Victorious

(Sorry I didn't post much last week. I tried several times, but between travelling for work and Blogger having problems, I wasn't successful.)

Yesterday (Sunday) was the Austin Danskin Triathlon. Beginning with the end, I'm happy to report that I finished!

We got up at 5 a.m. to get over to the race site by 6 a.m. There were 3,000 women participating, plus spectators and volunteers, so the traffic was intense. We set up our equipment in the transition area, where we had left our bikes the day before. Then we headed over to the swim start to watch the elite athletes.

Jenn was in wave 14, and I was in wave 16, and even though they were launching every 4-5 minutes, we had time to wait. I was nervous, excited and anxious to begin!

Jenn had warned me that with your adrenalin up, you feel like swimming faster at the beginning and told me how important it is to pace yourself. I felt the adrenalin, but I was overwhelmed by the number of women beside and around me. The first few times I came up for air, the waves in the lake crashed into me, and I gulped in water. Sputtering, and still trying to navigate around everyone, I started to panic and couldn't catch my breath. The density of the lake was also distracting. I couldn't see underwater at all. Then my goggles started fogging up, so even when I came up for air and to look around, I couldn't see! (Still panicking at this point.) I finally just put the goggles up on my forehead and tried to calm down. It took me half the swim course before I sort of got my rhythm back. People from the wave behind me are passing me at this point, but I just focused on breathing (still too many waves hitting my face when I wanted to breathe) and kept moving, albeit slowly. I was disappointed in my swim portion, but I didn't have to ask for help and finally finished.

The bike portion was my favorite. Although there were some impressive hills, I had trained on hills and did fine. I wasn't prepared for the number of people passing me, which can be somewhat discouraging, but most of the women would cheer each other on as they passed you. I only had to stop once to open my Gatorade. (I learned I should have opened the seal before I started so it would have been easier.)

On the last hill of the bike course, you can see the run course to your right. I figured Jenn should be there about the same time, and I called out "JENN!" to one girl before realizing it wasn't her. Several of the runners were encouraging the cyclists, "Go, bikers! It's the last hill!" and then I heard "EM! You're doing it!" It was really great to see Jenn and gave me a boost of energy.

I felt good coming off the bike and started the run strong. I soon learned how wobbly my legs were and how different it is running on the uneven ground from the paved ground I had trained on. My ankles felt like cooked noodles. I jogged up to another girl who was walking and began walking with her. We stuck together through the rest of the run/walk, talking and encouraging each other on. It was her first Tri, too. We ran short spurts, but mostly walked. It was hot by this time, too, and it took a lot of effort just to keep putting one foot in front of the other. I saved a little bit of energy to run across the finish line, and I saw Steve, Jenn, Anthony, Anna and Colin off to the left cheering me on. What a relief! I was so glad to be done.

I'll post more pictures tomorrow. Steve took some great ones, but I forgot to download them to my computer last night. I crashed as soon as we got home, sleeping for at least 2 hours. I got up, cooked dinner and then crashed again, sleeping soundly until this morning. Otherwise, I feel pretty good. Not too sore (thanks to lots of stretching and ibuprofen) and happy that I did it.


Sisters, before the race 

New 'Do - Straight

new hair 002
Originally uploaded by Gem-Em.

Here's what it looks like straight.

My New 'Do - Curled

new hair 003
Originally uploaded by Gem-Em.

Here's a pic of my new haircut when I use the curling iron.

Weekend Review

I didn't post anything at the end of last week because I was too grumpy. I didn't sleep well (for no obvious reason) and was seriously irritable and not fit for human interaction. Doing better now.

I got my hair cut on Friday, although there was a bit of drama. I got the name of a new hairdresser from a coworker whose new haircut really complements her face. I was glad to get an appointment Friday afternoon, since I'd be seeing family on Saturday at my cousin Robert's high school graduation.

I left work early to get to the salon. It was EMPTY when I arrived, except for a teenage boy who was also waiting to get his hair cut. I finally asked him if anyone was working there, and he pointed me to the lone hairdresser in a back room. She informed me that my hairdresser had gone home sick and didn't I get a call from them? Sure enough, I had a voicemail on my cell phone.My fault -- I just hadn't checked it. Dammit...my hair was so long and boring and just shapeless. I really needed it cut! And, I was finally ready to make a change.

I decided to go to Ulta, where they have a walk-in salon, and hope for the best. Thankfully, I got a great gal who was able to add some shape and life back into my hair! Yipee!

On Saturday, I drove to Waco, picked up Grandma and Sudie and drove them to Lexington (small town in the middle of nowhere) for Robert's graduation ceremony. It was really nice. The home school co-op planned the whole affair for their five graduating seniors, an impressive group of young people. Each senior had a video presentation that was made by them and their families, and I cried as Rob's started with an audio recitation of him taking the pledge to protect and defend our country and constitution. The tears continued to roll as pictures of his young life were projected. I'm so proud of him, the first of our family to be accepted to West Point. He's a kind, thoughtful, intelligent young man (not to mention TALL), and it's exciting and bittersweet to see him leaving to start his life as an adult.

