Friday, June 29, 2012

Hot? Yes. Humid? Yes. Summer in Chicagoland? Yes.

The motherlode.
OK, it's official. Summer has arrived in Chicagoland.  Yesterday it was 103 farenheit, with a rainstorm in the works, heat index 107. Can you say "air conditioning?"  Me and my favorite girls grabbed the opportunity to return that Ashby birthday dress and head out to the land of air conditioning, itself: the suburban mall.  Oakbrook here we come!!!!  I figured the place would be crawling with people trying to escape the heat, they sure as heck weren't out there frolicking in the sunshine, but quiet as it's kept, I guess everybody has their own air conditioning, or their workplace is sufficiently chilled.   Anyhow, going to the mall is a major affair in the Steward-Nolan family.  We've been pondering our lists of wants and needs for about two months, while we save up the energy necessary to penetrate the land of the shopping.  As we pulled up to the exterior of Macy's, Ashby said that the store needs a new coat of paint. "Oh, if you only knew, poor thing."  Addie, ever the wizened older sib, explained: "Don't you remember how much paint it took just to paint my room? Well, look at how huge this building is!" Oh, how I love these kids....but of course.
 We managed to find entertainment in the escalator, the frigid temps, shopping for swimsuits and underclothes and shorts, all on the beneath-ground floor.  As we neared the basement Starbucks (yes, how could we resist the caffeinated/sugared joy of this day?) I exclaimed: "this is just like Battlestar Galactica.  While the rest of the world crumbles from the heat, we're here in this false window-less environment, wasting away."  Addie asked for a frappucino and I wondered, you've never had one of those, "oh, yes I have, with Dad, and so and so, and so forth".  Innocence lost.  What can I say?  If only I had known how many lost battles, thirteen years ago, maybe I wouldn't have fought so hard in the first place.  But then again, the fight is sometimes just for the sake of the fight.
Yes, you're a terrible mother...not only do you buy this crap, you tell us how awful it is.  boo!
 Caffeinated, dear reader, I made it up three flights of escalator to seek out the one thing that Macy's carries in abundance that I crave...Fiestaware!!!! What I really love about shopping for Fiestaware, is that for now, the kids are as easily delighted by the whimsy and pure beauty that Homer Laughlin has always and will eternally provide.  We made a few choices and got ready to pay up for a special, special treat.
White! Peacock!Flamingo!Shamrock! Made in West Virginia! Homer Laughlin!!!
 As I was leaving the store, I felt proud for shunning the piles and piles of personal adornment that Macy's sells, in favor of something that is timeless in my own home, and helps create beauty whenever we eat and share food.  Richly symbolic.  As for the kids, who doesn't need a swimsuit that makes them look like a bumble bee or underwear or shorts? I'm satisfied and OK with the whole experience.
I lied down on the burning cement, trying to get kids and sign in shot.

*********************************************************************************

Watch out for that train! sky! Rock! Refuse! It's Cook County, for cryin' out loud!
And then today, this photo taken only minutes before the sky opened up and rain poured, thunder and lightning.  I was walking with a friend through the forest preserve and we stumbled upon this railroad track.  We figured we'd cross the thing, which we did, but as we were searching around for a drop from the cement wall, we saw an older gentleman with walking sticks who insisted we better get away from all that metal, storm was on it's way...a little excitement for a morning walk! 
   Cooled and refreshed, we made our way to the new Juice Bar in River Forest.  Who knew? The Juice Joint provides some serious  juices and smoothies, and they're just getting started.  We tried the Addicted to Love, and the We've got the Beet. Hearty and organic, just my style.

Friday, June 22, 2012

"you can't stop, because if you do, then you won't start again." ~new friend from Riverside, IL

So here we go again, or, shall I say,  here I go again.  It's summer in Oak Park and Ironman is coming. Crazy time!!!! Yesterday I polished off a list of every workout that I aspire to finish before the end of summer.  When I can fit the whole thing on a sheet of paper, it's some sort of sign.  Well, it actually looks like some of the scratchy scratchy rantings that women on Telegraph Ave. (Berkeley) used to carry around and refer to, but to me it's a meditation, a method, an approach to organizing my time and goals.  But in response to the thickening of the training module, I'm up and down, emotionally, energetically, it's all in the package.

hmmmm....at least 80 workouts in 80 days...see a problem here?

