Making a note of it....

My schedule makes me a bit crazy, as I have mentioned...but I am noting today that I have been on the verge of tears off and on for no good reason....hormones?  Kid home with aches and pains so I can't do what i want?  Sunny day and lack of motivation?  Too much to do so that it is overwhelming?  Too much coffee?  Too much drinking?  Bad eating habits?  Negative self talk?  Reading too many blogs about sad things?

Likely all of the above.

That said, just making a note of it so that someday I can look back and see that I survived, things are ok, and that it was just a phase.

Call me Scrooge, Call me Grinch....

As soon as October is over, the insanity begins....well, I should rewind that.  It actually begins in October with a ton of birthdays and anniversaries.  I sort of lucked out this year (if you can call being flat out from an accident lucking out) by not being expected to do a damn thing for anybody's celebration. Except Spencer, and I threw him the awesomest of parties ever in the entire world.  Thank you, painkillers.  And friends. (In case you are wondering, I am off painkillers!!  It's been weeks and weeks, so don't worry.)

OK, so November is here--halfway over, geez!  Backstory----I have a million zillion relatives who all live in the greater Puget Sound area.  Everyone wants to see us for every occasion and I am sick of the expectation and the struggles....every year I try to put boundaries and limits on our time, but there's always the exception to the rule.  And now I am cooking Thanksgiving dinner here at my house due to feeling both guilty and martyrish.  I wanted so badly to spend the time up at the cabin....but it got rented out and so we are here.  And we have to decorate for Christmas, too...I am so not ready, I swear I haven't put everything away from last year.  Where did the year go?  (Besides in the toilet!)

House update:  I am waffling waffling waffling on whether to buy it and have tight finances or to stay here and have plenty of money.  It's tough.  Ask me another time and I am certain we are moving.  Can't figure this out.  I think the fact that I cannot decide is a good thing to pay attention to.  I know my pattern is to feel unhappy and trapped and to make a drastic, life altering decision.....trying to keep that in mind as we figure this out so that we do what is best for the FAMILY not just for ME.  Stay tuned.

Breast update:  appeal was denied.  Apparently I am just not a candidate, but I have a chance to appeal again, so I guess I will since I have gone this far.  I will send in the gorey post-race pix I have taken, get my therapists to write more letters, and see what happens.  I guess I can just pay for it myself, that is always an option, I must remember that....just because insurance says I am not really in need doesn't mean they are correct.....so...stay tuned.

Future award winning author plans:  The idea for a book just popped into my head.  It will be amazing, incredible, loosely based on my life but with a lot of extra sexy stuff thrown in.  I am sort of excited by the prospect of writing it.  I think I can wrestle some of my demons in the process.  Of course there is the fear that everything I say will be too much for those who know and love me to accept, especially things that are based on truth.  I guess I will write for a while and see how it feels, how it looks.  It may just end up being blogs.  And for my readers (HAHAHAHA) you will be the winners.

Got asked on a date recently.  That was interesting.  (I said no.)

I have been running a bit, ran a 5k (in costume) with a 9 minute pace, not too bad for not trying too hard.  Chiropractor then popped my ankle a couple of days later and now I fear I cannot run, because it has irrtated all of the trauma from a couple of years ago when I hurt my achilles (and I have some anger at the chiropractor that I am trying to hide when I see her, is that the right thing to do or do I just stop all treatment and just heal?)....I am plummeting into depression about my body and it's lack of being able to do anything.....hopefully between the stress of Christmas and the stress of healing I will survive.  I really want to end 2012 on a good note, as it's been such a bad year overall......but this body of mine is troubling me in a bad way.  I have to go to hand therapy, too, for my stupid finger.  So chiropractor, physical therapy, massage therapy and hand therapy...that is my new life.  Sigh.  Feeling sorry for myself today...hopefully I will snap out of it soon.

H-e-a-l-i-n-g . . . . . .

