Dental visit.

I want to start by saying I am a dental wimp. I have a high pain tolerance, BUT due to aforementioned dental trauma as a child, I avoid the dentists worse than I avoid patients with the plague! Well, I have found the kindest and gentlest dentist and his name is Dr Norman Castellano. I went Thursday night for x-rays and cleaning and he did x-rays and got my broken tooth prepped for a crown! The visit took about 3 hours and it was a very late night, but it saved one whole visit! Norman and Robert grew up together from 6 years old on and have GREAT stories. Norman's hours are great for me (7:30 pm Tues-Thurs. and all day Saturday). I don't have to miss any work. It was wonderful to have Robert, Norman, and Chris talking about growing up. It wasn't the quiet, uptight, awkward visit like dental visits usually are. I was really worried about how much work I was going to need since it has been 7 years since my last dental visit, and 8 years before that! I only had the one broken tooth that I went in for and a small amount of decay under a very old filling in a wisdom tooth. My teeth need a good cleaning, but he was amazed at how white and straight they are without having braces! My bone and roots are also in great shape! I still have all my teeth, including wisdom teeth. I have been so blessed to have good teeth and to be the only kid out of the 3 of us that didn't need braces. I think I will start going to the dentist like I should since Norman is so nice and gentle and his hours are so easy to work into my schedule.

On a different note, Robert went to work this morning, leaving around 3:40am, forgot his elbow brace, so he turned around down the street to come back and when he opened the garage door a guy jumped up and ran down the street. He immediately came in to make sure I was ok and no one was in the house, so he let the guy run off. He thought the guy jumped out of the tree, but later realized he probably jumped over the fern in front of his car. We found out later in the morning that the house next door and across the street had cars broken into last weekend. One lady's home was almost broken into in broad daylight last Sunday. We spent the afternoon at Lowes getting motion lights and window locks, and installing all of this stuff!! I didn't want to have to spend that much money, but it happened!! I got the chainsaw and cut down all the bushes in front of windows and cut down all the ferns and palms in the front to open up the area so it is hard for someone to hide. I feel tired but safer! All the neighbors know what is going on and we are all locked and loaded. We'll see what happens!! Shannon and Robert

Disappointed!

You know, I didn't realize how sad I would be about Patrick Swayze dying. I'm a hospice nurse for goodness sakes!! And it was expected! I guess it brings to a close the wishful thinking and dream that I would one day dirty dance and get grinded on by one of the few men who could be tough and a wonderfully sexy masculine dancer at the same time. He was just HOT!! And he could move like no other man!! I think of him crawling across the floor to "Baby" and dancing in the staff quarters in Dirty Dancing and I just get hot!! I LOVE him in "The Outsiders" which was the movie with all the HOT guys of the day in it. I love Roadhouse! (I love Sam Elliott too! His voice makes me quiver!!) Oh my!! He also made me want to play with clay!! Anyway, God bless you Patrick Swayze for having the kahunies to take dance lessons and not care what other guys thought!! You made us all smile and have lots of sexy dreams about you!!!

Rough Week!!

Whoever came up with the idea that 9-9-09 was lucky is insane!! This is how our week has been: Monday: AHHHH! First day off together in a month. So nice! We went to Busch Gardens, which was not crowded and Robert got CRAPPED on by 2 birds!! Should have been foreshadowing of events to come, but we didn't take it that way. I always heard that if you get crapped on, it is good luck, so he should be DOUBLE lucky!! Tuesday was rough. Trying to figure out what all happened at work from a 3 day weekend. No biggy. Wednesday: THE DAY FROM HELL! Starts with a very confusing call from a nurse, can't go into details, but let's say SWAT was involved in a day long ordeal. During a meeting, my phone rings, it is Robert, figure it is nothing, accidentally hang up on him, send him a text, I'll call when SWAT problems are resolved. I called later only to find out that he had been hit by a car!!!! Read previous post. CAN THIS GET ANY BETTER??? Today, totally miss an important issue on the overnight report because I was distracted and I'm just a dumb a$$, left to deal with my failure and worry about it all day long UNTIL my new best friend the friggen jury subpoena woman shows up at 4:15 pm!!! The subpoena is for a court case that has been continued numerous times since the spring and will fall right in the middle of my vacation!!!!! Tomorrow is 9-11, the anniversary of the worst disaster of our time and the one year anniversary of Robert getting laid off. Sunday is the 5 year anniversary of my Nannie's death. Nannie, I could use you now. I want you here!! You could make me laugh and help me make sense of all of this like you always did!! I miss you so bad! I just hope we have gotten this all "out of our system" and can move on to a much better week!! Oh, and next week I have to go to the dentist twice to fix a tooth that has been broken for 5 years and I have put off due to my severe fear of dentists! Thanks Dr Stratton!! Hey Nannie, can you take care of him up there for me! I'm going to need mental health counseling after all of this!! Or at the very least some ativan, haldol, thorazine, or a cocktail of all the above!!

