Scrappy Hearts

Queen of the Hill

Today I participated in the Mullica Hill Women's Tri Club 3rd annual Queen of the Hill Triathlon. What an experience! Those of you that know me also know that I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, a morning person. That's why I have a love/hate relationship with athletic events, especially those that get me out of bed before 5am. But I can't help it, I love the sense of community that rallies around these types of events. Today was no different. I want to share just once of the many remarkable stories from today's event...

This is one of many "tri club " wonders that happened today but I just have to share.

Today a club member, Brenda Urban Caltabiano, gave up her swim to guide me through the lake. She waited for me. She came back when she noticed I was on my back. She directed me, encouraged me, and told me i could do it. She helped me swim through my fear and anxiety. She signed up to compete but was actually my "water angel".
This is what this club is about.
I also have to thank Kevin Banks for his support during a tough time. What a great man!
( So even though I was the last one out of the lake, I did better than last year. Last year I was too afraid to come to the lake.)

Congratulations to all the participants. I am proud to be a member of this awesome club!

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That's right, tomorrow is my first triathlon of the season. My alarm is set for 4:45am and my training buddy, Jackie, will pick Mark and I up at 5:15. I am packed and my fingers are crossed that I remembered everything. I am not a morning person so I needed to be sure I had it all done tonight.Hopefully everything made it into the bag. Here's hoping that I have it all!

I checked the tire pressure on my bike and that is also, good to go. Seems like the last thing I need to do is get a good nights sleep!

I have laid out my clothes and I am going to bed.Here's hoping that the weather stays calm, at least until noon!

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This is what I call a working lunch. Feet up, quilt in lap and the best view. I am busy trying to complete my chocolate hugs and kisses quilt. The last thing to do is finish hand-sewing the binding. So today, during my lunch break, I decided to sew. I am thinking that I will always prefer this kind of "working" lunch!

Just One More...

bike ride and one more run until my first tri of the season. I have been training since January and I am hoping that my due diligence pays off. It would be nice if I could go just a bit faster than my first tri. We will soon see!This photo was taken by Brightroom, the photographer on-site for the Danskin Tri.

Heading to the Beach

How I long to smell the salty breeze and feel the surf on my skin. Tomorrow I head to the beach for a couple of days of work. I just finished packing my bag and I believe I am ready!

The Best of Friends

My children found themselves together this evening in Queens. What a blessing they have in each other! Seeing them together just makes me happy.

Another One, Done

Today I finished hand-sewing the binding on my Shabby Chic quilt and I must say that I just love this quilt. It is just so "me"! I couldn't wait to put it on the bed.The pretty rose fabric I used for the backing is a favorite of mine. I think I have another three yards of the same fabric somewhere in my stash. The pattern used for this quilt is called Slash your Stash. I bought it as a kit at Calico and Cotton, the quilt store that had been in Ocean City. I am glad that it is finished, complete with a signature block!Now onto the next project. 

I still have one more quilt top that needs to be completed, just 30 more star blocks to make before the border can be added to the quilt. I also have one more binding that needs to be sewn. Actually, I did sew the binding on the quilt, now I just need to complete the hand sewing. I have til Sunday to finish these final two projects on my short list. I think I can do it!

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Today I needed to bike for 90 minutes according to our training schedule. Unfortunately, in my neighborhood, that means going around in circles quite a bit. Jackie and Alyssa were kind enough to include me in their training ride today. It was a great time!The girls picked me up and we drove to an area that is a bit more rural and has long, uninterrupted lengths of road. Jackie led the way with her sporty new road bike. She is a great navigator!There were a few hills on our journey and lots of great scenery. It was a great ride. My legs were sore after yoga and all the walking and stair climbing we did in New York yesterday. The soreness passed quickly and I was able to keep up with the young 'ins.The girls and I rode 20 miles at a leisurely pace, making it back to the car in about 90 minutes. 

Next stop, home and dinner. I had cooked a bit right after we went to the farmer's market this morning. For dinner there were stir-fried lima beans and sauteed zucchini over a whole grain rice along with a wonderful mixed green salad with roasted beets, caroots and radishes. Yum.Top off the day with a bit of sewing and a movie, I couldn't ask for a better day.

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"As a major celestial event, the Summer Solstice results in the longest day and the shortest night of the year. The Northern Hemisphere celebrates in June, but the people on the Southern half of the earth have their longest summer day in December. Awed by the great power of the sun, civilizations have for centuries celebrated the first day of summer otherwise known as the Summer Solstice, Midsummer."