Have You Seen This?

Oh, I just had to share this! I think Sabrina, my cat, talks to me in her own way, but she could learn a thing or two from these cats:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=iV6DQuEh4UQ&search=talking%20cats

I am a 1 Gallon Donor!

On and off over the past six years, I have donated blood to Carter Blood Care. They were at work last week, and I donated again. I have type O+ blood, considered the "universal donor." You get free juice and cookies (not the reason I donate), and they also give you your cholesterol level.

I also learned that my blood is CMV negative. When I inquired about this, the phlebotomist told me it's Cytomegalovirus, and because my blood is negative for the antibodies, my donation can be given to babies. This really made me smile, since I volunteer with the babies at the county hospital.

And good news! My cholesterol is within normal levels (under 200). I'm currently at 180. On their website, I can see all my cholesterol levels over the past 6 years, ranging from 139-181. And, it says I've given 9 times, making me a 1 gallon donor (and I'm 1 pint into my second gallon)!

Moving Sucks

Long holiday weekend: perfect for remembering the soldiers who have fought and died for our way of life, cookouts and pool time, getting together with friends and/or family, and... moving?

Fortunately, we had a long weekend to move all my stuff to Steve's house. Unfortunately, we didn't get to relax and enjoy the weekend.

I took Friday off from work to pack everything. I'm always amazed at how much STUFF I have. It took a solid 8 hours. Before embarking on that task, though, I doubled the size of my backyard garden to accommodate the plants from the old place. Steve met me at the house after work, and we packed up both our cars with boxes and pictures and then raided the garden for the substantial tomato and basil plants. As soon as we got home, we planted them and hoped for the best. Then we unloaded our cars and limped into the house.

Saturday morning came much too soon, and my back was still considerably sore from the previous day. My ever-frugal boyfriend convinced me we could move everything ourselves and discouraged me from hiring a moving company. We rented a truck from U-Haul (their largest), as well as hand-trucks or dollies.

Steve did impress me with his ability to navigate the larger pieces with the dollies. But I made him PROMISE me that if we get any more furiture, he'll let me hire a moving company the next time we move. He [reluctantly] agreed.

We got it all the furniture and most of the boxes here on Saturday. On Sunday, we returned to do a cursory cleaning and pick up the remaining boxes and what-not, which still took a couple trips with both our cars.

So it's all here, but it's not organized. The chaos drives me crazy, but my body is too worn out to do much at this point. I'm looking forward to my massage appointment this afternoon. And at least we got our new king-sized mattress on Thursday.

A Funny Story

On Monday, I was out-of-town with a client, helping lead a strategy session to redesign their website. One of the tools we often use is a graph where we plot their current site and their competitors' websites against an x-axis of Cumbersome to Intuitive and a y-axis of Emotive to Clinical. This allows us to get a pretty good picture of where each site fits on these continuums and where missed opportunities are.

One of the male participants in our discussion remarked that their site had only moved an inch from its previous version.

I remarked, "One inch can make a big difference."

Everyone cracked up, and both the commenter and I turned red.

Inspiration

Jennifer, my incredibly-athletic-Energizer-bunny sister, challenged me to join her and her husband in their local 5K (3.1 miles). I agreed it's a good step towards getting ready for the Danskin Triathlon, which is quickly approaching. My training has included jogging short distances, interspersed with walking, as well as biking and swimming, but running is my weakest sport.

Jenn set the pace with Anthony and I following. They soon broke away from me as we ascended a fairly steep hill. I realized I did better just focusing on the road directly in front of me, rather than looking down the road.

I walked a few times to catch my breath but kept moving. After a mile and a half, there were several people who I kept pace with, including an older man, a mom and teenage daughter, and a young boy.

I noticed the boy seemed to not have his right shoe on correctly, but then I realized his right leg and foot were slightly twisted. He struggled to throw his right leg around each step and would only run for a few steps before walking a few. But he kept running again and again.

Wow, if he can do this, I have no excuses.

When Jenn and I told Grandma about our upcoming participation in the triathlon, she simply responded, "Why would you do that?" We laughed but later discussed how we are doing it to challenge ourselves physically. After watching this little guy fight for each step, I also realize I'm doing this because I can. I'm doing it out of appreciation for the body I've been given and my health.

I finished the 5K in just under 40 minutes. Jenn did it in 31 minutes; Anth in 34 minutes. Nineteen days until the triathlon!

Update

No worries...the rash and hives were gone within an hour. The Benadryl must have helped but did make me feel like I was dragging through the rest of the day.

The new antibiotic I'm on lists as its most common side effect abdominal cramping and diarrhea. Great. Should be a fun 7 days. Oh, and it coincides with my monthly cycle.

Sorry I don't have anything fun or interesting to post. I feel yucky.

