'Keets and Other News

Haven't posted in a while, so here's an update.

We have a new member of the family. An escaped or evicted parakeet flew into the cab of our neighbor's truck--and he brought the parakeet to us to see if we'd give it a home. That makes 4 (yes, 4) parakeets now. Oscar is one unhappy dog! But the parakeets are safe & seem to be getting along just fine.

The new one is the green one with yellow head and our neighbor's son named him "Hurley." We believe he is a boy (notice the blue cere above his beak), so will have to quit calling our 'flock', 'the girls'.

We celebrated Sept - Dec family birthdays at our house this past weekend. We enjoyed everyone's company; it is always nice to get the whole family together. I have to admit, though, that the great nieces & nephew were a special treat! Hunter was such a good baby and Ruthie & Riley were a lot of fun. Oscar was worn out after playing with Riley all afternoon--he napped all evening, slept all night, and then slept most of Sunday too! I suspect he could not maintain that pace too long.

We were too busy enjoying everyone to take pictures, but here are ones of Hunter & Ruthie that Ivan took.

27 miles for the Texas Mamma Jamma Ride

Here are some 'stats' from the first-ever Texas Mamma Jamma Ride:

1 handcyclist, accompanied by 1 amazingly supportive husband spent 3.5 hours riding 27 miles, carrying 51 names of women to honor, up countless hills, in chilly weather with a high of 57 degrees, along with 478 other riders and over 200 volunteers, to raise $2,910 (so far!) - toward our $3000 goal - as part of $517,000 (so far!) raised overall to support 10 nonprofit charities! (By the way, the amount of your donations that went to ride advertising, printed materials, rider t-shirts, etc. - $0. The ride had great sponsors--so your contributions went directly to the charities to provide needed services.)

It was a chilly day, but it was a well organized ride. The riders & volunteers were enthusiastic and supportive. We rode through a lovely area and enjoyed seeing the flowers and the farm animals (who seemed quite curious about this mass migration of critters on wheels! Many of the animals came toward the fences so Mark could snap a picture--either they were mugging for the camera or they were trying to give me a warning about what happens to those who lag too far behind the pack!)

The volunteers were terrific yesterday--even though we were the last of the 27 milers, they kept the 2 rest stops open until we came through. Wasn't that nice!?! We gave a moment's consideration to taking the shorter 13 mile route, but were committed to doing the full 27. A few miles after we passed the 13 mile turn-off, we saw the sign in honor of Mom--would have missed that if we'd taken the shorter distance!

We're definitely doing the ride next year (in fact, I'm already registered.) Next year, we're going to try something new in our fundraising--look for a post about that soon to give you a heads up.

And THANK YOU again to all of those who supported us financially and emotionally and to everyone who shared a name of someone to honor or celebrate! Every hill, every mile, every shiver of this ride was worth it!

Click on the 'Mamma Jamma Ride Oct 2009' slideshow for more pictures! (scroll down to the 'Mitchell Pictures' section of the toolbar on the right side of the blog page).

Almost There!

Thanks to the generosity of many friends & family, we're only $90 away from our $3000 goal for the Texas Mamma Jamma Ride. Thanks to everyone who contributed!

We will be carrying the names of 51 women--dear to us or dear to someone close to us. To everyone who submitted a name, thank you for allowing us to honor and celebrate these individuals in this way.

Tomorrow should be clear and we expect a pretty cold start to the ride! We also expect a hilly route! But, it is all for a good cause and we're sure it will be a lot of fun too. (Of course, I'm sure I'll think of my brother Troy saying that I should have put a motor on the handcycle!)

$2,600 so far for Texas Mamma Jamma Ride

So far we've raised $2,600 for the Texas Mamma Jamma Ride! Thanks to everyone who has contributed!!!! The 10 non profits all do important work to support individuals with breast cancer & their families--and to provide assistance for the uninsured & underinsured who need screenings or treatment.

We've gathered the names of 48 women to honor and celebrate during the ride. There are way TOO many names of individuals who have had or have breast cancer (& all cancers)--but there will be room on the flag (or flags, if necessary) for every name we're requested to add. The list is a reminder that 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime (some men will have this disease too), but it is much more than that. It is a reminder that we will remember & uphold the memories of those now deceased, encourage and rejoice with those who are surviving, and offer hope & support to those who will be diagnosed in the future.

I do not define myself or anyone else by an experience with breast cancer--Mark and I know that every name on the flag represents a life lived or being lived and we are honoring the lives of these individuals. We thank all of you who are helping us do this by submitting names for the flag. If there is anyone you want included, there's still time--just let me know first name & last initial by Friday around 5pm.

There's also still time to donate (in fact, we can take donations through the first week of November) so feel free to donate online at the link below or to send a check to me and I'll submit it for you. If you want your donation made in honor of someone, just let me know the individual's name and to whom (name & address) you'd like an acknowledgment sent and I'll take care of it. DONATE HERE

Thanks for your support! We'll be riding 25 miles (I hear it is really 27 now) on Saturday for this important cause!

Our Week Off

Our week off began with a nice visit with Mom & Dad followed by a quiet weekend at home. Then we spent 2 1/2 days in Lafayette where we visited with Chris & Heidi and Ana, Audrey & Trent. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing them all (especially Audrey who has grown alot since our last trip) and we are continually reminded how blessed we are to have such wonderful nieces & nephews--In Lafayette, In Texas, and in Iraq!!

Oscar was well-cared for in our absence but horribly offended that we would leave him for a couple of days. He didn't eat (refusing even treats!) but his hunger strike ended promptly upon our return home. He is also hoarse--we don't know if he cried alot while we were gone or if this is actually a manipulation on his part to make us feel guilty. It does sound rather pathetic, so he is getting a great deal of sympathy & attention.

