Happy New Year! I can't believe it! Yesterday it snowed and so I went for a run instead of a ride, but rest assured...Mike was out there on his bike. While I was running the snow kept getting stuck on the sole of my shoes and I had to stomp it off. It was lovely and quiet. The snow fell down like it does in the movies. Last year I was amazed at how the snow fell sideways. So we have a light dusting everywhere---but today the sun is out and the snow will likely melt by tomorrow when the forecast predicts a BIG rainstorm and 40 degree temps.
This has been quite a week! My friend Mary Ann was hit on her bike by a drunk driver at 3:30 in the afternoon on a well traveled bicycle route in Palo Alto on December 23rd. She is in the good hands of Stanford's finest. It was horrendous and the guy who hit her tried to flee the scene, but there were too many people around and he was cornered. That said, after a night in the slammer he was let go. I won't go into the gory details, but she is lucky to be alive. And she is strong and out of ICU and heading home to her husband and three boys. Please include her healing in your prayers.
On a different note, I received a wonderful email from my dear friend Jamie. It said, "We're engaged! I am leaving for Baltimore tonight!" Jay and Jamie are getting married--I am so excited and happy for them! (Jay is from Baltimore and she was leaving to join him and his folks).
The noteworthy news of President Ford's passing, and Saddam Hussein's execution made it also a week for the Newscaster's. I enjoyed being reminded of Gerald Ford and can't really define how I feel about Saddam. In any case---it was a week of many thoughts and many "up and down" feelings. The high's with the low's.
My (California) folks are in Pismo Beach celebrating the New Year with the San Diego Mehler's. My (Minnesota) folks are off to celebrate the New Year with friends at a show at the Casino (not Las vegas---it's a Minnesotan casino). The Boston Taylor's (that would be us) will be eating a homemade Lasagna (made by yours truly) and enjoying an evening at home together. However you celebrate this last day of 2006, I wish you a safe, healthy and Happy New Year!
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Sunday, December 24, 2006
An Idea Party!
My Mom sent Mike and I this book, workbook and DVD by Barbara Sher, (Barbara Sher's Idea Party), and this morning, after the morning News, a weather check and a walk with the hound, we sat down and Mike plugged in the DVD and we sat around drinking smoothie's and watching Barbara talk about learning how to "live your dream". Anyway, we discussed the show at length afterwards and I unwrapped the workbook and now it's on our minds. I'll let you know how it goes. Right now it's full of powerful information---excitement and anxiety, all at the same time.
I think it is right around this time every year that Mike gets some idea in his head about change. I like to blame it on him, but I guess we both do it. Mike is less patient than I, and once he gets an idea going, there's no stopping him. It's like a race or something. We moved here with an ultimate plan to move out West...and now we are in the planning stages of that process. More excitement and anxiety. I keep thinking, "I'm too old for this...", but here we go again.
I've been running more than riding lately. Even though we've been lucky with a "mild" winter (no snow), it's still cold to me. In San Francisco when the weather is in the low 50's or 40's, the weather newscasters report how chilly it is. Here, they say how mild it is. Again I remember what my friend Bernie said to me when he told me, "A good day where you live now is like a crummy day in the Bay Area". He uses stronger language than I just did, but you get the gist. Ha!
Anyway---the holiday feeling hit home for me last Tuesday when our "Christmas box from Marshall" arrived. It changed my whole day. Every year, Mom (Taylor) bakes and ships us a little bit of Minnesota. And I am spoiled now and it doesn't feel like the holidays until it arrives. That next day, Mom (Mehler) went in for her biopsy, and the doctor's found "no tumor"! To top it off, her blood tests came back normal. So it is a season of miracles.
Whether it is the " Festival of Lights, the Holy Birth, or simply the love a beautiful day", may your Celebration of the Season be warm and Merry.
Love, Joni
I think it is right around this time every year that Mike gets some idea in his head about change. I like to blame it on him, but I guess we both do it. Mike is less patient than I, and once he gets an idea going, there's no stopping him. It's like a race or something. We moved here with an ultimate plan to move out West...and now we are in the planning stages of that process. More excitement and anxiety. I keep thinking, "I'm too old for this...", but here we go again.
I've been running more than riding lately. Even though we've been lucky with a "mild" winter (no snow), it's still cold to me. In San Francisco when the weather is in the low 50's or 40's, the weather newscasters report how chilly it is. Here, they say how mild it is. Again I remember what my friend Bernie said to me when he told me, "A good day where you live now is like a crummy day in the Bay Area". He uses stronger language than I just did, but you get the gist. Ha!
