0 comments and Rain

There are days that I am doubtful that anyone reads this blog. Day after day I have "0 comments" yet again. But I know of some of you (Hi, Dad M & Larry!) read it because, well, you've told me you do. Sweet Mr. Darcy reads it when I suggest he does. I guess he figures those are the days that I have something to say that he needs to "hear" but don't want to regurgitate it again. And yet, here I am, day after day baring my soul into the internet ether. Some days probably frightening readers away with my overly honest and rather dramatic postings. Other days who knows what my ramblings do.

A friend has an immensely popular blog. I read it and love it. She has gorgeous pictures and talks about things people like reading about. Somehow I haven't the same knack for it as she does. But then I'm a lawyer. By trade, entertainment value has been sucked out of my writing style. So I am here writing. I've never been into diaries and such, yet this blog seems to serve that same purpose - without the lock and key that so many other diaries have - as though I just need to tell someone about "it" - you know, the nebulous it that makes up my life on this planet.

Today, life on the planet started with Ladybug having a tantrum, Angelfish being an angel and Mommy heading to the pool as Mr. Darcy told me to go so he could try to get the girls in the car. And then the pool... 1 mile of unadulterated swimming. The pro team, as I call them, was at the pool today. The Pro Team consists of 3 people completely unknown and unrelated to one another. A guy who always swims in red swim shorts and jumps in to swim a really fast 400 followed by another really fast 400 and then he gets out. A woman who is long, tall, and has a swimmer's physique, strong yet lanky all at once. And then a guy I see now and then who starts out really slow and by the end of his millions of laps in the pool seems to be sprinting faster than I can drive a car. I secretly try to "beat" the girl, even though she has a good 4" to 5" of height (and therefore stroke length) on me and has no clue that I'm racing her. When she alternates her freestyle with backstroke or breast stroke, I can beat her. Otherwise, I have to keep trying.

Work has been super busy - one thing after another - which is good in this economy. Being in demand is better than sitting around worrying whether I may be next on the layoff chopping block, if that raises its ugly head again in our department. Despite assurances that my boss has no knowledge of anymore layoffs coming down the pike, it's not as if she could truly tell me if she did anyway. So trudging onward and hopefully upward as each day progresses.

Training has been fun, yet time consuming. Yesterday I took my bike to get fit at Adventure Cycles (another bike shop I really like) and according to their laser sensors and computer's calculations it fits me for the aggressive riding style I aspire to (which is a good thing of course). They made a few adjustments to get it to fit even better, and was told I need a different stem size because it was too short for me. Called the shop where I bought the bike today and since I'm biking with the owner and our Team in Training group tomorrow in the wee hours of the morning (which reminds me I need to put my lights on my bike), I think they're going to fix it after my ride. I might need to leave the bike with them to get home in time to start working though, especially since I plan to take off from work a little early tomorrow to maybe do a little clothes shopping before my girls' weekend trip. Of course, if we're as busy at work as we were today I'm not sure I'll be able to take off early. Emergency situations just popping up like those purple moles in that wackamole game.

I hope it doesn't rain in the morning. We just had a monsoon of a rain a few minutes ago that lasted all of 20 minutes and reminded me of those late afternoon summer showers that you could set your watch to... 3 pm every day on the dot.

Speaking of watches, it's about time to go get the little ladies from school. There may be a soujourn in my writing (but not in my training) as I will be going on a girls' weekend to Savannah with some lovely friends from Atlanta. Until then!

Me & My Shin Splints...

strolling down the ah-ven-oo. Just like the old song. Yes, my old friends the shin splints are back for a visit. I have decided to embrace them as they are a testament to my hard work and my attempt to reach new distances while running. In fact, now that I have been running as much as I am, I have found that walking doesn't suit me as exercise anymore... which is saying something for a woman who started out not only hating to run but who found running for 3 minutes straight to be a bit of a difficulty. Today I was supposed to do an easy 30 minute run, but I had planned in deference to my visitors (who are in both legs this time around, although much worse in my left leg - as usual) to walk it. I couldn't do it. I walked for 5 minutes and I couldn't walk anymore. I had the incredible, undeniable urge to run. I didn't run very fast, but I actually, amazingly had a burning desire to run. I almost asked myself "Who are you and what did you do with the real Kate?" To which I now answer, I'm a new and improved version. I'm not quite at the point where I can say that I run for fun, but I definitely can say I run for sport. I gave in, and (to borrow from Forrest Gump) I was running! I did take it a little easy. For the rest of the time, I alternated running 6 minutes and walking 2 or 3 minutes.

I had a nice chat with a neighbor at the end of my run. She likes to off road bike, but trains around town so that she can have the energy for the offroading. I hope she meant it when she said to let her know and we could go for a ride sometime because I plan to take her up on it. And then I returned to the house... to discover a story about how writing in cursive is on its way out in American society and in California is no longer a required (but encouraged) part of the curriculum. This world is turning to true insanity. People are shocked when you use please and thank you (which is already being drilled into our lovely little ladies - in fact, they are now so aware of it that if they make a declaration of a want, they often take Please on the end because they know I will make them restate the request with it incorporated). No one ever really gets together for an impromptu visit, and barely do we have interaction with one another unless it is planned and scheduled. And now the beginning of the end for cursive. As one newscaster pointed out, how will you sign your name? How will you send that thank you note or a personal note (oh yeah, I forgot, people aren't doing that these days either... except for me and a handful of ladies that I know)? A computer thank you note is not acceptable, and for some things neither is printing. Cursive is a staple of a more gentile society. It is a little slower, and allows you to thoughtfully express yourself by keeping you from rushing through just like everything else we do these days. We must band together, my friends!

On to another topic before my head explodes. Ladybug is doing much better and I am hopeful that her loop will be removed Sunday morning. In fact, Ladybug and Grammie are out shopping or at the park (I'm not sure which won out) and will return for lunch (which I hope will be soon because I'm super hungry!). We plan to visit Disney tomorrow after I return from my morning workout. I'm sure I will be falling asleep on our way back! : ) But it will be much fun! I cannot decide who is more excited at the moment - Angelfish, Ladybug or Grammie!