  Today is a spectacular example of such.  The weather is simply fabulous, perfection indeed.  But as early as 6-something this morning I was grousing around in the pool.  Someone disobeyed pool etiquette this morning and when he didn't stop with the gentle pat that I applied to his heel, I simply grabbed his whole foot and stopped him, in order to swim by.  Poor fool, he didn't realize that it was a Master's workout and he was jumping in front of me, as I was leading about 5 other people into the final 100 of a 1500 meter set.  You just don't do that.  But I was up again and in good spirits soon after, joking around with chums and preparing for a fabulous Friday.  Now that the kids are away (zoo, and travel swim meet), I can polish off my first attempt at yarn-bombing in the backyard.  I've got a concept that will involve lacing high yarn bomb for wily grape vines to travel upon and over.
See the sky? NOT California!!! It's right here!!!!
 I'm loving it, but, as in all things, attaching the granny square to the tether is more difficult than it looks.  There's a situation with slumping together that I predict will drive me crazy in the not so distant future. Alas...here's my first shot, and I'm enthused, particularly given the amazing sky and backdrop on a morning like this.  
Rope from hardware store, heavy duty fun!
 I have hopes of adding more motifs, or some other sort of free-form work across the double ropes that cross from garage to house.  That said, I have a tendency to leave partially-finished projects out for a while. I guess yarn-bombing is more difficult than it looks and the same might be said of Ironman training.
I'm so fond of the lattice of wires in our sky.  It is what it is.
Sometimes we get to thinking, "If I only had more time," or, "If I was only as good an athlete as so-and-so", or "these kids/job/house really gets in the way of my Ironman aspirations", and one of my favorites: "if the weather wasn't so awful I could really pull this Ironman thing off!"  But on a day like today, when my kids are taken care of, the weather is perfect, I have time off from work, and there's no urgency attached to the house, getting out there for that six mile jog was still a really hard thing to do.  When I finally got out I walked and walked, and I stopped long enough to see if a friend was working in her yard (she was), so I could stall a bit more.
The slouching of which i speak: no longer a perfect square....
But I just about did it! Well, I really did do it! Today I did what I said I would do!  In fact, soon after I left my friend's yard, I took off running down Marion Street and I saw a rather older gentleman loading a road bike onto a car rack. He was wearing helmet, gear, and a TOMRV 08 jersey.  I couldn't resist: "I just did my first TOMRV this year!!Were you there?"  He smiled, and said, "No, my COPD has gotten too much, so I can't do TOMRV anymore, that's why I ride with this Oxygen tank (and yes, there was a small oxygen tank in the water bottle cage).  I was amazed.  We got to talking and introducing ourselves.  He reached out to shake my hand and when we touched, he said: "you've got a firm grip, and a wedding ring." What a twinkle in his eye. I was completely tickled.  After exchanging a few names of companions to narrow down our degree of separation, I said that I had to get back to running. He agreed: "you can't stop, because if you do, then you won't start again."  And how true is that?? There is wonder all around you. Go out and grab some!

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

It doesn't have to be fun to be fun! ~JW

 Don't look now, but it's adventure time!!! Don't miss out on the season, if at all possible.  If, LF, you are stuck at a cubicle or meeting somewhere, I'm so sorry.  Take a peek at these photos and think about sneaking away, if for a very short time.  So here's my dream day in Madison, Wisconsin, site of the Ironman Wisconsin in eighty days (but who's counting?).

IM Wisconsin bike course

IM Wisconsin bike course
 It all started with a bang. My new great friend and training buddy Jilly dragged me over seventy miles of the Ironman course.  We'll just do the stem and the loop once, OK?  Yeah, whatever you say, boss.  It was actually a delightful ride. Riding with Jilly is terrific, because she's raced IMMOO every year (yes EVERY YEAR for ten years) and trains frequently on the bike course.  Watching her attack the course gave me a sense of the few occasions that one should brake on the ride, and where she flows.  I always need a confidence booster on descents, so I felt a bit of permission when watching her glide ahead of me down hills.  We got out early enough to enjoy sun without too much heat (about 88F) and we were finished before noon.  I'm not going to elaborate on the training.  To know Jilly is to know steady riding, just my style, with a few notches added for "not stopping for anything more than 1-2 minutes).  Then we jumped into Lake Monona for a little swim.  Jilly admits that I was about to witness her "weakest sport".  Thank goodness, "the crack in the armor", I respond.

But as we finished I realized that if I jumped into the car and drove back to Oak Park, I'd rob Addie of her opportunity to be in charge of Ashby and house and order pizza and TV for dinner.  So, If I were a typical tri-geek, I'd obviously don running shoes and add another workout to the mix, but alas, that's not me, at least not today!  I put my day clothes on and headed for State Street, my favorite midwestern town with major retail boulevard closed to all automobile traffic!
LOVE IT!