Itchy

Hives 007
Originally uploaded by Gem-Em.

I've never before had an allergic reaction to antibiotics, but boy, did I experience one today!

It's hard to see much from the picture, but my hands and forearms had red splotches and hives. The palms of my hands were very red and itchy.

Being me, I thought it was pretty fascinating. (I didn't have a serious reaction -- no wheezing or swollen airway.) I took some Benadryl, called my doctor and will try a new antibiotic tomorrow. Cool, huh?

You Know You're in Texas When...

cattle-01
Originally uploaded by Gem-Em.

...there are fields full of cattle, even longhorns, right down the street from your neighborhood.

...football is king.

...the locals draw out single-syllable words into two or three syllables.

...all the politicians are backed by oil.

...half the population only speaks Spanish.

...you can travel for 12 hours in a single direction and still be within the state's borders.

A Born Swimmer

It's so nice to have a pool in the backyard. As I train for the upcoming triathlon, it's very convenient, too!

Last week when I jumped in, I found I wasn't the only one swimming. This baby turtle, no more than 2 inches long, was diving in the deep end. We fished him out and cleaned him off.

Turtle 006
Originally uploaded by Gem-Em.

I tried to feed him strawberries and lettuce, but he wasn't interested. After consulting Dr. Jenn, it was determined the best outcome for little-no-name-turtle was to be set free in the community pond.

Steve and I walked with him down to the pond on the country club's golf course. We put him in a marshy area and watched as he sat very very still for a minute or two. Then, as if realizing he was free, he scurried into the murky water and disappeared.

Adios, little guy.

I am an experienced garage salewoman.

As my sisters reminisced on my previous post, we would often visit garage sales on Saturday mornings with our dad. It was a great way to get new toys for low cost. My strongest memory is wanting the board game "Operation." We finally found it at one sale, but the woman wouldn't sell it to us, emphatically stating it was a "boy's game." I was furious -- my first personal experience with discrimination.

As an adult, I've realized the value of holding my own garage sales. I've held a couple over the last 10 years, so I was able to guide Steve this weekend in his first. Fortunately, the heavy rain we've been experiencing held off during the sale, and since this weekend was designated by the community as its garage sale weekend, there were several sales and lots of traffic.

We made a little over $200. We still have a few things we're going to try to sell online, and the rest is going to be donated. We decided against selling hot dogs when Steve heard we might need a special permit for food sales, but we made several dollars selling soda and water. I got to use my pidgeon Spanish several times, as the majority of our shoppers were Hispanic.

Both my sisters mentioned buying beads at garage sales...Steve had several strands of old Mardi Gras beads. They were picked up a dozen times but never bought. They'd ask, "how much?" 50 cents each, was our reply. Then they'd put them back and walk away! Is 50 cents really too much to ask?!?

Quick Update

I saw Annie last night. She's at home and glad to be able to sleep in her own bed without nurses coming in to wake her every few hours. Her scar is longer than the doctor originally told us (about 6 inches from just below her breastbone down to her belly button), but she isn't too concerned about it. I think she has a healthy outlook on the whole thing.

Another note/correction: I was trying to be witty and cute when I wrote that the "owners are busy renovating" in the story New Beginnings. I didn't mean to imply that Steve doesn't own his own home. He does. The second "owner" I was referring to was me. Although I'm not on the mortgage, he's treating me as an equal in all decisions, and we are planning our future together there.

And boy, have we been busy! Last weekend we worked our butts off on the bedroom ceilings. We've scraped off the old popcorn, patched the gouges and sanded them flat. Now we have to wipe off the leftover dust from the sanding, prime and paint them. We've also been shopping for new carpet for the bedrooms. The measurement guy comes out tomorrow, and we should have new carpet in a week or so.

This weekend, we're having a garage sale in conjunction with the rest of the community. So we've also been sorting through things to identify what we want to sell. It's amazing how much junk two people can collect, but as they say, one person's trash is another's treasure. Steve has also decided to cook some hotdogs on his grill to sell and to entice people to our house.

Life is busy, but really really good.

Successful Surgery

Annie did great in her surgery yesterday!

I got to the hospital just as the surgeon was coming out to tell us how well she did. Janet (her mom) had asked him to take digital pictures of the spleen, (she's fascinated with medical stuff like me), and it was absolutely HUGE! (about the size of a volleyball, when it's supposed to be about a golf or tennis ball)

The surgeon said she had very little blood loss. Fortunately, the spleen had not ruptured. It's a very vascular organ. Rupturing would have meant a lot of blood loss and clean up in the abdomen. He was able to fold it and pull it through the incision, about 4 inches vertically that begins just below her sternum.

We got to see her a couple hours later after she came out of recovery. She looks great and insisted on getting up to go to the bathroom! The nurses were all impressed that she was getting up so quickly.

The doctor originally estimated she would be in the hospital until Friday, but he said she did so well, she may be released on Wednesday.

