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i believe this is what those in the know call a "photo dump". i take very few cell pics, but some always find their way onto the phone.

looking for the captain? well, he's in a train depot in montana, if you can believe it.

still life with cheap meal. house-sitting, leftover wine, excellent omelette.

the shake weight does in fact exist. it is located in the impulse buy section of your local walmart, right next to the mountain dew and cigarettes!

sometimes i babysit this kid. he is awesome.

the children are back in school and while i don't envy them the classes, or even the races, i miss the camaraderie. therefore they must forgive me if i sometimes encroach on their company, because i still secretly want to be (somewhat) involved.

on an unrelated note (because books are rarely related to college), i am part of the way through a really good book right now. it's called the story of edgar sawtelle. i wouldn't even mention it, except that i have suffered through a string of inane, cliche-ridden, poorly written books recently. after finishing three or four books that were disorganized, weirdly humorless, or way too esoteric, i checked out simply divine, which was so full of awful puns i finished the second chapter and promptly returned the rag to the library. summer may be a time for crap books, but i want good crap books, thanks. anyway, hallelujah the drought has passed, but here's my problem: when i encounter a compelling, well-written novel, i devour it. mothers around the world advise their children to chew before swallowing, savor the flavors, make sure that beef doesn't get lodged in your throat honey. mothers would despair of me. i am so not a savorer, not of food nor of books. i eat too fast, and i read too fast, skimming big clumps of glittering prose until suddenly i'm at the end and i've missed half the point and i'm kind of out of breath.

the point is, we're driving to new hampshire tomorrow. and then onward to quebec! and i've packed a bag full of really good books and by gosh, i will savor them, because it is a very long drive.

Road Ride

joh talked me into an early morning road ride today and in retaliation, i suggested we do big hill instead of the rosman loop. i woke up four minutes before go time so i set off with an empty stomach but there was a warm apricot brioche tucked safely in my jersey pocket protecting me from hunger. it was cool and clammy as we pedaled our lazy way through the fog. going up walnut hollow, we both agreed, was only a few degrees less painful than giving birth. as "retired professional athletes" she and i are mellowing into a lifestyle of less fitness...for now, anyway. my game plan is to roar back onto the scene at around age thirty, which is when women become effortlessly fast (or so it seems).

questioning our mental stability, we continued on east fork and puffed up the rollers and switchbacks. somewhere in the middle of nowhere i remembered once again that i. love. climbing. climbing is the only reason i ride a road bike. no matter how out of shape i am, i would much rather dig into the pain cave than spin around on boring flats.

we arrived back in town with sweaty smiles and contented limbs, and plenty of time before work. i think i like morning exercise, although i always spend the first fifteen minutes feeling like i'm going to vom.

the kids are going back to school in less than two weeks and i'm not sure how i feel about it (besides smug). will i miss the routine and occasional mental stimulation? will i long for the heat of collegiate battle? will i browse through exorbitantly expensive textbooks and think, "if only..."? will i become so desperate for scholastic status quo that i start applying to grad schools and studying for the GRE?

ugh. not likely.

Ode to Self-Propulsion

forgive the silence, i've just been living life.

my days are equal parts work and play. there's the daily grind of BMB or B&B but after work i can traipse off and partake of the feast of fun that surrounds us. running, painting my toenails, bike riding, playing with puppies, reading everything i can get my hands on, slip'n'sliding, eating yogurt and lots of fresh veggies, watching roller derby, and spending time with people i really like.

the best part is that i can continue this trajectory for as long as i want. there's no deadline, no requirement that i return to "real life". there's nothing propelling me in a direction i don't like.

running has become a favored pastime recently, despite cloudbursts, bug swarms, and stifling humidity. it feels more like floating. the racing schedule for this fall is looking less bicycle, more bipedal:

august 21: springmaid splash 10k

september 18: hickory mountain 10k

november 6: the shut-in

meanwhile, the next great adventure is a trip up to mont-sainte-anne with mon st marie. i definitely plan on touching rachel atherton.

fingers crossed there will be a repeat of '08.