S-l-o-w-l-y             r-e-t-u-r-n-i-n-g         t-o             r-e-a-l           l-i-f-e

Tomorrow is three weeks since the accident.  After about 12 really really bad days, I started to feel better....every day has been just a bit easier. I am in chiropractic treatment and physical therapy all the time....and it is helping!  I can sit up, I can reach, I can walk.  I still can't close my  hand all the way nor can I sleep comfortably....but this too shall pass.

Oh, and as part of my therapy, I got a tattoo!  On my right bicep.  The tattoo is about 3" x 3"!

I am in LOVE with it.  It was a gift for my 11th wedding anniversary, and it was exactly what I needed to start having positive feelings about biking because even after all of the crashing, it is what I love and I WILL BE BACK!!! I am sad that I am missing cyclocross season...but have also been so crazy busy with soccer that I am not sure how to fit it in, I will have to figure that out ahead of time for next year!





And there's the issue of the breast reduction:

I was denied, as expected.  With help from the most incredible nurse at the surgeon's office, I wrote my appeal letter and it goes in the post tomorrow, so hopefully within a month I will have my surgery scheduled...I was expecting to be denied, as that is how they do things normally with pre-approval of a cosmetic-type procedure.  So we shall see.  The waiting game is on.  I must say, though, that my letter is very compelling.  They would be such assholes to deny me.

What else is going on?  Oh yeah, we want to buy a new house.
We are awaiting the purchase price because it isn't on the market.  And if it is in our range, we will go for it!  This week my bathrooms are all getting new tile floors and there are a few other projects getting done by a handyman (step-brother) so that we can try to sell it soon, I hope.  We just need to purge all the crap which is really hard when you cannot use your arms or hands....but as I am healing, I can do more.....stay tuned.

My baby turned 7 a couple of weeks
ago.  I threw him the most amazing party.
It was a FOOD FIGHT.  Seriously incredible fun.
I will get the link on here to the video my sister made.
Despite being just over a week after the accident, I
managed to pull it together.  No idea how that happened! 
My friends pitched in big-time and it was GREAT!

VIDEO is here: 

Oops, I did it again....

I just can't get though October without incident.  I totally cursed myself by saying I had not made it through an October in the past few years without incurring an injury, usually from trail running.  I figure since I had my bike crash, that statistically I am free from crashing for a few more years. Unfortunately that proved itself to be a falsity.

Once again, a lovely day with my lovely friends on my lovely bike.  A split second changed the course of my October (and unfortunately the next few months).  The last thought I had was "why do pedestrians step out thinking bikes can stop quickly??"  And the next thing I remember I was on the ground, unable to breathe, in terrible pain.  My last crash was in super-slow-motion.  This one was so fast!  Apparently I managed to get my gloved finger stuck in my brake (dislocating and breaking the finger, of course---likely hand surgery in my future).  Then I flew over the handlebars landing full force on my left shoulder (but hey, I removed that pesky mole without help from a dermatologist).  I am so thankful that Chrissie was there, as her ER nursing skills quickly reassured me that I hadn't broken my neck, as I had feeling and movement in my extremeties.  But pain, I was a 10/10 for sure.  All of my bones are broken.

Cue the ambulance.  My first time on a backboard in an emergency vehicle.  The guys had me take a picture of my finger, which was pointing in a direction that nature definitely did not intend.  Later a couple of numbing shots and it was popped back into place for the time being.  Never did my finger hurt.  Nor did my ear, which needed a couple of stitches and was all scraped up--the helmet totally saved my life--I hit the ground so hard.  I had a slight concussion, nothing too bad.  One of the guys lived in my neighborhood, had kids around the same age as mine at a different school.  I wonder if I have permanently damaged myself this time.

At the hospital, I was lifted from the board to a bed and whisked into xray.  By whisked, I mean I laid there waiting for quite a while.  One of the nurses realized that the bike clothes I had on were expensive, and managed to get all of my clothes removed without scissors.  Hurray for full zip jerseys!  They did have to cut off my Moving Comfort Juno sports bra, as it is nearly impossible to get off on a normal day, in fact, I have often considered cutting it off when I have had a particularly long wrestle with it.  No big deal.  They left my "DIVA" socks on so my feet didn't get cold.  I have never been in so much pain.