I'm so glad I saw her -- it really eased my mind. I also got to meet her new boyfriend, Anthony, and he's a sweetheart. He told her she looked beautiful right out of surgery. He's cute, too. I think he looks a lot like Tom Cruise.

Thanks for all the prayers!

Prayers Please

Annie
Originally uploaded by Gem-Em.

My beautiful god-daughter, Annie, is having emergency surgery today around 12 noon. After coping with mononucleosis for a couple weeks, she developed a rare complication that caused her spleen to become enlarged and bleeding. The doctors have said her spleen is the size of a volleyball, and it has detached from its usual location and is free floating in her abdomen. Needless to say, this is very painful.

The surgery today will remove the spleen and hopefully reduce the pain she's experiencing. Unfortunately, because of the spleen's size, they can't do laparoscopic surgery. The recovery time will be long.

So any prayers are appreciated! I'll post an update when there is one.

I have a Big Head

Bev-me
Originally uploaded by Gem-Em.

(And I don't mean I'm conceited)

Look at this! Although Beverly is taller than me, my head is MUCH bigger! I never realized this until I saw this picture. I wish I could say I'm closer to the camera and that caused the distortion, but as you can see, our shoulders are even.

I knew my face was ROUND but geez!

I get this from my dad. He has a big head. My mom has a pea-head. Maybe Beverly takes after her namesake.

New Beginnings

I mentioned in a previous post (A Fresh Start) that I'm moving soon. Although I have loved the little house in Valley Ranch, my parents have decided to sell it, and I've decided not to buy it. (Many factors involved in each of these decisions, but there are no hard feelings.)

While I was searching for a new place to lay my head, Steve asked me to move in with him. He has a large house in Trophy Club, a suburb west of the airport. We debated it for several weeks and came to an agreement that this is something we both want. He's the most wonderful man I've ever known, and I love spending time with him. Whether we are doing something or nothing, just being with Steve makes it more fun.

The house is being renovated by its current owners -- Steve and I have put in a few weekends already painting, resurfacing the ceilings and generally cleaning up. Our next projects include new carpet, new tile and an overhaul of the kitchen. It's exciting to plan and work on it together, and we both can envision the house's potential.

I planted a vegetable garden at "our" house last weekend, and it's my most ambitious yet: tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, carrots, peas, zucchini squash, basil and sage. I'm going to have to expand the garden already, because I also have oregano, strawberries and mint to plant!

It's all Relative

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Originally uploaded by Gem-Em.

This weekend, I joined the rest of my family for a reunion in Waco, TX. This was my mother's side of the family. It was a lovely weekend for it: warm enough for the kids to swim in my uncle Joe's pool, but not so hot that it was sweltering.

The youngest are Paige and Graham at 2 years and 10 months; the oldest is Sudie at 91. The rest of us are in the middle.

Feeding Frenzy

Originally uploaded by monnarchj.

I found this photo entitled "Dinnertime" on Flickr.com. Oh my! I was so impressed with my sisters when they breastfed, especially Steph having the twins. It's such a commitment. But look at this poor feline mama! The expression on her face says it all.

Don't You Hate it When...

...at the end of the day, you look in the mirror and see you have food in your teeth and you haven't eaten since lunch.

...you sit down to a business meeting, cross your legs and notice your zipper is down. Then you try to figure out a way to subtlely zip it up without anyone noticing.

...you spend extra time on your hair to make it look nice and the humidity outside makes it all fall anyway.

...it rains in Dallas and all the traffic lights don't work. (It's just rain -- Portland and Seattle must know something we don't.) And don't even get me started on the drivers.

...your fat jeans become your everyday jeans.

Others?

A Fresh Start

I needed a new blog template. What do you think? (I think my sister Jenn will like that I picked a green one!)

I've been making quite a few changes in my life lately. After a grueling 9 months, I finally got relieved of my duties on a particular project at work. I'm now actually enjoying my work again and my coworkers have noted that I'm smiling more!

I also changed hairdressers. After going to the same guy for 10 years, I decided to make a change after he stood me up and wasn't truly apologetic. It's tough, because I know he needs the work, but as a paying customer, I deserve better.

I'm moving soon. More on that later.

I'm thinking about changing massage therapists, too. Similar to the hairdresser, I've been seeing my masseuse for 11 years. I've referred several friends to her and often given her gift certificates to other friends. For the past couple years, I've been seeing her once a month or so, but lately it seems she's more aggressive about me coming in or buying various products. It seems it's all about the money.

I realize this is her business, but when I originally met her, I felt she was a very soulful person. Maybe it's because massage is a personal service -- someone is rubbing your body -- but I need to feel safe. Feeling pressured to buy! buy! buy! doesn't help me relax.

Plus, I found a new masseuse! She's closer to me, cheaper and stronger. It's just hard trying to figure out what to say to the one I've been seeing. Breaking up is never easy!

A Happy Easter Weekend

Happy Easter! 

