Standing at the Trailhead of Winter

Finally, finally, I was able to get out on Sweetness and enjoy a ride. This after wrestling with the trainer tire that is so stiff it takes two people pushing and prying to get it free of the rim. This after blowing the hose on the tire pump because it was jerry-rigged. And this after searching the shelves in my closet, the basket on top of the washing machine, and again the shelves in my closet for my leggings, only to find them on the floor in front of the washing machine though I was certain I had washed them weeks ago. Hmmmmm. But I finally rolled out of the driveway and settled in. I'm always pleasantly surprised by just how smooth Sweetness is. My cruiser and the Raleigh are heavy and take much more effort, which I think is probably good conditioning, so when I switch to the road bike, it's lightness and handling fill me with happiness. Even the brisk breeze blowing from the south couldn't take away the charm of rolling along easily under a much-longed for blue Midw...

You know things are right with the world when: your friend welcomes a much-wanted, much-hoped-for beautiful addition into his family; your face freezes while cycling to work but you don't care because, well, you're cycling to work; you get a thank you from a stranger for the work you're doing for a cause you believe in; you get a note from a sister-in-law, telling you she read a book you recommended and loved it ( Driftless: one of the best books I've ever read); your significant other goes out during the middle of watching his favorite hockey team play to get you a vanilla cupcake with chocolate icing because one cupcake a day just isn't enough. Yeah, it's been a perfectly sweet kind of day.

The last week of March is upon us. Already. Whew. Someone slow this train down. Please. The days are just zipping by too quickly. On the other hand, being this far into the semester puts me closer to the end of it, which is a mere 6 weeks away. I feel like I'm saying, "Slow down! Yay, speed up! Slow down! Yay, speed up!" first looking to my right then looking to my left. I really need to just breathe. While I may seem conflicted over this whole not liking how quickly time is passing by/wanting time to pass by more quickly, if I had to honestly choose which side I actually fall on, I'd have to say wanting time to pass by more quickly. My mind is already way in out in front of me, in June, where I'm on my bike out in the countryside. Thinking back to last summer, I remember how I rode every now and then, but mostly just hung out around the house, piddling with my projects in my new shop and my garden. I was very content playing with my welder and swinging in my ha...

Yesterday when I left the house to go to work, it was a balmy 30 degrees. I knew I had to ride my bike. I really had no choice as a pull to bring the blue cruiser down from it's spot in the bike barn propelled me off the sidewalk, across the short path to the barn. Today dawned sunny and even warmer, giving me day two of finally being able to ride without freezing. About half way to work, I realized just how much I had been missing the daily commute. A happiness I'd not been feeling for awhile washed over me as I watched the ROTC members undertaking a drill at the park alongside the bike path, as I saw robins flitting about the hedge apple trees, and as I heard the trill of the red-winged black birds near Birky pond. All last semester, I cycled to work. Each day I enjoyed the fresh air, the sunshine, sometimes the cold and snow. Being outside, even for just a short time before having to start work then for a short time on the way home afterwards, helped me find balance. When ...

With a sniff, sniff, I had to bid farewell to spring break Sunday evening. While I mostly got caught up with all the student work for my classes over break, I did take the time to read Divergent and begin Insurgent . I also worked on a new essay, got one outside bike ride in, celebrated Funny Delightful Son's 17th birthday, saw my dad, siblings, and other family for my dad's 80th birthday celebration, and started watching The Following (which just absolutely creeps me out, but it's like a horrible train wreck that I can't tear my gaze from). I even cleaned and organized the front closet. All in all, the week was exactly what I wanted and needed it to be. And now, here I am in week 9 of a 16 week semester. For the most part, I'm happy with the majority of my students and the work they are producing. I know some of my students don't particularly care for my opinion that to get better at anything--yes, even writing--one must simply practice whatever that anyth...

One week ago today I stepped onto a scale. I had no choice because if I had, I certainly wouldn't have done something that makes me so incredibly disappointed in myself. I loathe weighing myself. I have ever since I was a kid. Once a person is labeled "chubby," "chunky," "pudgy," "fat," and my personal favorite, "thick," anything directly connected to making that label seem even remotely accurate is avoided. So I began avoiding the scale, at like age eight. When I was 10, we had to be weighed in the classroom, in front of all the others. At the time, I was around five feet one inch (I truly thought I was destined to be six feet tall as I was a head taller than all the other girls in the class), and I distinctly remember weighing in at 106 pounds. I also distinctly remember my teacher, who I thought was absolutely the most beautiful woman I had ever met in my short life, smiling at me and nodding, not saying my weight out loud like s...

Me around 11 years old aboard Copper. Here I am, Saturday morning, a mere three days beyond my birthday, thinking about how I've done getting back on the healthy eating horse. So far, the horse has been a comfortable ride though at times I've thought about jumping off and stuffing a donut into my mouth. One thing I've begun doing when I feel the urge to pat my horse's neck and say, "Thanks for the ride but I'm bailing now," is sit down and write about why I'm wanting to eat when I'm really not hungry. This has helped me sort through the emotional aspect of eating and stay on track. Taking the time to think things through has shown me I'm inclined to eat because others are eating and because yummy, full-of-sugar processed foods are right under my nose. I don't have to follow the herd. I'm on the healthy horse. With my beautiful black steed, we tell the herd which way to go. I am now four days into not consuming refined sugar, and thi...

So, today is my birthday. The big 5-0. And while Funny Delightful Son insists I'm only 29 (just as he has for the last five years), I really don't mind being 50. In fact, I'm embracing it. I look at reaching this point of my life with all the blessings I have as the best birthday gift ever. That being said, I'm also looking at today as the perfect moment to set two goals for myself, goals that will be long-term and hopefully lead to a lifestyle change all the way around. I want to write my goals here because I do go back through my posts every now and then to enjoy the memory of writing each and to also enjoy the memories of the days themselves. Having the goals here will help me continue working towards fulfilling them. Goal #1: To eat more healthfully. This has been a goal in the past, and I did make headway the past few years, but lately, I've allowed myself to ingest things that aren't all that good for me. I would blame Hubby here since he's the abs...