Miles from Nowhere . . .

Biking Reports

2011-08-04T12:39:00.001-07:00

On Saturday, July 9, a group of us traveled to Chelsea, Michigan (about 20 miles west of Ann Arbor) to participate in One Helluva Ride. Millard, Kellee and Randy left the fairgrounds on the 100-mile course around 7:15 a.m., and Kecia and I left an hour later on the 64-mile course. It was a warm day, sunny, but the first 38 miles were quite pleasant. We averaged about 14 mph for this portion.

At 38 miles we all met up for lunch. At this point the 100-milers were 50 miles into their ride and Millard still didn't know if he would continue on the 100 mile course or join Kecia and I, which would put him at 75 miles for the day. After the best lunch ever for an organized bike ride, we all departed and biked together for about 10 miles

We hit the place where Kecia and I were to go left, while the 100 milers went right, and Millard decided to do the whole 100. So we said goodbye and went on. We stopped around mile 48 at the last rest stop and loaded up with ice and another wonderful plum, then pushed on. At this point, the sun was brutal and our speed declined quite a bit. We finished up with a 12 mph overall average (so you can figure out HOW SLOW those last 16 miles went), had multiple pieces of ice cold watermelon, then headed home for showers and a nap.

Got a call later from the 100-milers who finished with a 15.6 overall average--very impressive! Later that night we all had a marvelous dinner at Palio and walked around Main Street. Everyone was feeling good.

Then, a week later, Millard and I headed north to ride the RAT--Ride Around Torch--an annual event in the Traverse City area. We were meeting our friends David and Donna, who have relocated to Las Cruces in retirement. The RAT is a good way to see them each year, as they vacation away from the heat in New Mexico.

Well, I have to say--the RAT is much tougher, overall, and particularly following so quickly on the heels of OHR. The temps were hot and muggy, shooting up into the 90's by late morning. And the course is HILLS--lots of long, hard grades. By mile 50 my breathing was labored, I had hit my inhaler a number of times and was still light headed and oxygen deprived. I decided to bag it at 50, but Millard and Donna pushed on and finished. Everyone was hot and exhausted at the end.

So, no more long rides for me until September. I actually went back to spinning class in order to avoid biking in the heat and humidity--it's just not fun. But I'll be back on my bike this weekend.

Everyone stay safe out there.

I went down to the crossroads . . .

2011-07-07T08:55:00.000-07:00

So, an opportunity has been presented to me that would require tremendous risk. It would require that I leave the safety and high salary of my present position, a position toward which I have worked for 28 years, to the insecurity of having to raise a budget each year. It would require that I completely relearn how to work at the age of nearly 58. And it would require a huge leap in responsibility, including raising the funds to pay myself and staff.

Why would I even entertain such a plan? Well, for openers, it would utilize my training in public policy and build on over 30 years of general management experience. It would be in a non-profit environment and in an area that truly interests me. It would be incredibly meaningful work. It appeals to my sense of not being done yet; of still having energy and drive and the need to make difference despite my age.

I have plenty of money in retirement and I'm already eligible to retire from here and lock in my benefits; both kids are established enough to make it on their own and haven't needed help from us in a long time. Millard and I have a comfortable and stable home life that would not be disrupted by the change. I would be based in Ann Arbor and not far from my mom.

What to do, what to do? How do I face the fear and push beyond it?

And Summer Arrives!

2011-05-31T12:18:00.001-07:00

So, on May 19 we headed north to Mackinaw City for our annual participation in the Zoo de Mack bike ride. This makes year 8 for us, I think.

The Z-d-M is a 51 mile ride from Boyne Highlands near Harbor Springs to Mackinaw City, in the shadow of the Mackinac Bridge, one of the world's great suspension bridges which connects the Lower Peninsula to the Upper of Peninsula of Michigan. Across the bridge is wilderness; to the south of the bridge, just barely civilization. I love it there.

