polish...

Word on the street is....

....after a corrected color flub....

....the neapolitan will be ready in a week.

Just in time...

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...

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.

Tug

The furry nutless barfbag passed away this morning.

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.

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.

boys at play

For the first time in 16 years....I didn't work the Sunday before April 15th.
Instead...I surfed.
(and took a few pics)

the sheriff

the cuteboy

handball

The V-man has been going to handball clinics for almost a year now.
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.

soak

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.

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....

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....

unseen

she would write prose...

...when nobody was watching

burning it off

Work's got me under the gun....but I still try to squeeze in my noon swim or yoga.
Keeps me sane....and my ass from widening as it compresses seat foam all day.

Forearm stand...


into...
Scorpion.
(attempt to touch my head with my feet....but my back isn't real bendy)

pics courtesy of v-man

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.

tracks

photo courtesy of gaz

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.

six miles

Two mile switchback trail in.
One mile along the beach.
And back.

Nice day for a walk.

photos courtesy of Gaz

best buddies

The V-man's been to visist Max every day....to make sure he's doing okay.

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.

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.

moss landing

Porpoise....casually feeding through the line-up.

photo courtesy of Gaz

Backside longboard styling.

Zippy left.

Happy New Year

Two sessions.

Two breaks.

To start off the New Year.

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.

guitar hero

Xbox 360 rules!
Thanks Santa!

Happy Holidays

Tooly licks...



...and licks...

...and licks...

Merry Christmas!

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.

More D styling...

Hanna & Cedar...splittin the peak.


photos courtesy of Gaz

Got Wood?

Collecting firewood....Oregon Surf Style.


1. Two busted chainsaws...



2. Strapping surfers...

3. Foreman and wood hauling vehicle...

shoulder

....she can't always be strong.

glass

I scored today...

Smooth...uncluttered...water.

No turbulence.

No wakes.

No train.

Me...

Myself...

...and I...

for an hour of stroking through glass.

pretzel

Not sure being able to tie myself in a knot is helping my surfing....

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.