My puppy was so cute last night. She missed dinner - the big dog ate hers. She gets fed 3x/day and often she doesn't care and doesn't eat all three times anyway (especially when its hot like yesterday), but she must have been hungry. She went and got her dish, carried it right side up over to where hubby was sitting on the couch. Still carrying the dish, she put her front paws up on the couch and looked at him. It was absolutely adorable. He filled her dish with puppy chow and she sat there and ate it. (She always plonks herself on her butt to eat.) I've never seen a dog bring their dish before. She's really smart. Not very obedient or compliant, but really smart.

I'm such an unmotivated slacker. I actually wished it would rain today so that I wouldn't have to ride. Heresy I tell you. A few more rides like today though and I ought to have my motivation back. What a great ride! We had about 15 or so people tonight. Dennis the ride leader was there, ZIPP Wheels, Ken who rides fast, McTarnahan's jersey guy, an annoying Brit, a chick, and dangerous tattoo guy that you shouldn't follow (he's in his 50s or 60s by the way), a guy in bibs that were printed like muscle anatomy, a few others, hubby and me. No middle eastern guy tonight.

Tonight we took it out at a good clip from the park. That's usually what sets the tone for the whole ride. Fast on the way to Rocky Butte=a fast ride all the way. Seemed mostly true tonight. We got through the light together and headed for the butte. At the bottom, the other chick goes around I think because we met her on the other side. Fortunately, I thought she was behind me because I hate being DFL up that stoopid hill all the time, so I worked harder. There were four guys that made the comment, 'not going to burn myself out on the hill tonight' 'no need to go fast here' etc. That used to make me optimistic that I'll keep up with them. Ha! Now it is mildly irritating. Even their just-gonna-cruise pace kicks my butt and I'm dropped usually immediately. Tonight I held on up the first climb and lost them at the tunnel. And no PB today. I had 7:35 at the top. It is possible that hubby was right last week. I held similar speeds today and got 7:35. Crap. He of course, on that stinkin' new bike, got a PB of 6:34.  How am I EVER gonna beat him up the hill if he keeps doing that??? Next time we ride, I'm riding his bike and we'll just see how a new lighter bike goes. :)

Once down the back side of Rocky Butte we headed down Sandy and then east out Prescott. I kept up nicely, and then we turned the corner and headed up toward Fremont. I'm all good, packed in with the group, toward the back, and then I hit a bump. My tailight falls off, and everyone behind me is all, "Your light fell off" "Your light fell off". I'd have left the damn thing there but it was a good one, so I turned around. Halfway up the hill. Damn! So once I go back, find it, and get clicked back in , everyone is at least two block ahead of me and going strong. So hoping for lots of traffic for them at the top, I jump on it and try to catch up. Not a lot of luck for me with the traffic, but they did end up in two groups, and I didn't have to wait at the top. Nice! I caught the second group just as the light turned green at 122nd.  Yes! I took them all off the line, and to give the fast guys something to do, I took off to see how fast I could go before they caught me.  I love that. Today I only managed about 27 on this stretch. There was a cross-wind. I kinda wasted myself too much and couldn't grab a wheel as they went by - all tight in a little peleton - apparently they had to do some work to catch me. Ha!

I was on my own to the post office, but I still held a pretty good pace for fighting the wind all my myself. Had a chance to fill my waterbottle at the gas station by the post office, and rest a minute before we headed out airport way.

Last time I learned to NOT be in front on airport way, and so when hubby and I, dangerous tattoo guy and one other were first, I didn't mind a bit when the fast guys passed us. Just let them and grabbed a wheel at the back. This worked out really well except that annoying British guy kept acting like I wasn't there and crowding me out. There are a few guys that do this and it is really irritating, especially when my wheel is within say 8" of the guy ahead of me. There is NO ROOM to squeeze in here dumbazz!

