stylemaster

He's a natural...

Now if I could just get him to put the right leg forward...

pics courtesy of Gaz

pond hopping

Papersurfer & Atomic-dogma landed in PC this last weekend...
The weather was gorgeous.
The surf...off & on.

I rousted Penfold from wake to join Gaz & I for some early morning glass...before I had to jet back to the city for work.

disneyland

Who needs fancy rides & fake mice?

...when there's surf, sun & sand.

nice puppy

treasures

vacation

The V-man & I are on vacation this week.

SW 3 @ 16.....

...not a bad start.



pic courtesy of Gaz

Lions roared...

...as I hiked through Hoyt this morning.

chaperone

The v-man's second grade class took a field trip to OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science & Industry) yesterday.
I got to chaperone.

Boys always find the water & dirt....

Future scientists....

(sorry for the pic quality...camera phone)

Junuary

TODAY
W WIND 20 TO 25 KT WITH GUSTS TO 30 KT. LOCAL GALE FORCE
GUSTS TO 35 KT ARE POSSIBLE. WIND WAVES 4 TO 6 FT.
W SWELL 18 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
RAIN IN THE MORNING...THEN SHOWERS WITH SMALL HAIL.

Sorry folks.

It's all my fault.

Not only did I buy a beautiful new board...

I purchased several new Victoria's Secret bikinis.

No surf.

No sun.

No summer.

Might as well take my toys and go home....

wax work

No one gives a better wax job than Ding.
So...
I let his hands do their magic.

Three bars of wax later...

photos courtesy of Gaz

water time?

You know the story....

The Tyler landed....and sucked all the surf right out of the ocean.
So flat...a pre-pubescent third-grader has more cleavage.
Lake Pacifico.

Took her down to the water & got her wet...

Photos courtesy of Gaz.

introducing....

...the neapolitan.

She's subtle...with a bit of sparkle.

Sexy.

tail teaser.....

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