A New Olympic Sport - Hair Hacking

Yes, I finally asked my sister to oblige me and cut all my long tresses off. It was time for a change (and I was still doing all the laundry). So, after a few nice photos of the long hair, I cut it all off.

(And don't mind the real stupid, cheesy photo. I stayed home from church and decided while I was all alone to try the timer on the camera. I spent over 30 minutes timing, clicking, running from camera to spot, reviewing and starting all over again because the color was wierd or my head was chopped off. To wait for somone to come home from church to take it would have required a little patience. Not my virtue.)

Allowable comments:

You may tell me how adorable it is.
You may tell me how I look way skinnier now that it's short.
You may tell me how my eyes sparkle much brighter without the hair distraction.
You may tell me how great it is that I'll be saving a bundle by using less shampoo.
You can even tell me how wonderful you think it is that I can feel the breeze on my neck.

You may tell me pretty much anything, except:

Why on earth did you do that!?
You look fat.
Why would you do such a thing?
You cut off your one true beauty.
Why?
I hate it.
For the love, WHY?
It's out of style. (you all know I've never been "in" style, but I still don't want to hear it).

I'm sorry, but I get way too much grief!

And There You Have It

Goals. Goals are good. Triathlons. Triathlons are good. They fit right in with the whole goal thing. What doesn't fit in to this scene is getting a head cold. A serious, achey all over the body - like don't try to be sweet and rub my back because I'll freak out due to sensitive back skin, sinuses too clogged up to allow for blowing and yet seem to drip uncontrollably, sore throat ripping through to your ear drums, and drain all energy from the mother ship, kind of head cold.

Thursday. Wake up with Fire Throat and energy wavers off and on throughout the day. Still able to function.

Friday. Fire Throat still lingers past nine a.m. and energy is almost completely depleted, but that's okay because the bed catches my fall and I don't move until one o'clock in the afternoon. Even then, the only movement is from my bed to the bathroom and back to bed. By Friday night I am feeling a bit better. At least I manage to emerge from the sick bed to do the dishes.

Saturday, August 23rd, 2008. The day I have been waiting for all summer. The big day that I used to push myself under water over and over again. The day I remembered in the back of my head when I felt like bagging the whole swim thing and biking for the rest of my life. The day that haunted me for the entire summer and the day I actually began to look forward to...

And, the day I didn't show up for a triathlon due to inflamed sinuses, lack of mobilization and a head-cold hangover! AND, the day I forfeited a $40 registration fee.

Don't talk to me, I'm still really, REALLY mad.

Halleluhah!

I have been stressing about this race, especially the swimming part. I got online to check the rules and such, since I am only days away, and wouldn't you know it...I was wrong in my calculations! I have been swimming 1/4 mile swim for the last couple of months to get ready for this and discovered I only have to do half that! I couldn't be more relieved. I will still look funny, but at least I am only going to look funny for 1/8 mile instead of double that. Yes!

Triathlon Update

Some of you have asked, and for those that are interested, here is an update on how my triathlon training is coming along:


Biking Part - I have always loved biking and could go all day. I timed myself the other day and on a gradual incline, facing a head wind, on a mountain bike that slows me down, I made it just over three miles in 12 minutes. I'm sure that's not much to the pros, but I'll take it.

Running Part - I don't love running that much, but I have finally conquered being able to run 2 measley miles without collapsing and gasping for my life. I know that isn't real impressive, but I only have to run 1.7 miles for the race.

Swimming Part - I am going to drown.


I am pretty sure that when this race is over, I'll stick to bike tours and NO races. I don't mind training for the Speedy Spaniard, but I would be surprised if I ever signed up to actually do it. Who needs the pressure? And as far as swimming goes, I am just glad to say when this summer is over, I can stick my face under water without invoking sheer panic. Mission accomplished.

Official Welcome

This is an official welcome to our new kitty, Smokey (a.k.a. Stupid Cat). He showed up in our hedge a month ago. I went looking for a baby robin with a broken wing, attempting to tape it up and save it's life, when this little guy was discovered. He was skinny, crying and nestled in the hedge. I took him out and immediately Allison took to him. She fed him and carried him around all night long. The following three days resulted in begging and pleading to keep the cat. When we told her she would most likely have to get rid of him, she cried herself to sleep until 1 AM.

