Curious Case of my relationship..

I could write about the 2 funeral viewings we went to this week-sad, sad, sad. It makes me realize how short life really is and why are we really here and other deep thoughts.
I could write about the 2 movies we have seen lately-"Curious Case of Benjamin Button"-great movie (can anyone say BRAD PITT is AWESOME and BEAUTIFUL?). "The Wrestler"-gory awful movie with good acting.
I could write about the fact that I am going to a running group today at noon at the track with Coach Eric and how scared shitless I am about that.
I could write about the fact that I signed up for a stupid snowshoe race tomorrow at the top of the mountain and how I really regret doing so at this moment. I hate being cold and feeling race pressure in something I am not good at.
I could write about how Oprah's show on menopause and hormones has me searching for medical professionals who know anything about this. I did order 2 books on the subject.
I could write about my grand babies. A never ending story of how I love being a grandma to these 3 little girls.
I could write about how moving and exciting the inauguration was and how much I think President Obama rocks.

Instead I will write about how 20 years ago I met H, my husband-on January 16, 1989. We were in a divorce group-he just having gotten divorced and me, just having broken off a engagement. I had sworn off men for 6 months. Since I had nothing but resentment in my mind against the male species at that moment in time, the first thing I thought when I saw H was why is that guy wearing a white shirt? Now anyone who knows my husband knows how great looking and handsome he is, but at the time I was trying to find fault with anyone of the opposite sex. As I got to know him through the group, I realized yes, he had 2 little girls too, was a lawyer and we began to talk on the phone every night. We had our first date on February 14, 1989. The rest is history so they say. We have been through raising 4 teenage girls, suffered through the deaths of 3 parents, 1 sibling and 1 old dog. We have gone through fazes of being together yet living our own lives, me working, he working. Me being a triathlete, he working. Me being in school, he working. Me starting my own practice as a counselor, he working. But at the end of everyday, we would reconnect and talk about our days and lives and experiences. We have fought through hardships in relationship, blended family issues, kid issues, money issues. Still H & I have been each other's soft place to fall through it all. He is my best friend, my true love, my partner in life. We know each other better than anyone else. Sometimes we are thinking the same thing at the same time..now that is true love! The last 2 years have been amazing as we have retired and are spending most of out time together. Our separate worlds are intertwined now. He is a triathlete now, he does the shopping and cooking, I do the cleaning and laundry. It all works so well and has for 20 years now. I do not tire of him, nor him of me.

Yesterday was H's birthday. he is the youngest 62 year old I know...

Happy Birthday baby!

Yesterday (kinda) sucked!

Yesterday was a rather interesting day. It all started out when I decided (although H was not so enthusiastic but went anyway) to ride with our Outlaw buddies. The ride started at 8:30-temp. 32 degrees and sunny. In my fantasy mind this wouldn't be so bad, delusional as I was. The longest outdoor ride we have done since IMAZ is 16 miles and that was once, outside. The morning ride yesterday started our needless to say cold..My hands were blocks of ice. There were 8 of us. I knew I would be be of the slower riders but surely H would be with me as we worked our way to the coffee shop 17 miles away, in the friggin' freezing cold. And let me not forget the wind, of course...As we kept going, the group got farther ahead of me so Pirate, who is like the person you want to be with if you are in a tornado, started pulling me along as I drafted like a champ off of her steel bike. My carbon fiber kept up just fine with that..we caught up with a big random bike group and started getting sucked along with them until alas...plunk..I just fell off the back and was on my own to fight the wind..It really, really sucked..My heart rate was now way, way up.. forever it seemed. Finally, I got to where the group was waiting for me. Even H-he has become quite the cyclist and I am now in the second class group as he rides with the big kids. At last we arrived at the coffee shop, the relaxing part of the ride..Took forever to get a cup of hot chocolate....time to go already! I was pretty grumpy by now. I hate being last, I hate feeling my heart rate in the 160s for miles and miles..I hate being cold..on and on..By now we had a tailwind going back. I kept up with the 22 MPH for about 20 min., then off I went, in the back on my own. There was one other fellow that was right in front of me..we stopped briefly as he thought he had a flat..but didn't. Finally we caught up as the group waited for me..again.. Now I was just plain discouraged. I think I have lost all my base cycling in 8 short weeks even though we have been running, weights and spin class. Well at least I have lost it.. H wasn't much help as he talked about how much "fun" he had and how he can keep up with the fast people now..blah..blah..blah...I really want to be happy for him! It was very very discouraging for me...yesterday. What was suppose to be an "easy coffee" ride ended up being a torture fest for me. Time to rethink my training plans I guess..

Then we get home to our ever so clean home and tiles, I am at last on the couch relaxing. I hear H yell for me. I thought for sure the dog had finally kicked the bucket so came running frantically down the stairs but no, it was only a minor earthquake in the tile flooring:




(I actually do not think this picture does it justice how very cool it looks right in the entryway between the kitchen and living room! )





He heard the tile crack loudly and it lifted just like this off the floor. One hour before our guests from out of town were to arrive for the rest of the weekend..

Now this has happened before. It is a long story but basically, whoever laid the tile 10 years ago when the house was new, did a crappy job and the tiles have lifted, cracked in places ever since. Long story short, we have used the last of the extra tiles and of course they do not make this style anymore so we are left to limp these along until the big remodel, which will be sometime in the next few years..after Mocha goes to doggy heaven..

As I am sifting through our old receipts for the guy that fixed the last "earthquake of tiles" I finally find it in my files upstairs. It is now about 45 minutes before we are to go to the airport to pick up nephew, his wife and great niece.. H says just throw down the receipt and he will call the guy..so I throw and believe it or not I threw it right into the hanging light in the foyer:















This lamp is about 10 feet off the ground and 10 feet from the top stairs. I could not do this again if someone -paid me a million dollars. It was a fluke if I ever saw one! H & I burst out laughing, it was so ridiculous..Somehow we were able to read the number anyway, call the tile guy, who is of course retired but will some out of Monday to fix the tiles just for us.. Here is H retrieving the receipt..









Let me just say, it was not easy without a 10 ft ladder!






We sped off to get our company, who's plane was 20 minutes early, of course..They laughed with us as we explained our "construction zone" as H called it. It is great having them here..I am just glad yesterday is over.

We are going to try and sneak in our 2 hour run today somehow in between entertaining..maybe it will go better..

BTW-my good friend MG is on "Househunters" tonite on HGTV at 7:00 PM MST. If you get a chance, tune in. It was an experience taping it..seems reality TV is not as "real" and more scripted than you would think..I can now say I "know someone" who was on reality TV..like touching greatness..