Lucky Day

How lucky to have a generous friend who drives the same car we do and shares an extra set of mats she was sent!

Perfect for those people who go riding soon after a rain storm!

Not a vacation

If all goes well I will be able to spend a significant amount of time with a baby starting in the fall. Given my birth year and the measles outbreaks it seemed wise to confirm whether I was immune.

Nope!

I went back and received my vaccination. It takes a week or so to kick in and I can't donate blood or platelets for a four weeks, but I am relieved.

I touched the television when I turned it off. I am not sorry.

Short vacation

We took a quick trip to Skyforest, which is home to a great outdoor mountain bike park that also has some other activities, like hiking and archery. Members and coaches of mountain bike teams get in at a discount, making a good day trip, but we decided to stay a bit longer.

I dropped off the guys to do a bit of riding and checked into our inn,
an old converted house with great views.

Good thing we enjoyed some time outside because the
next day this was our view. It rained the entire day and was about 35F!

Even though there was plenty to do - movies, games, pool -
we left the inn to go for lunch and chose a waffle place by Lake Arrowhead.

We woke up to some frozen precipitation

but the great views had returned!

A. went back to the park while D. and I explored Heaps Peak Arboretum a bit.

We also squeezed in a quick trip back to Lake Arrowhead since we had never been there when the sun was shining.

A day makes a big difference!

Good to try to new places and good to be home.

Flora and Fauna

It was peak lilac season - three different colors and all smelled fabulous!

An amazing collection of rhododendrons and maybe a few azaleas

The buckeye (chestnut) trees were in full bloom,
making me wish I were there in the fall.

And a few animals (not including deer, which I saw twice, and pheasants)

Calves instead of sheep on the way to grocery store this year

My favorites - non-stinging moon jellies
(vandman - translated as waterman)

Not only was this the first time I had ever seen a brandman (fireman - the stinging kind) in Denmark, but the teenagers I was with said it was the first one they had seen, too. I did not pick it up in order to get a better picture.

Like going home

It had been two years since I had been to Denmark and the direct, nonstop tickets were cheaper than going home. Plus I was invited to a Eurovision party. How could I say no?

not me

I bought new running tights because last time I took pictures with my mind's eye, but I really wanted some photos. It slowed me down because I kept taking pictures, but it did help me run farther because I wanted more pictures!

Here are a few of the paths I followed.

One Package

For me one package is often one serving, which is why I try to avoid foods that come in packages. I do appreciate that pints of ice cream have both the calories per serving (1/2 cup) and calories per container (maybe I am not the only one who could consume the whole container in one sitting).

On the other hand, I hope there are not too many people who eat three pounds of garlic in one sitting, not only because that would be 2200 calories!

Electricity

On their third try the electric company arrived as expected and we were without electricity for eight hours. It was amazing how much I could get done before 8:30am!

Not live, right?

So many interesting pieces

Maybe if I were waiting somewhere else this would have been a useful email. 

All day today I have been appreciating turning on lights and easily listening to the radio.

Weekend Tournament

I don't post about bike race weekends because I don't go to those since I am in charge of soccer (last year I was in charge of speech and debate). It has been a fairly even division of labor.

This weekend's tournament was in a soccer complex on the outskirts of Redlands, about forty minutes east of here. Each team was given a bag of oranges, maybe from the orchards right across the street.

I was too cheap to pay for parking and got lucky enough
to twice find a good spot on the street. I even parallel
parked on the first try. I was so proud of myself!

That's my kid in blue.

The kids all got pins

and t-shirts.

The team came in fourth place
(not gold, silver, or bronze - maybe this is copper?).

I was most proud that A. received this sportsmanship pin.