Unfortunately, It Finally Happened

(As a prelude to this post I have always ridden a bike, 25 years, I love it and I have lost 90 pounds since February of this year.)

This morning, while it was still relatively cool out (GTEFCU sign said 75 degrees at 7:30am), I felt like running up to Wal-Mart to look for some paint for several little projects I am working on. It happened. While crossing the road, a car turning right hit me. Fortunately I saw it coming and prepared as much as I could. As soon as I went down I popped right back up and pulled my bike to the grass. In hindsight, I saw that I had raised my right foot up before she hit me and pushed off the car towards the grass. I didn't make the grass so I am a little bruised and scraped up and the bike was totaled and still sitting on the side of the road. Where my right foot was the right pedal went through her bumper. After the Pasco Deputy and an FHP officer had taken care of the situation the woman offered to take me to replace my bike which I gladly accepted and walked home my new bike. She was charged with the accident. Her citation was for "careless driving" and was $166 and 4 points on her license. Shannon is a bit freaked out with all this and I can't blame her. If my bike is still there tonight and Shannon and I pick it up I will post a pic for you all.
Robert

Happy Labor Day.

Today was the first day Robert and I have been off together in a month. It was so nice to have a day off with him. We went to Busch Gardens for the day. I know it sounds crazy, but it really wasn't busy at all. Marcus, Robert and Brian were supposed to meet us, but they were so tired after their cruise that they couldn't make it. We had a nice time. It was quite warm, but it was a beautiful day. I hope everyone had a great day. Now back to work tomorrow. Time to play catch up!! It will be another month before we have time off together.

I hate oatmeal!

I have been eating oatmeal for breakfast for the last two mornings because my sister said "eat oatmeal even if you have to choke it down. It is good for you. Just do it." I have eaten it before and I quickly get to the point where I start to gag! WHY, OH WHY CAN'T GRITS BE AS GOOD FOR YOU AS OATMEAL??? It's just not fair! It brings back memories of doing the "Mayo diet" where you have to eat certain things in combination to lose 10 lbs in 3 days. One day you have to eat cottage cheese, which absolutely makes me barf. I have blended it, held my nose, chased it with water, everything. I even made my friend Jeanne sick watching me try to eat it and she loves cottage cheese. I feel the same way about beets. Anyway, I'm going to try to keep eating it, but I'm not sure how long I can. Have a great week. Shannon

Going Crazy? Already Crazy? Been Crazy for a While?

Last weekend I had a major case of "the crud" of some sort. Something between the plague and the pig/bird flu. I started sneezing. No big deal. Allergies. Then my head filled up, like it was going to explode. Pain. Exploding would be ok, it would reduce the pressure. Then Saturday I just wanted to crawl in a hole. My ears were full of fluid, so every sound was muffled. My head hadn't exploded but the pressure was increasing. Sunday I had the sweats, and I mean POURING sweats, along with the pressure and fluid in my ears. Then came the chest congestion. Then I was better. Thank goodness I am well for this weekend. I think I picked up some Miami crud. Through all of this I didn't miss a day of work, as my OCD will not allow for that. On top of feeling bad, some of the staff had cases of the whineys/fits. It never ceases to amaze me how some actually think they can tell the boss exactly what they will and won't do. Silly excuses are my favorite. I'm glad I was raised to have the work ethic that I have. It may drive me crazy, but I would never want to be lazy.
I am hoping to be able to keep up with more frequent blogs.
We are still riding the bikes. I will attach a picture of one of our predawn rides. Love, Shannon

Celebration Weekend!

