...being a bicycle lady

About 5:00 this afternoon I was busy at my desk, making sure I had everything set for tomorrow's lessons. The building was quiet and I was totally focused on the task at hand. All of a sudden two young boys, about middle school age, burst through my door, making me jump. "Do you have a bike pump?!?" one loudly asked. After I peeled myself off the ceiling I thought for a second, then said, "No, I sure don't...but normally I would. I just forgot to put it back in the truck the last time I used it." "Oh," he said, disappointed, "My friend has a flat tire. Someone told us you were a bicycle lady and might have one."
Guess I'd better get the pump back in the truck. I'd hate to lose my reputation as "a bicycle lady."

...making a change

...a REALLY big change.

The resume is updated.


The cover letter is written.


All that's left is to hit "send."


Gulp.


I've lived and taught in Podunk for 21 years. The kids are grown and gone. The house is sold. The ol' dog is chasing cats in doggie heaven.


It's been time for a long time but it's hard to see over the edge of my rut.


Stay tuned...

...riding with Kathryn

My friend Kathryn is the one who convinced me, three years ago, to test ride a road bike. I am so glad she did! We had planned to sign up for the Tour de Frog in Milton Freewater this past Saturday, but we had both had such an exhausting week that we decided a local (and free) ride on Sunday would give us a much-needed day to rest. We left my place at 6:15 a.m. The sun was just coming up over the rise, and arm warmers felt good. We rode up Holdman Hill and took the back way to Pendleton, stopped to rest our buns and have a cup of something warm, then rode back home along the river. It was a beautiful day to be out on our bikes--barely any traffic, no wind until the last 5 miles, and sunshine, lots of sunshine! We caught up on each other's lives, commiserated about how busy the first of the year is (she's a teacher, too), and thoroughly enjoyed the day. Thanks, Kat!

...the 14th annual

...Tumbleweed Music Festival

This was the first year that Arlene wasn't able to come for our annual weekend of being hippies in the grass, listening to folk music at Howard Amon Park in Richland. She was just too busy with her new house. But Katie was home for a friend's wedding, so on Sunday we headed over to the park, ate tacos and sopes from our favorite taco lady, and listened to some music. Not quite the same as having Arlene here, but still a good time!

...going back to school

As I greeted new students yesterday morning at 7:00 a.m. I felt like this:

That feeling pretty much carried me through the rest of the day, and most of today. But by 6:00 this evening, as I gathered my things to come home.....I felt like this:

I resisted the urge to do the drive-through food-that's-not-really-food fix, and instead reminded myself that I had homemade bread and soup in the freezer, just waiting to be heated up. Now it's time to go get some

so I have enough of what this guy has to get up and get going again in the morning.

P.S. I have the sweetest new students! (But then I always do...) :-)

...the last ride of August

I wasn't going to ride this morning. I really wasn't. School starts tomorrow, and I didn't feel like my classroom was quite ready. (I can be a bit of a worrier.) But...when I woke up and looked outside...I couldn't NOT ride.

Kathie and Bob

My shadow and I

Scott and Darrell

(And guess what? Everything that absolutely HAD to be ready for tomorrow got done this afternoon. Happy back-to-school, everyone!)

...the end of summer

Oh it's still shorts and T shirt weather, but the truth is...summer is over. We're not officially back on the clock until Wednesday, but like most teachers, I've already put in several hours at school and will put in many more before kids show up a week from tomorrow. It has been a good summer. I spent time with family, took an interesting class, got Arlene moved into her new home (Yay!), sewed like a maniac, read several good books, and put many miles on the bike. I'm rested and ready. It's going to be a good year.