When in Madison, I've got a couple of responsibilities. First, just loving Madison.  I'm loving this Badger Liqour sign on pink that sits smack in the middle of everything.  Blue sky, soft clouds, hot, low humidity. I'm happy!!!! 
Badger Liquor: Ice Cubes~

Beyond photography, stop number one is the unisex hair salon, always a deal and capable of cutting my hair as short as I prefer. I was pretty punchy in the salon, after an iced coffee-thing and unencumbered-ness, so my stylist definitely earned her tip.

Short enough for summer training?



Yes!
 And, naturally, lunchtime.  Typical earthy-college-town-lunch-affair.  Tibet/Indian/type food, great for vegetarians and all-around flexitarians like me!



Bhat Tarkari
 And then a walk to the mother-lode.  Bumper sticker store (they sell other things: self-help books, t-shrts, music, incense, jewelry, you know the drill).  But this is where I rely on replenishing bumper-sticker supply, especially since the Subaru is a little light right now.
Shakti!

 You probably wonder how many bumper stickers I grabbed? That, LF, will remain a secret, until you see the Subaru proudly adorned with new additions.  Some classics, some new.  I'm loving it!!!! Must be summer, and I must have grown up in a crunchy college town!!!! The guy behind the counter wasn't too cheerful.  They might be feeling pretty low, since there's Walker stuff all around us, but as I become the grizzled ol' mother, I can only say, "the struggle continues".

And a glimpse up State Street towards the capitol building.  This is a hoot on Ironman Day, especially for those who are sitting drinking a beer and eating a salad.  On the run course, I'm not so sure, but as Jilly says:  "It doesn't have to be fun to be fun!"  (what a fabulous bumper sticker that would be!!!!).
And here it is, IM run course!!! This is so fun on IM day!!! Lots of athletes, lots of heat, lots of pain!!!
I was back in the car in time for driving all the way home (not a short trip), and in time for pizza with the kids.  Nothing exploded, and with a  mere 10 or so hours away from home. Revitalized, energized, exercised, and ready for a new day, a new adventure!!!

Friday, June 15, 2012

Tchotchke Row!

Three days into Summer Vacation and we've come this far.  It's time for the grand opening of Tchotchke Row.  Have you ever read those stories about families in which the parent is more excited about the activity than the children?  This may be one of those cases, but if we can share just a little bit of our junk with some kid walking down the street before it goes to landfill, I consider Tchotchke Row a huge success.  Not sure what the OP Police Department has to say about this, but really, every kid in town is selling some sort of priced up sugar water made from a can calling it lemonade.  Can't my kids sell some old toys sitting in the basement two steps away from becoming an item in a collage project?
Misspellings abound--will correct after rainstorm!
 The egg carton is the donation bin. I'm thinking about throwing some change in there, so people will know where they should leave their coin. But of course, free is also an option.  Maybe it should be I that is paying kids to remove junk from our lawn.
It's Tchotchke Row! Maybe you want a little knick-knack?  
 All I know is that I'm sharing a little bit of my own insanity & obsession with the kids.  What better way than to spend a summer's day.
We have knick-knacks, and are willing to share!  You never know what you might find...

...on Tchotchke Row!

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

The Furnace of Wind (TOMRV) --Andrew


How can I begin to say anything about this fabulous weekend? What ever I come up with will fall so far short of what I'm trying to communicate. So. Here. Goes.  It took me over two hours to get lost then find Jilly's and hubby's house, tucked away just outside of small-town Illinois.  Idyllic. Beautiful day, metal bike sculpture, outbuildings, greenery, vistas, fantastic.  And great big smiles from my companions in hurt. Two of us novice, two veteran TOMRV riders.  


Naturally, the Subaru fits right in with no problem, whatsoever.

Andrew, Jilly, Me, Colleen.
 We set off for Port Byron Illinois, which sits right on the mighty river, herself. The Mississippi.  An amazingly beautiful evening, with a house band, even.  It doesn't matter that the music was too loud, or that it wasn't great, it was summer & the weather was going to deliver us a 200 mile bike ride with no rain, no thunder, no cyclone.
Band, river, no bugs, warm summer night, americana. What else do we need?
Maybe a Portobello Sandwich? Check.  We're happy.
 Friday evening we couch surf with two of the nicest people around.  Life long cyclists and tandem-ists, these two own oodles of bikes and ginormous cred in the cycling world.  Ridden across country, across Alaska, across France, across Illinois.  These two own a load of tandems and were riding this weekend, of course.  I love meeting new people!
Check out the wind chime? Cyclists, through and through.