Steve and I visited Steph, Al, Paige & Graham for Easter weekend. We had a ball Easter egg hunting, swimming, lots of great food and lots of giggles.


Hello, Easter Bunny 

On Easter morning, Graham got creative with his loot. We were all tickled.


StickerMan 

Unfortunately, he had to take them off before church. He protested, "No...I want to be funny!"

The Wrath of God

Last night I had dinner with my gay-boyfriend Daniel. It's his birthday today, and he's 22! So much of life ahead of him. He's such a sweetheart and a really great friend.

He's been struggling with his religion (Christianity) and his sexuality. He has been going to a church regularly and finally talked to the pastor. This pastor actually told him if he continues to lead a gay lifestyle, he will get AIDS as his punishment from God.

I wholeheartedly, vehemently disagree with this! And how awful that this minister is spreading this nonsense!

According to this theory, you could say that people who get cancer are being punished for some sin. Even children get cancer. Guess they should have been better behaved.

What about the Christian idea that we are ALL sinners? I guess everyone of us is just a moment away from a deadly disease. I know I've made some huge mistakes in my life. What does that deserve?

Ready to Run

The gauntlet has been thrown down. The date has been set. Now I just have to get my butt in shape!

My sister Jennifer has challenged me to join her in participating in the Danskin Women's Triathlon in June. After last year's adventure races, this is taking it to the next level. I've never done a triathlon, but completing the adventure races last year gave me some confidence.

My biggest weakness is running, followed by biking. I'm not concerned about the swimming, which is only 1/2 mile. The run is 3.1 mile (5K), and the bike portion is 12 miles in the hilly roads around Austin. BIG hills. [gulp!]

I took Jenn's advice and rode my bike down to a local middle school where they have a nice track. I turned on my iPod as I started to jog, deciding on Dixie Chicks. The first song up was "Ready to Run." I chuckled to myself, how appropriate!

I jogged one lap, then walked 1/2 and jogged 1/2 for two laps. By then, I was toast. But I still had to ride home.

I took a route that included a fairly good hill. At least biking and jogging use slightly different muscles!

By the time I got home, my face was so red, it bordered on purple. Exercise is definitely not good for my rosacea. But the rest of me felt pretty good.

Remember how fun it was to be a kid?

When we were in Austin for Anna's birthday weekend, Steve, Jenn and I took the kids to the park. We had fun, although it was steamy hot.


Anna looks delighted 


Colin, with Henley waiting her turn behind. 


I took a turn on the slide with Anna 


It looked like so much fun, Steve had to try it too! 


Helping the little monkeys climb 


Jenn gives Colin a boost 

Yee-Haw!

A good time was had by all at Anna's 5th birthday celebration for Cowboys and Cowgirls. I put on my "yee-haw doo-dah" clothes, and Steve and I helped with the pony rides.


Anna and me at the Cowboy/Cowgirl party 

Steve meeting my folks seemed to go well, too, although I wasn't too worried. He's such a great guy.

Here, Steve holds Lyra's hands on the horn of the saddle as they walk along. 

Flipping the Switch

Last weekend, as I was cleaning out and organizing my closets, I found a picture that was taken of me about 3 years ago. I was skinny! It really made an impression on me, and I decided right then and there that I have to commit to eating more healthy and smaller portions and get this extra weight off for good.

A friend of mine calls it "flipping the switch." She is battling her own weight issue and has, as many women do, gone up and down the scale. But she told me once you truly decide, it's like flipping a switch inside your head. Basically, you make it a priority, and it therefore outweighs any silly urges.

I was doing really well until this trip. After that nice steak dinner and a dessert, which I rarely if ever allow myself, we ate dinner with our client last night and had rich, creamy pasta at a local Italian restaurant.

I guess my switch got temporarily switched off. I'm resetting it at the breaker now.

Travelling Again

Today I'm in Indianapolis. My coworkers and I arrived yesterday evening, in time for a nice dinner at Ruth's Chris Steak House and several hours for reviewing our presentation for today. I've never eaten at a Ruth's. It was delicious. I had a petite filet, and we split potatoes au gratin and sauteed spinach. Oh, and there was dessert. I had an upsidedown chocolate souffle. Mmm.

We're staying at the Westin, which is one of my favorites. They boast the "Heavenly Bed" and the "Heavenly Bath." I'm sitting here blogging in the Heavenly Robe. I feel so ethereal.

I'll be home again late Thursday, and Saturday, Steve and I will drive down to Austin for my niece Anna's 5th birthday celebration. I can't believe she's FIVE! (Today, actually.) In addition to all the excitement and activity for Anna, Steve will get to meet my sister, bro-in-law and parents for the first time.

Yard Exercise

My favorite kind of exercise is the kind that doesn't seem like exercise, like gardening. And then afterwards, you sit down and feel your muscles go "Ahhh..."

