Buon Compleanno

Buddy is 4 years old today! well, he'll be 4 years old tomorrow too, but he started being 4 years old today.











"Am I always going to have Halloween cakes for my birthday?" Probably so. Could be worse. Could be born near Christmas. Your Daddy is cheap like that.




This is really a pciture of Roxanne, but Buddy got in the way.

in the last 240 hours

Friday. Chloe quit her job at BEA.
Saturday. Reanie had a soccer game.
Sunday. Chloe left for NYC to train at her new job.
Monday. Regular day starting out with getting kids ready for school, lunches made, breakfast, and dropping them off, but then I had to pick Noah up from school to make sure we had enough time to ride, and then for me to go get the kids (normally Chloe picks up the kids, but she was in NYC) from day care and get back in time for the group strength workout here.
Tuesday did the same pick up for Noah, because the bus doesn't drop him off at Lisa's until too late for us to ride and get back in time to pick up kids.
Wednesday. Same as Tuesday. Had to help Mama with a homework assigment over the phone and internets at 11pm.
Thursday. Same as Tuesday.
Friday. No Noah, but did get the house sorta ready for Buddy's birthday and halloween party. Picked up Mama at midnight from the airport. So I guess that is really...
Saturday. Soccer game for Reanie in the morning. Tackle the yard, which entails mowing with a push mower, since our tractor has been in the shop for a month, which also means that the yard hasn't been mowed in a month. My arms are still sore as of this writing. Trimming too. Basically reclaimed our yard. Set up for party. Then had the party. Grammy, Lonnie with Ella and Lonnie V stay the night.
Sunday. Cross race for Noah. Go out to eat with our crew, Grammy, Lonnie and his kids. Visit with Jordan's parents that afternoon and evening.
Monday. Move offices to get Chloe sorted out in her new home office. Group workout in evening. Noah, Jordan, Chloe and Mark all take turns cleaning our fireplace.

Reminds me of training camp

I love it.

Reanieisms

Bathing kids and otherwise getting ready for bed.

Reanie: Daddy, who am I the boss of?
Daddy: (thinking carefully) Nobody.
Reanie: Noah?
Daddy: No. You are the boss of me.
Reanie: Oh. You need to tell me to get ready for bed.

A few minutes later, as I'm getting out of the shower, Reanie is standing on the scale...

Reanie: Daddy, will you measure my feet?
Daddy: What?!?
Daddy: ...
Daddy: ...
Daddy: OH! Your feet are 40 pounds.
Reanie: Now measure Buddy's feet.

Another few minutes later, while looking at the marks on the wall where we measure the kids...

Reanie: Will Noah still tell me he loves me when I'm taller than him?
Daddy: He will if you tell him to.

Yes!

And a diet coke, please. I'll be first in line.

Never Quit

Memory Ln.

Don't blink

fall is here, hear the yell
back to school, ring the bell
brand new shoes, walking blues
climb the fence, book and pens
i can tell that we are gonna be friends

walk with me, suzy lee
through the park, by the tree
we will rest upon the ground
and look at all the bugs we've found
then safely walk to school
without a sound

well here we are, no one else
we walked to school all by ourselves
there's dirt on our uniforms
from chasing all the ants and worms
we clean up and now it's time to learn

numbers, letters, learn to spell
nouns, and books, and show and tell
at playtime we will throw the ball
back to class, through the hall
teacher marks our height against the wall

and we don't notice any time pass
we don't notice anything
we sit side by side in every class
teacher thinks that i sound funny
but she likes the way you sing

tonight i'll dream while i'm in bed
when sill thoughts go through my head
about the bugs and alphabet
and when i wake tomorrow i'll bet
that you and i will walk together again
cause i can tell that weare going to be friends

--White Stripes, we're going to be friends

No guarantees

One of the big risks of letting people know you are pregnant early on in the pregnancy is that the risks of losing the baby are the greatest in the early part of the pregnancy, and then if that does happen, everyone gets let in on that too. We know better, really, but in all the surprise, we were excited and wanted to share that excitement with everyone too. We're not sure if we're going to keep trying at this point. Of course, we weren't really trying in the first place.
Right now it feels a bit like a great party and nasty hangover.

First, I'm gonna take a nap

Reanie scored a couple goals. I got all teary eyed when she gave her victory salute.
Noah crashed within a few miles of the finish and DNF'd.
He raced the next day and won.
He was too sore to ride all week.
Buddy told me I grabbed the wrong keys when I grabbed the keys to the Toyota instead of the Jeep. He was right.
I got real busy with the weekend's (just past) race promoting.
Found out the baby is due in May.
Promoted some races this weekend.
Reanie scored a goal in her game I missed because I was in a parking lot with bike racers instead.
Noah won his race.
Reanie came with me to the bike race in Downtown Denton (to help).
Noah crashed much harder in this one. Finished anyway. 3rd. Went to ER. Nothing broken, but he ain't moving to good, is in a sling, and has bandages on most of his body.

