Cole Made This Video of Cole -- Enjoy!

Time To Play B Sides

I haven't been inspired to write about anything lately, although I've been doing quite a lot. I have been doing quite a lot for months on end, years on end . . . and frankly I'm sick of it. Literally. My ulcer is burning a hole right through my insides and I feel like dropping everything. Dropping everything and running half naked through a field (not all the way naked because there are stickers - hehe).

But since I can't do that (drop everything that is. I could run half naked through a field if I really wanted to, but riding my bike really, really fast down a hill gives me the same feeling I imagine. All smiles) I will continue to do the best I can at work, be a loving and supportive mother (as many hours of the week as possible), and finish navigating my way through this damn real estate market. I am pretty certain that I feel like the very soul has been sucked out of me is because of that force driving me to 'move on up' in this depressed market before interest rates and home prices begin their inevitable climb. I feel this way for the time being anyway. Once the deals are closed, the moving is done (the bank accounts are drained, but then begin replenishing) and all is settled, I plan on feeling more relaxed and motivated and to see the world as interesting again. sighhh.

Guess Where I Was ???

I saw girls dressed like angles with big feathery wings whoooing and waving across the street at a line of football players who were following a marching band . . . . .

(I was at the Festival of Lights Parade in Auburn, Ca).

Accupuncture

What do you do when your knees ache from injuries and just general thrashing? You have someone put needles in them . . . ahhh, that hits the spot.

I'm not sure where this picture came from . . . it just showed up on the desktop of my computer one day, but I love it. (This just in, I asked Hannah and she said she was Googling "underwater photography" and found this photo. It's our new favorite). What do you think is going on in this picture? Is she summoning him inside and he can't believe it, or is she giving him the finger and he is never allowed back in? It might appear the story is -- after a desperate search he finally finds her and she is saying, well here you are, come in. Can you imagine how difficult it would be to hold a pose under water? I am imagining it. I am thinking it would be kind of fun to try.

People Let Me Tell You About My Best Friend . . .

. . . and her husband. They are the cutest, funnest, most loving couple ever. This is them at their annual ice cream social. Jason is dressed as the fastest ice cream scoop in the West.

This weekend Jason is throwing the "Donnacathalon" party in honor of Donna's 40th b-day. He's taking all of her favorite activities (to include b-ball and dancing I'm sure) and creating a sporting event that will be splitting the guests into teams to compete throughout the town of Auburn. We will end the event with the winners carrying a torch back to their house where I have made homemade "Donnola bars" and "Super D-MO Green Smoothies." Corney? Yes! Fun loving? Yes, yes!

Happy B-Day DMO!

Are You Ready To Rock?

That's what I thought . . .

When I Can't Peddle, I'll Paddle

Brent cruising for shade in the shoreline.

Here fishy, fishy. We saw a couple big ones jump up out of the water. Very cool.

Cole looking for fish. The boy needs a harpoon instead of a paddle.

The view from below: Up in that mountain side is one of the greatest XC trails -- Connector to Foresthill Divide. I'm used to looking down at the water not up from it.

Lime Rock. Auburn, Ca.

Poolside

Since I am grounded off my bike, I have tried to embrace new activities like one-stiff-legged swimming.  It's not quite the rush of mountain biking.

I have also decided to pick the camera back up.  Action shots today.

I did stop to pose with a ginormous (dead) cockroach I fished out of the pool.  It's good to freak out the kids from time to time.

There is nothing good about having a knee that won't bend or that is in constant, uncomfortable pain.  There is no leason learned, no silver lining behind being immobile.  I'm coming out of my skin.  :( (A thousand unhappy emoticon faces).

Things I Am Learning From My Knee Injury

Slow down.  (Not on a bike however.  If anything, I am more determined to perfect the art/sport that I have come so dedicated to and apply even more skill and daring -- in that order.  Skill first, then daring).  With a knee injury (still non-specific, no clear diagnosis yet) everything takes twice as long . . . and surprisingly that is refreshing.  I used to dash around from task to task trying to cram as many activities in one day as I could, usually doing two or three at the same time:  Work, clean house, stock refrigerator, somewhat of a handle on laundry, children's activities, my activities (friends, bike rides, emails), yard work, organizing, planning . . . the list goes on and on and all was to be accomplished in one normal sun up, sun down day.  Why not?  Why not do it all, have it all, and get it all done?  It is possible.

With this lame knee, I hobble from task to task and decide on . . . three.  Three things a day to accomplish is a good number.  I get some work done.  It is enough.  I ask my children to accompany me to the grocery store and make dinner, and they accept.  Instead of it becoming a task to accomplish, it's time we spend together.  So far, in the past two days of hobbling, I can see this as an advantage.  Today while I sat at the river in my folding chair working on my laptop as my friends went on their customary ride together (not wanting to leave me out they escorted me down to the river and set me up in a nice spot) I watched as they took off down the trail . . . I may not tolerate this aspect too much longer.  But the slowing down, I hope I can apply that always.

