Of Moose And Men
The Best Laid Plans Of Both Often Go Astray

Caught up on bills today, and worked through a backlog of mail and magazines (mostly by just tossing the unread magazines since it was highly unlikely I’d actually read the back issues now). Cleaned some in the process, clearing off the couch and the dining table for the first time in a while. Unboxed the new oven and microwave, in hopes the maintenance folks will be able to get to them this week or next (and in any case they look better without the huge boxes around them now), provided we can connect on the phone soon. And actually did some work (for the BGA) today as well.

Otherwise the day was pretty blue for me. Today was the Nation’s Triathlon, which was to be my last race this season, and what I hoped would be the capping race to what started out as a pretty good darned season. As it was, I couldn’t even bring myself to go down to watch it, or do any of the club events surrounding the event. The fact that I can’t run has weighed very heavily on me this year, and it’s not been pretty, nor very easy to deal with. I miss it, a lot. I didn’t realize how much it affected my entire being to be able to get out and just run. The fact that the lack of running has been the fault of fairly consistent pain in my right foot (which just brings the fact to the fore on a daily basis) contributes to this, I’m sure.

The foot’s actually been more sore, which the aftercare guidelines says is normal for the first couple of weeks after the zapping. Hopefully it’ll get better as I get closer to the follow-up appointment on the 3rd, I’m really getting tired of having pain when I get up in the morning and take that first step (or if I end up walking a bit too much during the day, which is pretty much every day for me).

Anyway, what will happen will happen, and I’ll keep working with the podiatrist until the foot’s back to normal, but in the meantime I’m not much motivated for tri stuff.

Oh, and I finally withdrew formally from the IM race in November, too, so I can get the minimal refund they’ll send for it. Much sadness there, I really wanted to finally do one of those and I thought this was going to be the year for it. Guess not.

Headed off to the New Jersey State Triathlon this weekend to see my newbies in their first race. It’s been a good program this year, and a great group of participants. The trash talking on the club forum has been hysterical to read, and I hope they carry it over into the main forum as well – we could use more friendly competition there.

I’ll be doing what I did last year – taking lots of pictures. This time I have extra batteries, so I shouldn’t run out of juice before it’s over. Looking forward to race day, and also looking forward to the end of the heavy volunteer duties (until next year).

BC’s birthday was today. His sister, her partner and I took him out golfing (the first time I’ve golfed in over 15 years, if not more). 18 holes, and I think I got in my core workouts for the next week or two. Was a lot of fun, actually. One of the back nine had me asking BC if I were playing golf or croquet due to the number of short, flubbed hits, but so be it. Then dinner with the family, gifts & cake, etc. Good time, and he liked the bracelet he got from me (among other things), to match the necklace he got from me last year. Good time.

Saturday was open water swimming practice with our new triathletes, then a bike ride. I ended up helping one of the slower riders, and we stayed together through the whole 40 miles. No one else ended up doing lunch, but by the time we got near the restaurant we were both dying and needed food, in the form of an exquisite watermelon/strawberry soup. Fantastic stuff. Took forever to get through the ride in and around Annapolis, but was fun nonetheless. There was one absolutely wonderful hill where I got up to 43 mph. Loved it!

Lots of sun this weekend, but no burns (thank heavens for 30 spf). Between the jersey, the watch, the golf glove, etc. the patterns are a bit unusual, but that’s par for the course for moi. I’m no sun-worshiper, though I do enjoy being out and about in the summer, especially on the bike.

The first set of prescription goggles came in yesterday (two more came in today), so I got to try them out in the pool this evening. It was a little distracting, actually, being able to see while in the water – just noticing the details I could see now was interesting, but distracting. I actually ended up doing a bunch of drills toward the end to reorient my body into the proper water feel with the new ability to see. This will definitely help with sighting in open water, and I did enjoy being able to see, but it’ll take some getting used to. I think this is the first time I’ve been able to see when I was doing in the water since I got glasses back in 6th grade.

Went ahead and joined the new gym this evening, rented a locker so I don’t have to drag my shower shoes back and forth any more. Not a bad deal, even with the locker rental it’s still cheaper than the old one.

Depending on tomorrow’s weather, I’m headed out to bike with my newbies tomorrow morning early. Then it’s off to BC’s place and a bbq thing with his family on Sunday. And sandal shopping so I can stave off repeats of the plantar fasciitis (’cause that stuff is not fun, and I did not appreciate the repeat twinges in my right heel last week).

The brick went very well. I finished the bike course a bit faster than expected, and the run a lot faster than expected, which bodes well for the race.

When they said it was hilly up in Columbia, they weren’t kidding. The bike ascent was 1,954 ft all told, and the run was 1,348 ft. Not exactly the Alps, but not insubstantial, either. If this is what IMZ is going to be like, I seriously need to get out and do more hills.

The worst part of the bike was being in a spread out line of triathletes all slowly gearing up one of the hills when this group of three young roadies came flying past us like the hill was nothing. Ugh.

Almost didn’t make the group picture – one of the club women who was running with me and I came up just before they were about to snap it, so we ran down the hill and inserted ourselves just in time.

Oh, and my shoulders now look like a match for the arms last week (burnt!). It had been overcast, and so I didn’t put on sunscreen when I started, then just after we started the run the clouds finally rolled out and we got sun. Figures. For the race I’ll just put it on before I leave home, that’ll be easier and no excuses.

Don’t you hate it when you get up, get all ready, and realize you could’ve slept in for another hour?

I’m all assembled for the brick (bike-then-run; or as we like to say, Bike/Run/ICK!) and picnic up in Columbia on the tri race course. We’re not supposed to get there until 10, so with not quite an hour drive, I have not quite an hour to go until I pack up & take off. Debating making another bit of coffee for the car.