The garden is faring well--we have cantaloupes that are growing quite nicely and the purple-hulled peas are doing great. (Take a look at the 'Armadillo Pfarms' slideshow to the right of this post for pics!)

We ended our vacation with a 14 mile bike ride in Liberty Hill (see the 'Rip Roarin' Ride slideshow to the right). The ride was lovely. I'm out of shape though and I admit to whining for the first 4 miles. But I stuck it out and Mark put up with me and by mile 5, we were both thoroughly enjoying ourselves. I'm convinced that we'll be fine for the Mamma Jamma ride which is rapidly approaching. We've raised about $1500 so far and want to thank everyone who has donated! (There's still time to make a donation or to have a name put on the flag!)

We started this week with Sunday School (can't tell you how much we enjoy the folks in our class) and then were back to a 'normal' week--much enjoyed by Oscar!

A Nice Weekend & Mamma Jamma Ride Update

Our wonderful weekend started with visiting Mom & Dad. We all had a very nice day and Oscar had an exceptionally good time (he loved all the attention from Dad!)

After record breaking heat all summer, virtually no rain to speak of, & 68 days at or above 100 degrees, we spent Saturday on the awning-covered patio listening to the rain & watching the hummingbirds. We had that nice slow, soaking rain that the garden loves and capped off the event by harvesting some more purple-hulled peas!
After a relaxing weekend (lots of down-time to read, crochet, & play music), thoughts turn again to the Mamma Jamma ride. The ride is less than a month a way now--we've raised just over $1000 so far and want to thank all who have donated. There's still plenty of time to donate if you choose. Remember that no donation is too small! Everything helps! You can donate online or send a check to me made out to "Mamma Jamma Ride". If you need my address, you can email me at handcycleforcause@gmail.com

And of course, we 'll add names to the flag right up to the day of the ride--so be sure to let me know if you have any names you'd like included. View Current List of Names.

Thank you for helping us honor the memory of women who battled breast cancer in their lifetime and to celebrate those who are surviving this disease.

7 More Weekends

Well, our 25 mile Mamma Jamma ride is 7 weekends away! For the first time all summer, we went to our neighborhood pool Saturday. We swam 7 laps and then were evicted from the pool because of lightening in the area. We heard thunder, saw lightening & dark clouds, but only got about 4 drops of rain (if you can call it that) at our house. But, someone in the area got rain and we figure it is because we finally decided to go swimming. So, we tried again on Sunday afternoon--figured we'd either get in a good swim or we'd get rain and that we'd be happy with either outcome! This time we completed the full 15 laps as planned & did a little stretching in the pool. The skies looked dark, but it didn't look like anyone around us got rain.

What does this have to do with the Mamma Jamma ride? Well, ukulele playing & crocheting will not help to get me in shape for the ride and it is way too hot for me to handcycle (we have had 60 days of 100plus temperatures here), so swimming is the most relevant exercise Mark and I can do. We really enjoyed it and are planning to go again next weekend.

As for the ukulele--I can't say how much fun I'm having with this little instrument. I always thought of the uke as a novelty type instrument, but it actually can be quite pretty. I've mostly been playing whatever music I have available, so that's included lots of hymns. Many hymns are really old folk tunes and some of them sound quite nice on the uke (even the way I play!)

Q&A About Mamma Jamma Ride

1. Why did we decide to fundraise through this ride instead of the Komen Race for the Cure? The main reason for the change is that Mark & I can do the ride together (at Komen, he gets me set up and then waits for me to finish). Since we certainly went through breast cancer together--every step of the way--we're happy to get to do this fundraising event together.

2. How far is the ride? Well, there are several distances--the shortest is 10 & the longest is 100! We'll be doing the 25 mile route--and believe me that is long enough on a handcycle!

3. When is the ride? October 10, 2009

4. Are you in shape for this? Not unless ukulele playing is somehow going to benefit my handcycling ability or endurance! But, we'll make it!

5. Who Does Mamma Jamma Ride benefit? All of the beneficiaries directly relate to breast cancer, but many serve individuals with other types of cancer as well. The charities offer direct services, screening, education, support, and at least one (Komen) supports research as well. For a complete list, click here: Beneficiaries

6. Are donations tax deductible? YES & donations of any size are greatly appreciated. $5 or $10 WILL help make a difference, so please give if you can.

7. How do I donate? Click here: MAMMA JAMMA RIDE or send a check to me made out to "Mamma Jamma Ride". If you need my address, you can email me at handcycleforcause@gmail.com

8. I heard you were writing names on your bike flag--what is that about? Just as I have done with the Komen race each year, I am writing names on my bike flag again this year to honor women (like my Mom) who have had breast cancer and died, and to celebrate those (like my friend Marty) who are surviving this disease. If you have a woman you'd like to honor or celebrate, send me her first name only and I'll add it to the flag. You can send it to: handcycleforcause@gmail.com

Handcycling for a Good Cause

Mark & I are participating in a new event this fall and we're asking for donations. The event is the Texas Mamma Jamma Ride; we'll be cycling 25 miles in support of 10 non profits that serve women with breast cancer and their families. (Please know that this is the only event for which we are fundraising this year, so please give if you can.)

The ride will raise funds for 10 non profit charitites that all directly serve individuals with breast cancer and their families. Some, like the Komen Foundation fund education, screening and research; others provide screening & treatment for women who are un-insured or under-insured; others provide emotional support for the individual, their children and spouses; and still others assist with every day needs such as light housekeeping, grocery shopping, etc. All of the charities provide support for individuals with breast cancer; many provide services to individuals with other cancers as well.

