Spring has sprung...

I don't think I have been so happy to see Spring in a long time.  I am always happy when it gets here, but this winter was so terrible (weather wise).  Nothing was fun.  Field trials were horribly cold and rainy, people didn't attend.  My write ups were terrible, due in large part to a lack of inspiration.  I am not being Debbie Downer either.  Nobody had fun this year.  This is a hobby for me, so if it is not fun, what is the point?

Then, when Kevin and I went to see mom, it was bitterly cold by New England standards.  Again, visiting with family was nice, but we are looking forward to going back when we can walk around outside.

So, this brings me back to the bike.  It is fun, it is not torture like trying to run fast enough to keep your heart rate up (this is a challenge for me and my hibernating heart rate)  You can bike faster, longer and for a farther distance than walking or running.  There is something childlike about it that just makes you smile, like making Kraft Mac and Cheese for dinner.  Not uber-foodie gourmet mac and cheese, but real, neon, skinny noodled, box and powder mac and cheese.

It is like drinking an ice cold Coca Cola Classic (NOT DIET) out of a green glass bottle.

I have gone over a month with only one diet drink, and I haven't gained any weight.  I do drink less soda though.   Trading one or two real cokes a day (if that many) is a happy trade to gallons of DC with artificial sweeteners, plus they taste better.  I am growing increasingly distasteful of artificial fillers and "diet" products.  Low fat milk is one thing, but "fat free chemical" food is not necessarily better for you, especially since they often add more sugar or whatever, and you end up eating more because it is not what you want.

Suddenly, childhood favorites are making a comeback in my mind.  I want to hike around in the woods, play in the dirt and ride my bike.  I am also looking into participating in the Susan Komen 3 day walk in Atlanta this summer.  There is a bike for the cure, but no where around here...may be time for a road trip.  There is also a St. Jude walk, but the details are not out for that one yet, but I would LOVE to do that one for sure.  Looking for team members if anyone is interested.

Then there is canning.  I am suddenly interested in learning to sew and canning.  I was canning some BBQ sauce the other day.  (First time I ever canned anything) and I just kept having floods of memories of great grandma (Randa) Littell and my grandma Vivian and watching Grandma Randa make applesauce, and Grandma V make bread and fruit salad...

Something about spring has renewed my interest in being outside...

http://www.the3day.org/site/PageServer

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCGlobalPages.jsp?pageName=komenforthecure

http://www.givethankswalk.org/