Whipped up a potato salad for the picnic part, and it’s pretty darned good, if I do say so. I’d never heard of steaming the celery and onion as well as the potato, and I think it makes a big difference in the texture and mouth feel for the thing (in a good way). Definitely a keeper recipe.

Busy week at work, but we did manage to pass The Project From Heck off to our #2 attorney for his review this weekend. I expect a call for edits next week, but I’m hoping that it won’t be a complete re-write. In any case, it’s off my plate and I don’t have to worry about it this weekend, which is a huge relief.

Tired this evening for some reason. Long day, but I got the (hopefully) final polish on The Project From Heck before it goes up to our front office to get ripped to shreds. Tomorrow is assembling the associated binder with all the cases and other materials we cite. Joy.

Went to a men’s knitting group tonight. All of three of us showed up, one of whom was way, way late. I stayed two hours, chatted a lot with my friend who showed up at the same time I did while we knitted, got a goof I put in the last time I sat down to knit taken out of the project (ripped out 4-5 rows to get below the goof, got it back on the needles successfully, and now there’s no sign of the goof. yay), and put several more inches on the thing. It’ll be done, eventually. Not like there’s a massive rush to finish a scarf now that Spring’s here (though getting the hot thing out of my lap while knitting will be a plus). It’s only once a month, so I can go again. Was nice to get out of the house and listen to the two-person band who was playing jazz/blues while we were there.

Short run tomorrow, and a swim after work, then it’s making potato salad and getting myself ready for a brick workout up in Columbia with the club. Get to test out the course (which I fully expect to kick my ass, since I’ve done zero hills this year), see what it’s going to be like in 2 weeks for the race itself. Get to see BC that evening, and he’s bringing over Tiger Woods golf to make me practice. I told him that’s fine, but I get to drag him into Super Smash Bros Brawl if he does bring Tiger Woods. I think that’s a fair trade.

Oh, and I almost forgot, called the student loan company to confirm that they credited the payment and I have a zero balance. Won’t get the official letter from them for another month to 45 days, but the helpful woman on the phone did confirm that it is in fact completely paid off now. Hooray!

It was wet and disgusting pretty much all day today, so I spent the vast majority of it sending my minions after various and sundry bugs, zombies and of course gold. Managed to find myself a mistress to redecorate my tower, forged some new armor, and killed off two more of the bosses. ‘Twas fun, if exasperating at times.

Did some tri club work this evening, coding of pages and sending out schedules for the other co-leaders to help decide when our next events are through the beginning of June. No bike today because of the thunderstorms, and didn’t feel like running since I’m supposed to run in the morning tomorrow.

Did get a lovely visit with JT last night – Thai food and good company, always a good combination. Almost dragged myself out to the local garden store, but decided to wait until next weekend when BC’s back in town and make him help. If I can drag him out shopping, that is – dunno what sort of time at home he’s going to need after seeing his grandparents and being out of town.

Friday was a glorious day off. I biked to get new running shoes, a new biking jacket/vest (convertible!), lunch with J, and new tubes for the blown one I had to replace on the way out the door.

Dinner ended up being liquid bread, aka lotsa beer, at Nellie’s and then Cobalt (birthday of a neighbor dragged me out for once). Ran into Don, who I really hope took home the cute, tall man who was attempting to hit on me (and Don!) before I had the chance to explain that, while he was tall and cute and would be tempting, I was taken and not amenable to breaking that particular promise. They disappeared, but not before I told Don he’d be a fool not to grab that one. Heaven willing that wasn’t bad advice.

The urchins are sort-of screaming outside. Someone called the cops earlier, which got rid of them around quarter to midnight, but they’re back outside again. I have an early bike ride in the morning (“Hi, this is what you’d look like hung over. DON’T DO THIS!!”), so I’m hoping they stay quiet and I don’t have to call the cops on them myself. As with all things in this city, I’m crossing my fingers but not holding my breath.

Yesterday? Pretty much a waste. Between the heat, humidity, and the urchins I slept hardly at all, so was just in a daze for most of the day. Lots of mindless Xbox play, reading, and eventually some knitting and TV watching.

Today, on the other hand, I feel like I’ve biked half of DC. At least I biked the southern half. It was the first ride for our newbie triathletes today, so I was out on ye olde and venerable (and quite heavy) mountain bike. ‘Twas a lot of fun, and as usual I rode sweep so I got to have a good chat with the young lady at the back of the pack. We did an impromptu tire changing demonstration as well. Overall it went very well, and no one got lost or injured.

After that I zipped home, called the parental units, then it was off to Barracks Row for bike and LYS (Local Yarn Shop) shopping. I went a new route to get over there, which is slightly out of the way, but safer than riding across M street, which had been my usual route. This turned out to be a very good thing, as there is evidently a baseball game going on this afternoon, so there were tons of cars all around the stadium. That would have been most unpleasant to bike through. As it was, there were more cars on the “back roads” than there normally are, due in large part to the new temporary parking lots in that part of southeast DC. Strangely there were also a ton of cars unsuccessfully attempting to find parking on the southwest side where I live as well. I guess they didn’t see the “there is no parking except for the parking lots so take Metro, you idiots” advertising all over the place in the weeks leading up to opening day.

Finally home to some lunch and settling in for a bit. I hope to see BC at some point (dinner?) this evening, since he takes off to see his grandparents in England on Tuesday and will be gone until late the following week. Work has had us both stressed out like there’s no tomorrow, so we’ve not gotten together for a bit, not having a ton of energy left after legal writing hell for me and late nights fixing the bad accounting from his predecessor for him. Miss him lots.