We are asking you to consider making a donation--even if you already give to a lot of good causes. Because the funds will be shared among the charities, we'd like to do our part to be sure there will be enough to benefit each charity. Donations of ALL sizes really are appreciated; so even if you can only send $10, please consider doing so--because every amount really does help! Donations are tax deductible.

You can make donations online by clicking here:
MAMMA JAMMA RIDE
or you can send a check made out to the 'Texas Mamma Jamma Ride' to me at home and I'll get it turned in for you. If you need my mailing address, let me know. Thank you for your support!

If you want to learn more about the charities benefitting from the ride, click here: Beneficiaries


By the way, watch for updates on this. The ride is October 10th and it has been way too hot to ride here--so 25 miles may be a big challenge!!!

What to do when it is 105 Outside

1. Blog. I haven't been writing much, because there has been nothing to write about. But, we did have temps below 100 yesterday & rain (well, sprinkles at least) for the first time in ages--so I'd call that news-worthy!

2. Garden. Really? No, not really. It is too hot to do much. We did plant some cantaloupe and black eyed peas recently. Mark tends to them mostly late in the evening.

3. Crochet. This is one of my favorite ways to pass the time! Just stay away from heavy afghans. Summer is a good time to work on smaller, lighter projects. Since we're about to welcome our first great-nephew, I'm enjoying making baby booties & baby afghans.

4. Learn to play the ukulele. This is a picture of the 'Flea' ukulele Mark bought for me. It's great! I'm having lots of fun picking out different songs. (This picture was taken shortly before Oscar let out a big sigh, left my lap, and crawled under a pillow. It is kind of sad when even the dog is a critic. It could be that he's not fond of my playing, but I prefer to think that he just doesn't want anything to do with an instrument called a 'FLEA.'.)

5. Nap! This is Oscar's favorite way to pass the time when it is too hot to go outside. I think he has the right idea.

Lafayette June 2009

We recently made a quick trip to Lafayette timing it so that we could see our nephew Heath, meet his fiance Ashley, and then attend their wedding two days later. He is having a busy two weeks while on leave from Iraq! We were so happy to see Heath, to meet some of his Mom's family, and to meet Ashley & her family. We enjoyed our visit and will be glad when he his back at Fort Hood. [In the meantime, we'll keep the post office busy with care packages!]

We also had a delightful visit with our nephew Chris and his girlfriend Heidi. We loved getting updates on their jobs, their plans for school, and everything else--and hearing about their dogs Bubba & Cooper. We can't wait until our next visit with them. In the meantime, I'm glad for cell phones (yes, even text messaging), email, and 'snail' mail!

Unfortunately, we missed seeing our beautiful niece Ana and great-niece Audrey. Ana had been invited on a cruise and we were glad to hear that she had a nice time. We're looking forward to seeing her and the lovely baby sometime this fall. Here's a picture from our last trip:

These are just 3 of our niece & nephews--we could go on & on about them and the ones in Texas & Georgia too! But I'll spare you the bragging--for now at least! We're looking forward to welcoming our first great-nephew later this month (our nephew & niece-in-law on the Mitchell side), so watch for news about 'Hunter' soon!

An Exciting Time in the Garden

We've had an exciting time in the garden this Spring....Yes, that's right I said 'exciting'.

Last year, the dreaded squash borers killed most of Mark's squash crop (squash borers are stealth, ugly, & deadly enemies)--they decimated our row of squash plants in a matter of days. This year Mark planned his strategy, chose his weapons, and set out on the offensive. Now Mark's not very aggressive, even in gardening, so he was as gentle as possible about it, but whatever he did kept the bugs at bay and we have enjoyed quite a nice crop of squash.

A friend at church gave us potatoes to plant; that's a new venture for us, but when it comes to gardening, we are willing to try just about anything once. Now potatoes may sound dull, but... You watch the plants grow and grow, but you really can't know what's happening under ground. So, you feed, water, and weed, and you just wonder if anything is really happening. You think it is; it must be; but you don't really know. And then one day, like today, they get pulled up (by Mark) and there they are--pretty red potatoes! It all seems rather mysterious to me.

The bell peppers & jalapenos are much more obvious, and therefore, less mysterious than the potatoes. They do all of their blooming, budding, and growing out in the open. Sure makes it easier to check on their progress. Even so, I wouldn't call them boring--you still have to feed and water them, figure out when something else is eating on them and then try to hold that something else at bay. Can get mighty interesting--no telling how many bugs we've 'googled'! (http://www.whatsthatbug.com/)

And then there's the tomatoes. You see, last year we had one grape tomato plant--we would go out every day just to see if any new ones had ripened; then we'd pick, wash & eat whatever was available. To keep up with our demand, we planted a whole row of these grape tomato plants this year. They have really grown and pretty much taken over the whole bed (luckily we had pulled the carrots up already and that gave them room to spread out.) We don't mind getting lots of these tomatoes as they are absolutely delicious. The birds think so too, and we now play a daily game of trying to determine just when to pick that 'reddish' tomato--wait too late and the birds will beat you to it! Trust me--when the prize is a very sweet, very delicious, 'little' tomato (as in 'not a size you can share')--this kind of competition can be pretty exciting.

There is no competition with the birds for the blackberries. I'm actually pretty selfish where blackberries are concerned and I covered them so that the birds won't have a chance. (Mark has a chance, but not much of one I'll admit.) My best recipe for blackberries is: pick, wash, EAT immediately. The excitement about the blackberry is in simply finding a new one fully ripened & ready to eat. I don't need more excitement than that. (And if you don't find that exciting, maybe you've never had a blackberry fresh from the vine. Not really sure where you can get one. Probably not here. Maybe somewhere. (Sorry--I did say I was selfish about these.) You can have a bell pepper... potato... jalapeno... Sorry but I don't see any ripe blackberries to share just now...)

