I AM alive! (and survived - mostly)

Holy Cow!

I'm back - well, almost. My current locale is back on Bainbridge Island, Washington - but (hopefully) within 48 hours, I'll be home for good in California.

The past two weeks since Coeur d'Alene have really flown by - with the recovery week in Seattle/Bainbridge and then the Alaskan cruise... well....it's been a bit much. And I really don't feel like myself at all - out of sorts, is the best way to put it. But to keep things simple and convenient, I'll supply a handy list of things I learned.

And before I forget... my race report is mostly written. I just need to tweak it here and there, and then find time to upload it from my computer. Yes, I'm willing to go all out and spend oodles of money on all-things-tri-related, BUT, paying the astronomical internet fee on the cruise ship...well....that's another story.

Sit back and enjoy!

Things I've learned (brief list!):

-I'm not a cruise person. Post to follow later. Next time Nathaniel and I visit Alaska, we'll do it with a back pack on our backs, good hiking boots, and bush plane ticket in hand. Yeah.

- Massive vats of oatmeal are just gross. And wrong. I miss my steel cut oats and good old fashioned Quaker Oatmeal. So does my GI tract.

- I would rather hike up the mountain than take a tram. So we did (me + Nathaniel). However, the beer sampler, Alaskan beers on tap, and dinner at the top of Mount Robers in Juneau were wonderful. And we gladly took the tram down to the base.

- A man in uniform will attract lots of attention, especially from women in their 40s, 50s, and 60. After wandering the 7th floor deck of the ship in search of my lost mother, I came upon a photo frenzy involving my husband. Yes, Nathaniel was wearing his dress blues and did indeed look dashingly handsome. And apparently, every other woman on the cruise ship thought so too. I caught him, slightly dazed, posing for random pictures with very inebriated people. Yeah.

-My sister is in love. I'm totally serious. And every time she spoke with her boyfriend, she either called him "Baby" or "Honey". If you were to substitute a 'ding' for every time you heard the Baby or Honey word, the conversation would be extremely difficult to follow.

-There are 113 stairs from the 5th level of the cruise ship to the 14th level. I know - I counted. Several times.

-I enjoy beer samplers. Not LOTS of beer. But just a sampler - I like to experience them all. The Alaskan Brewing Company was my favorite.

- Usually (and please don't take offense), the more obese or larger crowd sat closer to the buffet, while the more-normal and non-hefty folks sat further away. Hhhhmmmmmmm.........

-I am tired of being offered jewelry from Eastern European women who worked on the ship. Yes, they may be attractive and have cute accents, but I'm not falling for it. And no, my fingers don't look good with opal on them. No matter how many times you try to tell me and my husband.

-Kayaking is fun. I enjoy being on the water and doing all-things-sporty. BUT. But. But since being an uber-compeditive rower who was very sensitive about taking the straightest line possible, being in ANY sort of water craft that doesn't take the straightest route is not fun. I'm working on it...and luckily Nathaniel was a good sport.

-If the just-baked-chocolate-chip cookies are set out, herds of people devour a stack of 50 in less than 60 seconds. You need to watch, wait, and pounce and JUST the right time. Not that I did any of this, of course.... Okay - you got me. Nathaniel and I waited one time for said cookies. And they were delicious. And then we took the stairs.

-I love Alaska. But I think I saw it the wrong way. While wandering the streets of Ketchikan after hiking up Deer Mountain, I inquired about some pottery. The store owner asked if I was visiting on a crusie, and I found myself apologetically answering, "yes! But I'm here with my parents...."

- We all know I love peanut butter and chocolate. Give me a peanut butter cup and I'm happy. Make me walk all over town to find the biggest and the best, and GAME ON. And I've got the photographic evidence to prove it.

-I get sea sick in seas over 10+ feet. Thank god I don't drink that much - it would have been ugly. Really ugly.

-It took me about 9 days until I decided I was happy that I'm signed up for IM Hawaii and IM St. George. I've got the itch to get training and get back to my life. And I'm really happy with what I do!

-Physical activity is important for me - so as long as I'm active or doing something, I'm happy. Hence the 113 steps between the 5th and 14th level. After 3 days at sea, I was a little stir crazy.....

-Swimsuit tan lines and ball gowns = ugly combination.

-But put a Man in Uniform next to you, and no one notices. Again - more photographic evidence.

-I love spending time with my family, but its always good to have a break now and again (hence climbing Mt. Roberts instead of taking the tram. The things we do.....)

And yes - the list could go on and on (and on). But it won't.

I'm just happy to be back to the continental US, with only one more leg of the journey to complete until I get home. Fingers crossed, in 48 hours I'll be playing with the House Monster and Mini Monster, sitting in my own bed, eating a bowl of oatmeal and greek yogurt, with Nathaniel reading at my side, a book open on my lap, and Le Tour on in the back ground. Aaaahhhhh yes, I can already hear Phil and Paul's voices in the background.

Where do I sign up?