The ride day was really glorious, warm but not too warm; clear. We got a late start because we first dropped off a rental car in Mackinaw City, then dropped the dogs at the kennel for the day, then drove to Harbor Springs to get started. It was a HUGE field of riders this year, move than 3,400. We managed to make the lunch stop in under two hours and the rest of the trip in two more hours. Not bad for the first ride of the year.

In the meantime, the fish flies were out in full force. The good news is that they don't bite; however, they like to fly into your eyes and mouth if you aren't careful.

On to One Helluva Ride on July 9. That will be 63 miles.

P.S. On one of my picture-taking excursions I happened upon this headstone in a local cemetery. Can someone tell me WHY one would choose a headstone like this?

Time to Start Paddling

2011-04-28T13:45:00.000-07:00

A prelude to spring, I guess .. ..

Last night it rained so hard that my street turned into a raging river. I'm not kidding--the city storm sewers were completely overwhelmed when we got 2" of rain within about 15 minutes. It was insane.

The thing that woke me up was the sump pump going off every 10 seconds. I'm not exaggerating this; I counted between runs and it was around 10 seconds. It now has me worried about the finished basement and the fact that we don't have flood insurance. Maybe we should get it.

All of this rain is really making things green. The grass is about 6" high already, which means it's time to contact Roy the Super Gardener. I really hope that we are headed into better weather.

Speaking of better weather, we actually got to ride our bikes OUTSIDE on Sunday! Just 20 miles, from home to Dexter and back, but it was great. Here's hoping for a good bike season.

Note to file . . .

2011-04-05T14:00:00.001-07:00

STILL WINTER-ISH HERE. WHAT THE @#^%%^$&$*(*(*))?????

SPRING TRAINING!

2011-03-17T09:44:00.001-07:00

After our two weeks spent in Georgia and North Carolina, where the temps were in the 70's, I'm ready to get the bike back on the road. Problem is . . . Michigan still hasn't received the memo about spring. But training will commence, no matter what!

The first big bike ride of the spring is the Zoo-de-Mack on May 21. We are already signed up. I've also heard from friends that they ar coming into town for One Helluva Ride this July, and they want to do the 100 miler this year.

Today I worked out my training plan and it's ready for posting on the refrigerator. I'm pumped. For the first time in years I'm ready to go back into training.

Now, just bring on that sun!!!

The 30-Day Workout

2011-01-25T09:37:00.001-08:00

So . . . on December 24 I decided that I would put myself on a "Ten Day Challenge" and workout every day over the holiday break. The immediate goal was to do something constructive instead of sitting around and eating cookies throughout the holidays. I am happy to report that this challenge worked for me, so much so that I have put my friends on it with me.

Following the First Ten Day Challenge came the "Next Ten Day Challenge" (NTDC), during which we all did something physically challenging every single day. That could be hard workout, or yoga, or a nice walk around the neighborhood. Anything that constitutes at least 30 minutes of exercise, including stretching, counts. I was able to work out nearly every single day, except for a few rest days where I walked with dogs or climbed steps or did something innocuous in order to rest my muscles. We established a Facebook page to keep track and right now there are about 20 of us participating.

Well, as of yesterday I have completed 30 days of challenge, and it is starting to feel like a habit I can maintain as I go forward. Beginning a few days ago, I issued a "Thirty Day Challenge" to the group with an additional goal of eating better and dropping a few pounds. This seems like a fun way to get ready for spring, which, although no where in sight at this point, surely must be coming sometime soon.

Carry on.

Connections

2011-01-13T09:08:00.000-08:00

I suffer from degenerative joint disease, also known as osteoarthritis. Not very sexy and definitely not life-threatening, for which I am grateful. However, the condition is absolutely quality-of-life-threatening, as I am finding out all the time.

Nearly two years ago I had both knees replaced, and that has been a gift from heaven. Following the knee surgery, my lower lumbar spine gave me a great deal of grief and I was actually scheduling back surgery. Thanks to a great chiropracter and massage therapist, however, those problems are now in remission. And thanks to a good exercise program, I am strengthening the lumbar and abdominal muscles so that the discs stay where they belong in the future.