We went to Miami this weekend to celebrate the big "4" with Ryan!! It was a G-Force birthday! The movie was really cute! Ryan got to start the movie in the projector room. It was wonderful to have the crew together again. We missed Joey, Joyce and Nicole. We had not been to Miami since Chad and Tracy's wedding in February! It is ridicules to go 6 months without seeing my family!! Anyway, we had a great time, as usual!! Much love to all of you and happy birthday!
FYI- Ryan isn't developing faster than the average 4 year old, he knocked his teeth up into his gums and had to have them surgically removed. He had extras to spare, so he should be in good shape!

A Special Week!

Our Special little guys turn 4 this week!! I can't believe it! How time flies! Happy Birthday boys!! Love, Shannie and Robert

Much Needed Break.

We had a much needed long weekend and went to St Augustine to see Joey, Joyce and Nicole. We were able to go to the beach and the pool, as well as walk on St George Street. We stopped by to see friends of mine, the Jonas'. It was great to see them. They recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. We ate wonderful food at Yamoto's, JT's, and Harry T's. St Augustine has the best restaurants.
We were able to teach Nicole to ride her bike. She is a very fast learner and has great balance! I hope she practices and builds up her butt callouses so she doesn't get a sore butt every time she rides.
I don't think I talked in my sleep the last 3 nights. If I did, Robert was tired to know. We have both rested so well!! I feel rejuvenated. I hope everyone has a great week!! Shannon

My Poor Husband!

Alright, I have a confession that some of you probably don't know: I have the WORST sleepwalking and sleeptalking problem EVER!! I have my whole life. Last night I woke Robert up several times talking about stupid stuff!! I saw the bike car carrier thing on his head and kept waking him up about it. IT SOUNDS STUPID, BUT IT WAS SO REAL TO ME. My dreams are so vivid that I can't wake myself up enough to pull out of it. He had to get up at 4am, so I think he got a little irritated with my craziness. It was funny to him for a while, but I think he is officially OVER IT! I would have been over it a long time ago if he was keeping me awake like that! He has lots of stories! We can't watch anything like Dirty Jobs, or anything too freaky or thought provoking before I sleep, or it gets worse. I'm not sure what to do about it, but it is getting worse. I don't want to pay thousands for a sleep study to say "yes, you are sleepwalking/talking, here are some pills" because I don't want to take anything. Any ideas? I take Melatonin sometimes, but I still do crazy stuff. Maybe my brain is screwed up from eating too much dirt with lots of cotton poison in it or standing outside watching the plane spray the cotton fields all those years, or maybe I ate a lot of lead paint, or the pictures I teethed on, or the mercury in my fillings, or maybe I'm just crazy! I may never know, but if I don't start sleeping better and feeling rested and letting Robert get some sleep, he may get a tranquilizer dart gun and knock me out. That actually doesn't sound so bad!

Good Times, Great Memories!!

With so many of my friends having reunions and planning our reunion, I have been thinking a lot about what, I guess, I can now call "the old days." I put on my iPod when I ride (don't worry, I only put one ear piece in) and I play our reception play list, which has EVERY kind of music from 60's, to reggae, to steal drums, to rap to recent music. When it comes to my all time "get your butt moving" music, it would have to be FOOTLOOSE! It brings back memories of putting on my walkman with my FOOTLOOSE tape, and dancing down the road, by the river and down past Mamaw's house. I wasn't a runner, or a speed walker, I was a dance-walker. I never had to worry about anyone seeing me, because it is so far out in the country, and it is so flat you can see for miles. It was great!! If it was late enough I could see fireflies and bats. I want to do that again! I also listen to Meatloaf, which is just the most timeless music! I think about cheering, and riding around with friends and singing Meatloaf songs. Fun times!

Ooops!!

I cannot stress enough to everyone to please watch out for bike riders. On the way to work today I was cut off by a black Toyota Camry with gold pin striping ( I know it's funny what you see in slow-mo). I was never seen by the driver. I had do ditch the bike at a good clip and got a little roughed up. I am OK and the bike had a few readjustments. So sore now. I can't wait until tonight (sarcasm). It amazes me as I was walking back that no one stopped to ask if I was OK. I was, but I feel that if Shannon or I saw someone in the same situation we would at least ask if they needed anything. I am done ranting for now, it kinda hurts to type (just kidding). Riding has always made me a little more aware of others and I am sure Shannon will attest to that as well. I just wish people would slow down, just a little, and be a little more aware.

Robert

OK, now this is getting ridiculous!

Baconnaise? Spreadable bacon? You know, deep down, we all want to try it. Everyone know's that you can wrap a turd in bacon and it will taste good. I am thinking of adapting our blue cheese dressing recipe to use Gorgonzola and Baconnaise. Enjoy.