Sunday Food

Sunday morning waffles.

Sunday afternoon Caprese salad.

Food is beautiful.

Green For Now

I love my lemon tree.  I may have mentioned in a previous post how the lemon tree was uncovered after many years of living in an overgrown back yard.  Now it's the crown jewel of the yard (when the newly planted Dogwood is not in bloom stealing its thunder).  

I noticed this evening as the sun was setting through the yard that the lemon tree boasts promises of a plentiful crop . . . these gems were everywhere!

Brent's Going to Art School

Tonight my oldest son, Brent, and I are rifling through the immense amount of art supplies he received from open house at his new (pricey) art school that he will be attending for the next few years. We are both so excited about this new chapter in Brent's life that will eventually lead him to an exciting, lucrative career in Game Art & Design (the official title of his major).

Go Brent! I love you!

In the Running . . .

In a previous post I uncovered that my criteria for a new couch is "comfortable, stylish, and a good deal". This couch and love seat are comfortable and stylish . . . but not so much a deal on the price. Hmmmm?

Hang on to Your Sides Grammar Fans

Hahahaha.  I just read a sentence that said "It's my participle, I'll dangle it if I want to."  (So classic, the participle 'to' is dangling at the end of that sentence). Hoohaa, for a grammar geek like myself, that's a side splitter.

Eating smoked oysters and salmon and drinking a can of Modelo out of a bag while sitting on the beach looking at the waves in Coos Bay, OR is a nice way to spend a few hours.  Sighhh

Fate?

I was drawn into a Banana Republic store while walking across the street looking for a place to eat while staying the night in Oakland. It was surprisingly chilly outside (and a huge relief from the heat in Auburn) and I talked myself into thinking I needed a sweater. Inside I found a sweater on sale -- and a pair of shoes. When I took the sample shoe to look for a sales person so I could try them on, a rude yet attractive black sales woman begrudgingly helped me. When she unapologetically brought a smaller size shoe than I wear and told me they didn't have my size, I said, Ok, no problem. Flatly she suggested I try them on anyway and walk around the store, they run large and they might fit after all. That was a friendly improvement. Although, as predicted, the shoes were uncomfortably squeezing my feet. When I came back from my trot, she was helping another customer in the same begrudging manner. I did not feel insulted by her treatment after all, it seemed standard.

When I told her the shoes didn't fit, she offered to check to see if they were in stock in another store, I said, That's Ok, no problem. She searched anyways and found there were no more shoes like that in my size (bummer, they were really cool looking) I said, That's Ok, no problem. She then started talking to me in a more relaxed manner joking about the shoes. We laughed. Then she talked about slowing down and enjoying the moment more. I agreed whole heartily. Then she mentioned she was soon taking two weeks vacation and I asked her if she was going anywhere special. She said she was just going here and there with her children because they complained she spends too much time at work. Ohh ya, I agreed again, juggling a job and children is THE hardest thing to do. We nodded and mhhmm'd. She declared that she just needs to finish school so she can get a better job.

I spoke up and told her that I graduated from college about six years ago while my kids were in grade school. I told her it was one of the most trying things I have ever done, but that I have a great job now where I can make my own schedule and work from home when I need to (and afford to shop at Banana Republic). She said she just needed to get on it and do it. She said that she doesn't hardly ever talk to anyone that comes in the store, but that sometimes people say things for a reason. I felt a little overwhelmed by her revelation -- was she implying that I was drawn in to that store to share an experience with her in her time of obvious questionning? I wished her the best of luck and gave her a quick knowing nod good-bye as I rushed out of line to not hold up the people behind me any longer. I turned to see her knowing nod in return. Was it fate? It couldn't be, I don't believe in it. Do I . . . whatever it was, it was nice.

Happiness is a Bike

While I have stalled temporarily on looking for a new couch (for now, this is a process), I have found and bought the mountain bike I now love. I've already had great adventures on my new bike:
Manzanita
Tinker
Clementine
Connector
Stonewall
(all Auburn trails) and . . . Downieville!
Downieville was awesome. A perfect 15 mile DH ride, then lunch and a beer, a cruise to the river where we sat with our feet in the sand and skipped rocks in the river. It was a beautiful day with friends and a bike. Perfect. 

Tina and I hanging out on the bridge in between divides.

I'm obviously telling Marianne about my favorite part of the trail . . . or some nonsense.

Beautiful.  We actually encountered some snow at the top of Sunrise trail. It was great fun!