This was the first weekend in four weeks that I've been home. My house definitely needed some attention. Also, my digital video recorder was full of all my favorite shows. One I like to watch on the weekends is "Gardening by the Yard" with Paul James. My brother-in-law Anthony got me hooked on it. James is quirky and goofy, but it helps you remember things. Yesterday I watched three in a row! It must have inspired me, because today I tackled the backyard.

It's amazing what a little mulch does. It really makes the areas around the trees look neater. And I found some large rocks in the back corner of the yard that I used to border the patio and garden. I think it turned out pretty nice.

My garden. See my new yellow Callalilly in the background? 

My new bushes 

Almost a Nice Weekend

Last weekend, Steve and I visited some friends of his in Los Angeles. They actually live in Huntington Beach. After a long flight and a delay with the rental car company, we were VERY hungry. We then got to experience LA traffic firsthand and went an average of 20 miles an hour. Then, unfortunately, the directions the friends gave us had one little mistake...it said to turn left instead of right on the road we exited. Oops...twenty miles later...

Their house was nice, (he's a builder), and has several nice features. However, they also have three very smelly labrador retrievers. I like dogs. I'm slightly allergic to them, but it's not something I mention to dog owners. It just means I have to blow my nose more frequently, and I'm very careful to wash my hands after petting them. These dogs were sweet, if a little hyper. They jumped on us. Every day. So much for the nice clothes we packed.

Their dogs mostly live in the kennel in the backyard, but they let them in every evening. Everything smelled like dog. They are allowed on all the furniture, people and beds. And there was a layer of dog hair and dust on everything.

Our bed was an inflatable mattress with a built-in pump. And a slow leak. Steve woke up at least 6 times to fill it back up. I would hear the hum of the pump and slowly feel the bed rise underneath me.

Saturday morning we had a very nice brunch on the patio. I really liked the landscaping and tile, the koi pond and umbrellas. But I could have done without the strong smell of dog poop while we ate.

Am I getting too picky? I sound like an ungrateful guest. We were both sick of travelling by the time we got there, and I guess I was just yearning for my clean house.

But did I mention the towels had stains...?

picturesque Hanauma Bay 

Having a nice dinner overlooking Waikiki 

Dolphin Encounter

I did make it back home. For a time, anyway. I just didn’t have a spare moment to blog about the rest of my trip to Hawaii. In fact, I’m writing this from Pittsburgh.

We arrived back in Dallas, did several loads of laundry, got slammed at work with hundreds of emails and questions, and I learned I was travelling to Pittsburgh for the end of the week. From here, Steve and I will be going to Los Angeles to visit with some friends of his. (I used my accumulated frequent flier miles to go to Hawaii, so I’m trying to replenish my account.)

Steve and I agreed the best part of the trip was our underwater experiences. In addition to snorkeling in Hanauma Bay, we went snorkeling with dolphins. We made reservations with the excursion company for Thursday, and I was disheartened that the weather was at its worst during our visit that morning. Still, the money was already spent, and there was no option to reschedule, so off we went.

The boat took us to a cove off-shore that was frequently visited by local Spinner dolphins, so called for their propensity to leap out of the water and spin. We got into the water in groups of five. The shock of the water and the adrenalin made me catch my breath, and I was comforted that Steve grabbed my hand as we swam together towards the pod of dolphins.

We saw them, briefly, but they swam on and avoided the strange creatures floating at the surface gaping at them. Steve and I were both silently concerned that might be the extent of our interaction, but fortunately, our excursion team knew about another cove.

This second stop had a pod of 40-50 dolphins that swam in circles all around us. They come up for air every 7 minutes or so, and you could hear their communication of squeaks and clicks even before you saw them. It was a magical experience.

Steve busily snapped pictures on the disposable underwater camera we brought. Disappointingly, the film quality wasn't the best, so the pictures don't give the right impression. The water was clear and the dolphins were, at their closest, only 10 feet away from us. 

Chinatown

Oh, how quaint! Honolulu has its own Chinatown! (I thought.)

I've been to New York's and San Francisco's Chinatowns, and it's some of the best Chinese food I've ever eaten. So I encouraged Steve to go with me to Honolulu's for a late lunch after we had snorkeled at Hanauma Bay.

By the time we got there, (let's just say we didn't take the most direct route) we both had to go to the bathroom and we were VERY hungry. Many establishments here have signs stating "No public bathrooms," but we thought we could find a restaurant and use theirs. Unfortunately, the first three eateries we stopped at didn't take credit cards. We intentionally didn't bring much cash with us that day since we were going to the beach. We decided our bladders were more important than our stomachs, and set off to just find a public bathroom. We found one, but it was locked! (I'm dancing at this point, and looking with interest at the trees and bushes nearby.) Steve spotted a security guard and asked him where we could find a bathroom. He said they're locked (no, really?) and the merchants must let you in. I think I rolled my eyes (still dancing, too), and Steve mentioned we REALLY had to go. The guy had pity on us and unlocked the doors for us.