It's been an eventful 7 days. But I really, really need a rest. Kept waking up in a sweat last night thinking "Oh, Crap! I have to...", but I couldn't think of what the thing was I had to do.

Bumps and bruises

Re-posting the thing about being bumped by the car started a side conversation about the most recent bump I felt.

Here's today :

No, ROF May, those aren't stretch marks.














This was about June 14 (the bruise is on the right. Cami is on the left):

What Reanie Learned at School Yesterday

Setting: Breakfast table Friday morning at Stella Sola. Noah, Buddy, Reanie and Jordan at the table eating toast. Daddy is in the kitchen putting lunches together.

Reanie: Daddy, do you know what I learned at school yesterday?

Daddy: No, Honey. What did you learn?

Reanie: That 4th graders are TALL!

Daddy: They are?

Reanie: Yes! Not up to the sky tall, though.

Daddy: Ah.

Buddy, Do you want some more toast?

Buddy: Yeth.

Daddy: What kind of toast do you want?

Buddy: Chok-o-let. (pause for several seconds) And budder.

It is just another day, but then again it's not.

a few days ago I was reminded that September 13 marks two years. In some ways it seems like a lot longer ago, but in other ways it feels like it could have been last month. anyway, that was a crappy few days. things are getting better still. but they are getting better.

Wooombpf

Howdy,

Hard o be entertaining because it is difficult to type, me head hurts, and it is about time for some more of these fine, fine meds. But here’s what I’ve managed to peck out…

While out for a mid-afternoon one hour spin, I was hit from behind by a motorist. It was straight up, plain and simple, an accident. I wasn’t the target of an angry driver or someone who was trying to brush me back or whatever. Not sure how fast he was going, but this is a 50-60 mph road.

I was heading southwest on Country Club Road in Argyle at about 1:45-2pm. I was very near the right edge of the road with my tires on or very near the white line, which is customarily where I ride. My habit is not to take up much of the lane, as I prefer to give motorist as much room to pass as possible. I understand some folks may feel they should take p more of their lane for safety, visibility, and to force motorists to pass in the other lane only when safe. But I prescribe to the idea that I want to be the least nuisance possible, since I live in the area and these are essentially my neighbors.

I was caught by the front fender and mirror of the car. My body took the blow. I spent a little time on the windshield and top of the car before dismounting into the nicely groomed ditch. Fortunately I missed the pavement.

The initial hit was sudden and unexpected. My best recollection (and so far, very much recurring) is the sound of “wooompb” as I was being hit, and my vision growing quickly black with a light growing rapidly smaller and smaller to the size of a pin hole while spinning, sort of like what I remember seeing in the Batman shows as a kid. That sound was the same sound you hear when cars hit each other.

My next glimpse of memory is being in the air in a “flying” position over the car and looking down into the windshield and seeing the driver’s hands on the wheel. At that point I don’t remember much except for thinking “I got hit and I’m probably dead.”

My next memory is hitting the ground, then a blank time, and then landing on my back and hitting the back of my head. I went out for a spell (I don’t know how long). I do remember thinking as the lights went out again that I hoped I wasn’t in the middle of a multi-car accident and that I could just end up where I ended up without having to deal with cars on me.

I couldn’t feel anything when I came to from that,. My thoughts were that I was either dead or that I was in such shock that I wasn’t feeling anything. I tried to do an inventory of body parts, but I couldn’t feel anything. I could hear my middle child saying names of the parts of the body as I checked to see if they were still attached.

Everything was very fuzzy and moving in a haze. Sort of like what the Young Guns were seeing when they took the peyote. But I wasn’t taking peyote.

The motorist stopped and tried to help me up as I was trying to get up. I wasn’t altogether with it, but came to very quickly when he grabbed my left elbow to help me up. Alarm clocks don’t seem so bad now.

He asked if he could take me to the hospital, and he was extremely apologetic. Looking back now, I can say that he was in shock himself. Another motorist then stopped and asked whose fault it was. The man who hit me said, “Unfortunately, it was mine (meaning himself).”

I looked at my phone to see what time it was, and I realized that I needed to get home quickly since I had to pick up Kid #1 from school. I asked the man to take me home instead. Mind you, I wasn’t entirely with it, and neither was he, which is why we didn’t call police. He asked me several times if he shouldn’t just take me to the hospital.

So, we piled my bike into his trunk, I called Chloe on the way home and asked her to meet me there, and the guy drove me home in what was the most harrowing 10 miles I’ve ever been in a car. He was a mess just out of being scared. Wrong side of the road, driving 15 mph, pulling out into traffic, etc.

While sitting in his car, the list of damage to me was being rung up. My shoulder and ribs were giving me the most pain, but my hips, back, jaw and elbow were close behind.

I asked the driver to stay with me at the house until Chloe arrived, which he did without hesitation.

Once Chloe arrived, she got his name, license number and all that. It occurred to me that we should have a picture of his car showing the damage, and she took that. Once certain she had enough information from him, she sent him on his way, and then we went to pick up Noah (kid #1) and then went to the emergency room.