Shannon & Robert

Robert's New Discovery.

Robert found this somehow, but I'm not sure how. It is BaconSalt. So, for all those vegetarians, Muslims, and Jews who have wanted the taste of bacon, you can now join our love of bacon. (My question is "How would these people know what bacon tastes like, and therefore, want to try it?") It sounds like something we will probably try. It seems funny. Shannon
PS- Still riding the bike everyday. Only missed 2 days due to crappy weather in over 7 weeks.

A Nice Day!

We decided to go to the beach after church today. It was raining when we first got there, but it cleared up pretty quickly. The water was amazingly clear for the rain and bad weather. The gulf is usually flat and smooth as glass, but today it had a lot of waves. We saw 6 sting rays, lots of fish and a tiny baby cowfish. It was a great day! We must do this more often. We are so close to the beach, but we get so busy we don't go very often. Shannon

Happy!!

I love our new car!! It may be small, but it is wonderful!! It rides so smooth, and handles so well in rain and crappy weather (which we have had a lot of lately!) The windshield is so clear that it looks like it isn't there! The seats are comfortable and the trunk is a good size! I can't sing enough praises for the Yaris!! I can't wait to check the gas mileage!! I don't miss my Tribute at all and I know we made the right decision!!
Yesterday I woke up to a flat tire on my bike, so we went to buy another tube and tire. The tube we bought was defective and burst quickly after we inflated it!! I was so aggravated! Robert took it back and got another one. I rode 2.5 miles this morning and another 2.5 tonight! I'm glad to have a functioning bike again. Missing my morning rides throws me off! In over a month I've only missed 2 days of riding. Not too shabby! Have a great weekend! Shannon

Moving in.

Yesterday I put everything from the Tribute into a huge plastic tote as I cleaned out 7 years worth of accumulated "stuff." I had enough "feminine" things in there to last years, and I didn't even realize it!! I had to go through all of the junk and throw away stuff, and move the necessities back into the new car. It is nice to have a new start. The car drives so smooth and is so comfortable!! It handles very well in heavy ran and deep water. I'm glad we made the change!!
I LOVE "So You Think You Can Dance!" This is the best year ever!! I miss dancing so much!!! Shannon

Changes.

Well, today my Mazda Tribute started acting a little "funny." Not bad funny, but sluggish and funny. It has 175K miles, and has every right to act funny. Well, since we are a one car family and my work is 20 miles away, I have to have a reliable car. So today we went to the Toyota dealership and bought a Toyota Yaris. It is really nice and gets great gas mileage. It is silver and is much roomier than it looks. It was difficult to leave my baby and all it's memories. I carted Cody and Pippin around to trips and vet appointments. It is sad.
We have been riding bikes every day and we only missed one day due to rain. It has been nice. Robert rode 26 miles like a crazy man yesterday! I would die!!
Have a great night! Shannon and Robert

The Sadness Continues!

I am sad, of course about Farrah and MJ, Ed and David Carradine (note to self: don't put on fishnets, and diddle myself while choking. It's just a bad idea, plus your family has to answer a lot of questions!), but Billy Mays!!! I LOVE me some "as seen on TV" crap!! I have mentioned this in the past!! I went into the "As seen on TV" store in Orlando, and when the doors opened, I heard the H alleluia Chorus!! I kept telling people "Oh I have that and it is wonderful! And that too!" I have the Hercules Hooks, Ped egg, Mighty putty, Fabric glue stuff, Hair remover pads, topsy turvy, shark steamer, pet pedicure thing (Pippin won't use it! It freaks her out) and I'm sure I am forgetting something!! What are we going to do?? Who will peddle crap?? His sidekick doesn't have the UMPH! that Billy had! How weird to be bopped on the head in a airplane and die soon after! It was his time. God rest all of their souls!! Shannon
PS- We are still riding. I haven't missed a day of riding in 3 weeks!

Productive Morning!

