Val-isms

Plans...

Here's hoping that forgetting my glasses at home this morning will not set the tone for the weekend.  Thankfully, I have an old pair of glasses here in my desk, but they're just reading glasses, not bi.  I hate taking the glasses off and on.  sigh.  Don't want to drive all they way home and back to get the good glasses... ok, I'll stop whining now!

Tonight, after Sophie's piano lesson and dinner, we'll be hanging out watching the movie, "Night in the Museum".  We saw this in the theater when it came out and liked it and Sophie asked for it from Netflix, so that's what we'll watch.  And eat some popcorn.   Friday night "Movie Night".

Linda & I went to the gym last night. It was the first time I've been to a gym since late August.  (Linda, of course has been religious with her training schedule.  Between lack of time and my rib injury, I've been sidelined)  We checked out the gym in Norwalk, since it's about the same distance as the one in Fairfield.  The layout is different.  Not sure I liked it or not.  The important thing is that I picked up my 5k training where I left off and was able to do the workout: 5 min warm-up walk, 5 min run (1/2 mle), 5 min walk ,5 min run (1/2 mile), 5 min walk and a 5 min run (1/2 mile).  It felt good and my ribs actually hurt more when I was walking, than when I was running.  Go figure.  I'll go back to the gym tomorrow and Sunday.  I meant to weigh myself to see where I'm starting from, but I forgot. 

Tina is starting a blog version of "Biggest Loser" and I joined.  Healthy competition for weight loss motivation is always be a good thing.   So come on folks... join in the fun.  She has instructions on how to get in on it!  Go check it out!

Tomorrow, Linda, Sophie & I are driving to NYC to do some bike riding.  We're also bringing my mountain bike to my sister so she has a bike of her own to be able to ride bikes with her kids.  Since I have a new bike, I don't need that one anymore. Glad it'll be used.  The 3 of us will be riding with my sister and her girls.  Not sure if my brother-in-law Jesse will be joining us or not.  He's a REAL rider, so not sure he wants to ride with the amateurs or not!

We're looking forward to riding along the West Side Highway on that running/bike path especially as the weather is supposed to be spectacular.  I'm sure we won't be covering too much in distance, but it should be a fun time for the kids.

Sat night, I really want to see the new Jodie Foster movie.

Sunday, late afternoon, our Kulanu group is having a Sukkot gathering at the Temple.

At some point, I have to reconnect our router at the house.  It was working and then last night, it wasn't.  My work laptop had to be re-imaged, and I think that it messed things up.  Not sure why Linda's laptop isn't working though.  I didn't have the energy to deal with it last night after the gym.  I hope it's something simple to fix.

Oh and my Yankees are in the play-offs!  YAY!  Damn those Red Sox losers - - but they'll choke soon enough.

Shabbat Shalom.

The competition

At 10:00pm (NY Time) last night, my lovely partner's eyes became glossed over.  She got this somewhat goofy smirk on her face and for the next 60 minutes, I don't think she knew the plot of the show she was watching or cared to know.  Unfortunately, this behavior of hers had nothing to do with me.

Her fantasy woman was on the TV screen.  And that, quite frankly, was all that mattered. 

I've known about this lustful fascination for this woman since pretty early on in our relationship.  I can live with it.  The woman is now married and with a young child.  The chances of this woman coming to CT to find my lovely partner are slim.

So for an hour a week, I lose MY woman to THIS WOMAN.  And I'm ok with that.  She is pretty attractive. 

Lessons learned from the weekend

We cannot stay awake for 'late' services on a Friday night.  8:45 is too late to start praying for us!  Though it's a rush job to get home and back for 6:30, we'll do that from now on on the High Holy days!

Making Sophie sit through the entire afternoon services (1 kids service and 2 adult) on Yom Yippur is WAY TOO MUCH for HER and for us!

Being invited for 'break-fast' at a congregants home was very special and was a nice way to end a LONG day.

Fasting from sundown to sundown is tough.

Having coffee at 1pm in the middle of the fast day helps to avoid headaches, but doesn't remove the crankiness of having no food.

Spending time with my 94 year old friend Midge made my Sunday afternoon special - having lunch and sharing our new home's views with her.  She is a sweet woman but still has a lot of spunk and smart-ass left in her to make her entertaining.

Bragging rights

Our day in NYC yesterday was great.  We were productive, got to people watch in Central Park, walked blocks and blocks and had a really tasty lunch with my sister. 

Though a solemn Jewish Holiday will be celebrated tonight/tomorrow, we have plans afterwards on Saturday and on Sunday that will enable us to enjoy the outdoors and the unseasonably warm (80's) weather. 