With nothing poking out of me, it took awhile to be tended at the emergency, but I was seen. Was x-rayed (not kidding) about 40 times, and I had a CT scan done to check for internal damage.

Damage to me-
Dislocated right shoulder
Broken left elbow
Rib “damage” primarily on the left side, but the right got some too.
Concussion
General pain in teeth (all), jaw, back, neck, hips, left knee, and right ankle


Damage to bike-
Broken right seat stay
Trashed Powertap rear
Broken saddle
Don’t know if anything else yet.


I’ve pretty much stayed in bed since getting home Tuesday night. I can’t roll over on my own, and I need assistance sitting up. However, as of last night, I could get up the stairs if I took my time. All that said, with the pain meds and muscle relaxants, I don’t feel much like getting up anyway. There’s a nice supply of DVD’s being played on my laptop. Typing notes is a painful process since I can only one-hand it, and that hand is connected to a shoulder that isn’t working so well.

Anyway, as I told my teammates, y’all don’t know anyone luckier than me. I want to thank everyone for the thoughts, prayers and vibes. Mostly I want to thank my wife, Chloe, who has had to really pick up the slack. With three kids here (10yr, 3yr, and almost 2yr), she’s had her hands full. Noah has been a huge help in taking care of the little ones, getting stuff for me, and making sure he was cared for himself. I want to thank Andrew and Stephanie Hassan for watching and feeding kids #2 and 3 while I was in the hospital. I want to thank David for kicking butt at the last Tuesday Nighter in Plano. I’d like to thank the athletes I work with for understanding. I also want to thank all of those who have sent notes and “get well” wishes and offers to help. And I’d like to thank my teammates who knew just how much to joke and how much to care.

I'll risk going it alone

After dropping everyone off at school, I was mindlessly listening to the radio during the drive home to work.

I was too lazy to lift a finger to change the channel when a commercial played. So there I was listening to a pitch about a program from New York Life. They said something along the lines of there being a guarantee that I wouldn't outlive my money.

that may be well and good. It is a perfectly prudent thing to make sure you have enough money to live while you are living. But for the life of me, my first impression was that once my money got low, New York Life would kill me. Guaranteed.

"Daddy, please take my picture before my soccer race"

Almost got me

I commented about seeing parents cry on the first day of school. Almost got me today.

Reanie has been 5 years old for less than month. She's at the young end of things at her school and in her class. She's my only little girl.

This morning, while eating breakfast, she told me she wanted me to drop her off with the other big kids instead of walking her into school. I expected that I'd have to walk her to her class for a couple of weeks, at least. Mind you, just about every kindergartner has parents walking them into school and to class, and frankly, I'm not sure if Reanie can find her class on her own. I still don't know, now that I think about it.

But she was convincing. Of course, not having to park, unload Buddy, and all of us make the hike inside, and then hike back to the jeep isn't something I want as part of my morning, but I do like that time when we are all together chatting.

So this morning (an hour ago as I write), I waited in the line of cars, inching up one car length at a time, that was equivalent to the time it takes for a parent to get their kid out, put on a back pack, say good-bye, remember the lunch box or money, then say good-bye again. For eleventy-million cars.

Screw that.

Reanie, tired of sitting and waiting for everyone get out, asked if she could go ahead and get out of the jeep. I couldn't think of a reason why she had to wait until we pulled up to the front of the school, so I said, "Sure."

She unbuckled her seatbelt, hopped out (normally, she needs help out of the jeep), grabbed her backpack, slipped it on herself, told me to have a good day, blew me a kiss, and shut the door.

All pretty cute, right? I think so.

But where she got me all choked up is when she took off running for school then. Her size 10.5 feet pitter-patting as fast as she can go while wearing Keds and a backpack that is way too big. She looked so tiny. My baby girl. She couldn't be running to school. We weren't pressed for time, and I wasn't on anyone's case about hurrying. She just wanted to run and get there.

I lost sight of her quick, though I tried to look through and over the 20 cars ahead of us. I can only assume she made it to the front door, and from there I can only assume she made it to her classroom. But that little pitter pat run with her backpack darn near as big as her...my memory forever.

We got through the line of cars, and started working our way to the highway towards Buddy's school. He told me to turn right, which was actually correct. I made the turn, and he told me, "Good job, Daddy."

It isn't even 9am yet, and I've had a GREAT day.

Welcome Home, Troy

I'll stop chasing you down now.

Seriously, thank you. It means a lot to me.

2 of 3

First day of school in these parts. Noah is now in 6th grade, so he's off to a new campus, and Reanie started kindergarten this morning.

Buddy and I took Reanie in to school. The line waiting for the doors to open was at least 400yards long. Parents everywhere with video cameras filming every second of standing in this line.

At 7:40 the doors opened, so the parents either filmed the kids from behind as they slowly marched in line to the school, or they walked backwards, filming their kids from the front as they slowly marched into school. So many videos are going to have a script that reads, "oops, sorry" as parents walking backwards filming run in to parents walking forward filming.

