with the writer from down below and the friend from round the corner. walked and talked and time flew by. along the river and around our little world.
then home ran into upstairs student and caught up with good conversation and potato chips and pears.
internetted and catched up with the pirate.
and now -
time for bed.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
mountains vs roads (legs vs wheels)
went for a bike ride on saturday - beautiful but chilly. should've worn the gloves with fingers. I found though, a lovely little path right in town that wandered through brush and trees and by a stream so perfectly.
today i went for a hike. up to the top of the mountain and down again. perhaps 3 miles? I have no idea. A quick jaunt up and back for a nice after-work afternoon. Thank you daylight savings time!
I found myself though, yearning to be one of those bikes I saw drawing itself up the mountain. How funny. How did I forget that I really like biking?
I know. I am not a cold weather biker - yet anyway. And there is no appeal to riding a stationary bike in a gym to stay in shape. So with time the appeal fades, and getting out the bike seems a chore, as it has been sitting unused and gathering dust. How sad.
What is the appeal? Smooth pavement flowing under your tires. The connection you feel to your body and machine as a gear change eases your effort. Wind rushing by your ears. Eye contact with a stranger, no need to talk. Pulling up and pushing down and seeing the world close enough to touch but far enough to keep at the distance you need so momentum continues.
Pushing hard up the hill - lungs hurt, legs pull, almost losing balance but - just making it over that last push. and then the descent - rolling rushing flowing blowing feeling of speed and freedom and ease and earned reward of rest.....that slow lee slows and eventually the pedaling begins again. So nice, so even. Just the right tension as one foot goes forward and the other pulls back. Not too hard and not too soft. Just right.
On the long flat stretches it may just be an impatience thing. How could I possibly walk all that way when it would be so much smoother and faster and slicker on my bike?
There is something though - to the walking. The something is the company. The talk that flows and the thoughts that are shared. These moments. The laughter and the openness. This is where connections are forged and friendships grown. For that, I love the walking. In the woods or on the walkways and streets, conversations over time. That's one thing the bikes don't always allow, at least not on the roads.
As with everything in this world - everything in moderation. The bike some days, walking others. Feed both the monsters. :-)
no editing, no rereading. just posting.
today i went for a hike. up to the top of the mountain and down again. perhaps 3 miles? I have no idea. A quick jaunt up and back for a nice after-work afternoon. Thank you daylight savings time!
I found myself though, yearning to be one of those bikes I saw drawing itself up the mountain. How funny. How did I forget that I really like biking?
I know. I am not a cold weather biker - yet anyway. And there is no appeal to riding a stationary bike in a gym to stay in shape. So with time the appeal fades, and getting out the bike seems a chore, as it has been sitting unused and gathering dust. How sad.
What is the appeal? Smooth pavement flowing under your tires. The connection you feel to your body and machine as a gear change eases your effort. Wind rushing by your ears. Eye contact with a stranger, no need to talk. Pulling up and pushing down and seeing the world close enough to touch but far enough to keep at the distance you need so momentum continues.
Pushing hard up the hill - lungs hurt, legs pull, almost losing balance but - just making it over that last push. and then the descent - rolling rushing flowing blowing feeling of speed and freedom and ease and earned reward of rest.....that slow lee slows and eventually the pedaling begins again. So nice, so even. Just the right tension as one foot goes forward and the other pulls back. Not too hard and not too soft. Just right.
On the long flat stretches it may just be an impatience thing. How could I possibly walk all that way when it would be so much smoother and faster and slicker on my bike?
There is something though - to the walking. The something is the company. The talk that flows and the thoughts that are shared. These moments. The laughter and the openness. This is where connections are forged and friendships grown. For that, I love the walking. In the woods or on the walkways and streets, conversations over time. That's one thing the bikes don't always allow, at least not on the roads.
As with everything in this world - everything in moderation. The bike some days, walking others. Feed both the monsters. :-)
no editing, no rereading. just posting.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
cleaning up
or is it cleaning out?
every time I go to empty the spam folder i see a new link (via google ads) to yet another delectable spam recipe I could try if i just clicked the link.
does anyone ever click that link?
every time I go to empty the spam folder i see a new link (via google ads) to yet another delectable spam recipe I could try if i just clicked the link.
does anyone ever click that link?
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Last night....talkin' bout last night
What a day-slash-week this has been. It was so busy and crazy and slightly broken and I forgot sometimes how good I have things.
Well, my dad's birthday was yesterday. He turned the ripe old age of 71. And he doesn't look it or act it. It's pretty incredible. Most folks figure him in the 60-65 range. These days though he talks like he feels old as the hills. The hills are sooooooooooo much older than he is.
