Friday fourteen (I think I made this up)..

1. I have crawled out of my post-race, post "fabulous trip" depression..time to get on with life!
This is directly proportional to the amount of training I have been doing...It works! For 2 weeks I have been running, biking and weights..

2. I am now accepting my new weight. I weigh the same right now that I did the day before IMWA so this must be my new weight-it is 8 lbs heavier than 2 years ago, 10 lbs heavier than I was in high school. I am over worrying about it, stressing about it. I eat healthy, do not overeat, train daily and nothing has really changed in the  past 2 years except I am older....When I die, no one is going to say Wow did you see those extra lbs she gained over the years? Well, no one I care about will anyway! I sucked it up and bought a size bigger jeans which H says are laughable, they look so baggy. But they are not tight in the waist, which makes me feel better..
(I love a husband who will tell you you need smaller jeans...he has learned!)

3. Speaking of husbands, mine does all the shopping and cooking. I can't remember the last time I set foot in a grocery store at home. The deal is; he cooks..I clean and do laundry (which is no small task I must say). The problem is I am use to hiring people to do the real dirty work house cleaning. I am having a harder time justifying this these days.I am perfectly capable of cleaning my own house. Actually I do a BETTER job than the folks I hire. So why do I detest it so?? This is one area of my life that I procrastinate (like I am doing right now) until I know people are coming over or company coming..

4. I have been running into a lot of stories of children dying lately. This makes me really, really sad...and grateful that we have 4 beautiful daughters and 3 granddaughters that are relatively healthy. I have had my share of deaths, but never a child. For that I am so thankful!

5. I have about 5 running socks that have no match. I keep waiting for mate of the socks to magically show up. These socks have been in my drawer about a year. I do not know why I can't just throw them away! I keep thinking But what if the other sock turns up next week? Ahhh..the trials of the retired person!

6. As athletic as I am, I really, really suck at golf. I tried to golf a few years ago, even went to "Golf Camp" but to no avail. My kids can attest to my horrible hand-eye coordination as they witnessed me trying to "play" volleyball at the last family reunion..Maybe when I am old(er), I will try golf again. I would like to be good..I just think I do not have the "golf gene"..I like the vision of hanging out with other little old ladies at the "club" someday, sipping tea after a round of nine..We'll see.

7. An old high school friend found a picture of me in our HS musical, singing. I had a lead role and I keep thinking Who was that person? I actually SANG in front of an AUDIENCE? I wanted to be an actress ever since I remember but have long given up that dream..I look in the newspaper and see auditions for local theater but just can't seem to imagine myself acting again..Hmm..maybe someday?

8. I signed up for 2 races this week. One is a half marathon on April 17th. The other is a local Sprint triathlon in May. The triathlon is a relay with H and my daughter..I am doing the swim-the easy part! The half marathon I am running with another daughter-well we will start together anyway. I think she got the "running gene" but not from me!

9. I tried Hot Yoga yesterday. I became very ill at the end of the class, which was only an hour and should have been "easy". I almost passed out after the class and was mega nauseated. I remember trying this kind of yoga a few years ago and had the same reaction..I had vertigo at the time so thought it was that but no..I pretty much have concluded that I found something I need to accept I can't do..It also brought back memories of IMWA, which was pretty much like racing in a sauna..didn't do so well with that either..I really LIKE the idea of being able to "detox" while twisting around into unnatural poses (which by the way are ridiculously hard for me anyway because I am as flexible as a statue)..Well, now I just need to find a good regular yoga class that I commit to doing at least for the next couple of months..

10. The Olympics have been great. I am, however getting a little bored with them after three weeks. I do not remember ever getting tired of the Olympics before. I loved the figure skating and those amazing aerial tricks off the ski jump. That looks like the hardest thing in the whole Olympics to me!

11. When I am trying to be patient, I count..Like at the airport, or in the middle of a ride or race..I just start counting. It is probably some form of O.C.D.  Don't figure it really impacts my quality of life enough to do anything about it..

12. I realized on our trip how very little I need to live. A suitcase full of clothes, some toiletries, a purse and a credit card is about all need to be happy..A nice 5 star hotel thrown in there once in awhile and I am good!

13. I am really, really slow right now running and biking. Kind of like when I first started doing these things...I am trying to convince myself that yes indeed, my RBC's have not come back yet to give me that extra oxygen we living at altitude get to enjoy. Sure hope that is it otherwise...I just suck...

14. The scab on my infamous leg wound is almost off. After almost 5 weeks, I am almost able to swim, take a bath, stop looking at my leg so much. It is now the size of a pea..They were not kidding when they said shin wounds take forever to heal..I am sooooo lucky the infection cleared! I could probably take a bath by now but am too scared to get infected again. My friend told me about tea tree oil, a natural antiseptic that I used once the scab formed. I do believe it has helped the healing process. Probably not what the doctor would have ordered but it sure did not hurt anything..

OK, now I really do have to get back to cleaning the house!