Snowmagedon Part II

Its been a long winter here in the Mid-Atlantic. First there was the pre-Christmas, 2 feet of snow, cancel school for 3 days, everything is shut down event. Now we are expecting round 2--actually there are teeny, tiny snowflakes coming down right now.

Last night I went to the grocery store, that's what we do when snow is coming. Was in absolutely necessary-no. Did I need things to cook to keep me sane, yes definitely.

The best was this forcast I came across this morning--I'll have some of whatever HE is drinking!
http://www.accuweather.com/video-on-demand.asp?collection=cities&video=BWI&lineup=NE

Invigorating?

We are now on the second half of the triathlon training class and in this half we are basically giving up the warmth of the gym to ride our bikes outside. I love that I don't have to take my bike, trainer and wheel prop in and out of the car and the gym. I even like running outside, FAR more than running on the dreadmill. Biking in 3o something degree weather, well that is a bit of a different story--the diplomatic might call it invigorating.

We rode a two mile loop this morning, I think I did it 6 times. I lost count somewhere along the way because I was too obsessed about not crashing into the traffic at the bottom of one hill, the serious chaffing going in my lady garden and thinking about the fact that my feet were so cold they hurt. I am sure in August I'd love the cool breeze blowing in my face, this morning however it was just adding insult to injury. I don't have long bike tights so I had on running tights with my bike shorts on top so I didn't have to wear them to run. Big mistake. I think I'd rather have had the cushion next to my skin that shedding the shorts to run. My feet were so cold that I wasn't sure I'd ever feel them again. When I started running, they starting warming up--I don't think I've ever been so happy to run.

Afterwards we were supposed to get a demonstration on how to fix a flat, basic bike maintenance and he was going to have basic stuff there to sell us. Well he did show us the fixing the flat part but we had to wait around for him in the cold to get around to it. He didn't tell us anything else, he encouraged us to sign up for the free class at his bike shop. He also didn't bring anything with him and missed a golden opportunity to sell things to a captive audience. Moron. I think I'll head off to visit my friends at my favorite local bike shop--its been 2 or 3 weeks since I've been in the bother them about anything. I need a small bike pump and after another week or two I'm going to have to make a decision about a new bike saddle so I am not saddle sore all the time.

I didn't make the Sunday afternoon nap that has become tradition. Instead I went with Esmerelda and PDQ for pedicures. It was Es' birthday gift to PDQ, perhaps her favorite of the bunch!

Obnoxious Soccer Parents

PDQ plays in a soccer league for girls under 7. The focus is supposed to be on fun and learning the fundamentals of the game. There isn't "official" score keeping although we all know the final score. For most of the season we've all been very well behaved and cheered for both teams as they scored goals and made shots. Somewhere along the way yesterday that changed. A team that we had played before--and beat--got up on our girls 4-0. It was a little demoralizing. Then something changed, somebody lit a a fire under the coach's daughter and she scored four goals! It was really rather amazing. I've never seen the kid so antimated in my life. Once she'd scored one we were all egging her on--another, another! Two other girls scored goals along the way as well and we came out on top 6-4. Maybe it was the cold and screaming kept us all warm?

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Today I am thankful for the beautiful fall weather. Summer is finally over and its time to get ready for cooler weather ahead. Along those lines I am thankful we can provide our family with appropriate clothing for the cooler weather and sort through the too small stuff so that people who can't might have some.

It sucked, but I did it

That is my mantra from the weekend.

It was pouring rain Friday night, I was completely exhausted and we had a dinner to go to at the school with lots of kids running around, seriously mediocre food and nowhere to sit near anyone we knew.

It sucked, but I did it.

It rained all night and Saturday morning it was dark and rainy. We had to get up at 7AM to go kick off girl scout cookie sales in front of the grocery store. It was wet and people were grumpy.

It sucked, but I did it.

After the cookie sales were over I had to get groceries--with my children.

It sucked, but I did it.

After GMan got home, I hadn't been out since Monday because my knee was sore. My knee actually felt pretty good but the rest of it was serious drudgery, I just didn't feel good doing it.

It sucked, but I did it (18 minutes running/12 walking).

I know, nothing earth shattering but I've been seriously burning it at both ends and the weekends are just not a break. Sad to say the high point might have been Abby's soccer game being cancelled due to the weather.

Time flies and other random thoughts

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Happy Valentine's Day to you, cha cha cha

In addition to Valentine's Day we have a SNOW DAY! I can't figure out which excites me more. I have work to do but its a whole lot more palatable when I can do it in my PJ pants here at home. I started the moring off with a conference call staff meeting followed by a quick lesson in the finer points of using the snow blower. I comptemplated going into the office until I turned on the TV and found the weather woman standing on the corner near my house beside ice and snow covered roads and very little traffic. G-man found out early that they would be opening at noon, as he was putting on his shoes to leave they called to say not to bother. We are all tucked safely at home, what a great mid-week treat (we'll see if I feel the same way at the end of the day).






I haven't slept well all week so I spent the time productively--making cards and mastering my Christmas present from G-man, a Cricut machine. I also made picture frames for my Mom and sister who are coming to visit this weekend and spiffy boxes of conversation hearts for the girls' teachers. Yesterday afternoon we made cupcakes in cool heart shaped foil pans for Abby's V-Day party today (or now I guess tomorrow).

Tonight we will pull out the stops, finally using the new dining room table. Jimmy the wonder painter has been here this week so it acutally has color on the walls as well! China, real glasses, candles--I am sure the girls will love it! Off to find a great recipe for shrimp and chocolate icing for the cake.

I Have Become a Glove-less Pansy-Ass

So, I used to live much further north in the land of ice and snow where a serious parka and boots were a necessity. I used to run from my car to various buildings when it was in the 20s without a coat and get scolded by the secretary's and threatened that I would catch my death not wearing a coat let alone gloves and a hat. I laughed and dashed out into the cold again.

Then I moved to the Mid-Atlantic 9 years ago. People here don't do snow, this morning school was cancelled, there was maybe, maybe an inch of fluffy white powder. I don't want to risk my children's lives on a bus to get to school but come on people?! I have learned to keep the basics stocked because if the s-word or the i-word are simply mentioned on the radio or TV there is a knock-down drag out at Safeway over the last roll of toilet paper and gallon of milk. You see that kind of thing in the frigid North but only if they predict that a blizzard is coming and then only when it has started snowing. I wear a coat when it hits 40 degrees, this week I've added gloves, zipped my coat up over my mouth and even used my hood a time or two--to walk to my car.

I bought 2 pairs of grow-up stretch gloves when ice skating lessons started in the Fall, they were a bit big on the kids but better than cold hands. When they put out the kid sized gloves in the stores I bought a 3-pack for each of them. So we are up to 8 pairs of gloves, then Abby got a pair for Christmas and we found the giant pink fuzzy Dora gloves from last year so we are up to 10 pairs of gloves. This morning it was snowy and cold, I was able to finally put together 2 pairs of gloves after much digging and probably a few words that the children shouldn't repeat. I also found 3 other random gloves only two of which I bought this year. I know we aren't the neatest people in the world but where in the heck does this stuff go?! Abby wears the same gloves skating every week but they aren't in the bag any more. Its only been winter-like around here for the last two weeks, its not like they are lost in the snow bank somewhere. Are the socks and gloves mating somewhere? If so, shouldn't I have some fuzzy slippers or something to show for it?