I took Robert to work, mowed the yard, sprayed RoundUp on all the stuff I want to die in the yard, cleaned out the shelves above my washer and dryer and took my Management and Supervision final all before 11:15 AM!! Shannon
PS- I got a lot more done today. We met Robert and Brian for dinner and a movie. We saw "The Hangover" which was absolutely hilarious!! I can't wait to buy it and see what things in the background I missed. When we got home there was a little white dog running around the front yard. MY LITTLE WHITE DOG PIPPIN!!! I almost had a heart attack! She is old, blind, and not the brightest dog! She must have slipped out while I was unloading the car and she stayed out for 4 hours!! She didn't even have her collar on! The screen porch door was open so the cats could run in and out, so I hope she spent most of the time there. From now on we will have a "Pippin Check" every time we leave the house. We were lucky this time!! She is quite tired right now, so she must have been running around a lot!

Friday, glorious Friday!

I'm sitting here watching Farrah's Story, which is such an honest, raw and open look into terminal illness. Having been in hospice for over 7 years, I have seen this story played out time and time again. Fortunately for my sanity (in some ways) I have been somewhat "removed" from the rawness of it since being in the office for the last several months. I took so many of my patients illnesses personally and suffered so deeply when they suffered, but I covered really well until I got home. I'm not sure I am ready to see this, but I'm going to watch it. Sorry to be a downer.
On a happy note, I got my hair colored, cut and styled this evening and it took 3 hours! I have never had someone take that much time on me!! She took 40 minutes just to blow dry it!! It was so relaxing!
On a funny/silly note, today I got irritated that a coworker wasn't listening to me, so I tried to get his attention by "falling out" on the floor, kicking a little, and moaning and he STILL didn't pay attention!! I feel like Bruce Willis in 'The Sixty Sense." What do you have to do to get a little attention?? My coworker Debbie just laughed! I did a reenactment later and he said, " I can't believe I didn't see you?'' It was pretty funny and a great stress reliever after a stressful week. We had puppies in the office at closing time, so that was fun too!
I wasn't able to go biking tonight because of bad weather, but we did 3 miles this morning. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Shannon
Ok, I just got a little nostalgic and watched "We Are the World." What a great song and how impressive that so many artists got together in 1985 to do something so different. I also remembered how much my brother-in-law Clint looks like the young Kenny Logins (mucho caliente!)

Day 17 and 18.

Yesterday was a weird day at work and out of work. We did our 2 miles before work and I took my time going into work. I got there 5 minutes early instead of my usual 30-45 minutes early. It was nice to break the pattern for multiple reasons. Work was challenging as usual. It was very sad during the day when we heard that Farrah had passed away. I still remember the red bathing suit picture with the "happy boobs." I still haven't watched Farrah's story yet. I've got to be in the right frame of mind, and I'm not there right now. I got a text from my friend Jeanne saying that Michael Jackson had died! 2 in 1 day! and Ed McMahon to boot this week! How sad! Whatever your view of MJ, everyone my age was effected by his music and music videos in some way. We danced to his music and tried desperately to "moon walk." When I got my glasses for the first time he was paired with Pepsi and the sparkly silver glove was on the Pepsi billboards. When I put the glasses on I COULD SEE THE SPARKLES!! It was amazing!! I hope their families find peace that transcends all pain.
We just got back from a 3 mile ride and I'm SO glad it is Friday. We went to the Casino last night with Robert's friend Dennis to make up for missing last Friday due to a "come apart." We had a blast, but I'm a little tired. Mama taught me not to go out on a "school night." It was hard to roll out of the bed to ride, but we did it. I'm getting my hair cut and colored today. It is long overdue. Have a great Friday! Shannon

Days 15 and 16.

I rode yesterday morning, but Robert blew a tire yesterday and it was late by the time we got it fix. We rode this morning and this afternoon. Riding has been a blessing and a great stress reliever. I think there would have been bloodshed if not for biking.
You know how you run across something unexpectedly and it sparks something in the back of your mind?? Well, a few days ago while cleaning out the garage, I saw a copy of my resume. It didn't mean much to me at the time, but the last few days have really got me thinking. When the benefits are outweighed by the negatives it may be time to start looking around. I am keeping my eyes open and my heart open to other opportunities. I can only be taken advantage of as much as I let myself be taken advantage of. I am going to be prayerfully open-minded. Shannon

Day 14.

