...since the last time I wrote! Ha! (And, no, it wasn't all the traveling around that aged me---I just passed that year mark...again). I can not remember a nicer birthday. Given all the time constraints for getting in my Fall/Winter orders in at work, I had to work on my birthday. That said, the folks that are dear to my heart---(almost all, missing my Minnesota "heart" folks), live in this work zone. So I spent my working time catching up and visiting with friends, and celebrating my birthday a million times at each shop...
But it gets better. On Valentine's Day (day before my birthday), my San Diego brother was in town doing some training for his work...and my San Francisco brother decided to join in on the fun and we all gathered at my California Mom & Dad's house for dinner. But wait. It gets better. As we all were visiting in the livingroom, Layne shows up. And to make it perfect, Mike and Sydney rolled in just in time for dinner!
I get confused separating the days---but Dad made a feast of Ahi Tuna, Mojito Salmon, mango salad, and a fresh Sour Dough Rye bread...topped off with some carrot cake and a fruity light pie for dessert. Afterwards, my husband brought down a BIG box for an old Apple monitor and said, "Happy Birthday Sweetie!". He added that everyone chipped in---all the way from Minnesota. "Shake it! Can you guess what it is?" I honestly had NO IDEA.
Imagine my surprise when inside the box was a brand new, 8-piece Campy Record Gruppo! In my wildest dreams, I never imagined such a gift. The bigger present is he used his bonus for the purchase. I am speechless still. For you non-bike people, this is the "top of the line, it doesn't get better than this" component group for a bicycle!
Top that off with two good rides up Mount Hamilton on the weekend ( with my husband on Sunday) and this was a very happy time.
So---even though it was another busy 10 days of driving all over the place, it is a birthday I will never forget. And, I actually got to see many of you people on this list.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Sunshine on my face...
...can make me smile! Throw in a little self made breeze from spinning my two wheels, and you've got a full-toothed grin from this girl! It is fantabulous! The big old mountains are snowy and white and I'm out riding my bike in and around them in clear-blue-skied-sunshine! Wow. All my house-jobs were done by noon and I headed out for a long awaited outside ride in the sunshine and no wind. Unbelievably beautiful! Just what I needed to feel rested for the busy travel week ahead.
The mountains look so much bigger with snow on them. You can see the outlines of each of the lower ranges and then the big steep ones glisten in the deep blue sky. It will be interesting to see how they look from the California side. Just hoping for these clear skies to hold until I get over the pass on Wednesday.
Anyway---today is one of those days when I know for sure there is a G_d, not that there is ever any doubt! Just a blessing to get to enjoy the planet's wonders, right here in my own backyard with the love of my life and our little small hound!! (It sounds too corny ---but I am very happy to be home...and yes the endorphin's are going since I was out for about 3 hours on my bicycle).
Happy Sunday!
The mountains look so much bigger with snow on them. You can see the outlines of each of the lower ranges and then the big steep ones glisten in the deep blue sky. It will be interesting to see how they look from the California side. Just hoping for these clear skies to hold until I get over the pass on Wednesday.
Anyway---today is one of those days when I know for sure there is a G_d, not that there is ever any doubt! Just a blessing to get to enjoy the planet's wonders, right here in my own backyard with the love of my life and our little small hound!! (It sounds too corny ---but I am very happy to be home...and yes the endorphin's are going since I was out for about 3 hours on my bicycle).
Happy Sunday!
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Nothing!
What a treat to have absolutely nothing that I have to do today! Well...not nothing really, but nothing to do with work. I just have house jobs to do with my husband (shopping, laundry, house-cleaning, etc.). Hmmm. I guess I do have something to do today. But the schedule is mine---all mine!
And we're in for some sunshine and lovely weather. Mike said it snowed everyday while I was gone and the weather turned nice the day I returned. Not sure he was happy to see me or happy for the weather change. Maybe a little bit of both. You know how when you return back home and you have a mound of "jobs" awaiting you (like groceries, laundry, house-cleaning, etc.)? Not with my husband! He's awesome and I came home to a clean house, food for the rest of the week and no piles of laundry! He's that handsome face in a crowd that lights up just for me!!!