So there you have the excitement of gardening: mystery, intrigue, competition, triumph, failure, sweet success--and yes, an obvious need for a little more self-reflection. I'd call that exciting--and imagine, it's all here at our little 'pfarm'.

Thanks for Reading!

Musings from the Armadillo Classic

Yesterday, Mark & I rode in the Armadillo Hill Country Classic. We had signed up for the 14 mile ride, but at the 7 mile rest-stop & turn around, we had a shared moment of—well I wouldn’t really call it ‘insanity’, more like a lapse in judgment. Whatever it was, we decided to keep going. My only defense is that since we were to return by the same route, we could decide to turn back before the next designated stop. I will say that my cycling computer showed the first rest stop at 7 miles—precisely where it should be. I watched the clock and was a little dismayed when the second rest-stop & turn-around did not appear at 14 miles. No problem though as we pedaled up to it at the 15 mile mark. So we had signed up for a 14 mile route, decided to try for the 28, and completed 30 miles when all was said and done!

It was a lovely ride. Beautiful area, well-organized, plenty of support & volunteers, etc. As usual the cyclists were very friendly & encouraging. We also saw a neighbor & one of Mark’s co-workers. And a highlight of the day was running into Frank, George, & Steve—three really nice fellows who have provided ‘bike support’ for the wheelchair athletes in the Texas RoundUp 10k. Since Mark & I skipped that run this year in favor of the Red Poppy Ride, it was nice to run into these guys at a bike ride. Steve did the 42 mile route; Frank & George did the 62 mile route. We 'caught up' with Steve at the 2nd rest stop (no matter that he was on the return part of his trip having already completed nearly 30 miles) and we 'passed' Frank after the last rest stop (well, he had completed more than 50 miles and was changing a flat as we went by, but we did pass him.) We saw them again at the end of the ride and hope they’ll pass us on another bike ride soon.

They don’t call this the ‘hill country’ for nothing, and it was a challenging ride. The good news is that I didn’t need SAG (support & gear), EMS, or a push up any of the hills. But all that time on the hills gave Mark some time to take some photos (you can click on the ‘2009 Armadillo Classic’ slideshow to see them) and me some time to ponder. Here are my thoughts about some things that apply to life as well as to cycling:

1. If you’re going uphill, don’t worry about what other hills & obstacles might be ahead. Just focus on the challenge you are currently facing and when you need to stop and take a rest, see what beauty is around you. Even when we're facing challenges, the beauty of God's creation is around us.
2. Always, always take the encouragement & good will offered to you by others—and when you get the chance (and there will be a chance), pass it on to someone else.
3. Don’t envy the folks going downhill on the other side of the road—they might be coasting now, but you don’t know what else they may have had to face. Take pleasure in their enjoyment of the downhill ride. Likewise, don’t detract from their pleasure by telling them about the hills to come—they have been on this ride too; they know there are more hills.
4. When you’re going downhill, enjoy the ride. Don’t miss out on the pleasure by worrying that an uphill is coming. That next uphill is going to come whether you worry about it or not; if you focus on it, you’ll just deprive yourself of the joy of the downhill.
5. It might feel like all ups & downs, but there really are some flat places here and there. Take advantage of those and don’t use them just to think about the downhills & uphills behind or ahead of you. (Also remember that what might feel ‘flat’ to you might be a bit of an uphill for someone else. So be kind if someone finds that stretch of road to be more difficult than you do.)
6. Finally, remember we’re all in this together. Like life, it is a ride, not a race. I am not judged on the quality of my physical equipment, on my speed, or my skill--and I'm not here to judge the other cyclists either. On the best ride, I feel a part of the larger group of cyclists: I get to encourage & to be encouraged, to rejoice for and with others, and to share our mutual pleasure in taking this ride together.
No wonder I like cycling! Thanks for reading!

Oscar's Big Hunt!

The Mitchell household had a night of little sleep & big adventure!

We had bedded down for the night and Mark was sleeping soundly. Around 1:00 a.m., Oscar, our ever vigilant protector, apparently heard a noise, woofed, and ran to the patio door to growl at any would-be intruders. Then apparently satisfied that he had struck fear in the heart of any man or beast that would trespass in the night, I heard him get a drink of water and expected that he'd go back to sleep.

But THEN, I heard scurrying, canine panic, and a pursuit! Clearly Oscar had the scent of something. I hoped (& expected) that whatever it was, it was outside on the patio. Mark awoke as Oscar was hunting for "IT" through the kitchen, dining room, living room, guest room, and back again; and I was trailing Oscar trying to determine if "IT" was really inside the house.

Then Oscar focused his pursuit on the guest room, clearly convinced that "IT" was under the futon. (Did I mention, he is a good hunter?) Fascinated with the sniffing, snorting, and overall hunting approach, I stayed close enough to watch Oscar. And then, it happened. "IT"-- a small, furry, brown, IT"-- darted out from behind the guest room futon and ran into the living room. And I ran (well, I moved pretty darn fast) to our bedroom. You can probably figure out the next thing--Mark, now fully awake, quarantined Oscar in our room so that he wouldn't get "IT"; I stayed with Oscar (okay, I admit it--I hid out), leaving Mark to evict what I was sure was a rat.

Then as I stood on our bed (just in case it was in our room), I heard Mark say through the closed door: "I don't think it is a rat." Now, I didn't have my glasses on (this was 1 a.m. after all), but unwanted, unexpected, brown, furry, scurrying--that all spelled rat to me. After much reassurance, Mark coaxed me out of the bedroom where I assumed a perch on a dining room chair (again, just in case) in time to view a little bunny cowering under our sofa! (I guess he was looking for the garden--or maybe he wanted cooked carrots!)