Now, wouldn't you know, there's a LINE in the women's bathroom! I'm third back. There are two stalls in there, but someone stayed in one of them the whole time, flushing often. So that left the one for the other three of us.

I'm sure I was turning yellow. Steve got a glimpse of me waiting when someone left the bathroom, and his look of astonishment and sympathy was so sweet!

After we took care of that, we again looked for a restaurant that took credit cards. We found a nice looking one called "Good Luck." We were served complimentary hot tea and seated at a nice, clean table. The place had one of those menus that doesn't give the ingredients of the various dishes, just the names. So, you kinda have to guess what you're getting. I decided on a chicken in black bean sauce (something I've had before at Chinese restaurants in Dallas), and Steve got duck.

Now, I realize why they named it "Good Luck."

Good luck finding something you'll like!

Mine was sinewy pieces of chicken that almost didn't seem cooked enough, with large pieces of uncooked onion and bell pepper. I'm allergic to bell pepper, and raw onions upset my stomach. So basically, I feasted on the rice.

Steve didn't fare much better. The duck was EXTREMELY fatty, and he kept exclaiming, "oh, gross! Look at this!" After four or five times, I politely told him I really didn't want to look anymore. It was disgusting.

Needless to say, we decided not to return to Chinatown for any other meals.

Aloha from paradise

Just logging in for a post from the island of Oahu in Hawaii!

Steve and I arrived to a soft but steady rain on Friday. I guess it must have been a slow news day stateside, because both my mom and my friend who is checking on my cat Sabrina mentioned the flooding in Oahu. It happened a couple days before we arrived, and was only in a small section on the West side. (We are staying on the south beach, Waikiki) Anyway, no worries! And by Saturday, we had seen 3 rainbows.

By today, we finally feel adjusted to the time change. We have been going to bed earlier and getting up earlier than we do back home, but it's nice because we have breakfast on our patio and watch the sun come up.

We went snorkeling in Hanauma Bay on Saturday and again yesterday afternoon after Steve finished his work. On our first excursion, we saw at least 20 different fish and an octopus. The octopus was blinking his eye at us, and we enjoyed watching him until he squeezed himself into a crack in the coral and shut his eye. We would have missed him like that. It's incredible how much he blended in to his environment.

Yesterday, we went into a different part of the bay, and again saw many fish. My favorite was a new one (not one we had previously seen) who was also hidden among the coral. I also enjoyed watching a little fish pop his head in and out from his hidden spot in the coral. I kept thinking about Finding Nemo and giving each fish different characteristics in my mind.

Our biggest joy was seeing a sea turtle. Wow. How majestic and graceful. It was truly awesome.

Honolulu is as expensive as I remembered. Our first meal (on Friday) consisted of two cheeseburgers, an appetizer and 1 beer. $40! Being a Downward, I know how to be thrifty, though. We have cereal and fruit in our condo each morning, and I've bought sandwich makings for some lunches. We also brought a bottle of wine with us to have before we go out in the evenings.

We've also enjoyed searching out the local restaurants that are off the beaten path. Last night, we found a sushi place that was CHEAP and really good. We ate like kings, and spent less than we did on those just-satisfactory cheeseburgers. The Ahi tuna here is so fresh, it melts like butter in your mouth!

Today is my second day on my own, as Steve is actually here for work. Yesterday I rented an umbrella and read a whole book cover to cover, listening to the waves. I've been very careful with my pale white skin, slathering on the sunscreen multiple times a day and hiding beneath a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, but alas, my foot must have been sticking out from the umbrella and got burned! It's just the left one. I'm wearing sneakers today and will likely spend most of my day perusing the shops. Gotta give my skin a break from this intense sun.

The internet cafe I'm in is also quite costly, but I have lots to write about so I'll probably post again soon. Miss you all!

The Big Green Egg

Steve cooked for me last weekend! He made me the best ribs I've ever eaten. They were tender, spicy and just finger-lickin' delicious!

He grilled/smoked them in his Big Green Egg, a ceramic smoker/grill/barbecue. He swears by it, and says since he bought it several years ago, he'll never go back to a regular grill.

I made potato salad and beans to go with the ribs. I had to call my Dad, chef extraordinaire, to remind me what all goes in potato salad. He chuckled at me, but I just haven't made it very many times in my life. Potato salad seems like one of those recipes that everyone does a little differently. I used potatoes (of course), low-fat mayo, a little Dijon mustard, salt & pepper, celery and a little juice from the banana pepper jar. (Daddy suggested sweet pickle juice or pineapple, but I didn't have either so I improvised.) It turned out good, but those ribs were the absolute highlight of the meal!

Mirror, Mirror, on the wall...

When you stop to think about it, it's pretty crazy all the things we women do to make our selves "presentable." Shaving, waxing, plucking, exfoliating, moisturizing...sometimes I wonder about all the time and money spent on these activities.

I feel very fortunate that the older generation on both sides of my family have aged so well. Good genes! It gives me some consolation about my changing (aging) body and skin.