Five years ago I developed basal joint arthritis the in the bottom joint of my left thumb. A shot of cortisone put it to rest until a few months ago. At the time I had the shots, my orthopedic doctor told me that there were very few options for joint replacement of the hands. Current procedures, at the time, did not have an impressive success rate, and he was not willing to consider it.

After months of pain not only in my left, but also my right thumb, I went back to see my doctor on Tuesday. The xrays revealed that the damage in the left had advanced considerably, and the right thumb was now following suit. The bad news is that I can't have any more cortisone on the left side. The good news, though, is that joint reconstruction is now very successful. So I will be having surgery on both hands (one at a time, of course) in the near future.

They say that the baby boom generation is not content to suffer in silence, and that is certainly the case with me. Chronic pain causes me to overeat and drink too much, to self-medicate, and those behaviors have a negative impact on my overall health and definitely mental health. I intend to do whatever is necessary to remain functional as I get older. If I end up with more metal in me than muscle tissue, so be it!

To infinity, and beyond!

A Brand New Year, Brand New Possibilities

2011-01-11T08:21:00.001-08:00

A view of the Benzie County property where we will build a cabin in a few years, courtesy of our neighbor who shot this during the first snow fall. It is certainly beautiful in all seasons.

It is 2011. I am stunned and amazed that it's still not 1968--the years have just whizzed by, and they seem to be picking up speed as they pass. It seems amazing to me that I am no longer "middle aged," but rather, approaching OLD age now at 57. On the inside I still feel young. My self-image is not old. When I see pictures of myself, I do not recognize the old woman in them. How did this happen?

It has been nearly two years since my knee surgery, and life just keeps getting better and better. I am back to being physically active and I'm eating more healthy foods--the result is less weight and more energy. This will be the year I finally get it all off. This will be the year where all of the imbalances are made more balanced. And . . . probably replaced with more imbalances! Because that's what life does.

In terms of plans for the year, there really aren't any dramatic ones. I plan to keep working at my job, which I love. We are planning one big trip--in March--south to Georgia and then North Carolina, to see friends, family, and watch Millard run another 1/2 marathon. We will spend mid-May in Wilderness State Park again, ride the Zoo-de-Mack, and will certainly have a house filled with company for One Helluva Ride in July. We will spend lots of time walking dogs and running them off-leash in the woods; although Dexter is starting to show his age, he still loves a good romp and Stella . . . shows no sign of slowing down. I do love those those mutts.

I plan to spend more time with my mom, who is still doing great even as she grows ever more gray and shrinks before my very eyes. I plan to spend more time with my most awesome husband, with whom I have spent nearly 40 years now. To quote from the book Olive Kitteridge (which, by the way, is a great read), "Being married this long is like surviving a long, complicated meal, and finding yourself in the dessert phase." May the dessert phase last as long as humanly possibly, please.

Peace and happiness in 2011, for all of you.

Fall in A2: Time to Take Stock

2010-10-01T08:48:00.000-07:00

On this beautiful fall day in Ann Arbor, Michigan, I decided that it was time to write again.

My summer has been full of mis-starts; of thyroid problems, family issues that need resolution, job demands, and extremely hot weather. Much hotter than usual standards, it really did discourage people from working out outside for much of July and August.

Still, we've had our moments. Another trip to Wilderness in May, 9 days in southwestern Pennsylvania, the place where I was born and raised, and 10 days in a little town not far from our property in Honor, Michigan, where we committed (at last) to building a small home.

On the workout front, I have been mostly walking, since biking the 64 mile course at One Helluva Ride. At the time, I had no idea that my thyroid levels were off, and following the ride I collapsed BIG TIME. I battled fatigue and sickness for most of June. It wasn't until a routine blood test confirmed that the medications were no longer adequate that things started to make sense. Mostly I just slept.

