What a Cycling Widow Needs to Know

I have become a cycling widow. My husband has recently caught the cycling fever and I am now a cycling widow. A fellow cycling widow (Stefanie) wrote up the following to help me in my new role:

Terms you will need to become acquainted with:
Biking - only used when referring to a motorcycle
Cycling - correct term used for bicycling
Century - a 100-mile bike ride
"Hitting the wall" - term used when the cyclist can't physically continue cycling and must stop or die.
"Clip in" - refers to the clips on the bottom of the cycling shoes and connecting them to the pedals.
"Time Trial" - a preset distance during a race that is timed.
"Wheel Sucker" - guy who stays in the back of the pack and drafts everybody else without taking his turn in front.
Pinerallo, Opera, Campagnolo, De Rosa - Italian cycling manufacturers.
Tour de France - biggest bicycle race of the year, held in France (at least most of it), lasts 23 days.
Yellow Jersey - overall leader of the Tour.
Green Jersey - Points leader of the Tour.
Polka Dot Jersey - Best Climber of the Tour.
White Jersey - Best Young Rider of the Tour.

Things you'll need to know:
The month of July will be spent watching the Tour de France (with much yelling).
Become familiar with all the cycling shops in town: Bike Barn, Main Street Cycles, Pedal Power and Art's Cyclery.
Online cycling shops: Colorado Cyclist, Bike Tires Direct
Be prepared to see your husband in tight shorts with padding in the crotch (NEVER dry these in the dryer).
NEVER visit small towns while wearing these shorts; locals will throw spit wads at you.
All cycling clothing must be carefully cleaned and lovingly hung up to dry.
Most Saturday mornings will be spent cycling (really early).
Learn to dislike Union Asphalt truck drivers (they aren't nice to cyclists).
Get used to your husband yelling bicycling tips to other cyclists while he is driving the car (i.e., raise your seat, increase your cadence, oil your chains, etc.)
DO NOT try to figure out the points system for the Tour de France, it was thought up by French men, so it makes no sense.
Italians make the best cycling equipment and the French are just "wannabes"
Good bike frames cost about $2,000 (that doesn't include the tires, wheels, gears, brakes, handles, or anything else that you would think goes with a bike).
His legs will look nicer than yours.

Not the way I expected to spend my Summer!

June 3rd changed how I am spending my Summer this year. It was a Sunday evening and I put on my nice thick fuzzy socks and got comfortable for the evening. I got up from the couch and walked quickly into the kitchen where I proceeded to slip on the wood floor and break my ankle! Thankfully my husband had just got home and ran to me. At first we thought I sprained my ankle, but when we tried to move me to the couch, my foot moved without my leg and my husband said "Stay there!". He called 911 and then next thing I knew I was being ushered to the hospital. A couple xrays later and they pronouce that my ankle broke on both sides and I needed surgery. They splinted my foot (as seen in the picture) and sent me home. A few days later I had surgery. I now have 6 screws and a plate in my right ankle, enough to set off those pesky metal detectors. I am currently still on the mend having spent the last 4 weeks with a cast on my foot. And Summer continues to go on! I think God was telling me I needed to sit for awhile and be still. I think I will ponder on some of the lessons I have learned and that will be my next blog!

Detective Bithday Cake

This was my son's 8th birthday cake. He wanted to have a policeman/detective party. So coming up with a cake for him was not easy. I made a commitment to myself and my boys that I would make their birthday cakes each year for as long as they wanted me to make them. This one is a magnifying glass with a fingerprint inside. I think making my sons' cakes is a way to let them know how much I love them. I hope this will be a precious memory of their mom for them someday. My mom was the one who taught me how to decorate cakes. I was probably about 12 years old and my mom taught a 4-H cake decorating class. I am by no means a professional. I just like to be creative. It is one way that I can reflect God to others, since he is the ultimate creator!

Just to begin with...

I suspect when you start a blog you should have an post as to why you have a blog. Thus, the reason for this post. There have been several things "mulling" around in my thoughts of things I would like to write down and remember or let others know about. Not knowing where else to write them, I am turning to blogging. A new thing for me.