I guess not everyone is so lucky. And I probably shouldn't be so judgemental, but...

I saw a woman in a restaurant the other day who had obviously given up shaping her eyebrows with tweezers or wax...she had totally removed them! But what's worse is that she DREW them back with a black pencil at least 2 inches above where her eyebrows should be. Oh, and did I mention she had lovely gray hair? The black wasn't exactly subtle. To top off the effect, one of the created eyebrows had more of an arch than the other, giving her a permanently questioning look.

She MUST have used a mirror to do this. I guess she couldn't take in the whole effect. How often do we really see what's reflected to us? Are we just seeing what we're expecting to see?

Meeting the Family

Meeting someone's family is always an important step in a new relationship. I believe this is even trickier when meeting someone's children.

Steve's son, Declan, came to visit his dad this weekend. Friday night did not go so well, but in all fairness, it could have been worse. It definitely didn't go as easily as my fantasy of meeting him and his sister Hayden and all of us having a laughing good time.

Declan is ten years old. I am the first girlfriend of his dad's that he's ever met. The last time he saw his dad was at New Year's, and he was understandably jealous of sharing any time of his father's with a stranger.

After dinner on Friday, Steve talked to Declan about his relationship with me, explaining that I'm an important, happy part of his life now. After that, things went a lot smoother. On Saturday, they played all day while I did my own thing (errands, cleaning, exercising, etc.) and then we got together for dinner. We had a good time and came back to my house to play Chickenfoot (a dominoes game). Declan was a natural and ended up winning the game. Oh, and he asked his dad if he could ride in my car from the restaurant to my house. :-)

Tonight I had them over to my house for dinner, and then we played Scattegories. I think it was a little too sophisticated for Declan, but he seemed to enjoy himself anyway. He was very interested in my iPod and asked lots of questions about how it works.

I've never dated someone with kids before, and it's more difficult than I had imagined. I'm embarrassed to admit that I miss our alone time and the easy routine of weekends we have fallen into. Still, I'm up for the challenge. I've never known or loved anyone as special as Steve, so if anyone is worth it, he is.

Steve and his son, Declan 

Valentine's Recap

I almost felt guilty about my Valentine's Day this year. It was so great! I felt I was betraying the single women everywhere, like my friend Hannah, who wrote about what a silly frivolous holiday it is.

I was VERY spoiled on Valentine's Day, and I must admit, it's really nice to be spoiled!

Steve sent me TWO bouquets of flowers to work: one a mixed bouquet and one with a dozen roses. My parents sent a box of goodies from the El Paso Chile Company, and my company gave each employee a rose and an iPod shuffle to share with our loved ones. (Steve was really thrilled with his.)

We went to dinner at a nice restaurant in town, Maguire's. We each had steak and then shared an incredible dessert, the chocolate lava cake. Mmmm...

Steve also bought me gifts, some accessories for my camera that he bought me for Christmas. I got him a framed picture of the two of us to put in his office or home. It was just a wonderful day.

Bouquet #1 

Bouquet #2 

My Fix-It Guy

We've had a record warm winter, but I still don't know if I'd consider swimming. A few weekends ago, Scuba Steve braved the cold waters of his pool to find the elusive leak that is continuously draining his water. My job was to watch and make sure he didn't drown or go into hypothermic shock. Luckily for me, he didn't. Unluckily, he didn't find the leak either. It was worth a shot, though. Renting the scuba suit and getting the bulb syringe and food coloring to squirt at the cracks only cost $25. It cost several hundred to have the pool professionals come out to locate it, but now that they have, he's going to fix it himself. I'm so impressed with his ingenuity!

Scuba Steve, ready to take on the frigid waters of his pool. 

Working to Make it Better

To update my blog audience on the my job satisfaction, I've recently been trying new approaches and feeling much better about things. I've been delegating more, pushing back when people are trying to take advantage of my kindness, and I'm getting involved in the company's plans to make this a better place to work. I feel much more in control. While things are still hectic, I feel like I'm being more productive and solution-oriented.

Just venting

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile. Work has been INSANE. It's so busy, and I'm literally exhausted when I do get outta here. And now I'm getting a cold. I know the stress has lowered my defenses.

I try not to write about work too much. It's somewhat dangerous and not that interesting. But I need to vent.

I got pulled from the new project that launches in London. I'm very bummed about that.

My major account has continued to be a major pain in the rear. It's a huge account for the company, so there's lots of visibility. But it's not well organized and there's too many new people on the account. I don't mind training someone, but this is ridiculous! I've been here for almost 6 years, but four others on the team are brand new to the company, three of these are not in my department. I'm constantly being asked questions about how they should do their jobs and pulled into different directions. Plus I'm trying to actually do my work. Although I'm supposed to be 100% dedicated to this project, I still have 3 other accounts I'm also responsible for. We just don't have anyone to transfer them off to.

I continue to count the weeks to go until Hawaii. My saving grace is Steve. He makes me smile and forget about work.