Random Things Post Holiday

1. Back-to-backs are done, and in some sort of amazing miracle,  it didn’t rain on us one little bit. Aside from a quick thunderstorm at the start of the day (we waited it out) the day was sunny. Really sunny – and hot. Like, the surface of Venus kind of hot.  We drank a million, thousand litres of water, and the heat was really a challenge, but we got it done.

beginningofride 2014-07-02

2. I love that picture. If you knew all of us, you would think that was totally us. All of us.  Amanda, smiling and happy, Ken – prepared, cheerful and calm,  Pato- eager and raring to go, Jen – well, she doesn’t usually look that manic, but she’s always up for anything, and that enthusiasm is surely typical, and then me, who looks crazed. As usual. Sam wasn’t feeling great and took the day off. We missed her. We’re not sure she missed us, considering the difficulty factor.

3. Yesterday I got back from the training ride at 7:30pm, threw myself in and out of the bath just long enough to get most of the dirt and sweat off me, got onto my city bike, and headed over to Lou’s house for a Canada Day BBQ.  It was fun, but the whole time I was there I was trying to figure out how I could sleep over at their house so that I didn’t have to ride up the hill to my house at the end.

4. I did ride that hill.  It was hard.  I’ve never felt more 46 years old than I did right then. I think if I have to ride my bike today I am going to cry.

5. I have today divided into 20 minute chunks of productivity, and several of those chunks are for knitting, because if I don’t get some real knitting time soon, I am going to be a danger to myself and others.

6. In particular, I want to finish this:

cowlalmost 2014-07-02

and the infernal socks, which are now weighing as heavily on me as my sore arse.

socksnotdone 2014-07-02

… and yeah.  I know the picture’s sort of blurry. So am I.  Frankly the last few weeks have really knocked the stuffing out of me.

7. Presents tomorrow? You bet.  Bumper crop.

8. I realized what it was I wanted to tell you about Canada on it’s birthday, and then looked around and saw that the rather fabulous Commander Chris Hadfield and his brother had already done it. Here you go.

In Canada

Enjoy.