July Fly By

Wow, didn't this month go by in a blink of an eye?  It has been a busy one.  Kingwood Fit is up and running (no pun intended).  I have enjoyed being a coach so much that I am starting to research options on obtaining a personal trainer certificate.  It is one thing to learn on your own by reading all you can, but when people start asking you questions, then you really want to know your stuff.  Weight training is also going well.  Charlie put together a workout plan for me and a friend of mine.  We have been going religiously at 6am to the gym, on Monday,Wednesday and Fridays.  Although I still have my sore days (like last week), we are really making progress.  The hardest exercise for me is the military press, where you take a set of barbells (or just the bar in my case) and lift it to the sky.  You do this standing, and you are supposed to lift from the chest.  Just like you see on weightlifting contests or in cartoons.  Kicked my butt last month, but now I can do it without shaking.  Go me!

So since my interest in raw food has been mentioned in previous posts, here is my latest hair-brained idea.  Last Thursday, we had a fierce thunderstorm come through our area which forced me to do my weekly run on an indoor track.  So while I am forced to run in little bitty circles, I thought it would be a good time to listen to a podcast from Revvell's radio Web site, www.Letstalkraw.com, and listen to her interview of Sunshine Boatright.  Sunshine Boatright is a raw food activist who promotes raw food for autistic children.  In fact, she has her own raw food site called www.rawtism.com. Anyway, when she was asked about where she learned about her raw food techniques she mentioned taking all of Alisa Cohen's raw chef classes.  Of course, that piqued my interest and I went home and devoured any information I could find on Alisa's classes.  I found a 4 day retreat but the cost is $2400.  Needless to say, the idea has been shot down, unless I can come up with a way to scrape up that kind of money by September 18.  I am still thinking about it. The classes will enable me to teach classes under her name in my area.  That potentially could pay for the initial cost of her class.

The triathlon training has been put on hold until next year.  Still need to work on my swimming technique.  After the half marathon training I will tackle that swimming by signing up for a Masters swimming group.  I am ready for the next challenge.

I went to the Houston Symphony on Friday night and saw The Blue Planet.   Talk about amazing.  It was edited scenes of Discovery Series Blue Planet synchronized to the amazing sounds of the Houston Symphony. Ocean footage of the deep abyss.  The seas of the North and South poles.  Penguins. Dolphins. Jellyfish. Killer Whales. Blue Whales.  If it ever comes back to Houston...it is a must see and a definite highlight of my weekend.

Finally, to top off the weekend, I started drawing again.  I am still bummed that I will not make it to another artist retreat in August, because we have to work an extra day each month at the training center starting next month.  But at least I have picked up the pencil again.  I am working on a pencil drawing for an anniversary present (1st year) of the hands of a husband and wife wearing wedding rings over a bouquet of roses.  I will post a picture when completed.

My Best Holiday

The Fourth of July is my favorite holiday and it is due to a combination of things. It is the one holiday that does not have the pressures of buying a gift.  You get to hang out with friends or family...swimming....barbecuing...or just sitting around the back porch.  The day usually ends with a gorgeous, hazy, hot summer day sunset.  Topped off with a display of fireworks.  A celebration telling  you have made it mid-summer.  If you get the patriotic music while the fireworks shoot off, that is only an added bonus.  Always sends chills down my spine. The music always makes me  feel so blessed to live in this beautiful country.

I always wanted a first kiss on Fourth of July.  Call me cheesy...but I always thought it would be cool to kiss while the fireworks went off .  I had one date back in the day with a firework kiss.  We went to an Astros game (talk about American pie) and then went to a picnic with fireworks.  It was so dreamy but it wasn't my happily ever after. Just another happy memory in my book.

Another memorable Fourth was also at a baseball game.  Astros vs. Phillies at Veteran's Stadium.  Best firework display in my life.  I think I was 11.  American flag caugh on fire from one of the fireworks.  I will never forget that ending.

In fact, we went to New Jersey quite often for the Fourth.  As a family, we would walk to the banks of the Deleware river and compare Philly fireworks to Wilmington, DE fireworks.  We could see both shows from the riverside.  I lived for those days.

South Padre Island. Louie's Backyard. Sunset. Fireworks. Best friends. Need I say more?

South Padre Island, take 2. Coconuts. My first Fourth of July with Charlie, my happily-ever-after.

Fourth of July is the only holiday I have never had to work.  Even when I was on reserve...I never had to fly. My lucky day I tell ya!  LUCKY!

Some years, it is just watching fireworks from our local Metro parking lot...speeding away as the finale ends so we do not get stuck in traffic.

Last year we were in New Braunfels and I watched the fireworks from the balcony of the condo. Friends. Swimming (Toobing down the river for some of us).  And of course, BBQ.

This year, we do not have any plans.  Just a quiet day at home.  Maybe we will go swimming. Or for a bike ride.  Eat some BBQ and of course, I will not miss those fireworks!

It makes my summer simply majestic. Best holiday ever!