Oh My Goodness...

This is going to take a long time to finish...

How do you eat an elephant?
One bite at a time.

Ships Passing

How many times have we watched opportunities sail right out of our lives?

Take A Moment

Out for a ride yesterday and we had to stop to see these chickens.

Love you like there is no tomorrow.
Love you like a chicken.... A lot of them.

Pictures From Snorkling

Relaxed and watched some fish in the water of off Castaway Cay. Imagine that... not only great activities to do on land, but under the water as well.

It took two days

It took two days of vacation for me to leave work behind. On the third day, I realized life is too short for such craziness. And I wished I had those two days back, work thought free.

I learned so much on that third day.

Jimminy Cricket!

An Earth Day Surprise Encounter! Disney sponsored a walk on Castaway Cay. Where for every participant the company made a donation to The Conservation Fund.

As Luck Would Have It

This is a Dream.

Life Is No Accident

Though unfortunately, accidents do happen.

Life isn't an Easy Pass

 But that's okay.  With trials and struggles  our boundaries are stretched and we grow. 

Did she have big plans?

Or did she see the student, the soldier, the need before her and made the singular decision to help?

I'm a coaster junkie

Even at middle age, I find out new things about myself. That sense of falling, of flight; it's a rush. Like bike riding, those first few pedals, when your body relaxes into routine.

Must ride. What will I learn in my 60s?

The Beggar Woman

One of my totally gorgeous niece's is playing the Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd this weekend at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield CT. Loved the play. Loved seeing her. She is the beggar woman, but she is so much more.

The lesson: We are all so much more than we appear. Oh so much more. Never forget that.

Do you see the progress?

It's slow, hopefully steady, as in life. Conscious effort and commitment.

New Beginnings

A fresh start. A new plan. A unique design. A never done before. Never will happen again. Once in a lifetime. Day.

The last of it

This is the last patch of snow still in our yard. I've been watching it melt for weeks. Wondering when its last day would be. Maybe today, tomorrow. Certainly we will be snow free by Saturday.

Finally

Done. And ready for its new home.

The Lessons Before Us

Prajna is a warrior, a hill fighter, pedal scrapper. I know she is fearful of the hills, but still she unflinchingly grinds upwards. Fighting tooth and nail for every summit. We are not on the younger side of life, but we are still living. Boston Brain Tumor Ride, May 17th, we are gunning for you. We will be ready for whatever you dish out. It's not a race; it's a ride.

To the top of Brimstone

Cycling is an amazing sport as it presents the rider with so many wonderful opportunities to reach down deep inside and push harder. Brimstone is one of those rides. And now it's done. I like Brimstone.

Boston Brain Tumor Training Ride

Everyone in this picture knows someone or more than one someone who died from brain cancer. We ride for them.

The Dawn Ride

First dawn ride of the season. A blessing on wheels.

Why?

A little ride is better than no ride at all. The weather isn't always going to be perfect. But bikes and clothes are washable. We went out for 45 minutes yesterday. Then home for two baths. Ruby first.

Boston Brain Tumor Ride

Yoda rides on my back as a reminder and inspiration. There is no try, only do. Success is only another attempt away. Repeat.

Police Line Up Photo

My dearest friend has a dog who cannot hear my name without going crazy. Mention Abuelita and off he will run to try and find me if I'm not in view. And when our paths do cross, well it's a love fest.

I've never known such crazy love. And I'm reminded that God loves us more. No jumping about facing licking, of which I'm not a fan. No trying to hold our hands in his mouth, which I've never experienced before the Gully. Just pure full on nothing held back love 24/7.

We have a new blog

My dearest friend and I are starting a new writing venture about our friendship and our cycling. Our address is https://rubyrubiroo.wordpress.com

As all of blogging and life it is a work in progress.

Do you see the blessing?

Got the opportunity to change a tube this morning. The opportunity to see that I can fix a flat; no worries.

Happy Easter

Do you get scared?

Rode 27 miles yesterday with a coffee stop at Karma. Very windy. Almost had the bikes blown out from under us. And I am nervous. Boston Brain Tumor Ride is May 17th. Sixty two miles, no coffee in 6 weeks. Is it too much too early in the season? Will we be ready? I'm scared.

Partners

Cycling partners are 2 in a billion.

Second Day

It's the second day in a row I've ushered in dawn out in the sugar shack. When you have sap to be boiled you have to find time around your busy schedule. I'm really lucky to be out here. It's so cool listening to the birds wake up.

First Road Ride of the New Season

Those are two very happy ladies.

Turning The World Upside Down

I was blessed with the opportunity to take over our Parish's Monday night 8th Grade religious ed class. The regular teacher had to bow out for the rest of the year. This was suppose to be my year off after teaching for six straight. But I couldn't sit by and have the class fold. So here we are learning about social justice and sin.

Anyone who knows me, knows I'm an unconventional teacher. Never on topic, but I'm trying with this class.

We do the cup song at the start of every class. To instill practice. They are getting better... I'm proud of them.

The students pay a fee to attend: One flip top off a soda can. To instill practicing small acts of kindness. We donate them to the Ronald MacDonald House in Springfield MA.

They have homework: Be kind at home. And be prepared to talk about it in class.

No books. I'm the only one reading in class. Class material and the second reading from the previous Sunday. No talking while I'm reading. It's a respect thing.

And we write letters to the parishioners to be published in the weekly bulletin. Much like the apostles... We tell them about what we are learning.

We watch YouTube videos huddled around my phone. Always standing room only.

There is usually candy, and we play musical chairs to Christian Rock: Chris Tomlin and finally football style huddle up for final prayer.

This past week we talked about why the high priests would feel threatened by Jesus and his teachings. I said, Jesus was taking the Jewish law and religion to a new level. He was viewed as a different type of prophet or rabbi. Testing their rules and giving them new ones based in love. He was showing them a whole new way to learn about and live their faith. The priests felt their hold in the people was slipping. They wondered who is this Jesus?

And here comes the kicker: One student said, it's just like how you teach this class. Wow... Imagine that. From a student I had no intention of teaching, except for this opportunity. Amazing. We only have three more classes. I will miss them.

A Shack With A View

All of life's opportunities have their own set of views.