We were sans camera and just talked about big school, what was in the lunch box, our phone number, and whatever Buddy picked up off the ground to show us.

I was surprised to see so many parents crying. For a second, I almost felt bad that I wasn't. Am I doing something wrong? Am I supposed to be sad? Are these tears of joy? Or maybe it was the shirt I was wearing that said, "2 down, 1 to go. Day care is expensive."

Reanie settled into her classroom fine. We'd just been there on Friday, so it didn't seem all that new to her. She seemed excited about being there, but she did seem suddenly older. Not really any baby left in her. If you blink, you'll miss it.

With Reanie secured, I took Buddy to his preschool. It was the first time I can remember taking him to school all by his lonesome. He didn't seem any different about it. If anything, he was more chipper than normal, but that is probably because we'd eased into our day, whereas in the past I let them sleep until the last second, threw them in the Jeep and dumped them off at preschool.

today, though, he "read" his Thomas book to me, and every time he needed to turn the page, he handed me his toy plane, turned the page, then took the toy back. As we pulled into the parking lot, he said, "Bye plane. Bye Thomas. Bye book," and set them down on the floor board.

Most days he starts out grumpy at school, but today he was ready to go.

One in middle school, one in kindergarten, and one on deck. Ok, Buddy will be two more years before kindergarten, but still...divide and conquer.

...

Teammates are sorting out what categories they are racing at an upcoming race nearby. Some want to race their ability-based categories, and some want to race in their age group. The age group races are easier for me. And I was tempted to go that way seeing as I haven't raced since I dismounted abruptly, but I've got a kid in middle school now, and I'm not ready to be old.

ROF May, sign me up for the p,1,2's. I'll take it like a man.

Becky Rode Her Bike in France...

...a little bit.

Congratulations, Becky!

She just completed the historic Paris-Brest-Paris. 1200K (about 750 miles). Oh, and she did it in about 90 hours. The drop out rate was massive this year. I've read that it was as much as 40%.

But Becky fought it out and did it. I'd have to get all bike geek to talk about the event and what it took to qualify, but the fact is that she made it. She rode 200K in 26 deg temps and rain. She injured her knee had we had to get real creative about getting through the 300K, 400K and 600K qualifiers, which all had to be done by the end of May to make it to P-B-P. But she did it.

This was a case of 1% coaching advice and 99% Becky is a Bad Ass.

We are so proud of you Becky!

Make a "T", Daddy

We've been enjoying an A frame beach house in slow Surfside, TX since last Friday. It has been our first honest-to-goodness vacation in years. Sure, we've had some getaways down to the farm for long weekends and visits out to Big Bend, but I've never really been off work or anything like that.

But this has been play time, and it has been good. The waves have been great! So good, in fact, that we've actually got scrapes from when we timed our body surfing or body boarding efforts. We'll need to thank the two storms that have been around us (the Gulf) and not actually hit us.

While things have been tight ($) on the homefront lately, we'd already paid for this place, so we've just ate in, surfed, surfed some more, played in the sand, napped, surfed some more, and then after dinner, surfed some more. And this place has cable (we don't at home), so we've fried our brains too. Noah and I rode a few days getting him back on the bike after taking a couple weeks completely off. We all (Mama, Noah, Jordan, Noah and me) rode one of those surrey bike things with Reanie and Buddy in the front jump seat. We picked up Reanie a back pack for school at Col. Bubbies. We ate ice cream at the candy shop on the strand. Reanie and Buddy basically learned to swim here.

I still had to work a bit, most of it today. A tiny bit of TXBRA stuff, some race promoting stuff, and actual work emails and a few training plans, but all in all, it has been the most relaxing extended time we've had in so long.

After submitting this, I'll go for my last swim on this trip, we'll clean up the house, hit the sack and head back home first thing in the morning. Reanie has meet-the-teacher night at school tomorrow evening, and seeing that this is Kindergarten for her, we have to make that one.

We brought the camera, but I've been so busy with actually making memories, I didn't record much at all. However, Buddy has burned in a good memory, mostly because he does this 10 or 12 times per day.

"Make a 'T', Daddy."

He knows he can't go out to the beach without sunscreen, and that's how he stands when getting slathered. You'll know he wants to go to the beach or go swim when he's talking about making a "T". I know it is getting late, but I think I'll sign off here and get him to go make a "T". There's some kids and six+ foot waves calling my name.

Reanie's soccer race

Reanie started her first season of soccer on Tuesday. They play 3 on 3, it is a girls team, it is all very cute. The shin guards, the cleats, and everyone with a pink soccer ball.

The few days leading to the first practice had Reanie really excited. We've kicked the ball around some, but we never got around to goals, defense or anything like that, but she picked it up pretty quick.

She's super cute in her soccer outfit and her enthusiasm, but to make sure we keep it in perspective, she kept asking, "When is my soccer race?" "What time is my soccer race?"

Buon Compleanno

Kid #1 is 12 years old today. That 11yr old year was a pretty good one to lead out the 12th.