She and her friend, Taylor, promised to take care of this kitty. Play with him, feed him, clean up after his little "messes". You know, the typical kid-trying-to-suck-their-parents-in drill. They even made me a little card letting me know that they had named him and that even though I could take him away, I could never take their love for him away. It was real pathetic and cute and it worked. We caved and Richard even came home from work an hour early one day to help them make a cat house.

Gavin wasn't happy about it at all. He was afraid we wouldn't love Kolibar anymore. He is adjusting now, but he still makes special efforts to pamper Kolibar more than normal.

Allison named him Smokey, but Richard will call him "Stupid Cat" for the rest of his little life.

Hmmm...Go on a Cruise or Get a New Roof? It's A Toss Up!

I hate spending money on home repairs like new windows or a new roof. It's expensive and no fun comes from it. And not only was the new roof not our favorite allocation of funds, it also came with burn spots on our perfectly green grass. It's been a month and a half since we had this done and I am still waiting for the grass to come out of it. (It might go faster if the heat wasn't doing us in). However, the turtle vents have made it much nicer upstairs in the summer time, so I won't complain there.

Anyway, here's a few pictures of the new roof.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Happy Anniversary To Us!

On July 15th we woke up at 7:30am to a surprise on our front sidewalk. Yes, the front sidewalk. The kids had been up since 6 AM coloring a sign and creating the mood. They had set up a perfect breakfast for us in celebration of our anniversary. Not wanting to share our special breakfast with all passers by, Richard gently asked Gavin if he would move the table to the side yard. Then Allison proceeded to be our waitress while Gavin prepared everything in the kitchen. We didn't know exactly what we were ordering because of the way the menu was written up and it was cold french toast, but it was made with lots of love~and we loved it!

FFA

Laughing gas at the dentist office...





Let's start with the nose piece that "fits" snugly over your nose to allow proper inhalation. Mine never fits right. There is always a small gap that allows air to escape and jet stream right into my left eye. Always the left eye. I end up pinching the rubber in order to keep my eye ball from drying out. It can be quite uncomfortable.

And does anyone else ever lose their hearing while high? I can never hear the darn television and I end up cranking the volume in order to drown out the drilling sound of dentist tools. (Not that it matters whether or not I can hear anything, the light above my head always ends up being right in the way of the TV.)

My favorite is my never-ending, ever faithful need to pee within 15-20 minutes of initial gas intake. And usually during the drilling, thus postponing my potty break until a more convenient time (an hour later...). Or maybe it's the slight nausea and spinning that comes on when I take too many deep breaths. Of course, these are all very slight inconveniences compared to the bonuses involved. I can't do anything at the dentist without pumping up on happiness.

I caught myself actually laughing out loud once. The hygienists must be thoroughly entertained with all their gassy patients. Although, it occurs to me that perhaps the reason they're all so friendly is because the gas leaks through and permeates the entire office. I swear I can get high in there without ever hooking up.

I have been in enough times now that I know what kind of shows are the best on gas. And it's fairly obvious which ones were written while people were "extra happy". The real normal stuff makes no sense, but everything on VHS or MTV is like watching a movie with 3-D glasses on...a completely different dimension. But I will warn you not to watch I Love Lucy. I have NEVER liked that show, but the other day while trying to find something on daytime television, I ended up on I Love Lucy while I waited for my cleaning to be done. That show is laugh out loud funny when you're intoxicated! In fact, I have decided they probably wrote the script while on something. That whiny little red head actually made me laugh. In fact I ended up changing the channel in order to keep from embarrassing myself.

Laughing Gas. I can't survive the dentist's office without it and it always makes me wonder...will there ever come a time, perhaps in the hereafter, when we can "legally" get high anytime we want? Because I simply love the stuff! And perhaps it's because I have had way too many dental experiences. At this point in my mouth, I can't rinse warm water throughout my teeth without their sensitivity shooting me through the roof. If it weren't for the gas, I'd never see the dentist and continue to rot my teeth out. Praise be to Nitrous Oxide.