Somehow Kris finished biking and got to a store and to my hospital room before anyone else showed up, and still I am baffled at how she did that!  And thankful. I needed reassurance that I would be ok.  Plus, she brought chocolate that I ate as soon as I was cleared to consume anything (many hours later).  Barbie showed up next, and eventually Jay and the kids came.  I am damaging my kids by letting them see me in this condition.

When they took me to xray, the lady pushing the bed crashed into a wall.  That hurt very badly.  Remember, despite some morphine I am at a 10/10 with my pain.  Then they had to lift me to another bed.  Then roll me and stick a wedge under my spine.  It was awful.  But necesssary because contrary to my belief that I had broken all my bones, the only break was my finger and possibly my ribs which they couldn't tell from the angle of the xray, and I will be damned if I go back in there again!  Please remove this cervical collar, it is cutting into the back of my head!

Things get a bit fuzzy here.  I was in awful pain and they wanted to discharge me as soon as they could.  I was unable to move an inch!  I could not sit up and in fact just about killed the doctor when he grabbed me and pulled me to a seated position.  But I had to pee.  And the bathroom was WAYOVERTHERE!  By now it was just Jay and I in the room, and he was to assist me in getting dressed and out the door. Um, I cannot move at all!  But somehow I got to the bathroom, and passed out on the way back to the bed.  I had never had this much pain, not even in the throes of unmedicated labor.  I am not kidding.  I asked for more morphine and eventually Jay got a tshirt and some hospital pants on me.  Then they put me in a wheelchair and sent Jay for the car.  I cannot move, I am dying of pain, and you are sending me HOME?????

I had a cup of ice water, as I had barely eaten or drank since 630 that morning before the ride.  The nurse was wheeling me to the exit when the walls started closing in.  I awoke in someone's office, drenched in sweat--it was pouring off of me like I was in hot yoga.  Apparently my blood pressure had dropped and I passed out, spilling water and turning white.  So back to the room I went until I could sit up for longer.  I had a couple more episodes of fainting, but a few crackers and a juice and they called me good to go.  So to the car we went.  I cannot believe I have to go home like this!!!

Home.  Holy crap, I was a wreck.  I have basically been propped in a chair sitting against ice packs, drugged up against pain 24/7.  Finally I am starting to feel better but there are things that are impossible, like laying down comfortably.  I also get the spins whenever I lay down, it is not pleasant.  And sitting up from laying down is the absolute worst.  However, bit by bit, I am coming back to life. I still am in horrible pain, but am able to walk a bit with friends.  I can eat, unfortunately, and so  many friends brought food and cookies--gotta get back to my paleo eating asap!  I drove for the first time yesterday, and did not crash.  I am throwing a birthday party today---although not quite sure how I will manage that, hoping a few friends show up to assist. I could not get through this without my amazing friends, wow.  Hey, I can shower and get dressed now, and make coffee...and obviously despite the big splint on my finger, I can type.  I've been barely parenting...somehow the kids get to school and back, and to soccer, and all that fun stuff without giving me too much grief.  I still wonder if they will remember this when they are older, the time I got really hurt.  Will they forgive me?  Will I?  How do I get back on my bike again???  To be continued....

Smaller tatas part 1

Year:  1979  Ten-year-old me suddenly sprouts to adult height and has a C cup in fifth grade.  Yeah, that was fun.

Year:  1991.  Underwent the full prep for a breast reduction surgery, even had the surgery scheduled.  Went in for a final appointment and had another look at the surgeon's before and after book.  Decided that I wasn't really a fan of the after shots of many of the boobs.  Cancelled surgery.  Plus, I thought maybe I'd someday have kids (although it was a very distant thought at this point) and maybe I would breastfeed them.

