White people sports

- Volleyball
- Badmitton
- Croquet
- Bocce
- Horseshoes
- Lawn darts

Strawberries

Did I mention strawberries?

40 Tomato Plants Later

Future home of my new garden. Also! Huge raspberry patch!

Atomic Ranch

Soon to be ours.

I think we'll throw it a birthday party this year (it was built in '58).

(Yes, the ugly, ugly green stripe is going).

Dang that's a lot of pictures

Am downloading the... uh... 4 MB of pictures we have taken since... uh... end of May? Gonna take a while.

Here's us in Baker City, watching the Elkhorn Classic criterium (post-race for Matt).

What's doin'

I can't believe I haven't posted for 2 months. Things 'round here have been a little, well, go-go-go. Busy. Kind of insane. We have been racing (did I mention we've been racing? A lot?) and getting promotions. We have been traveling for work, and traveling to see family and having visitors. We're planning a trip to Europe and Egypt. We're starting to house hunt. Life isn't slowing down. Will it ever, I wonder?! Would I even want it to?

I'd like to blog more - I feel pretty out of touch with my loyal readers. So I'm going to try a little Twittering. And I'm going to update my Flickr page and my Goodreads. Come back again now, m'kay?

Please send a masseuse

OK, scratch that, no RAO this year after all, BUT! BUT! I did just use Neosporin that EXPIRED in 2003. Matt pointed out that it went bad before we got married.

It's kind of like the time a few years ago when we acquired some used bowling balls complete with bags and Matt found baby powder in his bag that had a "use by" date of 1983 (along with a well-loved sweat rag and a pair of suede shoes). Except Matt didn't actually use the baby powder, whereas I vigorously rubbed rancid Neosporin all over my right elbow and hip.

Which brings me to my other point, which I'm sure you're dying to hear already, and that is that I had my first crash in a road race yesterday. The good news is that I successfully shielded my bike from harm by throwing my body down first! The bad news is that I threw my body down first! And, I've got me some road rash, a few little bruises here and there, and my right shoulder muscles are killing me. Is it possible to give yourself whiplash? Because I think I did.

Training for...

Race Across Oregon , 4-woman relay team, this July...

"What is Race Across Oregon? It’s a bicycle race in which competitors climb over 40,000 feet in their 535 mile campaign to reach the finish line at Mount Hood and Timberline Lodge approximately 30 hours later."

We're in the planning stages now, talking to folks and thinking about sponsors. I'm excited.

Newport, OR

We drove out to the coast this weekend for Matt's company party, which was held at a hotel/resort. On our way home, we stopped by the marina in the working/"historic district" of Newport. I was captivated by the fishing boats - rugged, iconic, and totally mystefying. I know nothing about the fishing industry and I felt a little out of place, as I always do in these types of situations - viewing beauty where there is hardship, seeing brilliant rust and color patterns where there is labor and toil, walking around, snapping photos, and trying to make art out of somebody's living.

Ever feel that way when you're travelling? I try to be un-ironic and sensitive, but never quite know if I'm hitting the mark or missing it completely.

Newport orange

I adore these colors together.

Newport rust

A rainbow of paint and rust.

See? Not so frumpy anymore.

Ribbon skirt

How did I take an H&M ankle length frumpy wool "meh" clothes swap skirt and turn it into something I'd actually wear?

1. Hack off a foot of fabric
2. Sew a few rounds of grosgrain ribbon around the hem
3. Cute!