Je suis très excité!

Por quoi? We are going to London & Paris!!! I can't stop moving and the smile on my face is going from ear to ear!!! We had started talking about it just a couple of months ago. We said, "in the fall". I said, "let me find a new job first". Well I landed the new job, which I start in the next couple of weeks. Last night we looked around. Today we booked the trip!!! November cannot come soon enough. For the first time ever I will be looking forward to the fall vs. wanting summer to continue.

I'd love to hear any suggestions. We have 3 full days in each location. We are staying in the Notting Hill area of London and Montmarte in Paris.

Okay, I can't sit still enough to type anymore.

Cheers!

Daily Pondering

So if one works out regularly, actually let us say if one may be training for a triathlon does ice cream null and void the earlier workout?

Last night I went for my scheduled run. I was just off pace by under a minute, but I’ll blame that on the restrictive clothing. (Heart monitor + sports bra + sports tank top = RESTRICTIVE FEELING IN CHEST) I got home to a call from a friend who was on her way back from the local creamery. The ice cream sounded so good at that point. She being the non working out type assured me that I deserved ice cream because of the run and could afford it because of calories burned. Not a bad argument, although not quite valid. It was a tempting argument to a lover of ice cream. Yet, I did not want to cancel out the run. So what did I do? I stayed strong. No ice cream. Then one hour later I went and had enchiladas & a couple of coronas with the boyfriend when he was done working on the boat. I should have just gone with the ice cream! My willpower is not a constant when it comes to food!

The first ocean swim

I am alive. I wasn’t swept off into the ocean by some rogue wave. I was swallowed up by some whale. I was snack food for some other creature. That doesn’t mean that the ‘da-dun, da-dun, da-dun…’ wasn’t playing in my head. Although at first the concentration cap was on. But as I was swimming back and forth, 50 yards in one direction and then 50 yards back, I thought I can’t see very far in this not so clean water. Next thing I knew the idea of not seeing the ocean’s creep crawlies became the idea of not seeing some shark chomping down on me. After that I was just completely off. My straight swim became completely off course. Oddly enough, I’d look up in between strokes to find myself heading to sure. Internal warning? Perhaps. Worry wart? Most likely. There was another couple there just wading around. The girl was nervous and her boyfriend assured her that there were no sharks there. There had never been sharks there. I wanted to pipe up and say, “Well actually that isn’t true. In 1982 they caught a 10ft hammerhead right here on this beach.” Yet, I refrained. Why worry someone else? I was doing enough for the both of us.

My breathing also fell off balance from my strokes. Soon enough there was that yummy taste of saltwater in my mouth. I was rinsing off my wet suit when my sister stopped by. She asked where I had swam. I was then informed, “That beach is closed because of the bacteria levels in the water. That is why we’ve been going to the island.” Great! However in addition to surviving I also woke up this morning free of any disease and all body parts in tact. Note to self, swim at the island.

The boyfriend promises that it gets easier. Let’s hope so because August 6th is right around the corner. I also have no plans on visiting Davey Jones for my next vacation.

Maine, the way life should be

The weekend could not have gone better! There was a lot of relaxing, cell phones were in the off position and watches were properly stowed away! There was no TV.

We had found the resort online and we were heading to an area of Maine that we had not heard of. To say we were a little nervous would be an understatement. However, we could not have been happier. Upon arrival we were informed that our room had been upgraded. Picture if you will the resort in Dirty Dancing. Families have been going there for over 25 years. People were chatting and catching up on things since they last saw each other. Meals were eaten together and you sat at mixed tables. It was fabulous!

As for the grounds, there was a heated saltwater pool, which is where I could be found at the end of the day. However this was after we sailed, and after we kayaked and in between the wonderful meals. Rinse & repeat for day 2! We did get a game of shuffle board & ping pong in, but the tennis racquets stayed in the car. I think we enjoyed the sailing and kayaking the most. The boyfriend is a navy officer and has taught sailing in the past. So we were able to take out our own little boat. We also walked into Boothbay Harbor, which is a beautiful little seaside village. While in town we did stumble upon The Bounty, which actually appeared in PoTC II. So naturally I thought of her!

The weekend was perfect, better than we had hoped for. I'm in La-La Land I tell you!!! We left after breakfast yesterday so that we could take our time getting home. We hit Freeport, ME and did some shopping. Then it was off to Kennebunkport to try to scope out GWB's summer retreat. Last but not least we hit Salem. I gave the boyfriend a quick tour of my old stomping grounds. We also did a little recon mission on the triathlon course. **Holy mother of Moses, that is in 3 weeks!** I have some catching up to do on the workouts missed this weekend. Today, an ocean swim!

