Birthday Weekend

So the 21st is Chris's and Meave's birthdays.  She doesn't ride a bike so we rode without her. 

We started out in 40* and sunny weather.  Some wind came up, post-frontal, from the NW, and at times brisk.  The clouds blew through and when they blocked the sun I got chilled.

We rode to Davis and had brunch at the Delta of Venus.  When Meave lived in Davis we met her and her friends there, and enjoyed their cuisine frequently.  The Greek omelet has lost none of its pizazz.

We rode home through the orchards and mostly fallow fields, with more downwind than headwind, to arrive home after 57 and change miles.  Just right.  We cleaned up and went off to BevMo, where the wine steward has a vintage Tomassini frame he's trying to sell us.  We tasted 4 wines while waiting for him to return from lunch, and a worthwhile wait it was: He closed the tasting room and indulged us and 2 other couples in a fine Bordeaux flight.  We bought 4 bottles of 2 different types.  One we gave to Meave as her birthday gift.

Then we headed to Nugget to get the ingredients for dinner.  Lo and behold, Brian was having a rare Saturday tasting, featuring wines from their holiday guide.  Another flight of 7...we were enamored of a Spanish Garnacha and bought a couple bottles.

Nobody was hungry or interested in cooking.  No surprise there. 

Today we did as little as possible, by choice, and it was awesome to just rest, relax, and not be driven to perform. We ventured out to the mall to pick up my new glasses and that was it. Watched old movies (Good Fellas, Silence of the Lambs), a couple loads of laundry, made a pear/apple crisp for breakfast, and not much more. 

Then Chris got busy preparing dinner.  We started with an Anchor Steam Ale, Christmas '07. (pics aren't loading; sorry).   Then Chris made a deviled lobster dish with a side of spinach salad.  Holy cow!  I wouldn't have even thought to Google that, let alone followed through.  Amazing food!

I'm sure I packed on more calories than I burned.  Since it's the off-season, who cares?

Business As Usual

It's Wednesday and I haven't ridden my bike since Sunday.  That makes me sad, a little, because I had an opportunity this afternoon in 65* calm sunny weather, and I passed it up.

However, I made some phone calls and talked to people and got quite a few "chores" done on my list of work-related stuff to do.  Chris came home and we walked the dogs the usual 3-ish mile loop as the sun set.  Nice.  Not enough exercise but better than nothing.

Lisa and I took a new listing on Saturday; we spent Monday afternoon uploading the info and pictures into 2 MLS systems, and today got a call that it was being shown.  I'm happy about that; it's a really nice listing and we'd love to help these people move on with their lives by selling it.

My arms and chest hurt from yesterday's round of doing my age in push-ups.  Methinks I need to do this a couple times a week to keep the pain to a minimum.

Euphoria

Three rides, 131 miles, good times...thus is the off-season.  Every ride I did last week -- all 3 of them -- was enjoyable and immensely fun without pain and suffering.  Sunday I rode the tandem with Chris, Wed. I rode with Kameo (as a gov't. employee she had the day off; as a civilian I enjoyed the ride and went to work after), and Friday I rode a Gordon Valley Loop (45 mi.) with Kim.  Nothing enhances a beautiful ride like the right company.

Today we rode with a couple racers and non-racers.  It was 39* when we left at 7:45.  Very grateful for my alpaca-blend balaclava.  At Putah Creek and Old Winters roads we divided; Kameo stayed with us and we got in 50 miles in dead-calm and crystal-clear weather. We rode a long time with no conversation, yet we knew what to say when we did speak.  Another mark of a good friend: No mindless chatter needed.   No wonder I came home feeling like a million bucks.

After cleaning up and eating we bought groceries, walked the dogs 3-ish miles, then decided on this

I wasn't quite finished that cigar when my partner called and wanted help writing an offer for our 1st-time homebuyer clients.  This was offer #8 since Sept.  We hope it'll be accepted. Such a sweet couple; I really admire their patience and perseverance.

There's some drama with our daughter re her previous relationship, but nothing she can't handle.  If only she'd see it that way.

And that's the news for now.

Totally Delightful

Candy and Rick gave this to me today.  I was tew-tally dee-lighted by it.  In fact, my day, which was going really well, was made by this. I'm humbled by their thinking of me, and energized that they get me. 

Yay, my friends!  Candy & Rick rock!  Thank you so much!

The hard part is deciding what picture to put here.

