:(

Didn't feel well Wednesday, or yesterday, and it followed
me to practice at Emrick last night.
Not only was I low on "Go" juice, I wasn't in a very good
mood either.
Oh well, some days in rains on the outside, and others on
the inside.
Great thing about weather and health issues, you can count
on them to change, given time.
Late in the practice I hooked up with the fast pack for a
few laps and after that spent another handful of laps getting
as low as I could without messing up my balance.
Cracks me up that what feels so low, isn't very low at all.
I look at my reflexion in the first floor office windows
when I pass by and they tell the real story, not the one
my mind makes up.

He's In (Almost)

My son and I went to the Air Force recruiter
in Bethlehem last night and Austin spent 2 hours
listening, asking questions, taking a practice
ASVAB test and watching a video.
There is no doubt in my mind that this is what
he wants to do, and it looks like they are very
interested in him.
From what I understand, the Coast Guard and the
Air Force are the most difficult services to get
into. And from this initial ASVAB test he shouldn't
have any problem, at least on that front.
He scored double the acceptance figure, without
any study.
Next month he'll take the real deal, sign up for
the delayed entry program in October, and will
be well on his way to a career in the military.
Who knew when he was born that that was the
direction he would choose..
Certainly not me.
He's excited to have started the process and I'm
thankful he won't be sitting in my living room
as a twenty year old playing video games day and
night!
LOL
On the topic of tests, I really wanted to get my
motorcycle learners permit and it took me two
tries to pass the written test this week. And I
studied.
From the people I was next to in line this morning,
I learned that taking more than once to pass any of
the written tests, isn't as uncommon as I thought.
Next on my agenda is the free 15 hour Motorcycle
Safety Course the state of PA. runs for it's
citizens.
I had to have my learners permit to even sign up
for it.
The guy who was running the test process at the
DMV in Allentown couldn't say enough good things
about this course.
His wife took it last month at the same location
I plan to, loved it, passed the practical, got her
license and is having a blast with her new found
skill.
Sounds like fun to me too!

Settling In

It was like I never left, work or practice, and it
was nice to be enthusiastically welcomed back at both.
I really am blessed by the friends I have, on the
job and where I play.
The time off did me good and I felt relaxed all day.
I'd thought having two weeks off would negatively
impact my skating, and that I'd be huffing and puffing
last night, but all the walking I did on vacation must
have kept me fit enough to pick up where I left off.
Fact is, I thought I skated better than when I left.
Was it because I was relaxed?
Spent some time in the faster pack and reveled in
being balanced and stroking smooth and easy lap after
lap.
Once the speed picked up in that pack and moved past
my ability, I had to drop off. There is only so fast
I can go before fatigue sets in and I was quite aware
when my stored fuel had been used up.
Back never bothered me skating but once my boots were
off my lower vertebrae said "HELLO!".
Slept like a rock and that same back was very happy to
spend the dark hours of the night in a familiar bed.

Picking It Back Up

Vacation was fun and it was probably healthy
to take two weeks off from skating.
I took yesterday off of work too and even
though I wasn't able to get everything I
wanted to accomplished, I was busy all day.
Among other things I rearranged the living
room and now my slide board isn't in the middle
of the floor but along the back wall.
I can still use the glass doors of my hutch
as a mirror to check my form so that works.
What once was the TV room has turned into my
training room. LOL
We don't watch TV or get much company,so what
the heck.
Practice at Emrick tonight, and I'm looking
forward to getting my skates back on.
My lower back has been acting up and I think
it well be happier soon.

Home

At 7:15pm we climb aboard the Shuttle to
Seattle whose pick up location is down
the hill at the Seven-Eleven, and we begin
our journey east.
Our first flight leaves at 11:10pm and we
will both try to sleep that one out.
Then it is on to Houston and then to
Cleveland, and then to Allentown.
Should see the tarmac there about 1:30
Sunday afternoon.
I'll miss this Pacific Coast climate,
and it's geology.
And my Dad.
But this isn't my home, it's his.
Took me 6 days to slow my walk down, and
while in Oak Harbor I achieved some clarity
on issues that were, well, issues.
This past week has been like having a
freshening wind blow through the open
windows of my home.
Out with stale and old perspectives, and
in with enticing new ones.
Now I look forward to getting back to my
world.

Can't Beat It

Sitting in a kayak with your son in front
of you, paddling in unison around one of
the islands in the Puget Sound.
Burrows to be exact. (I think) lol
A beautiful day to be on the water and
"Cory", our guide, gushed on about how
lucky we were to have to such a fine day.
The two other girls in our group, Jen and
Rebecka agreed.
Jen, an anaesthesiologist from a hospital
in Seattle, was the smartest among us. She
had, and slathered, her exposed body
parts with sunscreen.
Since the kayak trip was an un-expected
gift,I hadn't even brought a hat from home
so picked one up in town.
Thankfully I have a decent base tan, so in
three hours I got darker with a little
Pacific Coast sunburn. My son on the other
hand just got the sunburn.
He was lobster red last night and pretty
bright this morning.
That's what happens when your a computer
gaming geek and spend every minute online,
inside the house.
LOL
Didn't come across a ton of wildlife, but
we did see Kingfishers, Blue Heron, Harbor
Seals, a Porpoise, Lion Mane Jelly Fish, and
some diving birds.
And of course seagulls.
Once, when we stopped in a cove to chat and
float a while, I pulled my cell phone out
of a pocket on my life vest, and the plastic
bag it was sealed in, then called a friend
on the east coast.
That was just so cool!
Sure, I wasn't on the moon, but technology
can still amaze me.
In a kayak, in the Puget Sound, nothing but
nature in sight, and I can talk to someone
on the other side of the country.
Simple pleasures for the simple minded I
guess..
Not much happening today.
I'll walk the few miles from the Library
back to my Dad's and my son and I are going
to catch a movie later.
I would have loved to have gotten on a Ferry
for the day and gone out to the San Juan's
but I guess that will have to wait for another
visit.
Dad, his wife Lois and my son are content to
read all day and while I chomp at the bit to
get up and moving.
I'll be having to do much more of that when we
get back east, and go on a diet to boot.
We sure have been eating well out here :)
Talk about eating, tomorrow we're going to the
Casino to gamble and have lunch!

Sitting

Ichee Mama!
There's been a lot of siting.
Sitting in the car to get to the airport,
sitting there waiting for plane #1, sitting
in the plane for an hour and a half, sitting
at Dulles waiting for plane #2 and sitting
for 6 hours on a 767 in seat 26D.
Sitting in the Sea Tac terminal for 2 hours,
waiting for the next shuttle to Oak Harbor,
(because we missed the one we were supposed
be on), and sitting in the back seat of that
shuttle for the 2 hour drive north.
Sitting in Dad's car after he picked us up,
and sitting in his living room for an hour
chatting before laying down to go to sleep at
2am, 5am EST.
We sit in the morning, sit in the car, and
sit at night. We sit to eat and sit to talk.
And I'm sitting in the local library as I type
this short entry..
My back is having a hissy fit with the extremely
soft bed in the guest room..
I'm keeping myself less than stiff as a board,
by taking a 1 hour walk twice a day.
Since my Dad lives in "Scenic Vista", it's down
hill to the harbour, via a very interesting nature
preserve, and back up the very steep hill that
gives scenic vista it's view.
Thank God for that hill..
'Cause old people sit a lot!
LOL