's called the Ameritel Inn. A friend stayed there one year and said it was a nice place. Similar to a Hampton Inn. I already have rooms holding and can cancel within 72 hours. At this point, if you want to stay there, you don't need to do anything but let me know so I can add you to that room list. The Ameritel's website is:
http://www.ameritelinns.com/ameritel_hotels.asp?PID=3

As far as flying, the closest airport is Spokane, Washington. It's a 45 minute drive from Spokane to Coeur d' Alene. You can get to Spokane with a connecting flight. There is nothing direct.

I'm not sure what there is to do in Coeur d' Alene or the surrounding area but it is supposed to be BEAUTIFUL. Norther Idaho. The Rocky Mountains. (Yes, I wil be biking up and down the mountains).

I know I am flying in Thursday and leaving Tuesday. You can plan for whatever is most convenient for you. Prior to the race I really won't have much free time. I have race stuff both Friday and Saturday. I'll want to drive the bike course, get in a few practice swims, and I know my nerves will be in overdrive so I'll also be short-tempered and a lot bitchy (warning you in advance ;)

After the race I'll either be dead tired or on an adrenaline high.

The race itself will start at 7 AM on Sunday, June 27. I have until midnight to finish. I'm guessing, and these are wild guesses, that my swim will be around an hour and a half, my bike will be seven hours, and my run will be six and half hours. So, I'm looking at a 15 hour race.