Only Chloe's Flight...

...because my flight would have had gas cans filled up from when gas was $2.29/gallon.

Mama went to see Apple Granny for a couple days in Tennessee. Flew in, visited, flew home.

The hiccup was the return flight that had a layover in Houston. Plane lands, probably a transfer involved, and then...a delay. Thursday night, 7pm flight from Houston to Dallas, I think it is reasonable to expect that the people on that flight were planning to be home sooner rather than later.

But nope. Turns out that the plane was out of gas and the plane gas filler up people didn't have the right voucher from Southwest to just pull up to the pump and take care of it. So they had to sit and wait.

Buddy and I (Reanie stayed the night with her cousin Anelise. No, they aren't really cousins, but it was easier to explain to them that they were than to try to explain why they aren't sisters if they are both sisters to Noah. But I digresss.) head out to the airport at 10:00pm instead. Picked up Mama at 11:00 and were still home on Thursday, so it wasn't all that late.

Good to have Mama home. I think the kids were tired of having grits for breakfast and dinner.

Buon Compleano (yesterday)

This is a shot of Reanie at her Princess Birthday Party yesterday. 5 years old!

Most mornings...well, today anyway.

Most mornings I'm up before everyone here. I wander into my office, stoke the LCD fire to glow up the room and sit there all stupid until I hear the coffee machine signal that it is ready.

after a few minutes of clearing cobwebs and pretty much working on autopilot, things come into focus and I start knocking things off of the "to do" list properly. Then one of the pet monkeys will wake up and stand next to me for awhile.

At that point I either stop what I'm doing and have a tickle fight or tell them to crawl into bed with Mama. sometimes Reanie wants to sit in my lap while I work on training plans or answer email. When Buddy does that I usually end up losing the training plan or whatever I've been working on, so he's not allowed to have his fingers within two feet of my keyboard. Otherwise his rear end starts to hurt.

Today has worked out a bit different, as Mama is taking the day off from work, so she took the kids to school this morning instead. No, don't call it school. call it "Kiddie Barn" or Buddy will get upset with you. School. School. School.

This means me and Noah will ride for about an hour, finishing just in time for me to motorpace Christina. After that I'll grab some lunch, work on a training plan, answer an email or six, visit with Lisa for a moment to make sure we are sending Noah to camp with shorts AND udnerwear instead of twice as many shorts as needed and no skivvies, then motorpace Troy, then meet with two clients prior to the KoW ride, then ride the KoW myself if I have any juice left.

Ok, the part about riding twice today isn't like most days at all. But I'll take it.

1000 words

Thank you, Scottie.

Flow Mo

Flow Mo

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numbers

6 days in a row on the bike.
7 days until Reanie's princess birthday party.
6 days after tomorrow until Reanie's princess birthday party.

"How many days after that until my princess birthday party?"
5 days after that, Reanie.

"well, how many days after that until my princess birthday party?"
That would be 4 days, Reanie.

"So it is 4 days until my princess birthday party?"
Yeah, sure.

Thanks

It can still hurt a bit, but the right team makes all the difference.

One day riding

I rode yesterday. Well, I've been on the bike three times since I removed my top tube from my old rig, but the first two didn't go well at all since I clearly wasn't ready to roll yet.

And I'm still not. But I didn't go ride to train so much as I did to just move and get some fresh thoughts blowing into my ears. Dorkballing may just be riding bikes, but I need that fix. What I really need is to race, but riding is part of making that happen. Walk before you run, or something like that.

I'm grumpy, grouchy and no fun to be around when I'm prohibited from sweating in spandex, and this is amplified because I was going pretty well when I dismounted last. It had taken so long to get sorted out, and just as i was...I'm waking up on the ground again.

But I rode yesterday. can't pull up on the bars. can't take a deep breath. and I need Noah to help me change out a flat tube. But I rode yesterday. And I'm going to ride again today. and tomorrow.

The discomfort in the ribal region is not much compared to the brain mush grouchiness frustration darn near panic I feel when I can't get out and just move forward. So, it is a wobbily step, but going forward.

Oh, I'm sure the guys who have been finishing 30th-39th in the races are scared now that I'm getting back at it and moving them down a spot, but I gotta start (again) somewhere.

These days, I feel like the buffalo...


Still standing.

It helps having PALS.

2007 Texas State Road Race Champ 10-12 yrs old

PS-- added to the collection with a State Championship in the criterium today in Lufkin (7/22).

Last race at Nats

A bit delayed in getting the update out here...

Noah's last race at Nationals was the road race. This is the event he has the best mindset to do, but this particular course is so hard with the hills that it might not be best suited for him (yet). That said, he went at it like he does every event-- Full Throttle.

He made the 6-man break that formed on the second of three laps. On the third lap, with about a mile to go, on one of the steepest hills, he lost contact with the group. He said he kept going as hard as he could, but that he knew he was dropped and not coming back with a mile of climbing left. His plan was to keep it full gas and hope that something went wrong up front.