Anyway, I concentrated on keeping a wheel, and keeping an eye on the guy ahead of the wheel I was on. This time I could pass the ones that blew up, but never have to pull. There's a fair amount of speed up, slow down as they change position. It isn't a smooth paceline, but that kinda makes it fun. I really have to concentrate, but I kept on my chosen wheel all the way out Airport Way this time. WOW!!! That is a first! Usually at some point I get dropped. Not tonight. I stayed with them, sprinted off at lights, etc. and their pace was around 26-27 or so...until the sprint at the end where its flat and then heads up a little hill. I wasn't at the front, but I did pull out and sprint around 3 or 4 other guys before burning myself up on the hill. Hubby said that when we hit the hill we were going about 31. Wow!! Keeping up AND sprinting out at the end at 31. How cool is that?!?

After the regroup, we headed back west on Airport Way. True to the beginning of the ride, it was a fast pace. Usually we head back at about 19-21. This time we were going 22-26. I managed to avoid being too close to the front and having to pull, so that was nice. Stoplights can be your friend! They allow for some re-positioning within the group. There's always some guys that want to be in front, so I say let 'em! I jump in preferably about 6 back.

We turned east onto IKEA road, and again the pace was still fast. We had enough in the group for a double paceline - which looked pretty cool. (Though it was not a true paceline as we weren't rotating through.) Anyway, we got stopped at the usual light, repositioned, and headed for the last of the flats.  This last section is like Airport way. Fast, with the boys having a big sprint at the end.  So I'm 6 back, feel pretty safe, and then they start rotating through. Wha? HUH!! Crap I'm at the front and it seems to be a disorganized half group half line and no one but me is in front. WTH?? So I get to pull after all. Then notice that they all have fallen in behind me. Great. So I pull a (very) little while at 22 and then brit guy says "fall back?" so I do and he takes the pull. All good, I catch a wheel. Brit guy pulls for like 5 seconds or something and now hubby is out front. Not good. He doesn't remember to fall back soon enough and blows up. I manage to keep up with the group until shortly before the sprint. So I missed that sprint, but still - I usually don't keep up quite that far.

At the end of the sprint, we turn south and head uphill to the park where we started. It is all uphill from here. We caught the fast boys at the light (nearly always do), and then headed up toward the park. It isn't that steep, and 13-14 feels like a nice spin. Didn't used to. :) I think we may have a record. It took us an hour and 40 minutes to do the ride tonight.  Usually it's 1 hour 55 minutes or 2 hours right on the nose.

We stopped at our favorite chicken teriyaki place on the way home. I've got a pretty good method worked out for carrying take-out back to the house. :) No spills, and the sauce stays where it belongs. They give you a TON, so we both eat for$6.40. Sweet! A great ride and dinner on the patio. Doesn't get any better.

My serger and all it's accessories are waiting for me in Hillsboro. I can't pick it up until Saturday. The wait is killing me.

I enjoyed my sewing group meeting tonight. I always like to see what everyone else has been up to. Maybe next time I will have some (finished!) stuff for show and tell. :)

Today's tip for marital bliss: If your spouse buys a brand new bike that is very light and fairly expensive, do not under any circumstances go fast enough to drop him on the flats ON THE VERY FIRST RIDE. This is poor form and will likely result in a fair amount of whining.  

I avoided discord by a mere 15 seconds. I led out at 27 and reached 31 courtesy of two semi trucks. Fortunately for me I did not try to see how long I could hold it. Whew! So I didn't drop him. But still - it was a close thing. I was almost in a LOT of trouble!!!

 Is it Saturday yet?      Yet?       YET??      The waiting is killing me.

Now that the run is done, pancakes and eggs for breakfast. MMmmmmmm!