I'm happy to report that my energy is slowly returning. The bad news--with the arrival of fall, my worst allergy is now activated, which means I'll be working out INSIDE until the first hard freeze. Hopefully that won't be too long.

Heading North, to Wilderness

2010-05-19T09:43:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning, probably around 10 am, we will leave the comforts of Ann Arbor for Wilderness State Park, about 10 miles west of the Mackinac Bridge. We will camp there for 4 days, on the beach overlooking Lake Michigan, and also do a 52-mile bike ride with the Zoo-de-Mack crew.

We've done this for at least 4 years now; maybe 5. We drive our 34' class A RV with car in tow, along with both dogs and our entire music collection on just one large iPod. We camp with air conditioning and heat from a furnace, when necessary; with full plumbing, a microwave, and two TV sets.

This is not my father's camping! When we were younger, we loved to do rustic camping. However, after a number of incidents that involved camping in wind, rain, floods, and unexpected snowfall in August, the rough life has lost its luster. Comfort, especially when one does not get a whole lot of "down" time, reigns supreme.

For the past 6 days I've been fairly inactive, trying to get my seasonal allergies under control. I will take the ride slowly, stretch well at the lunch break, and will enjoy the amazing scenery on this wonderful opportunity, before the tourists arrive and clog up the roads. When we aren't biking, I will be running on the beach with the dogs. Because nothing is as meditative, as totally relaxing, as a pair of joyful mutts.

Peace.

Lifting to Failure

2010-05-12T12:51:00.001-07:00

Last night I did 30 minutes of cardio at 85-90% of max, on the elliptical trainer. After that I lifted weights, upper and lower.

I have always ascribed to the system of lifting one set, as heavy as possible, and lifting to failure. "Lifting to failure" simply means you lift until you cannot lift anymore. Ideally, it takes 10-14 repetitions to reach this point. If you can do more, you are not using enough weight to begin with.

I have been blasting through my weight workouts without really concentrating much, and it occurred to me that I had lost my focus. So I started to count, and lo, and behold--I was lifting too light. I made major adjustments on every single machine so that I was able to totally exhaust the muscles by the 10th or 12th repetition.

I left the gym exhausted--but convinced that I got a workout. Today I'm a bit sore, but it's a good sore. Let's see if this works better. I bet it does.

Metro Grand Spring Tour Report

2010-05-02T21:34:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, May 2, we awoke to a torrential downpour. We messaged Corey, our young co-rider, that we were bagging the ride. We then sat down with coffee, disappointed that we had been rained out.

BUT . . . around 8:30, there was break in the weather. A quick look at the doppler radar told us that we had about a 3 hour window before the next deluge set in, so we loaded the bikes and headed for Willow Metropark. We were on the road in gray, damp weather by 9 am. There was very little traffic and we averaged around 14 mph for the first leg. This was the FIRST outdoor bike ride of the season for me!

A note on cross-training. In the past, at least since the knees went out, cycling has been my main form of exercise. This was clearly a mistake, creating an imbalance with strong quads and weaker hamstrings. For the past few months I've been doing max heartrate workouts on the elliptical trainer, and the difference has been amazing. I was stronger and my cadence was much more consistent.

At about mile 8, we stopped at the famous Chris Cakes breakfast. This was included as part of our registration, even though I didn't need a break this early in the ride, but it was there so we stopped. The pancake flipper actually tossed the pancakes onto your plates! There was sausage, bagels, yogurt, and fruit as well. Millard and I ate lightly and hit the road as soon as we could. We knew the rain was coming.

Just back on the road around mile 9, I felt my back wheel "pop," like it had thrown a rock. Almost immediately I felt something dragging, like a brake had locked. I pulled off and shouted to Millard that I needed to make an adjustment, and he came up from behind saying "YOU BLEW YOUR BACK TIRE!" He had seen it. Luckily I did not crash; blowouts can be treacherous. At any rate, the SAG wagon happened to be going by and we were able to change the tire in about 30 minutes. The little CO2 cartridge pump worked very well.