This morning we rode 3 miles and after a long day of cleaning out the garage Robert rode another 7 miles with me. That makes 10 miles for me and about 15 for him, because he rode some while I was at work. I needed the ride because it was a crazy and irritating day. It amazes me what people will call in over and not think twice about. It also amazes me that management doesn't notice that some people are always at work, while others find every reason not to come to work, or not to stay at work.
I also got a call from an irate family member wondering where her family member was, since *****disclaimer: I am not making this up***** the crematory said her family member was not dead and was not there. She wanted to know what I did with the patient. I have never seen the patient and therefore didn't know what happened. I tried to call people, but ended up taking her phone number. During my 20 minute butt chewing, the crematory was trying to call her and say that they had made a mistake. A MISTAKE!! Putting pickles on a burger you ordered with no pickles is a MISTAKE!! Telling someone their loved one is not dead and not there when they are in fact dead and in fact there is a travesty!!! That my friends, is just one of the crazy stories of today!! One more for the books!! I need a vacation!!

Day 13.

It is hot!! I was able to ride 3 miles this morning. We are going to Anna Maria Island this afternoon after Robert gets off of work. We won't be able to spend much time there because we both have to work in the morning, but at least we are able to go down there for Father's Day. I just talked to Daddy. I wish they lived closer so we could spend these holidays with them. I miss Mama and Daddy. Happy Father's Day Daddy!! You are the best!

Attack of the back!

I'm writing this laying on the floor because when I was cleaning this morning I bent over and when I tried to straighten up, my low back locked and starting hurting really bad. It is the left side now and slightly above where it was in February. I'm icing and laying on my back with my legs up. CRAP!! I was going to ride this evening after some major house cleaning. Hopefully something will happen and my back will quit hurting. Shannon
PS- I was able to do some cleaning and rode 3 miles. This time my back hurts WAY more after sitting, but if I can tough it out for 20 minutes of pain, it gets better and I am able to walk.

Day 11.

Rode 2 miles in the morning. My work computer screamed and died early in the day, and everything went downhill from there. The whole day (and night) was "one of those days." Shannon

Day 10.

Despite crappy weather I was able to get in 2 rides today. This morning Robert and I did 2.5 miles and I was able to do another 2.5 miles tonight between rains. Our friend Robert V is about to come by and look at the house RIGHT NEXT DOOR to rent!! ( HA HA! Marcus and Lo, I am stealing your yard boy!!!! HA HA HA!! evil laugh!) This would be wonderful encouragement to keep the house clean and straightened up. We'll see!! Shannon

Day 9,

Rain + Thunder + Lightning= No Bike Riding this afternoon! I'm so upset! Robert and I rode 2.5 miles this morning, but I'm out of luck this afternoon! My routine is blown again! The positive is that "So You Think You Can Dance!" comes on tonight and I can't wait!! I just let the cats in because of the bad weather. They are FREAKED out!! Pippin is actually much calmer than usual. I usually sleep really well in this type of weather, so I am hopeful that I will get a great night sleep. Have a great night!! Shannon

Day 8: What OCD Does for Me!

I have been attending a "Mindfulness and Meditation" class for the last 3 Tuesdays. Last week after 2 hours of yoga I bought a bike and started riding for the first time in over 20 years. Today, 1 week later, after the 2 hour class, we rode 7 miles, for a total of 9.5 miles today. We took the night off last night, since we were both exhausted and the weather was bad (as I wrote earlier.) My OCD causes me to get into a serious schedule and stick with it, so skipping last night threw me off a bit.
I REALLY needed the Meditation/Mindfulness class and 7 mile bike ride after today! I had back to back CRAZY calls today to top off the day. One was a complete repeat of a conversation I had already had with a pt 2 hours earlier (same pt, same comments) who is younger than me, so it's not a Alzheimer's issue! Plus the pt had had the SAME conversation with another person in the office between my calls with her! She had NO recollection of the calls!! Then I got a call about a pt hearing voices in their head that they couldn't understand. I made a remark to the nurse that maybe it was speaking in a foreign language (We must have a sense of humor about things, or we will go crazier!) I later found out the pt was pretty sure the voices were saying curse words. One more for our book "We can't Make this Sh*T up!" It's never dull around our office!!
Robert is going to ride with me on the early ride in the morning!! Yeah!! Love, Shannon
PS- I want a lab after I saw one on one of my friend's facebook page! Isn't it sweet???

Day 7, not so exciting.

I rode 2 miles before work yesterday, but the weather was terrible on the way home and much of the evening AND we were tired, so we took the afternoon off. I felt much more rested this morning, so I've already done my ride this morning, about 2 1/2 miles. Shannon

Day 6: The Tour Expands!