Mark caught him under a plastic box, we slid a piece of cardboard under, and then set him free under the moonlight. I figure he told his friends and family that he was trapped and cornered by a vicious dog (which to him may have looked like a Great Dane); I'm sure he was relieved when his captivity came to an end.

As to how he got in, only the bunny knows for sure. We surmise that earlier in the day, Oscar flushed him out of the garden and, with few options open to him, he darted into an open door.

Mark & I settled down after the adventure and went back to bed. Oscar was confined during the capture and didn't witness the bunny's being pardoned. Convinced he was still in the house, Oscar continued to hunt until well after 3 a.m.

Oscar has slept most of today.....

A Great Ride!

Yesterday, Mark & I did the 14 mile route of the Red Poppy Ride in Georgetown (see pictures in the Slideshow list to the right, if you're interested). The weather was perfect--it sprinkled a few times, but the rain held off and there was plenty of cloud cover to keep the temperature down. We had a nice breeze (no hurricane force winds like we had last month in Salado!) and a lovely route. As usual, I enjoyed getting the chance to ride away from town; it was nice to see fields and streams and horses, donkeys, cows, goats, chickens, etc. I was amused by one donkey who just couldn't seem to figure out what I was as I pedalled by. He and his two equine companions watched me closely the whole time; I think they finally decided that although I looked strange, I wasn't a threat.

The route was well-marked; friendly volunteers helped with traffic at intersections and supplied refreshments at the 'rest stop'. Kudos to the organizers of this event! As usual, the bicyclists were very nice and supportive. The event was well-attended with all kinds of bicycles (recumbants, tandems, big bikes, little bikes...) and cyclists of all ages and skill levels. We enjoyed seeing the families out riding together.

I rode well; not sure what to attribute that to, but I was pleased with the pace I was able to keep, my effort on the hills, etc. It was also nice to be in a ride with cyclists of all skill levels. Although the avid cyclists still left me in the dust, I managed to stay with other cyclists throughout the ride--and even passed a number of folks (not all of whom were 8 year olds). All in all, we couldn't have asked for a better ride. This one makes the 'Will do again' list.

After the ride, we checked out the 'Red Poppy Festival' at the Georgetown courthouse square. It was pretty crowded, but we were able to navigate through the crowd fairly easily. If you like this sort of thing, look for this event next April.

Thanks for Reading!

what Oscar did while we were gone

Our dear friends, neighbors, and fellow dachshund 'parents', Joe & Cheryl, checked in on Oscar while we were in Lafayette. Oscar feigned depression by refusing to eat his food, but gave himself away by enjoying any treat put in front of him!

Given what good friends they are, how well they understand dogs, and how well they understand me & my excessive attachment to Oscar, it isn't surprising that Joe & Cheryl decided to let Oscar spend the night with them on Friday night. Storms were expected in the area and they thought Oscar might be afraid (that's true) and maybe they thought I would be feeling a little sad that the boy was alone during the thunder (that's also true). Whatever the reason, it was truly a kind act and one that goes far beyond the call of friendship. Oscar is not happy to stay in the kitchen & snuggle with their dogs, Heidi & Elvis. No, not our boy. He wants to be IN THE BED. Preferably, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BED with as much of the cover as he can manage to steal. (Of course, he pretends to be asleep and to have no idea how he ended up with all the covers.)

When we got home, Oscar pretended that he missed us terribly. He knows I like to feel needed, so he does his best to convince me that life is just awful when we aren't here. Of course, he didn't fess up to eating treats, didn't tell us how much attention Joe & Cheryl gave him when they stopped by each day, didn't let us know that he had not been alone all night during the bad weather, etc. He prefers us to think that he had a miserable couple of days--no companionship, no appetite, lots of fear & anxiety. We know the truth of it--he had a couple of days of naps, treats, extra attention, AND A SLEEP-OVER!!!!

P.S. There is no indication that the birds even noticed we were gone.

Our Trip to Lafayette

We made a quick trip to Lafayette this week to visit family. We arrived late Thursday afternoon and started the trip with supper at Don's. The stuffed crab was good, but the highlight of the meal was getting together with Terry & Suzie (Uncle & Aunt), Christopher (nephew), and Ana (niece), AND 10 week old great-niece Audrey Elise. This is a picture her Mom took. Everybody say 'awww.' She REALLY is that cute!!!! (& no, we weren't in the least surprised by that--her Mom is adorable too!)

After supper, we enjoyed visiting with Chris a little more, meeting his girlfriend, Heidi, and seeing the house. We're suckers for dogs and had a good time with Cooper & Bubba too.

We had another chance to visit with Terry, Ana, & Audrey at breakfast on Friday. We so loved another chance to catch up with Ana and to see (& hold!) Audrey. Mother & daughter were both a bit tired since Audrey decided she wasn't really sleepy the night before; Audrey caught a little 'shut-eye' at breakfast--hope she let her Mom get a nap in sometime later in the day!

We were able to visit with Terry a little while after breakfast before he headed to Toledo Bend for some visiting friends, fishing, and a crawfish boil. We saw Patti & Richard Dale (cousins) briefly on Friday afternoon, kicked back with an Abita Root Beer (Thanks Chris!) at the hotel room, and then joined Chris & Heidi for supper Friday night. We capped Saturday morning off with coffee with Suzie, her folks Joe & Melba, and her brother Pat. After stocking our ice chest full of boudin, andouille sausage, and crawfish (and icing down some Abita Root Beers for the road), we headed back to Pflugerville.

The trip was quick, but it sure was nice. We are looking forward to our next chance to visit; hopefully that will be sometime this summer when our nephew Heath is on leave from Iraq! We are truly blessed with wonderful nieces & nephews on both sides of the family and love any chance to visit with them.

Thanks for reading!