So it's back to the real world today. That alarm clock went off way to early. A weekend recharge was great, but I'm already looking forward to another getaway!

Happy Friday!

Happiness is waking up next that special someone. Although, this morning there was none of that since my insanely cute, but insane boyfriend was up at 4:30am for his bike ride. He did return while I was getting ready. So I did get a few minutes of his time before heading out the door. Oh, did I mention he made me breakfast? He really is just so sweet!

Anyway, we're off to Maine this weekend. The weather looks beautiful, which just makes it that much better! I hope all have a great weekend!

We're so cute

At least I think so... I have to say that I like a man in uniform, particularly this one!!!

Super Kitty!!!

At about 5:30am my brother woke me up to let me know that my indoor cat had infact become an outdoor cat, or should I say a through the screen and window cat. While getting ready for work, the brother heard the cat meowing away. Now this is normal because it is morning and that is her first chance to wrangle one of her humans into the kitchen for food. Picture if you will a sheep dog herding the sheep into the pen. Replace the dog with the cat and the sheep with one of the cat's said humans. Now this is how my cat gets one into the smaller kitchen for some food, about 5 times a day. She is my little fatty. Anyhow, the brother looks and there she is outside of the kitchen window just sitting on the roof that covers the grill area. She's just looking in thinking, "Dude, how am I supposed to get some food from here. Help me out me out man." It was that or, "Get me inside before my mother wakes up and kills me."

After a little crime scene investigation and reconstruction, CSI watch out, we were able to determine that she ran full force across the dining room, jumped up to the ledge and went clear through the screen due to the fact that she is a little round. Luckily there is staging there because the house is still under construction. She must have landed there and hopped over to the roof above the grill. She tends to dart around the house from window to window in hot pursuit of some little animal she'd like to defluff. So I imagine that is what started this morning's events. The image in my head was that a little birdie fluttered a little too long, taunting Molly. Then off she went, cape and all. Now of course the birdie was able to take off but not before thinking, "Oh crap" but laughing nonetheless because this cat was now stuck.

I'm just thankful that she didn't go into Lewis & Clark mode and decide to explore the great wide open which are the woods behind us, full of coyotes, foxes and more. Now when all are gone the windows are now into lockdown mode. She can get fresh air, but her round bottom is not going to make it through.

And in other news, this girl went swimming yesterday. Things are progressing nicely. Every time that I swim, something else clicks as to how I should be swimming. Let's just hope that it keeps on progressing because the first triathlon is August 6th!

A New Home

Well after a little blog free sebatacle I am back. I figured in keeping with this past year's theme of starting over, I figured that I'd start the blog over too! A new design, a new name, a new take, etc... Only it is still me. Yet this time I'm following my dreams and doing things my way. I've also taken to trying some new things... Triathlons being one of said new things.

I should preface the story with the boyfriend loves triathlons. So much so that he is doing a half-iron man in September. He already has the thought in his head that a full iron man would be great, but next year. That is a marathon run (26 miles), a 110 mile bike ride, and a 2.5 mile swim. The word "great" does not enter my mind for one of those events all by its lonesome never mind all 3 combined. This summer he'll start with the half. My family has resorted into calling him insane when he talks about his 50 mile bike ride or when he comes back from his 11 mile run, which was preceded by a 45 minute bike. He may be a little insane, but he's my insane boyfriend. And it's admirable insane.

So let's see, I'll start off with my moment of insanity that happened in late April. Actually, let's start with early April. At this point I had already signed up for a 5K with the boyfriend. He thought it would be fun. Agreed. It was on the ocean at sunset. Beautiful indeed. Before I knew it he was talking up a basic sprint triathlon. This is a 500 yard swim, 10 mile bike and a 5K run. He would end by saying, "You could do this!" I would reply with, "one thing at a time". After all, the June 5K would be my first race. This yoga girl had not really done anything more cardio than a 30 minute run in a few years. Fast forward to late April, he ran a 1/2 marathon in Nashville. It was a big event. There were concerts every mile on the course and there were over 10,000 runner. I must have been drugged by all of the adrenaline in the air because before I knew it, I committed myself to the sprint triathlon! As soon as the "let's do it" came out of my mouth never able to be taken back I could hear the recent conversation with Janet. She said, "You know you'll do it. You are too competitive to not take it on!"

So here I am chugging along in the training. When I say chugging, I mean slacking off for the last two weeks... And the triathlon is less than 1 month away! Eeek!!! Today is what is called a brick. I'll will bike for 40 minutes to come home and follow up with a 30 minute run... Sarcasm aside, I am actually really excited that I am trying this. The boyfriend is really so supportive and has become a great training partner.