Word on the street is....
....after a corrected color flub....
....the neapolitan will be ready in a week.
Just in time...
Thursday, May 15, 2008
polish...
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
challenge
Ahh crap.
Dennis threw down the guantlet today...
...issued me a challenge.
He wants me to swim at Nationals (masters) this summer.
Tried to entice me by stating I could swim 3 events & relays without having to qualify to compete.
Even tossed out a few rose-colored compliments about my backstroke.
Ugh....
I haven't competed for almost 20 years.
Plus....
I'm pretty sure there'll be a south swell hitting that week...
Friday, May 02, 2008
thimbleberries
May day came & went....
....with no may basket left at my door.
So today....
....after a mindless morning of paper pushing....
....an hour of power vinyasa yoga....
....followed by a 20 minute steam....
I ditched the desk....
....and went for a hike up at Hoyt.
A little over 4 miles....in an hour.
Adam, Helen & Hood....present.
Blooms galore.
Come mid-June....
....pie.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Tug
He was 13.
Silly how upset I am... over a cat.
I found him when he was 5 weeks old. He could fit in the palm of my hand. He was abandoned & had wedged himself up under the siding of an electrical box at an apartment building. I made the artist get a crow bar and rip off the siding of the building to get to him.
He slept with me every night.
He was my morning alarm clock.
He would be waiting at the door for me every time I came home.
A complete momma's boy.
My...momma's boy.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
daily doubles
After two weeks of off time....I jumped back into the fray with both feet this week. Almost 11,000 yards in the pool, couple hours of power vinyasa yoga and about 6 miles on the ski.
I go through ups & downs with workouts. The usual burnout. But when work gets in the way and I can't get in the pool or to a yoga class for a couple weeks....and I'm too tired in the evening to jump on the ski........I get irritable, crabby, bitchy. You name it. I actually start to feel physically sick.
Workout withdrawal.
Blame my parents. More specifically...blame my father.
From the time I first started swimming competitively....age 5.....til now....almost 40....I've always had at least two sports/activities/workouts a day going. Early morning workouts. Afternoon workouts. Evening workouts. Coach Ron had the where-with-all to channel my overactive imagination & energy into a lifelong pursuit of positive output. He created.....a fitness fanatic.
Thank you Papa.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
boys at play
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
handball
Not much out there that can teach a seven-year-old better hand-eye coordination than trying to slap around a tiny ball with the palm of your hand.
His great uncle....a great influence.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
death
I've had enough of it.
Three family members....
....in as many months.
Ruth Ann (Fenske) Mitchell - Aunt. Fostered my love of nail (toe) polish, stilettos & makeup. A looker.
Charlotte Laurel (Ihfe) Mathias - Mother-in-law (ex). A kind, beautiful woman. The Best.
Pearl Fenske - Aunt. Crocheted & knitted me bikinis. Very cool lady....ahead of her time.
No more....please.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
well...
...it's caught up to me.
Last week.....my back had me hobbling around & missing workouts.
This week.....
....the boss walked in
....says 'good morning'
....stopped in his tracks
....says
....you look tired
....really tired.
Couldn't possibly be the 4000 yards I swam yesterday...in an hour. Or the half our ski I did...last night. Or the 10 hour day...I worked.
It's tax season.
Good morning to you too....
Friday, March 14, 2008
end of an era...
It's official....
The Genius is being retired.
A stressed old girl....that needs pasturing before she's broke.
Made a call today.....put in my order.
Not a Genius......but a beaut just the same.
Don't worry Sonja....you'll still get your water time.
The new one will be ready after tax season is over.
Sounds like a road trip is in the works....
Friday, March 07, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
burning it off
Friday, February 15, 2008
same ol'
What I secretly wished for.....
- Come home and find the clean faeries had done their wonders
- Someone else to do my exercise for me
- A hot bubble bath already drawn
- A breathing glass of red
- A lovely man tied up in red ribbon patiently awaiting me in my bed
What I ended up with....
- Piles of cat barf to clean up
- Two workouts that kicked my ass
- A lukewarm bath with no bubbles
- A glass of red I had to pour myself
- A furry nutless barf bag sprawled out on my empty bed
Lucky me.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
parametrix research
In the midst of work, meetings, weather/school delays & doctor appointments.....I managed to squeeze in a swim clinic this week.
Honored clinicians?
Shane Gould and Milt Nelms
Shane Gould - 1972 Australian Olympic Medalist (3 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze); She is the only person, male or female, to hold every world freestyle record simultaneously in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, as well as the 200m Individual Medley, and the first female swimmer ever to win three Olympic gold medals in world record time. She's also a surfer.
Milt Nelms - Native Oregonian. Considered a leading expert in cutting edge swimming techniques in the world today. Designs programming for athlete development and the teaching of swim technique. Milt’s work is recognized as one of the top 25 most significant contributions to USA Swimming for the last twenty-five years.
Did I learn anything new? Practical? Stroke altering?
Of course.
I learned......
....that I wish I could apply Milt's theories & techniques to surfing.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
best buddies
And he is....doing okay. In fact Max is doing very well. A couple of dime sized holes drilled into his skull to drain the infection....and a couple of quarter sized titanium discs to plug'em up. Max thinks it's cool that he'll now be setting off airport alarms. Tee hee...
The docs don't know what caused the infection...but they expect him to make a full recovery and quite possibly leave the hospital as soon as Thursday.
Very good news.

Monday, January 07, 2008
surreal
Last night....the cuteboy & I were back up at Doernbecher Children's Hospital. Only this time....we weren't there for his son Bailey. (He'll be back there for his last surgery soon enough.)
My twin's youngest boy....Max (8)....was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit with swelling in his right orbital & sinus cavities. As well as some swelling/fluid under the skull.
The same neurosurgeon & nurses that cared for Bailey.....are looking after Max.
He's in excellent hands.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Thursday, December 27, 2007
T
Some time ago....nursemyra proposed t-shirt friday. (last friday of every month)
I finally got my act together....and remembered.
Rock on.
T-shirt courtesy of Gaz...via Sissy Fish.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Monday, December 24, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
warmer days
Cold grey days...with howling winds & sideways rain.
Winter.
Time to tap the memory banks....for sunny summer days.
Derek...fin first.
Silas...backside.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Monday, December 10, 2007
glass
I scored today...
Smooth...uncluttered...water.
No turbulence.
No wakes.
No train.
Me...
Myself...
...and I...
for an hour of stroking through glass.
Friday, December 07, 2007
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
community
ras touched on this (in a comment) the other day.
We....surfers(?)....have one thing in common. Well....sometimes more than one thing. Most definitely one thing...binds us...brings us together...creates a community.
It's not a T-shirt.
It's not talk.
And...
It's certainly not.... temperament.
I read through a lot of surf blogs.
Some....continually pique my interest.
Others....not so much. (Which has more to do with my interest in a person's writing style...than their written topic.)
But......every day I'm back.
Wading through the muck & mire.
Why?
Passion.
The binding element......to this community.