Back on the road and needing to pump it hard, the rain was coming. The roads started to become a bit more congested (church was letting out). We ended up in Lower Huron Metropark, and the last food stop, where Millard and another SAG volunteer tried to fix my odometer--to no avail. At that point it just didn't matter. After a good snack and the opportunity to refill our water bottles, we headed down the bike path to finish up the 25-mile course.

I felt awesome at the end. Back at the car, loaded the bikes, and headed back to Ann Arbor. No idea of our time since I forgot to stop my watch while we changed the tire. It didn't matter. Later we heard from Corey--he did the 63 miler in the rain and at the pace he wanted (which is much faster than his ancient biking friends). Oh, to be 30 again!

After we got home the rain started. So, everything worked out perfectly. Our next organized ride will be our annual trek to Wilderness State Park to do the Zoo-de-Mack ride. Can't wait.

Biking Season!

2010-04-27T09:42:00.001-07:00

Well, after several weeks of power walking and running the dogs through the woods, I finally returned to the gym this past weekend. Saturday was 30 minutes of elliptical followed by upper and lower body weights. Sunday was 60 minutes of spinning. Yesterday was a rest day.

I am planning to ride 25 miles at an organized ride this coming Sunday. I am hoping for no rain, although that is forecast at this point.

Catching Up

2010-04-23T09:42:00.000-07:00

Perhaps it is always this beautiful here in spring time, and I've never noticed it? But it seems to me that the world is infinitely more beautiful right now, more than I've ever seen. The animal and bird activity is high, the trees have exploded into blooms, and the sun doesn't hide its face nearly as much as it does in winter time. Our winter was not nearly as bad as it was in the middle of the country, but it seemed never-ending. Maybe this is just a function of age.

I opted to have some outpatient surgery on March 25 that has put me out of commission as far as bike riding for the past 3 weeks. I am slowly getting back into it. For the past 2 weeks I have been walking as much as possible. One of things that brings me great joy is to take the dogs, one at a time, back into the little patch of woods behind the house, and let them romp through the brambles off leash. Both do a great job of coming when called. Both revel in the smells, in chasing squirrels up trees, and shoving their noses down every single rabbit hole they find. It is incredibly liberating to experience this through their eyes.

I am planning to do the 25 miler at an organized ride in another week or so, and then 1/2 of the Zoo-de-Mack on May 22 (26 miles). At that point, I should be ready to start ramping up my miles in a big way. I want to be ready for One Helluva Ride (64 miles) on July 10.

In the meantime, I continue to heal and regenerate in body and spirit. As I approach a work year that is sure to pose a number of big challenges (center grant renewal, large national conference to organize) and summer full of people and travel, I can only feel amazement and thankfulness.

Namaste.

If it's spring, it must mean training!!!

2010-03-14T12:37:00.000-07:00

OK, it's time to get off my butt and get to work.

For the past few months I've been working out pretty regularly. My routine goes something like this:

Tues-Thurs-Sat I do 30-40 minutes on the stationary bike, working mostly off my heart rate monitor. The goal is to keep cadence as close to 90 rpms while I adjust the tension upwards, aiming for a steady 80-85% of maximum heart rate. This workout is very technical and I work hard to get it right. Following the bike ride, I do one slow, steady set as heavy as I can manage, on the upper and lower body weight machines. This is followed by 15 minutes of targeted stretching.
Monday and Friday I do floor work--mostly pilates and yoga stretches.
Sunday is for an hour-long power spin class.
My hope is to add another spinning class on Wednesdays as soon as I clear my schedule. I figure the pilates sessions are really rest days anyway.

I've also mostly maintained my 20 pound loss from the past few months, so I am going on to the next ten pounds. My goal for losing those is June 1, and, if I can maintain those for the summer, I will tackle the last 10 in the fall.