I'd like to toss a 'shout out' of congratulations to my niece Maisie (age 8) who tried out for the JCC swim team yesterday and made the team!  This, in itself, is worthy of being thrilled for her, but she doesn't know anyone on the team AND didn't try out with anyone she knows!  At the end of last year, she was disappointed to find that her school doesn't allow anyone under 4th grade to be on the school swim team.  Her Mom found out that the JCC had a team, and Maisie followed up and still wanted to try out.  It's going to take a lot of time and practice, (3 days a week of practice!), but she's SO excited about it.  I'm sure she'll be do well.  GO MAISIE!

Shabbat Shalom.

A day in NYC

Tomorrow - Thursday - Linda's been assigned the task of checking out some sites that a marketing meeting/show will be at next week - 5 of them.  In New York City.  Mostly around Central Park, but there's one down near Wall St, as well.

I realized that I have 8 vacation days left to use up, so I'm taking one to join her.  Cruisin' around the city should be fun.

It will be nice to do something a little different, on a 'work day', and get to spend it together when the weather will be beautiful.

We may even get to meet my sister for lunch. 

I love last minute plans like this.

Always a first

Since my involvement in biking, I've had a few mishaps which caused injuries.  None of them, however, while actually RIDING my bike, but rather in moving the bike.  (It's a skill, I know!)

Both of my legs now have scars in the shape of pedal prongs and other such scrapes on the outer sides of both of my calves, since I had to carry the bike up and down stairs at our old place.  They look like I've been clawed by something.  It's a good thing that my wardrobe doesn't include skirts, but my shorts displayed these lovely scars quite nicely!

On our 40 mile adventure yesterday, an injury was sustained in which I was actually riding the bike.  I KNOW - - it was bound to happen at some point.  Murphy's Law and all that.

It was about 11 miles into the ride.  It was a beautifully sunny and crisp day in the mid 60's.  The ground was dry.  I don't think that there could have been better riding conditions (aside from being a few degrees warmer in temperature for my teeth-chattering spouse!).  But me?  I love this kind of fall-ish (no pun intended) weather!

There was some construction going on and only 1 lane was open on the road we were riding on at this point of the trip, so the 2 people that we seemed to have grouped ourselves with up to this point and who were riding mountain bikes (thicker tires), decided to go up on the sidewalk at a point where there was a slight inclination to do so.  However, this inclination still had a lip of about 2 inches, so when I tried to go up it, at an angle, it was not enough for my hybrid tires to do so.  Therefore, the bike went parallel to the sidewalk and my body went the way I thought the bike SHOULD be going.

My left knee hit the hard pavement first and that's all I recall until the excruciating pain in my left side of my rib cage hit me.  (Linda told me later that I immediately was in the fetal position not moving)  Linda saw the fall in slow-mo, as she was riding behind me and was wondering what the Hell I was doing!  I crashed on my left side while tucking my left arm against my side.

When I didn't move, Linda flagged over the EMT/firemen who were in the area (they had people set up at different points of the route) to come over to tend to me.  What I thought originally were broken ribs (which I determined when I couldn't take a breath without pain) seemed to lesson to the diagnosis of bruised ribs after a few minutes when the ability to breath and talk returned.

Embarrassment set in when I realized that there were about 6-8 people standing over me.  I was able to stand on my own and assure everyone I was just sore, but ok.  I left my knees bleeding, and after determining that the bike was ok, got back on it and continued on the journey.  Yes, all 40 miles.

The ride was long - 4.5 hours - and we came in last, but we saw some amazingly beautiful scenery along the way, not to mention some stunning homes.

After stumbling thru the grocery store on our way home, we both took hot showers (Linda's shoulders/neck area gets pretty sore when she rides) and lounged for the rest of the day.  I hope the ribs heal soon, but Advil is helping me to deal.

I'm still glad we did the ride and look forward to many more in the future.  The new bike is AWESOME to ride.

Some pics of this & that

Here's the happiest cat in the whole world - - Oakee (Mom - thanks for the chaise lounge - she's diggin' it):

Here's me & my new bike before our bike ride today:
and here's Linda:

Here's us with our friend Yak at the chili contest - she won "Rookie of the Year" - (the poster says "Yak's Fierce Chili!):

And lastly - my lovely daughter before heading out to Rosh Hashanah services Wed night:

and enjoying her new room at our new place - nice view, huh?!

A smooth ride

Friday night, before Sophie & I returned home from her piano lesson, my lovely Linda went bike shopping. 

She knows that my mountain bike has not led me to have the most positive of bicycle riding experiences.  Probably cuz we're not riding off-road much.  Probably cuz it's a pretty cheap (aka heavy) bike!

She offered to buy me a new hybrid bike, as I don't see myself entering or training for a Tour-de-France type road race, so a road bike is not necessary.  So she went to a few places and at the last one, a local bike shop, she found 2 for me to pick between.

After services this morning, Sophie, Linda & I went to see what she had found. 

Then second I saw it, I knew.  It was meant to be mine.  It's awesome.  I took a test ride around the parking lot outside the shop and I felt like I was floating.  The seat is really padded, it has 24 gears and it's a lot lighter than my free mountain bike.  It's black and silver.  It's a Gary Fisher.  It's beautiful.  Thanks so much, honey.

