Anniversary Poems

For David

Peach blossoms bloom a
soft pink smile to you and me.
Wedding day tribute.


This poem is from our wedding, read by Aron during the ceremony.

"At the Wedding March"
by Gerard Manley Hopkins

GOD with honour hang your head,
Groom, and grace you, bride, your bed
With lissome scions, sweet scions,
Out of hallowed bodies bred.

Each be other’s comfort kind:
Deep, deeper than divined,
Divine charity, dear charity,
Fast you ever, fast bind.

Then let the March tread our ears:
I to him turn with tears
Who to wedlock, his wonder wedlock,
Deals tríumph and immortal years.

Haiku for the day

Cool spring morning rush
Ebullient boys on the stairs
Regret fills my heart

"Everyone knows it's Windy" Sing-a-long!

Saturday, March 28 - Rosedale Ride

Marc & Dianne were already planning to do 40. Sarah and I had dropped down from 63 to 40 after realizing we are very busy moms with other things going on that day that we not only had to do but also wanted to do. 40 is nothing to be ashamed of, but we had a bit of a time convincing ourselves of that.

Was anyone outside on March 28? Well, if not, I'll tell ya. A cold front blew in overnight. It was in the low 40s with a wind chill in the 30s. I can deal with cold. It's not as fun to ride your bike when it's cold as it is to run when it's cold. It's doable though, and your body does eventually warm up (if not your toes). The real issue this morning was the wind. Not a little wind either.

A few photos for your viewing pleasure.

I have never ridden in such wind before. It was not fun the way this ride is supposed to be. At the first stop (which we hadn't planned on stopping at), Marc tells us they are doing the 20-mile route now. Sarah and I look at it each other. This is supposed to be fun, right? Are we having fun? No. Why do we need to kill ourselves and do 40?

We chose the 20 (22.9 actually), and it was (in the wise words of Sarah) one of the best decisions we've made in a long time. The back stretch of that ride was slow and so windy.

I made up new lyrics to a bunch of songs to make us laugh while we struggled to pedal. Sarah joined in and came up with some goodies. Enjoy, and I hope you sing along.

Bob Seger - Against the Wind

"Against the wind...I'm colder now but still riding against the wind."

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Christopher Cross - Ride like the Wind

"I've got such a long way to go...
to make it to Samsung parking lot.
So I ride...ride in the wind."

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Patrick Swayze - She's like the Wind

"She hates wind in her face.
She's pedaling but going no place."

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Bette Midler - Wind Beneath my Wings

"Did you ever know that I can pedal
and not get anywhere at all?
I can ride faster than a snail
when the wind blows like a gale."

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The Village People - YMCA

"We are riding in the W-I-N-D (insert hand movements)
Oh yes, we're riding into the W-I-N-D.
It blows from the front.
And it blows from the side.
No matter which way we go, it blows.
Because we're riding in the W-I-N-D
Oh yes, we're riding in the W-I-N-D."

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The Association - Everyone knows it's Windy

"Who's blowing me back while I fiercely pedal?
Who's tipping my bike over sideways?
Who's bending down to knock me clean off?
Everyone knows it's Windy!"

So, in honor of the Wind, we stopped at Wendy's for my usual half-n-half soda (half coke, half diet coke). Well, I had to get a picture for the ol' blog. Sarah snapped this brilliant photo...

You are the Wendy's beneath my wings.

San Marcos 50

Sunday, March 22 - 50 mile ride to San Marcos with Sarah, Dianne & Michelle. There were some very slow-going spots due to a combo of wind and inclines. We finally got to San Marcos about 45 minutes later than planned.

Dianne's hubby Marc was waiting with their son, Alex. See, I'm not the only family who has to swap out workouts and take turns and do all sorts of somersaults just so both parents have a turn to train.

Dianne and Michelle had only planned to ride to SM, so they were blissfully loading up their bikes while Sarah and I stretched and braced ourselves for the ride back with Marc. The ride back was much more pleasant and much less windy, and we finished that same distance 30 minutes faster.