Update on the 'Back 40' (feet, that is!)

What I fondly call our 'Back 40', Mark has dubbed 'Armadillo Pfarms.' We have some itty bitty tomatoes and fledgling squash appearing. The basil, mint, oregano, and parsley are all producing nicely and we have quite a few blackberries coming too. This is our first time to plant red potatoes; since we have lots of growth on top, I'm hoping something is happening below ground too! I always feel that way about the carrots--I did pull up a small one of these just because I couldn't wait to see if they were really growing. Not much happening with the bell peppers & jalapenos yet, but the leaves look good.

I have my screen ready to cover the blackberries. Last year, I thought I was home free since the birds left the red berries alone. I should have known they were just waiting for them to ripen! Last April, the squash borers got most of Mark's squash, so he's trying to discourage them and find any intruders as early as possible this year. Even though we try to learn from the previous year's experience, we're still pretty much 'trial & error' (or should I say 'trowel & error') gardeners.

There are some pictures of the 'pfarm' under the slideshow links. We've included some photos of the flowers too--they are just so pretty now. The Marie Pavie and Lafter roses are just beautiful, but I guess I think it is all lovely. (Of course, there are some cute pics of Oscar in the garden too!)

Thanks for reading!

Troy M. Watkins 10/30/59 - 04/07/2008

My big brother, Troy, and I loved each other completely--through tough times & good times, tough circumstances & periods of ease. We had the kind of special love between a brother & sister who made the committment to be there for each other no matter what. Where other family relationships failed, we both made sure that ours never would.

Like most of us, Troy had lots of dimensions to his personality. He was gentle, strong, caring, kind, strong-willed, stubborn, generous, fun, funny, intelligent, loving, and joyful. (I could go on, but you get the idea.) He loved to ride his Harley (too loud, too fast); he crocheted the sweetest baby blankets & booties; he could complain about his employees and yet bail them out of situations other bosses would not have tolerated; he made million-dollar business deals wearing blue jeans & t-shirts. He had a great sense of humor and loved tell a good story, to tease good-naturedly, and to laugh out loud (everything from a giggle to a deep, belly laugh).

I suspect Heaven is a bit louder now that Troy has joined Todd and Pop there. Even though my world is left lacking without him, I believe that we will one day be reunited in Christ--and even now I believe he is not too far away. He certainly lives on in my heart and in the many memories I have of him. Thanks for reading.

A Lovely Weekend!

We had such a lovely weekend! It started with a nice visit from Mark's folks Friday afternoon and evening. They stayed overnight and then we were joined by other family members for lunch and an afternoon visit on Saturday. We gathered to celebrate Paula, Alan, & Glenna's birthdays and Paula & Alan's anniversary--and to visit and enjoy each other's company on a nice Spring afternoon!

We were delighted that so many folks could make it. We missed Tim & Britni (nephew & niece-in-law), but hope they were enjoying their weekend activities too! It is always nice when we get to visit with parents, siblings, and nieces & nephews. Of course, the littlest ones (Ruthie & Riley) steal the show--but we enjoy the grown-up ones just as much! (Did I mention that we just love being 'aunt' (or 'Nanny') and 'Uncle'!)

Mark enjoyed getting to hold Ruthie for a good long time and I enjoyed playing with Riley. Riley seemed to enjoy Oscar, who was a pretty well-behaved dog overall. He barked too much--as usual, but he did provide some fairly good entertainment by hunting lizards all afternoon. This social stuff does wear Oscar out and he crashed just after everyone left. He has continued to nap most of today too!

We wrapped up the weekend with a lovely Palm Sunday service this morning. We hope you had a lovely weekend too!

Have a good week ahead. Thanks for reading!

Against the wind....

Well, it was a busy weekend. Mark may require that I get his pre-approval before planning another like this one!

We were up and out early on Saturday for an 8:00 start of the 'Smokin Spokes' ride in Salado. It was COLD (45 degrees) & WINDY (25-30 sustained with gusts 45-50 mph) and let's just say that my spokes didn't 'smoke' during that ride. In fact, for a good bit of the ride I felt like I was standing still (or maybe even going backwards), especially as we pedalled the first five miles or so up a slight incline into a strong, frigid head-wind. The 15 mile route had a number of tough hills and the strong, bitter-cold wind made even the downhills a challenge.

But the ride-organizers, Salado volunteers & residents, and rural views more than compensated for the less-than-preferable weather. The organizer & beneficiary of the ride, the Salado fire department, was great! The route was well marked and traffic control could not have been better. The volunteers and Salado residents were friendly & courteous and very sympathetic to the obvious effort I was exerting (a nice lady even stopped to offer us a ride--guess I was going pretty slow...)

And as usual, the cyclists were terrific. My experience with charity bike rides in Central Texas is that the cyclists are always friendly & encouraging. If you cycle or know a cyclist, please extend my thanks to them. It is so nice to be included in these activities and to have my participation be so well-received.

As for time yesterday, let's just say that it took longer than I would have liked. No doubt, I would have done better on a less-blustery day, but one benefit of going slow is that I do enjoy the scenery. We saw lots of horses, goats, chickens, and dogs and many beautiful fields (Mark snapped a few pics--see slideshow to the right). And even though I was slow, I am happy to say that I did the whole ride under my own effort. Mark had to pedal pretty slowly and did plenty of waiting for me, but not once did he have to help push me up a hill. I got through the last few hills by reminding myself that once finished Mark would treat me to coffee & beignets at Roy T's (just off IH35 in Salado; if you haven't been there, it is worth a stop next time you're traveling through.)

Well, the fire department says they don't mind a 'slow-poke' so this ride is definitely on my calendar again for next year. If you like to cycle, I encourage you to consider this ride.