Looking at the sunset over the Mississippi.


Dawn on the Mississippi.

I'd say that as I experienced beautiful scenery and friendly folks, my spirit was pretty lively.   I tried to conserve energy, hydrate, fuel, and enjoy the view.
Andrew takes great photos on the fly. I'm impressed & happy.
We're about to cross the mighty river for the second time. Don't look down, through metal grates about sixty feet above the river. Looked fantabulous.

 Day one, it's a scorcher by mile 75 or so. We're eating popsicles and admiring the shade.  I comment that it feels like a Colorado summer day.  No humidity, hot in the sun. Lovely, but challenging on a grueling bike course.  Jilly says that the ride doesn't start until mile 75 and yup, she's right.  But by the time you ride 75 in 90-plus degree heat, you're already toast.  The final 30 or so was brutal, but we finished, proud and sunned.
I love this weather!!! says our fearless leader.
And so we survive day one.  It took a while. A tremendous amount of climbing, volume, and heat, but we're sated and gearing up for tomorrow. Nothing a night at Best Western and great big meal won't cure.
If only the hills and wind and urgency of the ride hadn't stopped me from taking more photos...but alas, I wanted to ride continuously, so my day two shots are limited. This is one of the few towns that opens up onto the river, we see commercial area, beautiful houses, lovely morning.  It's before 10AM and we think we have a shot at this. 

 After a night at Clayton College in Dubuque, we're off.

OK, yes, I'm addicted to dereliction. What can I say? How sad and profound this building on our river?

By the time we get this far it's past lunch.  The break-off point of the day is Preston, Iowa, where some people are actually finishing their weekend at 46 miles.  We've got another 43 miles, because our car is at the college where it all began, in Bettendorf, Iowa.  The last 43 miles hit us with a headwind that would slay the most mentally tough of athletes.  Thank you thank you that I was riding with two friends who were willing to team up and pace line the whole thing (our friend, Colleen, was super smart and didn't ride Sunday--but will next year!).  So there we were, it must have taken another 3-4 hours, my brain was so fried by the end of it all I couldn't calculate.  I'll close with a snippet of a lovely piece that Andrew wrote to a friend the following day:
our second-to-the-last-rest-stop mile 62 or so?
From Andrew:

"Yes, the tailwind was nice Saturday, but Sunday, turning left out of Preston into the furnace of wind, with miles and miles of straight flat road stretching ahead, dead into the wind, was depressing.  I just put my head down and kept track of Jilly's back axle and tire, keeping at most a foot back without crossing wheels.  I talked to myself to keep focus, reminding myself of how much I would not like to crash.  With my best wheel sucking, I was barely able to hang on.  At my first expression to Jilly that I was fading, she graciously asked what speed I would like.  I suggested 12 mph, and she obliged.  After a bit, I requested 11 mph, and found that I could hold even drafting, energy-wise, at that pace.  I also dropped back behind Karen, who was just as steady as Jilly, but sat up a bit taller.  Note that just about anyone sits up taller than Jilly when she's down in her aerobars.

I perked up (relatively speaking) at the rest stop in Elvira, and was honored that Jilly would accept my offer to pull for a few miles, and I was comfortable at 10 miles per hour.  It was good to feel useful and help the team, however briefly."

Hoot-n-Holler it's Healdsburg in July!!!

So before I write a mammoth post about last weekend's  TOMRV bike tour, I have to share a delightful story that I stumbled upon amidst the epic weekend.  Friend Jilly introduced me to a woman that she describes as knowing "since we were three" and having done triathlon and ironman for just as long.  A kindred soul, indeed.  Long time Ironman-er, PE teacher, and lover of life. 

Nancy's the gal second from the right (from her blog)

 Nancy also blogs about her terrific adventures, most particularly her most recent attempt to complete one marathon in each state...yes...one marathon in each state.  Fifty marathons? Holy Moly, Macaroni!   Jilly kindly introduced me as having done "a fistful of Ironmans" (Jilly has raced in all ten Madison Ironman and at least one other (Kona), probably others along the way.  So Nancy, it turns out, gets to chatting with me about where I've raced Ironman.  Canada (yes, both of us) and Vineman, back in the nineties.  I ask which year, and she can't quite remember, but shares with me that she is trying to prove she raced Vineman, so she can check California Marathon off her list.  I shared with my newfound friends that I might have evidence of her race results and their jaws dropped. "You save that stuff?"  I replied, "Not always, but I have a scrapbook, and I saved results from Vineman, back in the day when you waited a month or more for hard copy of race results rather than instantly available on the web."  So sure 'nuff, I go home and start plowing through my scrapbook, and there it is, plain as day, the second year I raced Vineman (1995) Nancy was there along side me.  In fact, our run times were only seconds apart, and our swims pretty close as well.  What a thrill! It's been seventeen long years since then, many life events, and here we are, still plugging away at a sport that has exploded in scale, popularity, expense, and everything else.  True Believer, Indeed!  Nancy looks absolutely terrific and is as charismatic as they come. 