Hubby got a new bike! We went and picked it up today. It's a Specialized Roubaix with a compact crankset. It's veeerrrrrrryyyyy spiffy looking, and since it was built for the cobblestones of the Paris-Roubaix, it apparently rides like a cloud. I will find out tomorrow. He's not sure he likes the white bar tape and white seat though.  We're taking it out tomorrow. He got it all set up with his pedals, odometer, etc. etc. today. We wear nearly the same size shoe, so I can borrow his Sidi's and try it out a little. He suggested I upgrade my wheels and my fork. Who am I to say no? :)

Homemade pizza for dinner. I do a part whole wheat crust in the bread machine, and put chicken sausage, red bell pepper, mushrooms, caramelized onion, browned zuchini slices on it, with some fresh basil and a bit of goat cheese on top. Newman's sockarooni sauce base. Heaven. It was so good. And there's enough for lunch tomorrow.

Powerball is $181 million. I'm buying a ticket tomorrow. That would be awesome. I would so not go in to work on Thursday. :)

NO SPOILERS!!! 

10pm. We just got back from the Bourne Ultimatum. I really liked it. Lots of action, plot (sorta)surprises, and someone from the first movie was back. I really liked it, but got a bit tired of all the jerky camera work. Sorta gives me a headache. The only question I have now is "But who IS she???" Guess I'll wait for #4. Retourne of Bourne. LOL

7pm. I'm SOOOOO excited. I finally made a decision. I ordered myself a new serger today. I got a fantastic deal on a really expensive one, added some accessories, and it will be here Wednesday. I won't be able to get out there to pick it up until next Saturday. How am I gonna wait that long???? I have a serger, but spend a great deal of time rethreading it (grrrr) instead of sewing - this one promises to make coffee for me while I sew, it's that cool. The only thing better would be that I set it up, throw the fabric in the room, and go ride my bike. LOL!

Post-Farmers Market: I wish I knew how to can things. Or more accurately, I wish there were recipes for canning that didn't start out with "snap 5 bushels of pole beans", or "clean 27 flats of blackberries and buy 35 pounds of sugar". I have made jam before, but the recipes I've used are so iffy. There's only two of us eating this stuff, and I totally do not want to spend an entire day making 5 gallons of something that's barely mediocre. Or worse,  poisonous! Check out this warning:

Canning is an exact science, you absolutely should only use recipes that are proven safe be a reliable source, and NEVER alter the recipe or canning instructions. Modifying the tested recipe may alter the pH value and that affects the processing time. A final note of caution: Check yearly with your county extension office to see if any of your recipe pamphlets have been updated.

Holy crap! Our city/county stopped funding that office about 10 years ago. No wonder no one cans anymore. My library has this book: The Complete Book of Year-Round Small-Batch Preserving Maybe I'll try that. I love pickled green beans.

We went to the Clark County Fair today and had a GREAT time! It's amazing to me though, that it cost $5 to park and $9 each to get in. $23 to even get in the door. That's gotta be the freakin' most expensive corn dog in the entire universe. But it was SO GOOD!!! Yum - and my favorite - that crunchy little part on the stick. MMmmmmm. I even left a voice mail telling my trainer how good it was. He's been trying to talk me out of eating a corn dog for two weeks. Do you know what's IN those things??? Whatever. It was delicious. Then we had strawberry funnelcake with whipped cream, some cheddar cheese kettle corn, and later some bbq chicken complete with roll, grilled corn, baked beans and cole slaw. Well, hubby at the beans and slaw. Not my favorite. Then some caramel kettle corn for dessert. Sadly, we were too full/sick for elephant ears. And I decided Ice cream could wait for another splurge week.

I got some neat beads, and a belly dancer belt that jingles, and some good info on a serger (sewing machine) that I hadn't considered before.

I just spent the rest of the evening trying to figure out the various brands/models to decide what to 'test drive'. This is the sewing equivalent of a tri bike. It is possible to spend a freakin' fortune, but there's a lot of options middle of the road. I'm no good at this shopping thing, and like bikes, it's best to test drive them. Of course 4 brands means 4 shops none of which are near each other. I shouldn't complain about a new toy, but I want to play with it right now, not shop for it. :) Do I have to turn in my girl card for not liking shopping?