We were up and out early again on Sunday for the Capitol 10K. I was pretty proud of us for just getting out again after our effort on Saturday. I'm sure that 15 mile ride made today's Cap 10K a bit more difficult for both Mark and for me. Given the 15 miles yesterday and the bit of gear trouble I had today, I was glad to finish the course in under an hour. I was about 10 minutes slower than last year, but 55 minutes is still a respectable time and I'm actually very glad that I'm not currently still trying to get up that hill on Enfield :)

The race was well organized, the volunteers were friendly & helpful, and the weather was beautiful (a cold start, but much warmer overall than yesterday and with very little wind). Like the cyclists, the Austin running community is very friendly and encouraging; so thanks to all the runner's who shared their fun with 'wheelers' like me.

Another fun thing about today's Cap10K is that Andy, another handcyclist and Kristen & Suzanne, both using racing chairs, participated. There aren't very many weekend wheelchair athletes in Austin and it is always nice when we get a chance to see each other & ride together. The Cap10K affords a nice opportunity for us to do that. Mark, brother-in-law Alan, and friend Joe ran together as they have done many times. They all had fun and all finished the course in a reasonable time. We enjoyed visiting with them and with Mark's sister, Paula, over coffee after the run. (Yes, you're noticing a pattern here.)

I don't know if Mark & I will do the Cap10K again next year. Regardless, I am hoping that the Cap10K folks will reconsider the stringent wheelchair qualifying time requirement for next year's race. We wheelers need to be respectful of the Cap10K's challenge of organizing such a large event and of their need to have a safe course; I'm hoping the Cap10K organizers and the wheelers will work to some compromise that will allow more wheelers to participate while still promoting a event that is safe & fun for all participants.

Well, we capped off the weekend by taking Oscar for his regular mile walk--wouldn't want the boy to feel left out! We sure enjoyed the weekend's events, but we're going to head back to work tomorrow for some much-need rest. Thanks for reading!

A Bill of Note....

As most of you know, I am not very 'political'. I know very good, kind, caring folks on both sides of just about every issue. And though I have my opinions, I try really hard to remember that many people I respect very much hold views different from mine. Please keep that in mind as I tell you about a bill before the Texas House that I hope will pass.

My friend, Mikail, is appearing before the State House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee to testify IN FAVOR OF House Bill 849, aka the 'ADA Bill'. For those of you unfamiliar with the issue, Texas claims legal immunity from the American with Disabilities Act (ADA)--what's really mind-boggling to some of us with disabilities is that our current Attorney General, Greg Abbott supports the state's stance.

Mikail offered a good description of the proposed legislation that he kindly shared with me and those of you reading this. Thanks Mikail!

HB 849 – Guaranteeing that Texans have the basic civil right of freedom from discrimination by the State of Texas based on disability

Background
The greatest paradigm shifting achievement of 20th century America is the enactment of federal civil rights laws that codified the Declaration of Independence’s promise that all men are created equal.

The Americans with Disabilities Act is landmark federal civil rights legislation, signed into law by a Texas president, George H. W. Bush, in 1990, that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, public services, public accommodations, telecommunications, and other specific arenas. It mandates that “reasonable accommodations” be made for people with disabilities in all these areas and more.

A few states, including Texas, assert that the Eleventh Amendment of the United States Constitution grants all states sovereign immunity from suit under the ADA. Some federal courts have ruled that state governments are immune from suit while others have struck down state sovereign immunity in cases of disability discrimination. In each case, the rulings have been narrowly drawn. So people with disabilities who experience discrimination on the part of a state entity have very little recourse if those entities refuse to make reasonable accommodations for them.

Example 1: A professor at Texas Tech University became ill with a degenerative eye disease which left her visually impaired. She asked the administration to place high-contrast reflective tape on the edges of the stairs in her building so she could safely navigate to her office. Tech refused. She sued. They fired her. Years of litigation ensued.
Cost of a roll of reflective tape: about $40

Example 2: A student at A&M uses a wheelchair. He has a class in a large auditorium which is only accessible from the second floor, which means he is seated a long way from the whiteboard on which the professor writes class notes. The professor likes to use a pale green marker, which is impossible to read from far away. The student requests that the professor use a darker marker so he can see. The professor refuses.
Cost of a black dry-erase marker: about $1.50

What the bill does:

• Waives Texas’ immunity from lawsuit for the limited purpose of allowing people to sue governmental units in Texas for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• Places limitations on the damages that may be awarded – a maximum of $250,000 per person and $500,000 per single occurrence.
• Provides people with disabilities the opportunity to pursue the reasonable accommodations guaranteed to them under the ADA.

What the bill does NOT do:

• Require a governmental unit to provide an individual with a disability with a personal or individually prescribed device (e.g., wheelchair, hearing aid), or with services of a personal nature such as assistance in eating or dressing.
• Require a governmental unit to make changes or adjustments to a program that would result in significant difficulties or expenses relative to the operation of the program
• Open the door for massive lawsuits that will bankrupt the state. The liability limits are built-in and are reasonable in size.

The bottom line: This is a civil rights bill.

Vacation Week, Part II

We celebrated our return home Wednesday with Rudy's barbeque for supper, followed by Immanuel Lutheran's weekly Lenten service. This is a lovely evening service with beautiful music; I'm glad there are two more we can attend before Holy Week.

We spent Thursday close to home and then enjoyed a visit with Mark's folks on Friday. (Oscar stayed home Friday and continued to recover from his trip to Canyon of the Eagles.) We dedicated Saturday to yard work. Mark mowed and I dug the grass out around our 3 rose bushes and laid out a flower bed by the front gate, which Mark edged nicely with bricks. Oscar spent his time hunting lizards--one of his favorite activities. I'd appreciate it if he'd keep the ones he snags to himself, but he is just so proud of himself that he can't help but share his catch with me.