Year:  2003  Baby 1 born, nursed 2.5 years and in early 2005 got pregnant again.

Year:  2005  Baby 2 born, nursed 2.5 years.

Year:  2008  Visit to plastic surgeon about a breast reduction, having lost 50 pounds and started being really active with running, triathlons etc.  Insurance denied it based on my BMI (the BMI formula does not account for frame size or muscle, so according to them I was just an obese person seeking a boob job).  Despite appeal, I was denied.  That particular insurance, United Healthcare, is apparently notorious for rejecting breast reduction surgery claims.  So, I put my plan on the back burner until better health care came along.

Year:  2012  After routine mammogram (all clear!) I saw the surgeon again today.  She didn't remember me right away, but after we talked for a few minutes she did, as we have a mutual friend who actually referred me to her.  Her assistant remembered me right away because of my eyes, which happens a lot.  I digress.

Today's appointment was different than four years ago.  I've dropped more weight and look smaller overall, I think, which helps my case.  I am still scale-heavy and there are still the charts that insurance uses to determine if it is medically necessary.  But she said something to me that made me start crying right there in her office, naked from the waist up.  "You have no idea how much better your life will be after this surgery."  She said I was a great candidate and after a round of the horrifying standagainstthebluewallateveryangle photos, she said she was off to write a very compelling letter to the insurance company on my behalf.  So, with that, in four to six weeks I will find out whether they approve or deny my reduction....and if they deny, the assistant is going to help me write a letter to start an appeal process that will hopefully work.  It's a scary thought to undergo major surgery, but I have so much discomfort, and lately I am getting open wounds and scars almost every time I run, that I want to be done with this and feel good about my body for once.  I know that the surgery scars may be bad...but emotionally I am so beaten down from dealing with this for my entire life that I need to do this to move forward for myself.  I told the assistant that I know it is a first world problem, and that I am so fortunate that I am not there having a consult about a mastectomy or something.  But the pain I have dealt with since my early development at the age of ten has been increasingly terrible, and finally I feel like I am on the right track.  The surgeon said she'd done hundreds of reductions since I was last in, and was excited that she could make me so much more comfortable and happy.  She was truly excited to share her plan with me.  I just want to cry and cry about this, happy tears....it's so hard to talk about.  Everyone has always focused on me and my breasts, I know that's how I am described "you know, the one with the huge tits" has been said a zillion times....all my flat chested friends always joke that they want me to share mine with them....oh, I wish I could.  I can only imagine a world where I can run in one bra, find bras to wear that aren't $80 and look like granny bras, where I can lay flat on my stomach in yoga or do the plow without suffocating myself with my breasts, where shirts will always button....I am so hopeful.      Let's hope I have good news to report about this before too long......

Challenged

I don't know why I can't just say NO to things....haha....see a recent post where I said something along the lines of "I will say yes to everything in order to keep me from losing my mind".  Well, I guess that has worked since my mind is still relatively intact.  But still I find myself unable to say NO to most things.  Well, drugs and smoking...I can so no to those....otherwise...even cookies are sneaking back in to my life.  Oops!

Things I have said yes to, that are not necessarily a bad thing...but in general....
-Joined a new cycling team (motofish)
-Rode the North Cascades highway
-Rode up to Paradise again
-Ran in the Hood-to-Coast relay
-Signed up for a half marathon in November
-Signed up for a costumed race in September
-MS 150 ride in September
-Tons of BBQ hosting coming up
-Cyclocross....yes to doing it, so far the practicing has not happened, nor actually registering for a race
-Velodrome--finishing the season
-Bringing our BBQ to the neighborhood party
-Dogsitting my mother-in-law's chihuahua for ten days
-Hiring a housekeeper (a thousand times YES!)
-Vacation in Vegas after Christmas
-Yoga yoga yoga
-Househunting for our dream home
-Still YES to just about every chance to run or bike that I can.