So even though I have housework to do, it isn't close to what it could be. Outside riding weather, the first day off in 2 weeks, and I have a few days to relax before heading back on the road on Wednesday for a week. It'll be a working birthday this year---but I will hopefully catch a few of the stages of the Tour of California live and in person. And working in Northern California is a paradise of sorts. And Mike is going to try and come down and meet me for the weekend.
I can even take a nap today! Anyway---enjoy your Saturday. I know I will!
And we're in for some sunshine and lovely weather. Mike said it snowed everyday while I was gone and the weather turned nice the day I returned. Not sure he was happy to see me or happy for the weather change. Maybe a little bit of both. You know how when you return back home and you have a mound of "jobs" awaiting you (like groceries, laundry, house-cleaning, etc.)? Not with my husband! He's awesome and I came home to a clean house, food for the rest of the week and no piles of laundry! He's that handsome face in a crowd that lights up just for me!!!
So even though I have housework to do, it isn't close to what it could be. Outside riding weather, the first day off in 2 weeks, and I have a few days to relax before heading back on the road on Wednesday for a week. It'll be a working birthday this year---but I will hopefully catch a few of the stages of the Tour of California live and in person. And working in Northern California is a paradise of sorts. And Mike is going to try and come down and meet me for the weekend.
I can even take a nap today! Anyway---enjoy your Saturday. I know I will!
Thursday, February 07, 2008
More "heart-ing" LA
When you have spent the last week in snow-storms (Chicago) and constant cold rain (even if the PacNW is beautiful, and it is indeed, it is very rainy in Jan/Feb), packing up and hanging back up an entire collection of cycling gear (+90 pieces)over and over again, combined with early mornings and later than I am used to evenings and driving around and getting lost in unknown cities albeit, familiar airports--(not complaining---it was a fun adventure, but exhausting), arriving to sunny blue skies, and ocean views and warmer weather was a real big treat. Pretty much we had not seen sunshine (except for maybe 5 minutes here and there in Portland) in over a week.
And my friend who runs the Marriott in Marina Del Rey "styled" us in a big way with lovely suites and VIP service---all unexpected, all very welcome indeed! After we arrived, Paola went and explored Venice Beach by foot and I went for a 4 mile run...in the warm LA sunshine. We treated ourselves to an Ahi Tuna dinner and some local Simi Valley Cabernet and toasted the first week of presentations on the road and in the air.
Sunday, once again we were rained out but not down. Paola wanted to go to the "exotic" Abercrombie & Fitch (only in the UK in Europe), and I went for another 5 mile run in the fitness center downstairs and then walked to the beach and watched the waves and got grounded while the rest of the town was in a super bowl frenzie. Even a relaxing weekend in LA can feel tiring when you are entertaining someone from another country, but Paola is a very independent Italian woman---so it was fine.
Monday and Tuesday were filled with bike shops and traffic and LA sunshine---from Laguna Hills to Santa Monica to Seal Beach and Pasadena and Fullerton and all around the LA bowl. It was a successful but tiring trip. We arrived at LAX for our flight to Reno to meet with a client from Colorado Springs the next day.
Mike and the Scrapper were a sight for sore eyes indeed. Just what this girl needed after a Tour de Force of the last 11 days! Home sweet home for at least a week before I hit the ground again! I am very very tired! If you are heading to Portland for the Handmade Bike Show, enjoy! I love it there even if it rains. Really a lovely place!
And my friend who runs the Marriott in Marina Del Rey "styled" us in a big way with lovely suites and VIP service---all unexpected, all very welcome indeed! After we arrived, Paola went and explored Venice Beach by foot and I went for a 4 mile run...in the warm LA sunshine. We treated ourselves to an Ahi Tuna dinner and some local Simi Valley Cabernet and toasted the first week of presentations on the road and in the air.
