Tri Tri Tri

My one and only triathlon of the season is this Saturday. I am running for re-election so all my time and competitive juices are being temporarily refocused, except for this tri. Anyway, it is a really fun, women only tri. I like the fact it is located 15 minutes away so I can get up at 6 rather than 4 am. I've got the bike and swim part down, but know I will suffer on the run. But I will have fun while I suffer!

This tri is particularly fun because for many of the participants, it is their very first tri. There is an energy there that's hard to find anywhere else. Bikes racked, running and bike shoes in little rows, towels and water bottles to clean feet after getting to transition after the swim, etc. One year I stored my sunglasses in my bike shoes and forgot they were there when I went to put on my shoes. Don't do that. Another time, at a run-bike-swim tri, I forgot to take my bike helmet off. Fortunately, I caught the error before getting in the water.

Tri participants have one's age is written on the back of one's calf. I love it when I see a "6" or "7" as the first digit on someone's calf, even if they are passing me. I want to be participating in tris when I am that age.

Flower Power

Yay! A beautiful Saturday morning. While I am thankful for all rain/snow my community has received, it is nice to have good weather.

Planting time. I bought window boxes for Astronerd and B and we are going to get them planted today! Our family decided to plant flower boxes but hasn't decided on the exact location. They will either be on the brick ledge abutting the windows or on a shelf installed below the windows. Maybe if we get them all ready FHA (who is away on a scout campout) will be convinced to install window box shelves below the windows (he doesn't want to drill brick). A cunning plan. Or we may end up with low, flat planters on the ground. . .

Farewell, School Lunch

I cannot believe it, but my youngest is about finished with the elementary school experience. Hello junior high! I approach this with mixed feelings and so does my youngest.

One of my favorite things to do over all my kids' elementary school years is to meet them for school lunch once each week. I would pick "pizza day", the day when a pizza business would supply the day's lunch. I would get lunch and eat it with my kids. Lately, I have foregone purchasing an actual lunch but show up at lunchtime and visit. I meet their friends and we laugh, tease and talk. I have loved it. My kids' friends all know me and greet me when I see them. I learn about their lives too. I know my kids have loved it because I see how their faces would light up when we met up in the lunchroom. I have been doing this for twelve years.

At the end of elementary school, I have asked each of my kids if they would like me to continue to come for lunch, but at the junior high. Each has thought that maybe it is time for solo lunch eating. I wonder why? I am sure junior high lunchrooms are packed with mothers eating lunch with their children. If they are not, they should be. However, I will honor my growing kid's request, not attend junior high lunch and quietly mourn the passing of school lunch day. But I still reserve the right to show up if I am bringing lunch from a cool restaurant.