Category: Rando

Trials

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The European Cup (Paul is obsessed), Olympic Trials (craziness in track and field), NBA draft (huge for Kentucky), the Tour de France (starting this weekend)…it’s an interesting phenomenon watching all these amazing athletic feats going on while your own body slowly turns into a pile of mush.

This past week from 8-9pm every night has been devoted to watching swimming.  I really think I enjoy Trials more than the actual Olympics. They are so fricking exciting.

And while the whole Phelps/Lochte thing is so overdone, and Rowdy Gains and Dan Hicks feel the need to sit in each other’s laps while they announce (see above), there are moments like this:

breeja larson winning the 100 breast, first time an A&M swimmer has ever won at olympic trials

…and this…

matt grever’s family celebrating his olympic berth (picture taken by a friend who is attending the event…awesome)

…and this.

first olympic team for both of them

I pretty much tear up after every race.

So far I have been the only one home when they’re on, so I settle in with Spike and a box of popsicles (it’s been like 90* here at night, ridiculously hot) and yell and cheer and scare the dog while slowly making my way through the box.  It takes a lot out of you. And kind of feels like exercise.  I recommend it.

P.S. Germany just lost to Italy in the European Cup.   It’ll be a sad night at the in-laws.

Beluga Bubbles

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In honor of the new whale-shaped scar on my arm (stitches are out!), here are some pictures of a beluga blowing bubble rings and playing in the bubbles.  Frickin.  Awesome.

For the full series of these pics, visit here.

…speaking of sea life, my full, looong Hawaii race report (for those of you who are either masochistic or seriously bored) has finally been posted here.

A Memorial Day Moment

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I have a million things happening right now and no time to do anything, especially write on here, and sappy stuff isn’t really in my wheelhouse (as you’ll see).  But, for me, it’s important to slow down for just a second and take a moment to remember why I get to spend this amazing free Monday outside in the sun instead of sitting in my cubicle participating in my daily battle with Microsoft Outlook.

NPR’s Story Corps is always good for a cry on the way in to the office. This past Friday they played this story a WWII bugle player told to his grandson.  It’s an amazing story to hear first-hand.

Thank you to all those who serve, soldiers and civilians alike.

my grandfather, arlington national cemetery

A sad, rainy day…

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…is today.  This morning I stopped by to wish bon voyage to Kristin, who has her car all packed up and is moving back to DC today.  This is so, so sad for me.  Kristin was one of the first people I met here, she lived around the corner from us and is always up for post-work drinks or Sunday night lazy dinners when Paul isn’t around.  So, while I’m happy for her to be moving on, I have no idea who will sit on the couch with me at Beer Trappe now and sing along to the 90s alternative rock mix they always play.

In happier news, Romy made her British soccer debut this weekend.

JK.  But we do need to get our chickens capes.  Stat.  An article and video with better announcers is here (couldn’t find the video to embed.)

Gone till November

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Last Thursday I hopped on a plane down to Atlanta to wish my sister safe travels on her way to Afghanistan.

My dad

Uncle Mark

and bro-in-law Joe

picked me up from the airport Thursday night and we were off to Fort Benning where we met up with my sister, who is a badass ARMY NURSE!  Unfortunately, she found out on Thursday that she would be flying out Friday morning at 8am as opposed to Saturday, which only gave us about 12 hours with her.  Bummer.  But at least they were a good 12 hours.

We woke up at 3:45 Friday morning to drive into the base, where I helped her finish packing…

…and put together her gun holster…

…and then we all carried her bags down to the loading dock…

…where she dropped off her bag and picked up her gun.  After a breakfast of powdered eggs and some good solid waiting around for orders, we wished her bon voyage…

…and watched as everyone got into formation and loaded onto the buses.

Then, we had 3 full days together in Georgia.  This meant relaxation

good food

and family time.

Molly sent us an email this morning, she made it safely to Afghanistan.  She’ll be back a few days after Thanksgiving.

Go thank a soldier today.

Hangover

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Now that basketball season has come to a victorious close, Lexington is settling back into normality…which means no more wearing Kentucky hoodies to work (dammit).

With all the basketball hoopla (pun intended) dominating everything, what else has gone on?

Well, 2 weeks ago I got food poisoning that almost killed me.  I couldn’t move for 2 days, and the morning I finally did make it out of the house a bird took a massive s**t on my head and new shoes.  So that week sucked.

Paul took a break from stressing about boards to bottle his beer…which makes him so happy.

We are storing the bottles in the closet in our guest room for the 2 remaining weeks until it’s drinkable.  I made the mistake of opening the closet door the other day and Paul FLIPPED about exposing the bottles to light.  So if you come visit, don’t do that.

Training picked up a lot for me the week after I was sick (Hawaii is less than 2 months away…), which has been great but tiring.  I’ve also been running really slowly lately, which is rough.  Not sure why.  But, plodding on…

Oh, and I baked a cake for the Louisville game.

Strawberries on the inside, blueberries on top (because blue dominates red, of course.)  It was ugly but delicious.  I more or less ate the whole thing in a single go (might have something to do with my slower runs.)

Exciting stuff.  Back to the grind.

Blastoff

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We have an upgraded birdfeeder.  Courtesy of Paul.  Let’s see the squirrels get up that thing.

So soothing to look at.

Update: Oh. My. God.  This would have been so much better.  Who doesn’t need a squirrel-tracking sentry water gun.