And those are just the things that mainly pertain to me......I didn't mention both kids in soccer, 2 x a week practice, so conveniently at the same time and day at different locations.  I have yet to see the game schedule, but I fear it will conflict so bad with Cyclocross that my season will just be showing up late and drinking beer in my kit.  Which isn't all bad.  Duncan wants to do cross too, so there's that on top of soccer.  And band.  Geez, they unleash the gauntlet in fourth grade of "things for a kid to do that they don't miss out and have a full resume for college"!

Good things...18 pounds went away over the summer. Yes, through hard work and rigid diet....have been slacking of late and need to reign it in....am trying....will hope to report that another 10 disappeared by our Vegas vacation!  It wasn't really that hard.....just being in control of my hand-to-mouth disorder.  It's fun to finally hear others noticing.  I am at my college weight, high school too, I guess..... I am going in soon to see about the breast reduction, as I am so uncomfortable, it really is difficult, and unless you have ten pound boobs, you just don't understand. Trust me.

I am obsessed again with my collection of wigs and costumes, and am thrilled that friends and kids are also in the spirit with me.  It's part of who I am, a silly, weird part and I love it.  A need for attention, perhaps.  A need to wear a "mask" in order to be the real (spazzy) me, perhaps.  But whatever, it just adds spice to my life.

School starts in a few days....the kids are undecided about being excited....I am, however, looking forward to the routine it offers.... I know that is selfish, but with the routine I get mellowed out, the house gets back to being organized, food is prepared at appropriate meal times, the dogs are happy....it's a win-win-win.  I love the feel of the cool mornings already, although I know it will soon be followed by dark days and damp days.....still, fall always fills me with excitement and anticipation, and I am embracing that for now!

RAMROD

I was terribly wishy-washy this year about doing RAMROD.  (Ride Around Mt. Rainier in One Day, 154 miles, 10000 feet elevation).  Last year it was my A-race and I trained soooo hard for it.  This year, it wasn't the case...it was still my A-event but I didn't manage to do nearly the volume of training, most notably, the long, over 100-milers, and the long hill climbs.  After Jeme's death, my bike accident and just life, I sort of went into a depression, a fog, and couldn't get my head clear.  Every day I had a different decision about RAMROD.  For quite a while, it was NO WAY then suddenly I found my love of my bike and wanted to do it.....then I got scared and didn't want to. 

A few things swayed my decision:  I put on the compact front gears on my bike to allow easier climbing.  I decided to start in Eatonville, cutting off 30 "flat" miles at the beginning and enabling me to overcome lack of long rides.  I participated in a soul-cleansing memorial for Jeme'.  After that, the fog began to clear.  I also decided that if the weather was bad, I would not ride.  And if the roads were awful, as they were rumoured to be, I would turn back and go back to Eatonville.  So....the big day arrived.

Instead of a 4 AM wakeup call, I got up at a leisurely 7, mom prepared me a smoothie and coffee, and I got to meander to the Eatonville food stop just after 8.  I had air put into my tires, as my pump malfunctioned the night before, and then Kris arrived.  We headed out, in literal fog....which cleared after about 6 miles.

The first portion was amazing, I felt great, strong, fast, and drafted a bunch.  Eventually a big pack of riders enveloped us, and I thought it would be easy to just coast/draft along with them, then they all slowed down, but we were basically stuck in the middle for the rest of the segment. But before long we were turning into Wildwood, my mom's childhood home, where my wheel had broken last year.  Saw a few friends, ate, peed, refilled bottles and we left on the long climb up toward Paradise.

If you have biked with me, you will know that while I am not a speed demon UP the hills, I can climb forever at a slow and steady pace.  This day, we started passing people right away, and continued to pass people all day long.  That was weird for me.  On downhills and flats, yes, I pass a lot, but uphill it was a new thing!  I liked it, though!  We enjoyed the many and varied views of Mt. Rainier and before too long (haha, 19 uphill miles!) we hit the turnoff to Inspiration Point.  Took a few photos, and started the descent into the next food stop....on what was to be a terrible road condition.