Vintage Ironman:Northern California!
upon close inspection, tri-geeks, you might notice my tendency to explode on the run is long standing, but not terminal.
So much to notice in this old race packet.  The small number of sponsors, primarily local companies, somewhat related to healthy lifestyle.  Small number of participants.  20 female finishers, total, and this in an Ironman Hawaii qualifying race!  One of my fondest memories of those old times was that not only was there a reasonable shot for some of these awesome athletes to qualify for Hawaii, but the Kona slots were distributed at the awards ceremony, at which one must be present to take qualifying spot.  There was always one magic slot, a lottery, so to speak, reserved for one finisher of the complete Vineman.  Just think. Someone finishing late in the day, or with a not blistering race, by virtue of finishing Vineman and attending the awards ceremony, at which point they could applaud the age group podium finishers, this person could gain that coveted spot at Hawaii Ironman.  A reason to finish the race on what always is a tough day.   I remember whomever won that spot, they'd holler out from the rear of the Healdsburg Theater, where the ceremony was held, and it was truly the most exciting time of the weekend.  Those were terrific times!!!

Friday, June 8, 2012

You make the call: perfect garden? perfect chaise?

That trellis is falling down. Must. Replace. Trellis. 
 OK, it's been a great year at school and all, but I'm so ready to be done with it. In fact, today, our last day at school, was an opportunity to clean up some equipment, help the Prairie kids get their ice cream machine working, spend some time in Ashby's classroom, and say goodbye to the guys in the basement (read: hard workin' men at an old fashioned Catholic church...space in the basement? use it!!!!).  I'm already home, packing for my weekend adventure, but not a minute too soon to blog real quick about the shawl-turned halter that I just finished last night in time for our fifth grade graduation.  This is a sample of working the pattern as it goes...in the world of crochet, you never, never, know for sure what you're going to end up with.  An example, also, of pre-blocked work (Yes Doris Chan, I'm humiliated to admit, but on this perfect weather afternoon I wasn't about to go into the basement to block the thing).  Post-block pictures available sometime this summer.  Will save that for Ravelry.
 Oh, who the hell cares!!!
 So, another crochet project checked of the list.  With a newly opened schedule, I hope I won't spend the summer in a chronic state of fatigue post-workout style.  I've got a pile of yarn and other projects that are calling me as loudly as the open road.  And so, it's another attempt at the ol' balance principle.   We'll see how it goes.  There are also family responsibilities, cleaning, yard work, braces, and so on and so forth.  Wishing myself many, many, many more moments like this in the free aluminum chaise lounge from the estate sale two doors down.  I love free stuff, I especially love free stuff that never went in our car!
So the ol' life-coach in me also says: I'm not just wishing myself these hours in the chaise, I'm wishing it for you.  We all want that perfect yard/house/bedroom/body, but to hell with it. It's summer, here in the midwest. Enjoy every bug-free outdoor moment available to you. We've earned it!
This delightful pattern is painfully easy, 7 chain, one single crochet!

Monday, June 4, 2012

Here's Proof! Braggebration Time!!!!!




The other day I was out running, after a fairly hefty weekend of training.   I was out for a long run following a spritely forty mile ride with the guys.  Towards the end of my run, I saw one of my heroes out starting his own brick. I could see the surprise in his eyes, along with a bit of respect that he was throwing my way.  Perhaps I don't really listen to what I'm saying when I talk to my friends. I spend so much time talking about recalibrating my life, work, time with the kids, slowing down with age, and so on, that I don't celebrate that I'm still tough (or would that be bragging?) OK, braggebrating that I'm tough!!!!
So here we go, proof, quite literally, that I'm still out there doing Triathlon. In fact I think Galena was something like my 45th triathlon, but who's counting? 

The Galena Sprint Triathlon, May 2012:

Photographers, found at every modern sporting event,
lest we want to drop a dime on real live documentation of
our muscles, tans, and hot racing suits!