Nothing did, but he did hold on for 6th with 7th and the rest minutes behind. Considering Noah finished 27th or something on the same course in the same race last year, he did a fantastic job.

Because I have access to the files his computer on his bike provides, what I've come to respect the most out of Noah's racing is his ability to go to 100%. People talk about giving "110%" or "150%" or even "200%!" but Noah really does give 100% out there. I never wonder if his placing could have been better if he just tried harder.

He wasn't blessed with bike racing genetics, but he has something that is often better-- heart and guts.

I'm so very proud of you Big Boy.

So close

Buddy was being particularly sweet to Reanie. While Reanie wasn't exactly being ugly, she wasn't really giving Buddy the props he deserved. With both of them in the kitchen together, I looked at Reanie sternly and in my Daddy voice, I told her, "you need to say 'thank you, Buddy'". All the while, Buddy ran around flying his tractor and not paying attention to the exchange between me and Reanie.

As soon as the words left my mouth, Buddy said, "thank you, Buddy."

Road Nationals Update

The first day was the time trials. Noah eeked his way onto the podie with a 5th.










Jordan in the last mile of the TT.

Here's me trying to think of something intelligent to say to Jordan and Austin. This race got sobering real quick. On a straight but very fast downhill about 3 miles into the race, a crash happened. 30 or so riders down. We heard about it over the race radios while waiting for Royce to start in the next race. This was the official race radio reports, so it wasn't rumor, which made me queasy.

Ultimately, 8 ambulances and two Life Flight helicpoters were called in and used. Meanwhile, we waited agonizingly to hear the numbers and names of the riders down, not knowing if ours were involved.

I'm not happy anyone went down, but we were relieved that our riders made it unscathed. Unfortunately, our boys were delayed so long that they were out of it from that point. Both noblely soldiered on and finished. This is one case where I'm glad our guys did just finish, because we weren't sure they could there for awhile.

Hig your kids today, please.

3

Jr Track Nats Day #2

Quick post...

Royce crushed his old best time in the 500m TT (41.3) with a 38.9.
Austin rode a decent kilo.

Noah finished 4th in the 1K scratch. He's still sitting 3rd overall by 1 point. It all comes down to tomorrow!

This is from Noah's 1K Qualifier. He finished 2nd. 1st is already out of frame. 9 or 10 riders behind Noah.

Nationals Day #1

We made it up here to Colorado Springs without too much trouble. It helps a ton that we travelled with Rob and Royce (one of Noah's teammates) to get here. We did run through a nasty hail storm, but even at that we made it from Stella Sola to the hotel in 12hr even. Austin and Hunter showed up a little later with their folks.

Home is the DoubleTree, so it isn't like we are roughing it. We have several restaurants within walking distance, and we've made a WalMart run to take care of the times we don't want to even walk.

On Friday the boys got in a great tune up ride on the track. It is basically the same dimensions as Alkek (Houston), but it is quite a bit smoother.

Last night (Saturday), Hunter and Noah both had 500m TTs, and Austin had the 25K Points Race. Austin rode the best and strongest I've ever seen him ride, and I've seen him do some big things on the bike. I believe he was around 15th. Maybe a bit better. There were 50 or so starters. It was very late when his race was done, so we didn't hang around, as we wanted to get the younger boys to bed.

Hunter took 1.5 sec (HUGE) off of his best 500m time.

Noah finished 3rd in his age group, earning his first medal at a National Championships.

Since I'm coaching here, I didn't bring the camera, but Steve (Hunter and Austin's Dad) is taking lots of shots, and I hope to get those up here soon.


Qualifiers this morning for Hunter and Noah. Austin and Royce race tonight. Hopefully Noah and Hunter will be as well.

Go White Boy

Dr. Bruce Dickinson

First thing this morning, Reanie said, "Daddy, I have the fever."
So I told her, of course, "The only prescription is 'more cowbell.'"

graduated a year early and everything

Jordan brings in a book from outside. He shows it to me and says, "I've read this before. I didn't like it. Too many characters and no plot." Then he sat it down on the table and walked away.

went down to Austin for a bike race on Saturday

Mama and the POSS2 watching the race.











Noah and Hunter, cross the line together finishing 1-2.

TENZING IN THE HOUSE!


Noah and some hardware.

In case you were wondering

The purple of my sister, Cami's, hair and that of my love handle do not exactly match. I'll do better next time, though, I think it might be easier for her to match me. I couldn't get all of the "blonde" out.

Grumpy sound

Why does the day after the day after hurt so much more?

zigged when I should have zagged

Daddy had a good day at the office

Texas State Road Race Championships

1st Andrew Dahlehim Pro, 1,2
1st Christina Smith Women Cat 3 (Team Lone Star Works)
2nd Tammy Sporleder Women Cat 3 (Team Lone Star Works)
7th Cassandra Criswell Women Cat 3 (Team Lone Star Works)
2nd Kim Jennings Women Cat 4 (Team Lone Star Works)
6th Bibi Martinez Women Cat 4 (Team Lone Star Works)
3rd Darwin Darr Men Cat 4
4th Ken Maclean Men Cat 4
5th Mark Kuithe Men Cat 4
9th Frank Everly Men Cat 4

Oh, there's definitely gonna be a party!