I am feeling GREAT. I can't explain how wonderful it feels to move again after four years of nearly total inertia. The new knees are such a gift. I thank God for them every single day.

2009-12-18T12:09:00.000-08:00

Good grief! How is it possible that 2009 is nearly done? Where has the time gone?

As the year draws to a close, we are preparing for one last RV trip before we send the rig to its winter rest. We will be visiting Gulf Shores, Alabama and New Orleans, Lousiana (with stops in Tennessee along the way) before returning home on January 5. Just Millard, dogs and I.

Over the break, I intend to think about this blog and if I really have a purpose for taking up bandwidth. I will either commit to using it better or make it go away.

In the meantime--have a safe and happy holiday and new year.

Rites of Autumn . . . FOOTBALL IN A2!!!!

2009-10-17T14:32:00.001-07:00

Autumn in Ann Arbor. It can only mean the return of 50,000+ students and faculty, and the roar of the crowd (100,000+) from Michigan Stadium, aka "The Big House." Which, for the record, happens to be located exactly 1.5 miles from my front door.

This morning I picked up my new camera and headed out to snap some pictures. I wanted to catch this moment, before the snow comes. This morning the temps were in the 20's so it really won't be long.

In Ann Arbor, the maple trees seem to change colors first. And of course, they do so spectacularly. The others that follow will be pale by comparison.

The other fall phenomenon is the return of the parking people. With parking prices anywhere from $10 (about a mile from the stadium) to $30 for a spot in the high school parking lot or UM golf course, there is much activity surrounding the rites of parking and tailgating.

Because of the cost of parking and the general congestion surrounding the crowds near the stadium, nearly every Ann Arborite is smart enough to WALK to the games whenever possible.

The stadium is currently under renovation, which is sad in many ways. Although the new skyboxes will be great for fundraising, and are even somewhat beautiful as they take shape, there was something magical about the old hole in the ground. From street level, the original stadium didn't look like much. It was only when you looked inside that you realized how huge it really was. Sigh.

Across the street from the stadium is one of three Ann Arbor high schools, Pioneer High. On football Saturdays, the parking lot at PHS turns into RV City. RVs from all over the country park in the lot, at a cost of $130/night (with NO utilities--it's all generator and self-contained, baby). The spots are filled before the season even begins. The demand for those sites never wanes, even with a losing season like we had last year. That's a fan base!

Across the street from the Pioneer lot is the UM golf course. On which they park cars--lots of cars--on football Saturdays. I can never understand how the course will be completely returned to its pristine state in time for the golfers tomorrow morning. But it does.

In addition to the parking, there are lots of vendor tents as well as tents for Michelob and Miller beer and even ESPN, which hosted a large projection screen on which I was able to watch Michigan's first touchdown this morning. Go Blue!

After kickoff, I headed back up the hill to home, snapping pictures of the late-comers as they walked (quickly) by. The roar of the crowd can be heard from my back porch, 1-1/2 miles away.

I finally made it back home, opting to cut through the park (and visit with a number of my neighbors, who were out for walks). Our house, above, is situated on the park. This is a shot of our backyard, from the park. On the left is the round little crabapple tree we planted for my dad when he died many years ago. Both the upper and lower decks were built by Millard when we first moved into the house--14 years ago?

No matter where I live, or how long I live, I will never be able to associate the first colors of fall with anything except this football Saturday ritual.

An August Update

2009-08-08T10:35:00.000-07:00

Well, I apologize for being such a slug when it comes to updating this blog. I promise to do a better job in the future.

Part of the reason I've not had time to update the blog is due to the amount of travel we've done so far this summer. We have now spent three extended weekends in Northern Michigan--truly one of the best kept secrets of the universe.

We have property--5 acres of hardwood forest in the middle of nowhere--on the outskirts of Honor, Michigan, which is the part of Michigan that is referred to as "Sleeping Bear."