It's this time in his life. For the past few years people have been dying and it's depressing. I know it must be so depressing. He is healthy and strong but has felt this fear. He needs to escape for a bit and realize that he isn't there yet. He will have his time. But, you can tell when you look at an old person that they aren't here for long. And he is not THERE yet. I worry that he won't get happy again and that makes me sad. He's got so much to enjoy I want him to enjoy it. He probably has 15 good years and a couple crappy really unhealthy ones. But if stays down like this, that won't happen. Attitude is such a strong determining factor. Most of all, I want him around to meet the kids i have someday, selfish girl that I am.
Anyway, an excellent man and family friend died recently. The funeral was scheduled for, of course, Dad's BIRTHDAY. Argh! How ironic, right? So we had made some birthday plans before we heard about this but it kind of took the wind out of the celebration plans for him. Oh, they guy was 10 years older than dad and had lung cancer.
Anyway, he and mom decided we'd go to cirque de soleil in a couple of weeks instead of getting together for the actual birthday. I thought that sounded quite excellent, but also thought he still needed a bday fiesta of sorts. Cville Yoga Buddy had already planned to visit them that night and she decided to bring a giant and wonderful german chocolate cake. We collaborated on timing once I knew their schedule.
Then I called r'noke Gym Buddy early Friday morning with the absurd suggestion that she ride with me to c'ville, spend a few hours with my family, and then ride home again all in one night. Not only did she agree to come along: she agreed with a happy eagerness that touched my heart. And we had a great time. We talked and laughed the whole way there and back, deep and meaningful, shallow and silly and once again I realized how lucky I am. How many people have as many deep and powerful relationships as I have had in my lifetime. I am so freakin' rich with lovely strong intelligent women!
Anyway, when I started writing I wanted to get around to the craziness of my week: windstorm and canceled school festival, adding another school and changing my schedule, being given conflicting directions to enforce cancellation of a school program, principal observation with a schedule change and no planning, and a crazy crick in my neck creating pain for an entire week. Work has definitely been the low place in my life these days.
But then one night with friends who are willing to spend hours with my parents because it is important to me reminded me of what's really important. Thanks ladies.
Well, my dad's birthday was yesterday. He turned the ripe old age of 71. And he doesn't look it or act it. It's pretty incredible. Most folks figure him in the 60-65 range. These days though he talks like he feels old as the hills. The hills are sooooooooooo much older than he is.
It's this time in his life. For the past few years people have been dying and it's depressing. I know it must be so depressing. He is healthy and strong but has felt this fear. He needs to escape for a bit and realize that he isn't there yet. He will have his time. But, you can tell when you look at an old person that they aren't here for long. And he is not THERE yet. I worry that he won't get happy again and that makes me sad. He's got so much to enjoy I want him to enjoy it. He probably has 15 good years and a couple crappy really unhealthy ones. But if stays down like this, that won't happen. Attitude is such a strong determining factor. Most of all, I want him around to meet the kids i have someday, selfish girl that I am.
Anyway, an excellent man and family friend died recently. The funeral was scheduled for, of course, Dad's BIRTHDAY. Argh! How ironic, right? So we had made some birthday plans before we heard about this but it kind of took the wind out of the celebration plans for him. Oh, they guy was 10 years older than dad and had lung cancer.
Anyway, he and mom decided we'd go to cirque de soleil in a couple of weeks instead of getting together for the actual birthday. I thought that sounded quite excellent, but also thought he still needed a bday fiesta of sorts. Cville Yoga Buddy had already planned to visit them that night and she decided to bring a giant and wonderful german chocolate cake. We collaborated on timing once I knew their schedule.
Then I called r'noke Gym Buddy early Friday morning with the absurd suggestion that she ride with me to c'ville, spend a few hours with my family, and then ride home again all in one night. Not only did she agree to come along: she agreed with a happy eagerness that touched my heart. And we had a great time. We talked and laughed the whole way there and back, deep and meaningful, shallow and silly and once again I realized how lucky I am. How many people have as many deep and powerful relationships as I have had in my lifetime. I am so freakin' rich with lovely strong intelligent women!
Anyway, when I started writing I wanted to get around to the craziness of my week: windstorm and canceled school festival, adding another school and changing my schedule, being given conflicting directions to enforce cancellation of a school program, principal observation with a schedule change and no planning, and a crazy crick in my neck creating pain for an entire week. Work has definitely been the low place in my life these days.
But then one night with friends who are willing to spend hours with my parents because it is important to me reminded me of what's really important. Thanks ladies.
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