Turns out that most of the first descent was paved and what was gravel was super well marked, and there were plenty of opportunities to go balls-out downhill.  Of course I relished passing people!  That's what I do!  At the bottom, we hit the Box Canyon food stop, and I hit the porta potty. An acquaintance, Amy from the velodrome, was coming out as I was going in.  When I came out, she had a huge grin on her face and told me that all the guys in line were saying stuff about me, "that girl PASSED ME!"  "She PASSED ME too!" "She's fast!" And Amy looked at them all and said, "She races, track, she is super fast!"  Very nice.

Headed to the next shorter climb (I didn't even remember it from last year, but my legs were asking me "what"??? as we climbed it.  Then another descent, with worse road conditions.  Of course, I still found some ways to go fast there.  One guy rode up next to me and said "I hear you race track" and I laughed and said yes, it's balls to the wall!  He then rode on ahead of me, until I eventually passed him.  :)  We had to stop at the bottom of the hill for construction and he just shook his head and laughed when Kris caught up and said it was the only way she could catch me, red lights at the bottom.  It was here we noticed an ambulance with it's lights on going uphill, slowly, though, no siren.

We exited the national park and came to Cayuse Pass, the worst climb on the day.  9 miles, not a moment of relief from climbing, exposed to the sun (and in Eastern WA!).  Soon there were three park or forest service vehicles speeding downhill with lights and sirens on, full speed.  We were weirded out that something bad may have happened up on the mountain.  We continued to climb, stopping for water halfway up.  That last 4.5 miles is mentally and physically awful, but knowing it was almost all downhill after that helped, and after a while, we rounded the bend to see the intersection where the long, steep descent to Crystal Mountain was!  One of the best sights of the day!

I flew down the hill, chicking guys constantly, got to the food stop pretty darn fast.  There, I enjoyed the BEST COKE EVER and a sandwich, then found a couple of friends (new and old) to form a paceline to the end.

We hammered most of the way back to Enumclaw, with a headwind. It is a lot of gradual downhill, which is my FAVORITE so I didn't mind pulling a lot!  Eventually we turned off the highway toward Mud Mountain Dam and I again flew down the hill, knowing that it was only a few miles to the end.  Some of the others were getting weary (remember, I didn't do that first 30, so I had the freshest legs, ha).  Finally we cruised into Enumclaw and heard our names announced.  We were handed our finisher patches, took some photos and got our free popsicles and coke (again, yum, remember I have been on a paleo diet for a couple of months!!! Sugar, oh yes!). 

Overall, I felt magnificent for the day....If I do it again, which I likely will, being a glutton for punishment with a bye into the lottery every year.....I will again start in Eatonville.  Taking off that first 30 miles made it a wonderful, fun, and super challenging day, never did I feel thrashed or close to tears like I did last year!!  Still it was 115 miles in 7:30.  Gorgeous sunshine all day.  Now, time to train for Hood-To-Coast!

Sadly, there was a fatality on the ride, and it was a business partner of my father-in-law.  I don't know the full story, but it seems he crashed on one of the early descents,not sure if it was a gravel section or not.  I hate when this stuff happens, as it puts a damper on an otherwise amazing day....he left this earth doing what he loves, though.....so that's perhaps what we can all aspire to in the end.

Recovery

Wow, what a whirlwind.  I am feeling better, finally.  Today I rode 64 miles at a decent pace, so that was a good thing.   I have been running a lot, too.  I still can't swim due to my right shoulder and my left and is still sore (but not broken, I finally had an xray).... but at least I am being active again.

I am in the midst of a mild/medium depression....need to figure out a way to snap out of it.  Just overwhelmed, at every turn there is more piled on and I really just need it to stop for a week or so....let me get back on my feet.  It's definitely not the worst I have been.  I am craving social time, so my friends are probably wondering why I am always replying YES to everything even if it's a ten mile run or 100 mile ride, I just need friends right now.

OK, off to be mama.

Insane, I tell ya.

What is it with 2012?  It has really been weird.  And it continues.....

