Saturday, October 17, 2009

Day Eighteen - "Off Season"

If you aren’t fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm
Vince Lombardi


This morning as I sit in the Jeep while Ellie is cheering for the War Eagles football team in the rain, I look back on my accomplishments of Friday and the events that for the weekend.


Yesterday was a day of activity both on the run and at work. We had Associate Recognition Days throughout the line of business of Bank of America. The day filled with contests, sporting events, BBQ lunch and most of all recognition of our employees.


Friday night was again our movie night. The showing was a classic, The Wizard of Oz. We opted out of pizzas on the grill and ate leftovers in the freezer. Every 60 days or so we cleanse the fridge of frozen concoctions made for dinner that are placed in a deep freeze and have smorgasbord. Tonight’s creation is chili. All the ingredients come from the freezer, fridge and panty. Nothing is purchased for the meal. I add all the fridge's stored foods in a pot and just let it simmer for a couple of hours with a can of beer for the main liquid.


This is actually an ideal week for these meals since we have a busy week ahead with the girls’ activities. My parents plan to use us as a Bed & Breakfast on Tuesday as the head South from North Carolina to my sister’s residence in Mississippi. Our home has become an away station for them on their destinations to the Southwest. They tend to be short visits but are ideal and we make them more of a quality visit than quantity. It is a win-win for all.


Saturday morning I woke rather late by my standards. The time on the clock was 7:11AM. I would had slept longer but the cat had perched himself on my chest and was kneading the quilt piercing it with his nails and digging into my chest. That is his way of saying, “It was time for me to eat”. As I lie in bed putting the day ahead into perspective: cheerleading games, battery for the car, Halloween costumes for Craver and McGee’s parties and purchasing a six pack Sierra Nevada for Bob, I felt as if I had run a marathon the day before. The joints, muscles and feet ached as I stretched out in bed. I knew the feet were tender because my running shoes have hit their life span but my joints and muscles, sore? I only ran 12 miles at a comfortable pace yesterday? Then I realized that the events at work all day had kept me on my feet causing some fatigue. I thought to myself that I am getting old. Then remembered that I had pushed myself in the sports games at work to bring my team to victory over all the other teams for first place. I was a judge in office decorations and was also a judge in recognition of top associates in our facility. The First Place prize for the sports events was a $15 gift card to Cold Stone Creamery. Not the best of prizes, but the bragging rights of being Number 1 was worth it all. Yes, I am as competitive as all my friends are.


Ellie and I headed over to Sawnee Mountain Park for the start of the football game. We saw a cyclist on a tri bike all decked out in winter cycling gear heading up Post Rd (a route I had ridden many of times) as the weather was turning ugly and the temperature continued to drop. I thought to myself as I turned up the heat in the Jeep and activated the wipers that I am so glad I am not training for IM Florida or IM Arizona at this point of the season. The thought of a 100-mile bike ride this morning in 40 degree weather with a head wind of rain does not appeal to me at all.


We turned into the park area and the facilities were alive with football games, soccer matches, boys baseball and girls softball games. The sports parents milled around trying to stay warm and dry while their younger children ran around while their siblings participated in one of the many events. We parked and searched for Ellie’s cheer squad. Upon locating the coach, Ellie decided my services were not needed any more and she dismissed me to hang with her posse’ of cheer girls. She is starting at 8 years old to find herself and the independence we instill in our children. It is bitter sweet to see your kids lose their innocents but I feel confident that my children are growing with the proper morals and ethics that will help them coup with life.


After the game we came home to warm our bodies with hot chocolate and chicken soup. Sarah and I decided to head off to the gym. Saturday is Sarah’s cross training day and wanted to swim 2,000M so, I knocked out a leg workout. I saw Tom in the locker room. Tom started tri’s last year and completed his first half ironman distance in May. Tom informed me that he just finished a 5 hour ride in the rain and cold. I said, “what for”? He proceeded to tell me that his birthday was last month and for a birthday present his wife bought him a Community Fund Entry Slot to Ironman Arizona in November. I said, “that is great”! He looked at me and shook his head and told me that he had enthusiasm for it 3 weeks ago until the cold weather set in. I thought to myself, better him than me, but I told him the experience at the event will wash away all the cold, rainy rides that have been and will be. He looked at me and I knew that he was not buying it. I was not either.


I am enthusiastic with spending the rest of the Saturday evening with my family eating chili and chilling out on a chilly night October night. There is nothing better.

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