Sunday, April 03, 2011

A Different Type of Spinning...

Private Parking for the Surly...
Sorry for the lapse in writing. Yes, I am still swimming, riding, and running, except that for the last week and a half, I have been doing a different type of training. Swimming? Well not so much, unless you count swimming below the waves at the office. Riding? Of course! Riding the bike to work, and riding great rides at Disneyland with my grandson, Brian. Running? Yes! Chasing after the aforementioned 3-year old!

Mmmmmmm...fresh oranges...

Jello, pudding, and Minnie! Priceless...

See? I'm spinning!


Ok, is this Chip? or Dale?
As you have by now figured out, My son, Paul, his wife Christina, and their son Brian spent a wonderful 9 days with us here in the desert. We enjoyed lots of time with Brian, had an outing to Santa Barbara, and a great couple of days at Disneyland. Paul got a well-deserved break from a heavy workload at his bank, and Christina hopefully just got some rest from chasing after a precocious boy who loves to play.
Diggin Goleta Beach...
In other news, spring planting has been completed in the garden. Grandma and Brian had a great time digging and planting new roses and an assortment of annual flowers. The weather has turned mild and lovely, and hopefully our new plants will thrive and bring lots of color later this summer. Brian, Grandma and I also completed a massive construction project, creating a small sandstone “path” next to the pergola. Brian did a great job as Foreman and together we had a great time digging and shoveling.

Brian likes real tools, not "kid" tools...

Even Diggers get tired!

It's good to have helpers!

Busy hands, happy hands...
Our completed project...
A nice image from Paul...
The mild weather also means more triathlon training. There should be no excuse for me to not be riding to work a couple of times a week. I have several weekday graveyard shifts this month, so that means I will get my endurance swimming accomplished at the noontime lap swim at Marie-Kerr Park. Running, however, continues to be a challenge. I just can’t get my legs and brain into running. It is (of course) a necessary segment in triathlon, and it is unavoidable. Any hints from my dear readers on how to get past running 1.5 miles would be greatly appreciated. See you next week.
Jim