"Sleeping Bear" is a short version of Sleeping Bear Dune National Seashore, a system of dunes that outlines the western edge of the state, running it's full length, from the tip of the Leelanau Penninsula to the Michigan-Indiana border. It's an amazing place, the sand dunes. Although our property is not ON the lake, we are within easy driving distance from this incredible resource.

The entire area is quite busy over the summer. Visitors come from all over the place, including foreign countries, to watch their children tumble around on the dunes or swim in the cold but clear fresh water of Lake Michigan.

At any rate, this is where we've been. We take our bikes and ride, because the roads in that area of the state are very well maintained and actually have wide shoulders in most places, making it easy for cars and bikes to cooperate. We also have friends who either live there year-round or spend the summers; it's a wonderful time to connect with them.

One of the things we've done this summer is spend time working on a plan for retirement, and trying to commit to building something on the property at some point in time. On this last trip, we realized that we could put in utilities and a slab, and use it for camping, without having to build for a while. Of course, in order to determine that I had to read through hundreds of pages of township zoning law--not too fun unless you have insomnia. But now I think that's the direction we are going. We will put in some basic supports (sewer, well, electric) and a slab, camp on it when we visit that area, and, if we still love it, build a small place on it in a few years.

I am no longer worried about being bored if we spend our summers in Sleeping Bear. Besides the swimming and biking, Millard and I have always wanted to get kayaks and try that. In addition to the lake, our property is very close to the Platt and Betsie rivers, both great rivers for exploring via kayak.

Anyway, that's where I've been. I'll be around more often.

Mikey's Wedding

2009-06-28T14:45:00.000-07:00

On Friday night Millard and I attended the wedding of Mike and Michelle Thompson. "Mikey," as I will always think of him, was one of the terrible threesome that comprised the Kindergarten Posse. Imagine if you will 3 highly creative, energetic, and evil 5 year olds, and you will get the picture. Dom, Dan, and Mikey have been thick as thieves since the first day of school in 1985.

Mike and Michelle have been best friends and lovers for more than 9 years now, so the party that followed the afternoon vows in this beautiful garden was relaxed and hysterical. Many of the faces we haven't seen in years, all those years of parent-teacher conferences, birthday parties, summer soccer camp and school field trips came roaring back. Dom's first grade teacher, Joan Goldsmith, was there, looking beautiful despite her advancing age. Dan's parents, Karen and David, spent the evening catching up with us. It's so hard to understand why we don't see them very often now that the guys have grown up.
It was a night of hugs and reminiscences. It was wonderful to see the guys looking so handsome in their tuxes, and somewhat shocking to see the ever-increasing number of friends with babies in arms, new families taking the place that Millard and I occupied just a few years ago. It was hard to not feel a bit of sadness for the passing of those years. Still, the strength of those friendships, so many of them, have endured through more than two decades now.

We will replay this ritual two more times; once for Dan, once for Dom. But the first member of the Kindergarten Posse has declared his independence from childhood, and has moved on.

Sleeps with Dogs

2009-06-23T12:48:00.000-07:00

I was off work during February and March, and one of the things I discovered during this time was the joy of naps. Following surgery I had no choice--I needed the extra sleep for the healing process. But now I just like them. I can nap for 20 minutes and wake up raring to go.

At any rate, the worst nap is the one I take on my yoga mat, on the floor of my office, on days when I'm burned out or haven't slept well the night before. The very best nap is the one taken with dogs in the middle of a day off. Those naps tend to last longer. On the other hand, even a bad nap is better than no nap at all.

I don't know what I'm doing for retirement. We seem to have a number of options, including staying in Ann Arbor until winter, then RVing to somewhere warm; taking another job somewhere warm and relocating there; building up north and leaving Ann Arbor completely, also bailing out in the winters. I don't know which of those I will take. But I do know that a daily nap will fit into any one of those plans.