Anyway---the holiday feeling hit home for me last Tuesday when our "Christmas box from Marshall" arrived. It changed my whole day. Every year, Mom (Taylor) bakes and ships us a little bit of Minnesota. And I am spoiled now and it doesn't feel like the holidays until it arrives. That next day, Mom (Mehler) went in for her biopsy, and the doctor's found "no tumor"! To top it off, her blood tests came back normal. So it is a season of miracles.
Whether it is the " Festival of Lights, the Holy Birth, or simply the love a beautiful day", may your Celebration of the Season be warm and Merry.
Love, Joni
Sunday, December 17, 2006
2006 Cross National's - Providence, Rhode Island
Friday, December 15, 2006 - Cross National's, Providence, Rhode Island - Men 34-39
You could not have asked for better weather, this time of year in the North East. It was a little over-cast...but no snow, no rain and about 50 degrees! We arrived in Providence and made our way into the Roger Williams Zoo and park, the location of this year's extravaganza! As Mike went to register and get his number, I ran into Barry Wicks and Ryan Trebon and did something I haven't done in a long time (allright...not that long, I did get Jeremy Powers' signed race number a couple of weeks ago for my nephew)...I got them to sign my messenger bag---not behavior of a gal my age...but what the heck!
California Giant was sponsoring this year's event, and I ran into so many old friends---it felt like National's - Presidio style---as in San Francisco. As Mike went to warm up, the Scrapper and I wandered around and checked out the competition. All 177 of them! Sigh.
177---OUCH! Mike got another rotten start. He was in the 8th row---like 100 guys were in front of him. Matt Kraus, (Alan Factory- New Englander) took the "hole shot" and rode away from a chase group in the front row almost immediately! A chase group, which included Brent Prenzlow, Richard Feldman, Curt Davis and Shannon Skerritt got underway quickly. Amazingly, Mike had somehow managed to work his way into a top 20 position. Wow! How'd he pass all those guys?
Clearly Kraus was in fine form...unfortunately his bike wasn't doing as well and by the third time around his mechanical allowed Richard Feldman to take the lead, with about 15 seconds over the rest of the chasers. Kraus had to do a whole lap with a rear derailler that wasn't functioning and by the time he made it to the pitt...the front of the race was up the road!
Speaking of mechanicals...while Mike was warming up with Andy Jacques-Maynes and Justin Robinson, they said, "Dude...you're not riding clinchers, are you?" So Mike rode up to me to get his tubulars out of the car. The tubulars that he glued last year in Minnesota. And of course he rolled one---after he had worked his way into a top 10 position. RATS! He was able to work the tire back onto the wheel...but not soon enough. He lost his top 10 spot, and had to settle for 20th. But he rode really well.
We loaded up the car (we received a Rhode Island parking ticket!), and headed back to the Seven Cycles Factory for a Whole Foods Catered Holiday Feast & celebration...a nice end to a lovely day and end to the cross racing season!
Happy Holidays!
You could not have asked for better weather, this time of year in the North East. It was a little over-cast...but no snow, no rain and about 50 degrees! We arrived in Providence and made our way into the Roger Williams Zoo and park, the location of this year's extravaganza! As Mike went to register and get his number, I ran into Barry Wicks and Ryan Trebon and did something I haven't done in a long time (allright...not that long, I did get Jeremy Powers' signed race number a couple of weeks ago for my nephew)...I got them to sign my messenger bag---not behavior of a gal my age...but what the heck!
California Giant was sponsoring this year's event, and I ran into so many old friends---it felt like National's - Presidio style---as in San Francisco. As Mike went to warm up, the Scrapper and I wandered around and checked out the competition. All 177 of them! Sigh.
177---OUCH! Mike got another rotten start. He was in the 8th row---like 100 guys were in front of him. Matt Kraus, (Alan Factory- New Englander) took the "hole shot" and rode away from a chase group in the front row almost immediately! A chase group, which included Brent Prenzlow, Richard Feldman, Curt Davis and Shannon Skerritt got underway quickly. Amazingly, Mike had somehow managed to work his way into a top 20 position. Wow! How'd he pass all those guys?
Clearly Kraus was in fine form...unfortunately his bike wasn't doing as well and by the third time around his mechanical allowed Richard Feldman to take the lead, with about 15 seconds over the rest of the chasers. Kraus had to do a whole lap with a rear derailler that wasn't functioning and by the time he made it to the pitt...the front of the race was up the road!
Speaking of mechanicals...while Mike was warming up with Andy Jacques-Maynes and Justin Robinson, they said, "Dude...you're not riding clinchers, are you?" So Mike rode up to me to get his tubulars out of the car. The tubulars that he glued last year in Minnesota. And of course he rolled one---after he had worked his way into a top 10 position. RATS! He was able to work the tire back onto the wheel...but not soon enough. He lost his top 10 spot, and had to settle for 20th. But he rode really well.