After going to a chili competition, where our friend Yak was competing, and tasting many types of chili (and deciding that hers was really the best) but she only won the 'rookie of the year' award (as it was her first year of competition!).... we went for a 5 mile bike ride in our 'hood.  It was the best ride of my life.

Tomorrow morning at 8:30, we'll be doing a bike tour of Milford.  You can choose from a few mileage options.  We're doing 40 miles.  I can't wait.

I'll post pictures when we return. 

A seriously fun message

Our Friday night after Sophie's piano lesson, found us at a movie theater tonight.

We saw "Hairspray".  It was Sophie's second viewing.  Her other Mom took her a few weeks ago and got her the soundtrack album, which is her favorite bedtime, in the car and basic anytime listening to, CD!  The tunes are pretty catchy and pretty funny when a 7 year old is belting them out!  She loved the movie then and again tonight.

The movie was just great.  I want to see it on Broadway now.  It must be a great show, as the movie was pretty entertaining, too!  But how could it not be great with the likes of people like John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer and be still my 7 year old's heart ----- ZAC EFRON!!!!  (My daughter has her first movie star crush and it's very sweet.  We got her a canvas bag, with his picture on it,to put her music books in and you would have thought I had brought the boy, himself, home!  She actually squealed when she saw his picture!)

Anyway, more important than all the great music, lyrics and dance moves, this movie serves up such a great message about accepting ALL people and showing tolerance and compassion for everyone.  And the fact that the integration issue is something that was not addressed and dealt with until just under 50 years ago is rather unbelievable to me. 

The movie obviously glosses over some pretty important issues and of course, has the perfect happy Hollywood ending, but it shows that even just one person can make a difference in how groups of people can have their way of thinking changed.  Being brave and putting yourself out there to say to the world that the answer is not to just keep doing things just because it's the way it's always been done, but rather that without change, people will never realize that differences can benefit and provide solutions.  That sometimes change will make things line up better.  That change doesn't have to be scary or something to fear.  That giving other people who are different than you, the same rights, won't diminish your rights in any way. 

Hmmm.... perhaps gay people need to get a musical to preach their message.  Oh yeah.  We already had La Cage aux Folles, didn't we?  Perhaps it's time for a more direct message that doesn't involve drag queens (not that there is anything wrong with drag queens!) so that we're taken a bit more seriously. 

Oh, but then there was "Rent", and as much as they showed a variety of couples trying to make it in the world, it again involved drag queens and drugs.  Excellent soundtrack, though!

Maybe, 2 dykes in suburbia raising their children isn't really the type of material that leads to a chorus line of dancers, does it???!!!  (picture it, dancing in Doc Martens?!!!)

I guess that the way to changing people's perspectives of those around us, is to just live our lives and share our neighborhoods, schools and jobs with them and let them see that we are just like they are.  If we go to work, take our kids to school, shop in the grocery stores just like they do, perhaps they'll see that when we make a commitment to another person, we'd like the same rights as they have. 

sigh.  Yeah, "Hairspray" was a fun movie.  And it got me thinking.  John Waters would be happy that his message is still spreading.

Shabbat Shalom.

53 and going strong

No, that's not my age.  The 'big one' is in December, folks!  Easy there.

No today is the 53rd wedding anniversary of my parents committing their lives together.

Obviously I wish them much love across the miles. 

When I was about 19 (so it must have been their 22nd wedding anniversary), I called them from Boston, where I was living at the time (a very brief stint away from home in my floundering years after high school) to wish them a Happy Anniversary.

My Mom picked up the phone and when I greeted her with "Happy Anniversary"!, she replied, "Oh, my God, we both forgot this year!"  I guess when you still have a 15, 9 and 7 yr old around the house, anniversaries are low on the priority list of things to remember to celebrate!  There had been years when one or the other forgot, but never both of them! 

In my over romanticized imagination, I remember thinking that whomever I decided to spend the rest of my life with, romance would ALWAYS be a priority.  Anniversaries, private jokes, special looks, etc... would always be special moments for us.  No matter what.

Now as a more seasoned, yet very much a romantic, I realize just how much life can kind of pull and push you like the tides that crash around your ankles and though you want to focus on how the sun is making the water shimmer or how the moon is reflecting on the swelling waves, you need to concentrate on just staying upright and those pretty moments may be forgotten or ignored.

Life seems to be finding the balance between staying upright, but enjoying looking around at the same time.  Sometimes it's just a matter of people having the time to do it all.  Sometimes people are too busy or remain too busy to do it.

Then there are people like my parents who after all the scrambling and digging their feet in the surf to remain upright for many years, they have managed to find a spot together where the waves crash nearby AND they can see how beautiful the water is.  How nice for them.

Mom & Dad, may you have many more years to share the beautiful views together.