A Thief in our Midst

Today our neighbor 2 houses east was robbed.

There's been a burglar about since the beginning of the month.  The neighbor that was hit today, and the neighbor between us, were scoped on the 5th of the month.  The perp knocked on Bobby's door for 20 min., including looking over his fence and in his windows.  His adult daughter was home sick and saw the guy and can I.D. him, but refused to answer the door.  The perp also looked over the fence of the folks between us.  He knocked on their door as well, but they were home (freak, random accidents left them carless; this perp targets the carless driveways).  When Alan answered the guy apologized for having the wrong house and left.

We as a neighborhood didn't know there was a problem until last week.  We have 3 kinds of cops on this street, withinn 6 houses of one another:   To our east is a BART cop, to the south a Suisun cop, two houses west is a Vacaville cop.  We're all Neighborhood Watch-trained as well.  This perp targets houses that have no corresponding vehicles.  I suspect he's cased the 'hood to know peoples' habits, otherwise, why would he come back to Bobby's house?  I also suspect he's stealing stuff he can fence.  Note to crook:  Bobby's guns are registered.  Try to pawn them, fool.  We homeowners can't wait to nail your scummy *ss.

We're all on high alert.  The first day this guy showed up was the day we left on our Epic Ride (report to follow).  He attempted a hit at Bobby's but his daughter was home.  He knocked on Alan's door; Alan answered and the guy apologized for having the wrong house. He skipped our house because we had a car in the driveway and a truck on the street.  Although the dogs and we were gone, he skipped us.  Stroke of luck.

This guy has robbed both sides of Brown's Valley and we're all alert, aware, and looking for his worthless  *ss.  Dude, we will find you and prosecute you and convict you.  You aren't that smart.

I'm as angry as I've ever been.  Last time I was this angry was when our underage daughter had taken with a young man of age; in the coolers of Sam's Club we let him know we'd prosecute him if he continued to carry on with her.  He broke up with her that day.  Mission accomplished.

Now to nail this fool...

Race Report Update, and fun stuff

I sucked wind at the Esparto Time Trial. My position was poor, I didn't have an TT bike, and the wind was a bigger factor than last year. So I was 1:42 slower, placed 5th to last year's 4th, and have a new goal for next year.

Last weekend was the V.Sattui Harvest Ball, our 5th one. Deb flew into town (if it wasn't for her and Steve's memory we'd probably not go). That's our obligatory fountain shot. It was a fun time; the food was awesome and I Tweeted each course, with pictures that I have yet to download from my Blackberry to my hard drive. Oops. *red face*

This week I logged over 160 miles. Not training for racing anymore, but for our tandem ride from San Francisco to Santa Barbara. We'll average over 60 mi./day, along Hwy. 1 and the California coast. I'll have a full ride report after we get back. No room for a laptop, darn it.

Yesterday I rode with K & A on a Lake Loop, my first since New Year's day and my longest ride since our Slow Poke ride back in July. Again the stupid hot temperatures but we stopped frequently for food and water, and I finished feeling worked out but not beat up. K&A missed the downhill left turn off 121 onto Wooden Valley Rd. and added Mt. George to their bucket list. I laughed when I realized what they'd done.

After dinner tonight we drove over to Fenton's Creamery to cash in our free petite scoops coupons. Holy cow! Those were the biggest "petite" scoops I've ever seen! We wished we'd gotten one and shared it. No wonder America has an obesity problem. Petite has been supersized.

The Hills Are Alive

...with the sound of cycling.

I had a nice, not challenging 35 mi. ride yesterday with rollers and flats, just to open up my legs. I made good time and felt good.

Today I slept in (oops), scarfed a quick breakfast and was on the road by 8:30. I rode over Cantelow and was surprised by how many other cyclists were on the road.

At the top I noticed 3 hot air balloons by the 505, well below my altitude. They were suspended like upside-down raindrops, just hanging in the air. They didn't show up in the picture I took. So I rode on.

About mile 19 I saw Kameo and Joann riding the opposite way. I turned around and retraced my route with them, minus Cantelow. I logged 35 miles to Kameo's house just .6 mph slower than yesterday. She drove me home, and my legs were grateful. In fact, for the next couple of hours I thought I may have overdone it, trying to keep up with them.

My goal tomorrow is to just better last year's time. Anything more than that is icing.

And I'm happy to report that it's still fun. Otherwise it wouldn't be done.