This Year - Last Year

This is my brother Stephan. I took this picture last November while visiting my family in Germany. I can't believe that it has been a year already...
I haven't made it to Germany this year due to the high gas/flight prices, but I am hoping to go there sometime soon.

My brother in the meantime is working in Africa. If you look on the world map on the left side on my blog and look where folks are logging in from, you can see, where he is at:)
He is south of the equator, so he is heading into Summer...lucky him.

We are getting ready for winter. The leaves are raked and all my beloved (NOT) walnuts are gone. I still have about 100 bulbs to plant. I have the same amount planted. I hope we will have enough mild weather, so I can get them in over the next few weeks.

It is HOOOT

We broke the heat record for this summer and the 100 degrees....yak.

I got up early to walk to dogs, but even at 9 am the heat index was over 90.

Dodger, our 11 year old newest addition doesn't like the heat and probably the humidity either.

Well, who does, but he moves definitely slower since it got hotter.
We haven't officially adopted him but we want do, so we are hoping that he doesn't have any major medical problems...

For now, we are going to bed. Mornings come early for me now. I got a new shift and start working at 7am. That is early but I get off at 5.30 pm and that will give me time in the evenings to do stuff.

Have I mentioned that I am planning on going back to school?

THREE DAY WEEKEND

I finally had a three day weekend, as it should be. (I normally work four 10 hour days and then have three days off)

The weather was absolutely gorgeous. I got some work done in the yard. Even though I still haven't bought any annuals. But we put our goldfish out in a bigger pond and I got a few water plants for the pond.
The fish I are digging their new digs. I just have to find a source where I can find some cheaper water plants...

Today was the Platte River Marathon. I didn't ride this year, but Martin did and he did pretty well.
I went out later to bring out a bottler of champagne because we had a reason to CELEBRATE


ROXY and RYAN got engaged!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am so happy for them.
CONGRATULATIONS to both of you!!!!!!!

Well, that is it is for right now. Tomorrow, will start a new week, where I hope to increase my riding time to and from work.

Wednesday or Tomorrow is Friday

At least for me...since I normally work from Monday through Thursday, so Thursdays are my Friday

My Wednesday wasn't too eventful. I rode my bike home from work.
A good way to ease my way into commuting full time for the summer months.

I gotta start counting my miles since we have a team at work participating at the Activate Omaha

Bicycle Commuter Challenge

Almost forgot to mention.

I signed up for the Bicycle Commuter Challenge 2008
I did it through my company and we are keeping track of all the miles ridden amongst us in the coming months.

I am excited.

It is a 10 mile trip one way, so I should be able to log some good miles in for the team PayPal.
This is the third time Omaha does this kind of challenge, but this is the first year that I am actually able to participate.

They have a good link to Bike Commuting 101

Just another Sunday

A lot of people got bummed out because the second race of the Heartland Series in KS/MO got canceled because of too much rain.

Good for me, did I NOT plan on racing but rather working that day....

Since we had nice weather, only a bit chilly, I decided to get my road bike out and ride to work and back.
I shaved off a few more minutes of my ride, well quite a few. But I literally have to estimate the wind into my calculation, on how long it takes me to get there.

I have a 10 mile ride and on the way back, with a tail wind I made it in 38 min, but the other day on my MTB, with a horrible head wind, it took me over an hour:(

Well, this morning I will drive to work, but my goal is to start commuting more often and then finally park my car for good!

Just another Super Friday

MY Super Friday!!

Fridays are my days off. I work four 10 hour days and get Fri/Sat/Sun off. It's a good balance and the Friday is great to get all those things done that need to be done: doctor's appointments, hair cuts, shopping, bill paying, cleaning, dog duties and least but not least husband related matters:)

Today, I spent all morning running around getting things done and watched the sun warm up the air outside to a balmy 40F. (One gets thankful for every little warm up that doesn't freeze off your private parts...)

Anyway, I am still having this plan on my mind to start commuting to work and I don't want to wait until spring and race season starts. It is 10 miles one way, so a 20 mile round trip.

Last weekend I had set out to ride there, but I had to turn around because I wasn't dressed warm enough and my legs were cramping up so bad that I turned around at the half way point.

Today, I felt good and I had to try it again and I MADE it:))
I brought my badge with me, so could stop at work, have a hot chocolate and get stared at by a few people.
YES, I do look different in my biking out-fit...
But I made it, got my access granted to the mail room for the bike parking and now I can start riding....


Please, don't tell anybody that I went to work on my day off, thanks!

New Month: new GOALS

Some of you might have noticed: January is G O N E.

What happened? Did I have too much fun to notice??

NO, I didn't go skiing. The picture is from last year at Winter Park, CO.
I used it, because this is the amount of clothes you need to be outside here right now.
BUT, I still made a new-month resolution:

I need to start riding more outside....

And keep a better diet.

The next race season is just around the corner and the scale is mean to me.

I started by going for a bike ride yesterday. It was cold, or better say, I was COLD. I didn't dress warm enough, but you live and learn.
Next time, I will put on an extra layer and I will be good to go/ride.....

Other than that things are going pretty good.

I (still) like my job. It just keeps me busy.
M and Mr. W are doing well. (Both keeping an eye on each other to stay out of trouble)

Oh, and another goal: to write more often....

A Go(o)d present

You might remember this horrendous shooting we had here in Omaha a while back, where a 19 year old killed eight people before he took his own life....
Well, I also mentioned that he had lived in my neighborhood.
He had been taken in by a foster family that wanted to give him a home because his own parents (divorced) were....well you be the judge,

I am not the kind of person that digs around in these kind of stories and I would have never known, but through a conversation with a neighbor I found out I actually know the foster "Mom".
She has three dogs and I had met her various times on dog walks.

I felt so bad for her and I wanted to say something next time I would see her, but with my new job, I hadn't seen her in weeks.

On Sunday, my birthday, I took Mr. Whiskers for a walk and I saw her with her dogs.
Mr. W ran up to the dogs as always and I "had" to walk up to her.
By the time I reached her, I just took her in my arms and told her that I have been thinking about her and that she has been in my prayers...

She had tears in her eyes and said that she is so grateful that for all the kindness that people have shown towards her.
She wanted to help that kid and feels so bad that she couldn't.

She thanked me several times and it was almost a magic moment.

That was my best birthday present.