Finger snap, gah-roovay

This makes me want to get back in the classroom. Good thing it is summer, so it'll wear off by the time school starts.

It's been a nice day

Kid #1 and I went on a easy ride this morning. We rode into Old Town Lewisville, which is the opposite direction of 101% of the rides around here since it goes in to towne (have to use the "e" on the end).

It was fun to hit different roads and see and hear the morning sounds of the town coming to life. It wasn't all that long ago that Lewisville was a town of 10,000 or so people that was primarly farmers, ranchers and folks who wanted to live near the lake. The mascot at Lewisville High School (where I taught for awhile) is the Fighting Farmer.

We rolled into Old Town and came upon the famer's market. I peeled off an Abe Lincoln for Kid #1 because I roll big like that and told him to go grab something like fruit that we can eat before heading back home.

There was a pastry and coffee table, several vegetable and fruit stands, a pasta (?) table, a couple crafts tables and so forth. #1 clickity clacked past all the Saturday morning folks while wearing his cycling leotard and shoes. It looks cool when he does it. It looks silly when I do it.

He asked for a couple peaches and apples, but they sold him a basket of each anyway. We ate until we were full and packed the rest for the POSS2.

While dribbling fresh peach juice down our chins we saw #1's great-gradnmother there picking out some fresh veggies. We visited a bit. It was--and I mean this sincerely--nice.

His great-grandmother has been a Lewisville/Flower Mound resident probably as long or longer than anyone alive. They lived there before there were neighborhoods and strip centers and all that. And there we were in the old town on Main St at the farmer's market eating fresh fruit and visiting a great-grandparent.

So I slipped Norman Rockwell, who was painting caricatures in a booth, another big $5 I had (because I roll like that) and made our way home.

And then I got to go on a lunch date with #2 to Sneaky Pete's (I know it is called Little Pete's now, but to me it will always be Sneaky Pete's) for lunch. We watched the people come in and out on their boats, we fed the ducks and we had pizza "because it rhymes with 'Pete'".

It was all so real and Dr Seuss at the same time

Noah, Jordan and I rolled up to the house following the Wednesday night ride. We were feeling pretty good about ourselves, and it was getting better because we could smell dinner on the grill from about 1/4 mile away.

As we hit the driveway, out from behind the dense grapevine on the front fence comes Mama on the lawn tractor. She's wearing the skirt and blouse she wore to work that day. In her lap is a naked Buddy. Also in her lap is Reanie dressed in a black ballet outfit, complete with hot pink tutu. At the end of the driveway is a big bouncy slide fully inflated.

Buddy rules II

We're the all of us, including Jordan, riding in the car to Denton for some not-Mama-made pizza. In the course of discussion, Noah explains some problem he solved that did earn a polite nod of acknowledgment from me. Buddy, with perfect timing says, "That's good thinking, Noah".

Buddy rules

Buddy and I were watching the last bit of the Giro stage today. While sitting in my lap, he pointed to the screen and asked, "Is that you, Daddy?"

"No, Buddy. But thanks."

Then he belts out, "LOOK, IT'S NOAH!" Ok, so it was Simoni, but that Buddy was certain Noah was in the race was pretty dang cool.

The thing about 4WD is...

...that you can go about 50yd further than 2WD before you get stuck.

Happy Birthday!

Catherine Elise Owens just put Troy in the #3 seat of hierarchy at his house.

stuff has been happening

so much that blogging has taken a back seat. and the camera isn't in a pleasant mood, so I can't even cheat by posting pics.

Will be catching up with a diddy about Noah racing at Ft Davis, Troy and Roxanne bringing baby Cate into this world, having Buddy with me during the day now, eggs over easy with cream cheese and honey, and other things that make me feel good.

Some pictures of Noah at Ft Davis

Fair warning

This is fair warning. I'm gonna write about Noah's race at Fort Davis soon, and if you don't like hearing some Dad gush about how his kid did...Nobody is Making You Read This.

1922-2007

I want to stay as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can't see from the center.
--Kurt Vonnegut

He could also get you a pretty good deal on a Saab.