Sunday, once again we were rained out but not down. Paola wanted to go to the "exotic" Abercrombie & Fitch (only in the UK in Europe), and I went for another 5 mile run in the fitness center downstairs and then walked to the beach and watched the waves and got grounded while the rest of the town was in a super bowl frenzie. Even a relaxing weekend in LA can feel tiring when you are entertaining someone from another country, but Paola is a very independent Italian woman---so it was fine.
Monday and Tuesday were filled with bike shops and traffic and LA sunshine---from Laguna Hills to Santa Monica to Seal Beach and Pasadena and Fullerton and all around the LA bowl. It was a successful but tiring trip. We arrived at LAX for our flight to Reno to meet with a client from Colorado Springs the next day.
Mike and the Scrapper were a sight for sore eyes indeed. Just what this girl needed after a Tour de Force of the last 11 days! Home sweet home for at least a week before I hit the ground again! I am very very tired! If you are heading to Portland for the Handmade Bike Show, enjoy! I love it there even if it rains. Really a lovely place!
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Chicago-Seattle-Portland
What a week! First my plane out of Reno was delayed for 4.5 hours leaving Reno, so what I had hoped would be a nice evening in Chicago, turned into a midnight arrival in the windy city. It was the day before the weather change and so it was actually warmer in Chicago (no snow on the ground) than it was in Reno. The airlines tried to blame it on the weather---but it was lovely in Reno AND Chicago, so I have a hard time believing this!
Of course, true to this part of the Mid-West, the weather was soon to change. Our original flight was canceled at 4pm (even though the snow had yet to fall) and was post-poned until 9pm). And right as the snow was now coming down and blowing all over the place, our plane left around 9PM and headed West for Seattle, and the weather was bad in both places---yet the plane still flew. Paola and I had hoped to spend the evening sightseeing in Seattle, but of course by the time we arrived it was once again near midnight. Sigh.
After a day of appointments in the cold rain, we had some local wine-tasting in Issaqua (Walla Walla Valley!)--and decided to head to the downtown, Pike Street Fish market to celebrate Paola's birthday. We found a lovely quiet little place and ate some wild salmon and then headed back to our room for an early flight to Portland.
Did I mention the rain? OK. So we left a rainy Seattle and arrived in a rainy Portland. At least our first stop was River City Bicycles, one of the most fabulous bikeshops in the USA. If you are ever in Portland, this shop is worth a visit. More rain...more visits and then we headed to our room for a good nights sleep for the first time in days.
We woke up well-rested---and to more rain before heading to Hillsboro and then ended the day with Thai food with A friend and his wife. Another early morning in the rain before heading to some California sunshine and a weekend to rejuvenate in lovely Marina Del Rey, California!
Of course, true to this part of the Mid-West, the weather was soon to change. Our original flight was canceled at 4pm (even though the snow had yet to fall) and was post-poned until 9pm). And right as the snow was now coming down and blowing all over the place, our plane left around 9PM and headed West for Seattle, and the weather was bad in both places---yet the plane still flew. Paola and I had hoped to spend the evening sightseeing in Seattle, but of course by the time we arrived it was once again near midnight. Sigh.
After a day of appointments in the cold rain, we had some local wine-tasting in Issaqua (Walla Walla Valley!)--and decided to head to the downtown, Pike Street Fish market to celebrate Paola's birthday. We found a lovely quiet little place and ate some wild salmon and then headed back to our room for an early flight to Portland.
Did I mention the rain? OK. So we left a rainy Seattle and arrived in a rainy Portland. At least our first stop was River City Bicycles, one of the most fabulous bikeshops in the USA. If you are ever in Portland, this shop is worth a visit. More rain...more visits and then we headed to our room for a good nights sleep for the first time in days.
We woke up well-rested---and to more rain before heading to Hillsboro and then ended the day with Thai food with A friend and his wife. Another early morning in the rain before heading to some California sunshine and a weekend to rejuvenate in lovely Marina Del Rey, California!
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