Robert woke up this morning with a major case of "spunky butt" and was ready to start the "tour." I, on the other hand, woke up with a case of "lazy butt" and wanted to rest. I find it difficult to get going when I'm in this mode, BUT once I get going I feel so much better! We decided to ride a different route today. The tour was 7 miles!! I can't believe I did that in one ride, since it took me 2 rides yesterday to do that much. My butt hurt some when I first started this morning, but it quickly went away, or went numb. It is so nice to have someone to exercise with. Our plan is to ride Flatwoods(11miles) soon and the Pinellas Trail (38 miles) which is Downtown St Pete to Tarmpon Springs in the future. Mr Spunky Butt wants to do that soon, I want to work up to that LATER. I can feel the decubitus starting already. Each day that I ride longer I actually think it is possible. Shannon
PS- Tonight we did another 5 miles, so the grand total for today is 12 miles!! That's like riding from Mama and Daddy's house to Belzoni!! Hot Damn I'm good!!! I'm feeling really good right now. Hootie Whooo to endorphins!! I started taking vitamins again today. I hope my weight starts to go down or I'm gonna be pissed!

Day 5-Continued Tour de Meadowpoint.

Today I rode 2 miles this morning, then this evening after Robert and I went to dinner and to see "Land of the Lost" (which I will get back to later) we went for a 5 mile ride to the end of Countyline Road and back. I'm still not comfortable riding in the bike lane of the street, so I ride on the sidewalk. My confidence is building though. It is nice to feel my energy level increasing again. I have got to get into better shape and lose weight if we are EVER going to consider having children. Each day I am going to try to do a little more.
Back to "Land of the Lost": it was funny. A lot of the main funny parts were on the commercials. Will Ferrell is just not right.
I talked to Mama today, and I guess we won't be making the Mississippi trip in July. I'm a little disappointed, but in many ways I would rather go in the fall, (which I have mentioned is my favorite time of year in Mississippi) and see Mama, Daddy, Josie, Dumplin and home. We are supposed to go to North Carolina in October for our 1 year anniversary, so maybe we can "swing" by there. I want to bring back a lot of my pictures that I left at home.
Everyone enjoy the rest of the weekend! Shannon

Day 4- Tour de Meadowpoint.

I am officially a cyclist now! Just joking. We rode this morning at 6am, which was really nice. Tonight we rode to a Greek restaurant up the road, ate, and rode back. That was really great. It decreases the appetite and made me feel better. Robert rode to Walmart and back, and to Walmart and back again today while I was at work for a total of 8 miles, not including what he rode with me. (He doesn't LOVE walmart, he just forgot his wallet the first time and had to go back.) I would have said, "To hell with it" but he was determined. I'm going to ride tomorrow while he is at work. I'm still not steady enough or confident enough to ride on Bruce B Downes, because I'm not ready to die unnecessarily. I'm working on it, though. I swurve when I try to look over my shoulder. I'm a spaz!! Anyway, I will keep y'all updated!! My butt doesn't hurt anymore. Yeah!! Love,Shannon

Bike Riding Day 3!

I went for a ride this morning at 6 am. Yesterday I was just tooooo tired after work. It was really nice this morning, although it was a little humid. It is so quiet and peaceful in the morning. Robert was right, early morning rides are very nice and relaxing. I didn't even notice my butt hurting and did not squirm as much! Maybe I'm building up my butt callouses! I hope to feel energized today!! I hope everyone has a great day. Tomorrow is Friday!! Shannon
Part II: We rode another 3.5 miles this evening after dinner, so that makes 5.5 miles today! Not too shabby for a new bike rider!! I felt really good today and my mood was much improved with the ride this morning getting my blood flowing. Robert plans on riding with me in the morning since he is off. We are really having fun riding together. Have a great night and a wonderful Friday!! I've got to get ready for "So You Think You Can Dance?" Shooby dooby dooby DANCE!!

Bike Riding Day 2!

After riding for the first time in MANY MANY years, I am having some sore butt issues today. We rode over 3 miles yesterday, but today I could only tolerate 2 miles since I had done about an hour or so of yoga. Thanks to KC, I have some help with my sore butt, IF it gets out of hand. I've been sore since jumping around at Mike's party Saturday night and haven't recovered!! Tomorrow may either be MUCH better, or considerably worse in the soreness department. Only time will tell!! Much love and a whole lot of laughs (you may see me on Funniest videos with the bike riding!) Shannon