Oh, it's you.

Yes, it's me. I'm here. I've always been here. Sometimes silence is golden. Sometimes it's a sign that we're just too busy. Forgive me for my apparent lack of conviction to the blog but sometimes what you might find interesting is just plain old plain old (excuse the southern speak).

All kinds of things going on around here. First let me run down the reason we are really here: running and other fitness activities.

Last Monday I ran 5 miles. Nothing spectacular but felt comfortable. It is nice to be able to go for a run and enjoy it.

Last Tuesday I got in the saddle for the first time this year. Yep, met up with some of my old biking buddies and hopped on the bike for a 26 miler. I was a little nervous about the distance considering I had not ridden since last fall. I didn't feel exceptionally strong but I did survive. I did the 26 with the "slow group". Despite my "fast" friends begging me to go with them, I knew much better than to do something like that. We averaged a pitiful 15.7 mph for 26 miles. If it was a flat course I'm sure I could do better but we have several stretches of big hills where you have to get out of the big chain ring and get into a climbing gear. The shortest of these uphill climbs is 4/10s mile according to the bike computer. We have one long grade of a mile. Anyway, I got a decent workout.

Last Thursday and Friday I did a couple of runs but nothing to speak of. I skipped the weekend because of other activities (more on that later).

This past Monday I did 5 miles. 4 miles of it I ran with Dom, my neighbor. He was wanting to run at a slower pace due to his heart fluttering and I wanted to speed up just a tad bit so we made a good pair that afternoon. I broke a good sweat and rally got the heart rate up. I think it took me about an hour to stop sweating.

Yesterday I went for another bike ride. 26 miles again. Same route. The slow group didn't show up so I started off the fast group. Always a big mistake. It was Larry M and biking Susan (not my Susan). Susan has just finished having her bike rebuilt. New handlebars, new seat post, new wheels, new gear set. She replaced everything but her seat and pedals. She knocked nearly 2 lbs off her existing bike weight and she was riding like a fiend. They were doing 35 miles and were trying to convince me to go with them. NOPE. NOT HAPPENING. They pleaded with me . . . "it won't be safe for you ride by yourself after we split off at mile 13". I agree that it is not smart to ride by yourself on some of these country roads but I am a big boy. I have my cell phone and my 38 special (note to self . . . maybe the reason I am slow is because of the added weight of my Smith and Wesson). Anyway, I did 26 and bumped my average up to 16.1 mph. I felt pretty good about this since the last 13 miles were solo and I didn't have a pace line to ride in. It was all me doing all the work. Sweet.

Other activities . . . .

I've spent quite a bit of time working on Susan's girls' fort/swingset/slide thingy-do. I spent about 7 hours last Saturday, 7 hours last Sunday, 3 hours Tuesday afternoon, and 5 hours this evening working on it. That is 22 hours. Of course Susan has been helping but we still have a little ways to go. The main structure is done and I'm about finished with the roof on it. All that is left is the swing set and the slide portion. I've been taking pictures along the way but I do not have them with me at this time. I'll post a series of photos later to show the entier project.

I got a new toy a couple of weeks ago. I got a new Nikon D50 DSLR camera and I really love it! I've been taking pictures of MAC playing soccer, the girls just goofing around the house, Susan, and the dogs. All interesting topics. Here's some of the fun I've been having.

MAC . . . the next Mia Hamm?

Susan and I at MAC's soccer game.

It was a terribly hot day.

Susan and her girls ready to go out for dinner for Mother's day.

Little Bit meets cupcake.