Castaway II

This just amazes me, and I reckon this means I'm easily amazed, but still...
My buddy Riner is sending me some goodies, and he provided me the tracking number since these are special goodies. I get a kick out of seeing what that package was doing yesterday and last night:

Apr 11, 2007
4:12 AM On FedEx vehicle for delivery IRVING, TX
2:49 AM At local FedEx facility IRVING, TX
2:24 AM Departed FedEx location HUTCHINS, TX
1:04 AM Arrived at FedEx location HUTCHINS, TX

Apr 10, 2007
8:36 PM Left origin WICHITA FALLS, TX
6:29 PM Arrived at FedEx location WICHITA FALLS, TX
4:39 PM Picked up WICHITA FALLS, TX
3:11 PM Package data transmitted to FedEx Wichita Falls, TX


If I had a tracking #...
April 11, 2007
11:07 AM Tracking the FedEx tracking #
10:34 AM Ate some more breakfast
9:29 AM Ate breakfast
8:51 AM Took kids to school
7:20 AM Got up for real
6:00 AM Turned off Chloe's alarm
4:47 AM Kicked Buddy since he kicked me
3:21 AM Took Reanie back to bed
2:55 AM Took Buddy back to bed
1:17 AM Took Reanie back to bed

April 10, 2007
11:21 PM Took Reanie back to bed
11:07 PM High 5
11:06 PM Private time with Mama
9:33 PM Get kids in bed
9:21 PM Get kids out of tub
9:09 PM Eat some take out dinner
9:01 PM Unload bikes and stuff
7:56 PM Put on street clothes and head home
7:21 PM Get dropped
7:03 PM Attack
7:00 PM Race


Sten, send me a danish or something so we can track that one!

Stevie Wonder Driving School

We're rolling down FM 407 getting the little ones to school. Buddy is in the back, and Reanie up front. We're having as serious a discussion as can be with a 3 and 4 yr old as co-pilots. Suddenly, just as I'm coming up to cars and a stop light, Buddy covers my eyes with his hands from behind my seat, and he says, "Where's Daddy?"

Teaching him how to unbuckle his own seat belt doesn't seem such a wise thing now.

Good morning!

Reanie staggers into our room this morning. Tells me she needs to go potty. Right on. I tell her that she knows where it is. She comes out a little bit later more awake. I asked her, "Did you go big job?"

She said, "No, I'm all out of big job."

And I thought that's where it would end. But, no.

Then she bends over, sans skivvies, and says, "See?"

Enak Bor is my inspiration

There was a time, back when I was the only bike racer in the family, that we could load up half the Expedition with my stuff, and the other half was for the rest of the family. We seemed to be fine with that. Mama, #1, and eventually #2 could pack whatever they needed to make a day in the ditch palatable, and I brought everything I've ever needed or thought I might need for a bike race. And we packed Moby to the gills (i know...i know...poetic license, please).

A few years ago, I bunked up with a good buddy and his wife for a stage race. At that gig, I brought two bags and one bike (it was a stage race). I thought I was traveling light and being all respectful. Enak, though, came with one bike and a back pack for the entire weekend. He mocked me, and he did so at a time I was feeling all good about myself.

Well, we're about to head out for what I think is my first stage race since that one, and I got all my street and cycling clothes, and all the race food, bottles, etc for me and #1 (since he now races too), and we're taking all of #1's stuff for a race, his bike, my bike, and all the stuff for Mama, #2, and #3, AND we're putting it all in a car (Wallace) that is half the size that Moby was (well, I guess still is, but it ain't ours anymore).

Enak, I'm getting there. You are my inspiration.

table manners and acting like a lady

What with Reanie going to a private school and all, we get to enjoy the fact that she has learned to burp on purpose. It works so much better, too, when she is in her school uniform. That's money well spent, NiMYRT customers.

So, since she's learned her new trick, she likes to demonstrate and practice her proficiency lots. Buddy's trick is a little more pleasant to endure since it is somersaulting. But he doesn't do this at the table. Reanie does burp at the table.

I'll say something about it being rude. Mama says something about it not being lady-like. Buddy says, "More chicken," and we pass him the fish.

At dinner tonight, Reanie roars a burp and says "excuse me". Same ol', same ol'. I, predictably, say something like, "It is rude to burp like that. especially on purpose. Stop." Mama says, "Reanie, be a lady at the table."

A few minutes later, Reanie burps again while scratching her butt (we're still at the table). I say, "REANIE! Stop scratching your butt at the table!"

So Reanie asks Mama, "Is scratching your butt being a lady?"

3 or 6 min of your life you won't get back

I watched the POSSx2 play like this for ten minutes or so before thinking to grab the camera. They'd wound down by then, but it was still fun for me (but prolly not for many of you blog readers). Can't remember how much we paid for this playset, but it was worth it. I'm trying to figure out a way to bottle up these laughs. for now, we have the videos.

No animals were harmed in the filming of this video clip.

Part I

Part II

Some pictures from the Lago Vista weekend

Some Thoughts

-thinking about #3, one would think "speech impediment" would be easier to say. I wouldn't want to be the first person to make fun of it him once he's aware he has trouble with R's. And W's. And "Th". And "S". And "V". And "B". And...

-thinking about #1, I'd reconsider the tactic of crashing him out to get rid of him. Might work that one day, but if you have to race again the next day...hang on. I can't remember the saying, but there is something about one's character that is proven when they are faced with adversity.

-thinking about #2, one of the highlights of my life has been to notice that #2 has favorite songs on the radio, and catching her singing full throttle along with Unwritten by Natasha Beddingfield...if she new, I'd go buy her anything she wanted right then and there.