My BFF Jeme' died last week.  I cannot believe it.  We were so very close, and she was an amazing person.  I cannot believe that she is not on this earth.  My heart breaks for her young boys, her mom, her husband, and her sister, who was there for her passing.  We are having a local service for her in June, on what would be her 44th birthday.  44.  Seriously.  I can barely write any more about this, except to say that I will never take friendship for granted, nor life, for that matter.  I am so lucky that I went and spent a week with her in October.  I would have regretted it forever if I'd been too busy, or whatever.....still....she is gone, and here I am.  Kind of a wreck.

I knew she was dying over the weekend, and I was unable to function.  I said no to everything, rides, runs, get togethers (ok, I went to one party) but my heart wasn't in it.  When I finally heard that she died, it was Sunday night.  So smart me decides on Monday that a 4 hour ride in the sun is just what I need to feel better. Really, it probably was.  Except my heart was broken and my head was not in the game.  I managed to hit Amy's wheel 16 minutes into the ride and we both went down.  I didn't feel any pain but got some bad road rash from it, bent some spokes on my fancy wheels, and my left hand was sore (more on this later).  Amy hurt her shoulder by hitting a fence, and that was what upset me the most, that it was my fault and that I possibly took her out of her season.  (She's since gone riding so hopefully she continues to improve).  But my guilt overtook me and I have had a really hard time functioning for a week.  Plus my left hand is messed up, and no, I have yet to seek medical attention....afraid it will keep me off the bike for too long.  It is healing, but so s l o w.  Oh yeah, I bought a track bike on Sunday, too, before I heard the news of my friend's death.  But that isn't really related except that I can't ride it until I can grip with my left hand.  :(

Now, to add insult to injury.....on Wednesday we were leaving for a 7-day family vacation to sunny San Diego.  Who has to do everything for a family vacation?  ME!  No offense, Jay worked hard to pay for it.  I just made all the arrangements, packed, cleaned blah blah blah, and this was all after my bike accident, packing while hobbling around, whiplash, sore all over.....somehow we got to the plane in time to take off at 8 AM.  8 AM!  Which meant, by lunchtime, we were AT SEAWORLD. That was a mindfuck.  It was fun, though.  And the whole trip was really good except a few moments when the kids got overtired, but that happens.  We stayed two nights with my friends Jeff and Russ (where I had stayed in April), then drove to Palm Desert for 2 nights at my in-laws in 110 degree heat (I LOVED IT) and then back to San Diego and stayed two more nights with a high school friend.  We did these things:  Seaworld, Zoo, Beach, Balboa Park, Swimming Pools, Corvette Rides, Palm Springs Tram, Legoland, Coast drive, Seaworld again.  No wonder I am tired.   We got home about 1130 last night.  Strangely our flight home was not crowded so we had a ton of room, and it got in 35 minutes EARLY.  Nice.  We spent so much money, I am scared to actually tally it up.  I don't think I will.  Is that bad?

Now, while I was gone, all sorts of things happened that have me in a dither.  My friend C.A. is having brain tumor surgery tomorrow.  WTF?? NO!  Then my friend J.O.'s son had heart surgery yesterday (he is ok, but will have to undergo one more procedure).  A guy I went to high school with went on a murder rampage, did not kill anyone, but got killed in the process.  I don't know how I feel about that except it is weird and disconcerting.  I had unfriended him from Facebook recently because of some horrible racist posts, so I cannot say we were friends.  But it is weird when stuff like that happens.  Things are going sort of crazy with TriFREAKS, lots of changes.  Not bad things, but it means I will have to put my nose to the grindstone, and I am just not mentally into it right now.....trying, trying.  But so much other stuff going on....and there's still more.  My stupid left hand is hurting so I suppose I should stop typing and go ice it.  Especially since this isn't all that exciting, mostly the normal rambling that I do.  But.... i will be back and you will read about it.

Been gone, gone gone, gone so long, I been gone gone gone so long!