Summer Time, and the Biking is (Somewhat) Easy

2009-06-22T09:08:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we ventured north to Glen Arbor, to visit with our friends David and Donna. Last year David retired and they built a wonderful home in LasCruces, New Mexico--I presume it is wonderful, since all their homes have been, although I haven't been there to see as of yet. But they are spending 4 months of the year in their cottage in Glen Arbor, which gives us a wonderful opportunity not only to see them, but also to do some of the best bike riding ever.

The roads in this northwestern area are typically in very good shape--odd, since the winters there are brutal--and they all have wide, well-marked shoulders that easily accommodate bicycles. It is much easier to ride long distances when the bike is not competing with gasoline-powered vehicles! The roads are also very hilly, thanks to the numerous glaciers that have carved out the terrain and also left several deep and clear lakes in their tracks.

David and Donna may be older than us, but don't let that fool you--they get to ride all winter, and it really showed this past weekend. I worked hard to just keep up with their "easy" pace of 15-16 mph. Millard was very kind in hanging back with me, but I have a long way to go in terms of building up quad strength. It's good to know what the baseline is, even if it's . . . modest?

On Saturday we drove north to Leland, and cycled around the north end of Lake Leelanau. It was a beautiful ride with hills that were not too intimidating. After about 15 miles, we ended up back where we started, and spent the next few hours exploring the stores and galleries of this wonderful little town. After a stop at Stone Bakery, for panini and cinammon rolls, we headed back to Glen Arbor for showers and another treat--a ride in David's 1963 Ford Falcon convertible! This was David's 65th birthday present from his son. I can't tell you how long it's been since we've gone out for a "drive." It was great fun and lots of people wanted to talk about the car. Nostalgia reigned.

On Sunday morning we headed west toward the town of Glen Haven, a former fishing town that now remains as a museum. The day was glorious and the lake was beautiful, calm, and deep blue. This ended up being about 13-1/2 miles, and we returned home in time for two showers and packing. We had to pick up dogs at the kennel by 5 pm, and with the summer traffic it was a tight schedule.

All in all, a good start to what is going to be an awesome summer.

About Exercise

2009-06-18T08:05:00.001-07:00

My exercise routine is slowly evolving, but it is coming back. On Tuesday I attended the first of 16 "dance aerobics and pilates" classes for which I have signed up. The class is through Ann Arbor Rec & Ed, and it happens in the Slauson Junior High lower gym--one of those old style UNAIRCONDITIONED places that smell like old socks.

NEVERTHELESS, I managed to keep up with the bouncy young instructor, although I was beet red by the end of it. I think that this class will be very good for helping me regain some cardiovascular stamina and the pilates will complement the other work I am doing to strengthen my core muscles.

I am taking a yoga class at lunch times on Wednesdays. The class is taught by a wonderful woman named Julia, who truly gets the whole spiritual thing that goes with deep meditation and body movement. Although I can't do any of the stretches from on my knees, I have been able to adapt those routines fairly well.

What else? On the weekends I ride my bike. Last weekend I managed to cover about 14 miles in an hour, and we will be biking even more this weekend. We are headed to Glen Arbor to visit with friends who are also cyclists, so if the weather holds I'm hoping to log a few more miles.

The one remaining workout I'm having problems fitting in is the basic gymwork--stationary biking, spinning, and weights. So far, I'm only getting there once a week. My goal is to get there 3 times a week, and to do the weights at least twice a week.

Starting Over

2009-06-17T10:58:00.000-07:00

Well, everyone . . . it's time to remake myself, one more time. If you came over here from the Arthoplasty site, you know that I've spent the last two years preparing for, and then undergoing surgery to replace both knees. The entire focus of my life went from being a middle-aged, late-onset athlete to a humbled and hobbled middle-aged woman. This was a role to which I objected, strongly and relentlessly. And since the surgery in January, the old rowdy Violet has been coming back. Now I'm letting her out of the box.

Now that the new knees have been installed and are working properly, I want to use this site to keep in touch with people and to chronicle my return to activity. I apologize in advance for my political and social views, which will certainly pop up from time to time. But then again, it's my blog and you can always not read it.

Welcome.