Spokane (and Corvettes!)

Tom and I headed to Spokane yesterday for the wedding of his best friend from junior high.  n the way we werethrilled to see ever more windmills on the barren (but windy) chaparral covered hills of Eastern Washington.

When we cross the Columbia River near The Gorge at George (where fabulous concerts take place every summer), I begged Tom to snap a few photos, since I was driving.

Also since I was driving, I took advantage of our agreed upon “driver’s prerogative” and stopped at the Wild Mustang Monument overlooking the river.  Looking one way, I saw this:

And turning about 45 degrees, I saw this:

And turning another 45 degrees, I saw this!

That’s Tom reading about Kauai in the car!  hey dude – be here now!

I love the Eastern Washington evening sky in the summer!

When we got to Spokane, we lucked out with a hotel upgrade that put us in an executive suite with an amazing view of the river and were treated to a fabulous breakfast buffet this morning.

After breakfast we went for a walk (accompanied by a sudden summer rainfall) in Riverfront Park.

I loved this newly-planted tree…

…which was planted with love and is sure to grow big and strong.

What a gorgeous park!

And then suddenly, as if the heavens had opened up and rained Corvettes instead of raindrops, we came upon this:

…and Tom was in heaven.  (Marco, you would have been too!)

Do you see the love in his eyes?  (As I post this, he’s on his iMac, searching “Corvette, for sale.”

So if he buys one of these beauts, this is the company he’ll keep:

 

 

Can we say “old geezer” and “mid-life crisis”?!

Heading up to Tom’s sisters cabin (where I hope there’s wifi!) on Lake Pend Oreille after the wedding today.  My first plan is to swim across Bottle Bay, a distance of, oh, about a half a mile.  Tom will be in the kayak along my side, with my camera at his side.  Stand by…

Danskin Traithlon dry (sweaty/wet) run: check!

I decided to attempt a dry run of the Danskin Triathlon this evening.  It’s less than three weeks away and it’s about time I got serious about actually finishing the event. (I refuse to call it a race because my only real goal is to simply finish.)

So at about 5:30, after a busy work-at-home day, I hopped on my bike and pedaled from Woodinville to Marymoor Park and back, a distance of a little over 14 miles (the Danskin biking portion is 12 miles).

On the way back to Woodinville, my bike mysteriously veered off the trail and straight to a Starbucks, where I somehow ended up with a water bottle full of delicious ice coffee which sustained me for the remainder of the biking portion of my dry run. 

(I know – how Seattle, right?)

After the bike ride I felt great.  Exhausted, exhilarated,  and sweaty, but actually looking forward to getting on a treadmill at the gym.  This is most definitely not a feeling I’m used to, as I generally hate exercising.  What is coming over me?

I found a Saucony triathlon suit, one of those one-piece, quick-drying gizmos on clearance at TJ Maxx for $15 (I love a bargain!) and wore that for my dry run today, so when I got to the gym I just jumped on a treadmill, cranked up my iPod, and started walking.  Fast.

About a mile into my walk, as the setting sun beamed directly onto my face and Bach’s Fugue in G Minor filled my head, a strange thing happened.  The word “perfect” entered my consciousness and wouldn’t let go.  Perfect.  Moving my body like this feels surprisingly perfect.  This was definitely a first.  I closed my eyes to heighten the sensation and for some reason that I don’t understand, tears began to stream down my face. 

I think it was more the Bach than the walk.  This happened to me before, in Heidelberg.  Remember?  Bach just does me in when I’m in any situation that’s the least bit emotional or impactful! 

Before I knew it, I’d walked three miles, almost falling into a jog numerous times, but every time I did, that damn gastrocnemius muscle that Dr. B cut would seize up and I’d feel a cramp come on and be forced to slow down again to a walk.  Will I ever actually run again?  Should he really have cut that muscle?  I forgot now why he suggested it, but at the time it made sense.  Now I’m not so sure…

By the time I finished my run, the sun had set and it was time to head into the pool.  Without even changing my clothes (though taking a pre-shower), I slipped into the water and mindlessly swam and counted -- one, two… nineteen, twenty… thirty-five, thirty-six.  Nothing about that swim was emotional or tear-inducing.  Nothing.  By this time I was on auto-pilot, swimming one lap after another, just anxious to be finished!

About three hours after hopping on my bike, I finished lap 36 – a half-mile.  I’d completed the three events in completely the wrong order, but I’d completed them. At that point I knew that I’d finish the Danskin next month.  I’ve never considered myself athletic, even when I was young, so while a half mile swim, a 12-mile bike ride and a 3-mile walk (not even run) is completely piddly as triathlons go, it’s huge for me, and I must admit that I cracked a smile and I think I might have even chuckled a little as I showered after lap number 36 tonight.

Devine scenes from a summer evening commute… and the crime scene when I arrived home

 

… and when I got home:

 

Cash for a Cottage!

I joined a class action lawsuit against AOL years ago. It seems that the volunteer "Community Advisors" (I was their childbirth and doula advisor) way back when should have actually been paid. 

I'd forgotten all about the lawsuit until a nice little check (just barely enough to pay for our lodging in Hawaii this November) arrived in the mail yesterday.

Mahalo, AOL!  I love surprises like this!

Ladies at the Race Track

This is Eliza Doolittle at the horse races, many years ago:

…and this is my daughter at the horse races, this evening:

I don’t know how the horses fared, but this mama kinda thinks her girl’s a winner!  :-)

This’ll force me out of hiding!

Call it outreach, call it marketing, call it self-inflicted humiliation, or call it ego. It’s probably a combination of all of the above.

I had a blast playing on Zazzle (very cool site!) today and created this “Performance Micro-Fiber” shirt to wear at the Danskin Triathlon next month:

 

Sure, it’s a way to market my blog (and my first venture into advertising it), but more than that I hope it’ll solicit a friendly wave, maybe a smile or an encouraging word or two, and if I’m really lucky, it might even help invite a conversation with a new friend.

So if you see me gasping, limping, or moaning, yell at me to buck up, quit the whining, and get moving. 

Then paddle, peddle, or hobble up next to me, introduce yourself, and we’ll do this thing together!