I almost forgot that I had a blog.   Not really, I just haven't felt like writing anything, at least when I am sitting at the computer.  It's usually a couple of hours into a ride when I am like "I want to write these thoughts in my blog!" or just about to go to sleep....so, readers (of which I imagine range from zero to one million, most likely zero) maybe you will hear from me more often. Or maybe not.

Things which have happened of note since my last blog....
--With some reservation, I stepped away from LUNA Chix.  It just wasn't right for 2012 and I had to listen to my gut.  I will still be around, but not in the same capacity.  I still love everyone and hope that I am still loved, because I am needy like that.
--I finally painted my entry way.  I know, this seems dumb to write as something major that has happened.  But let me tell you, when Duncan was 3 he slammed open the front door and knocked a hole in the wall, which I patched....and then for some reason chose to record the kids' growth there every few months, for YEARS.  I finally realized that Duncan had grown about 2 feet since I patched the hole.  So I painted it and it is so much better, even painted the front door on the inside, and all the trim....trust me, it needed it.  Yes, there is still one coat to paint on the door, but I swear I will do that this weekend.  Or next week.  I will not wait until 2019.  Did I mention that Duncan is 9 now?  Yes, that was close to 6 years it took me to finish that project.  Yikes.
--I turned 43.  What the hell?  I was just 23, in fact, was just looking at pictures of my 23rd birthday.  My friend Holly made me the most amazing cupcake creation.  Seems like yesterday, but no.  My metabolism has gone away, I cannot eat food at all without gaining weight.  I know I should seek medical help, but part of me knows I have justified too much food since October/November/December.....and not run enough....so I can't fully blame my age.  Must blame my hands for putting things into my mouth. 
--I got injured, got PT, healed....slowly.  Tore my right plantar fascia.  It really sucked.  6 weeks with NO running.  In winter, again, so therefore, weight gain, depression....all the same crap that seems to happen every year when I manage to hurt myself around the holidays.  Perhaps next year I will be much more careful.  And only eat lettuce.  I am a bit unhappy with the course of my PT.....went to someone highly recommended, and had a good first impression, but after that, it was not good....bottom line, got the total brush off at the end, they double billed me and when I brought that to their attention, they rebilled me but charged me a rebilling fee.  And my last appointment was "hey, see ya, good luck" when really I could have probably used some guidance, and orthotics, as we discussed at the first meeting.  I will go elsewhere for that.  I am still running only 5 miles at a time....but slowly am feeling better.  It's mentally so tough to see all my friends training for marathons while I struggle to do that distance....but I know I have to be careful and it will change, it will, it will!
--Got a fence.  Well, almost....finally got around to getting bids and picked a contractor and lo and behold, we are within days of a fenced yard.  In the meantime I take the puppy out anywhere from 5 to 321 times per day on his leash.  The worst is the 6 am pee/poo, because apparently that is the hour that everyone in the neighborhood is going somewhere and sees me in my robe.  Less than a week and it's open the back door, goodbye puppies, go enjoy the outdoors for as long as you want.  Sniff around, bark, take your time!  Can't wait.
--Oh yeah, I am working  Part time, from home.  My official title is Director of Relations for TriFREAKS...so far it's been fun and not too much work.  I am also getting a lot more work with Northwest Sweat--job title Head Diva.  So suddenly, I am sort of "employed".....trying to decide if it's for me or not, I rather enjoy my life of leisure, but having income is also a nice thing....hoping I can stick to part time and from home, and will go from there.....I know my fame is going to kick in soon, just as soon as we start our TV broadcast....which is happening, really!!!  Yikers!
--Death.  Have been around too much of it this year already.  I won't go into details now but let me tell you, I am appreciating life on a much more regular basis and trying to not be whiny and annoying about dumb stuff.  Yes, trying.  Not always successful.
--To be continued....sooner rather than later.....once I start writing, suddenly I realize that I HAVE SO MUCH TO SAY THAT I THINK IS INTERESTING.  Whether or not is it, well, who cares.  It's my blog.