We loaded up the car (we received a Rhode Island parking ticket!), and headed back to the Seven Cycles Factory for a Whole Foods Catered Holiday Feast & celebration...a nice end to a lovely day and end to the cross racing season!
Happy Holidays!
Monday, December 04, 2006
Patriot's ball game = light traffic on the roads!
Not only did the weather cooperate today, but with a state full of Patriot's fans, the traffic on the roads was lighter than it's been in eons! We had planned to go do a local Cross-race, but Mike was feeling that way he feels before he gets sick, so we decided to play it safe and not push things. I waited for it to warm up to 40 degrees, and then headed out for just under 50 miles of fairly congestion-free riding. Yesterday the wind was blowing harder than I've seen since I left Marshall, MN---In fact, I went out to the track for a run as opposed to tackling the blustery day on two wheels.
I've been slowly getting myself conditioned so that I can run more regularly without injuring myself. My calves keep cramping. Mike says he has the same problem and so it might be one of those "people-who-ride-their-bicycles-too-much" kind of injuries. Anyway, I was able to do over 4 miles twice last week with no pain which is nice. Maybe all the walking I've been doing has been good for something besides the environment!
It's Monday now---and it is snowing! Luckily I have a Minnesota winter jacket that Diane bought for me before we moved to Marshall! And I even have snow boots. So the Taylor's will all three walk to work this morning in the snow.
Have a wonderful week...and happy birthday Zachary Mehler!
I've been slowly getting myself conditioned so that I can run more regularly without injuring myself. My calves keep cramping. Mike says he has the same problem and so it might be one of those "people-who-ride-their-bicycles-too-much" kind of injuries. Anyway, I was able to do over 4 miles twice last week with no pain which is nice. Maybe all the walking I've been doing has been good for something besides the environment!
It's Monday now---and it is snowing! Luckily I have a Minnesota winter jacket that Diane bought for me before we moved to Marshall! And I even have snow boots. So the Taylor's will all three walk to work this morning in the snow.
Have a wonderful week...and happy birthday Zachary Mehler!
Saturday, December 02, 2006
December, 2006?
Can you believe it? Yikes! One of the nicest things about my life as a Taylor, and even before I officially became a Taylor, but certainly since I did, is I no longer ever suffer from the dreaded "holiday blues". Which leads me to the conclusion that who is in your life rates far higher than any of the things you may or may not have. At least for me this is true. A nice thing to know...
We have been experiencing the global warming big time over here in Boston. Yesterday and the day before it was nearly 70 degrees. Weird to think it is warmer here today than it is in Hot-lanta---at least this morning that is true. I know, I know, it isn't supposed to last. In fact tomorrow we are in store for a real change and already today it is cooler by almost 20 degrees...but still. I thought I was hanging up my two wheels last weekend...but it looks like I will get to ride both days this weekend.
And NEXT weekend I will be in San Diego! A nice thing to look forward to this time of year when you leave in New England. We had a little hiccup with Mom's chemo. She didn't have enough white blood cells last Wednesday and so she couldn't have her planned infusion. Now we "hope" (a few weeks ago we hoped she wouldn't have to have chemo this coming week) her blood count allows her to get back on the program. Sigh. My glowing Mom. Sigh again...
There is generally a whole lot of wishing and praying going on this month---even the little kids get involved, wish and praying for little shiny toys. We are lighting a candles and praying for white blood cells and no more cancer---and giving thanks for all of our many blessings.
Have a wonderful Saturday!
We have been experiencing the global warming big time over here in Boston. Yesterday and the day before it was nearly 70 degrees. Weird to think it is warmer here today than it is in Hot-lanta---at least this morning that is true. I know, I know, it isn't supposed to last. In fact tomorrow we are in store for a real change and already today it is cooler by almost 20 degrees...but still. I thought I was hanging up my two wheels last weekend...but it looks like I will get to ride both days this weekend.
And NEXT weekend I will be in San Diego! A nice thing to look forward to this time of year when you leave in New England. We had a little hiccup with Mom's chemo. She didn't have enough white blood cells last Wednesday and so she couldn't have her planned infusion. Now we "hope" (a few weeks ago we hoped she wouldn't have to have chemo this coming week) her blood count allows her to get back on the program. Sigh. My glowing Mom. Sigh again...
There is generally a whole lot of wishing and praying going on this month---even the little kids get involved, wish and praying for little shiny toys. We are lighting a candles and praying for white blood cells and no more cancer---and giving thanks for all of our many blessings.
Have a wonderful Saturday!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