Then we gave the larger pond a good cleaning. This is not the huge chore it is for folks with in-ground ponds, but is enough work anyway. It isn't the most pleasant task for us, but Oscar sure enjoys the Springtime scent of 'Eau de Swamp'! (He'd be much happier if I'd count his playing in the discarded pond water as a 'bath' instead of following it up by putting him in the tub for a good scrubbing--and one involving soap of all things!) The clean pond is always worth the effort, and I'm sure the fish will be happier, maybe healthier too. We will enjoy having a clearer pond again. We'll get to work on the smaller pond another day.

Today (Sunday), we had a good discussion in our Bible Study followed by another lovely worship service. This afternoon, Mark did grocery shopping and I caught up on laundry--sure signs that the vacation is drawing to a close and that we're preparing to return to work. I expect we'll find the early mornings just a bit more difficult this week!

Vacation Week, Part I

Taking a much-needed break from work this week, we spent a few days at 'Canyon of the Eagles' on Lake Buchanan. This is a great get-away only about an hour and a half northwest of Pflugerville. They allow pets, so Oscar was able to come along--he particularly enjoyed hunting for the armadillos. Of course, he never actually came that close to one, but I think he still experienced 'the thrill of the hunt!'

The wildlife were plentiful. We saw 3 Bald Eagles, 3 armadillos (and evidence of many more), 2 raccoons, and 1 jack rabbit. We also saw lots of birds: cardinal, titmouse, black capped vireo, golden cheek warbler, and one female painted bunting. Didn't see the male painted bunting, so I'm thinking we need to go back a little later in the year when more of them are around. (Click here if you want to see what they look like: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/paintedbunting/ )

A note about the Bald Eagles. We saw at least one from the front porch of the cabin. We saw the other two at their nest off of Hwy 29 near Llano. That's right, there is an eagle's nest right on the edge of the highway, and two of the eagles graced us with an appearance.

Given all the critters, Oscar's nose was on over-drive for most of the trip. Perhaps he was trying to give it a rest here:
We also hiked (I handcycled) the more accessible trails, so Oscar was pretty exhausted come evening. We've been home two days now and he still seems a bit tired. For those of you who are familiar with his barking, Oscar did remarkably well with the 'hush' command (or should I say, 'request')--I was pleasantly surprised given all the animal & bird activity AND the number of people around. (We inadvertently scheduled during Spring Break, so there were more people than we expected--but that was not a problem in the least. In fact the two little girls staying in the cabin next to ours made quick friends with Oscar!)

If you live in the area, we strongly recommend a visit to Canyon of the Eagles. You can check it out for yourself at http://www.canyonoftheeagles.com/

We're spending the rest of our vacation week close to home. I'll write more about that in the next post. Thanks for reading!

A Relaxing Weekend

Well, we could not have had a less-active weekend! We haven't done much to tell about. As usual, we enjoyed Sunday School & Church this morning. The class Mark & I lead finished the year's study of Luke and have started the Gospel according to John. The class is well-attended and we enjoy hearing the class members' thoughts & insights. The verse I liked the most from today's study is: 14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. I like anything that reminds us that we aren't in this alone (no matter how little sense things make) and that Christ comes to us 'full of grace & truth.'

I'm sure I could think of something to write (that means, 'ramble on') about, but I won't. I'm off to straighten a closet & organize crochet thread (exciting, isn't it?)

Update on the Back 40 (feet, that is)!

Well, Mark's been busy lately.

Thanks to some friends from church, we are trying red potatoes this year. Mark also has planted grape tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, and squash--good eating is ahead! The carrots I planted and the herb garden are growing nicely, and I noticed new blooms on our blackberries (the only kind of blackberries you'll find here are the kind you eat.)

We're thankful for the much needed rain! It's a little colder than I would like, but I don't think it is cold enough to bother the plants. Oscar isn't too happy with the weather, but the plants look a little happier to me.

Spring Cycling!

Here we are in the middle of March already and it is time to get pedaling!

The Austin American Statesman required wheelers to 'qualify' for the Capitol 10K this year. After a few emails back & forth, they informed me that I do in fact qualify. I hope they'll reconsider the time limits so that more wheelers can participate in the future. I know they are trying to address safety concerns, but I think they can do that without excluding so many wheelchair participants!

I have my eye on a few rides/races this year--the 15 mile route of the 'Smokin' Spokes' bike ride in Salado, the Cap 10K run, Austin's Texas Round-Up 10K run or the Red Poppy bike ride in Georgetown, and the Armadillo Classic bike ride in Liberty Hill. Will post pictures after I handcycle these events.

Also got a new 'trainer' for my Freedom Ryder handcycle. I'm very excited about it and hope it will help me get some extra rides in on those days when I can't make time to get out on the road!

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FlagList

These are the women whose names I will carry on my bike flag this year. Some had breast cancer and have died; some are surviving the disease. We honor & celebrate them all. To add a name to the list below, comment to this post or send me an email at: handcycleforcause@gmail.com

Barbara
Marty
Ina
Amy
Kate
Janice
Francie
Maren
Ruth
Jewel
Birdie
Mary Alicia
Patty Sue
Debbie Lee
Alvila
Velma
Irene
Linda
Lillie
Mary C.
Betty
Joan
Sylvia H.
Eula H.
Bernice S.
Kathleen N.
Wende E.
Donnie S.
Andrea D.
Raette S.
Annette H.
Suzette G.
Merilyn
Viola
Vivian
Virginia
Pat
Irita
Jeanne
Cindy
Ruby
Toni
Ella
Cynthia
Elsa
Laura R.
Dianne
Robin
Taseia
Yunhui
Juying