But Then...We Always Have Fun

I spent the day in beautiful, historic Lewisburg, West Virginia,

with dear friends today.

Voted Coolest Little Town in the USA ... last year, I think?

It's where I lived for 20 years of my life.

All three sons were born there.

And I made lifelong friends.

So we reunite once a year...to remember.

We had lunch at her home.

She made us chicken salad and greens,

with fresh yummy bread from the bakery.

Home-baked pecan sandies for dessert...

(I only had one!)

Then we walked the quaint downtown streets,

shopped, talked, laughed,

oooh'd and ahhhh'd...

celebrating friendships.

Then dinner at Del Sol.

It was warm out, and we sat outside

and sipped Blue Moons

and chowed on their amazing pizzas...

I had Shrimp & Gouda pizza.

Oh.My.Yum.

And just as the sun was beginning to set,

we drove to the top of Kate's Mountain

adjacent to The Greenbrier Resort

and feasted our eyes...

I was lost in wonder at the views!

The New Orleans Saints Training Camp

at the base of Kate's Mountain

Beautiful way to end the day.

Showtime at the NPC Greensburg

We'd gone to the Irish Festival on Saturday,

September 6th, 2014.

He was weak, "white," and hungry 

BUT COMMITTED

I can remember when he was playing nose

for W&J

carrying about 65 extra pounds...

Is this really my son?

Where did he go?

Bring on the color!

Sportin his spray tan

after his check-in the day before showtime

He takes eating seriously

The well-developed calf

He showed me his STASH

for post-show pigout

Cracked me up that he was craving CEREAL?

And POPTARTS?

CHEETOS?

SUNKIST?

(I remember wanting Pretzel M&M's and Stacy's Pita Chips)

Hanging out with his Alaskan Malamute Phelen on show day

Backstage with him

He was having fun with the adrenalin rush of the stage

(Proud mom lookin' on from the audience at her handsome son)

 The finalists!
His first NPC
4th Place Men's Open Bodybuilding
3rd Place Novice
3rd Place True Novice

Posing with his Finalist Sword

  The Finalists

SO PROUD TO BE A PART OF THIS MOMENT

WITH HIM

HIS FIRST NPC

And it WON'T be his last!

Summer's Last Dance - FNL

(via Deathofastylist - Tumblr)

This is called:  Clinging to Summer

This look so appeals to me.

Give me the sexy ripped & faded jeans

the neutrals

the light-n-comfy casual layers

the sandals

and I am in uniform.

Primed for all call of duty.

It's right on the edge,

fleeting,

summer grudgingly conceding

to share stage time with fall.

Summer has been good to us this year.

I'll give it the honor of several curtain calls.

The Pittsburgh Irish Festival

We spent most of last Saturday at the 2014 Pittsburgh Irish Festival.  The day was hot and muggy, but we had loads of fun. Irish music, Irish food and beverages, dancing, marketplace, Irish dog exhibits (HUGE dogs!).  My youngest son and I both bought hats.  I can't believe he wanted that top hat -- and it WASN'T cheap!

(Poor Gavin...

the day before his NPC competition, 

so food & beverages were off limits)

My hat.  Love.

One of my favorite things was sitting down by the river, listening to the Irish bands.  The atmosphere was inviting, lively and electric, an instant boost to one's mood.  Everyone just seemed so ... well, happy.  But then that's what one might expect from the Irish, me thinks?

  The canopy of trees provided (some) respite from the heat.

 Gotta have a T-shirt

Even when

they have nothing the

Irish

emit a kind of happiness, 

a joy.

~ Fiona Shaw

Climactic Splendor

All that glitters...

Imagination

Morning Ramblings & Restoration

The alarm (barking dogs) goes off.  And I think to myself, No!  Not yet.  I want to finish this dream...Yeah, right, it's not even a good dream...but I'm sleeping so good....just...let...me...lay...here.......

Next thought:  I could just skip today and go to the gym tomorrow ... And then that very loud and annoying voice in my head screeches:
GET 
YOUR ASS UP 
AND YOUR BODY VERTICAL.

Surely everyone in the neighborhood heard that rude and nasty voice.

Grumbling to myself, I head to the bathroom to pee...so thirsty...really thirsty...so tired...where's the coffee...one thought bleeds into another in one big blur.

I grab my gym gear, clothes, shoes, etc., all packed into a small carry bag to make it easier to descend the stairs at dark-thirty without tripping and falling and waking up everyone in the house.

Heading downstairs, I notice the thick layer of condensation on the windows. Ugh.  More of the same mugginess again today...for how many days now?...okay, enough, I'm so over this mugginess...fall weather would be really nice about now.

Feeling a noticeable soreness in my back muscles, I'm reminded of yesterday morning's deadlifts.  My first internal smile of the day.  Yes.  This is good.  My motivation is reinforced, reminding me of why I'm awake at this hour.

I head straight to the coffee pot.  I drink two full glasses of water, take my B complex, my 7 Keto DHEA and my black cohosh.  I pour my coffee, add my fat-free half-n-half...blending it, the creamy white fusing with the dark and rich coffee...such a pretty color...it makes me happy.  Drinking my Jolt of Goodness, I think to myself:  I'd like a leather purse this awesome shade...the ones I've pinned on Pinterest...any of those will do just fine...

I head to the bathroom and splash my face with cool water, then stare at myself in the mirror.  I really don't like mirrors at this hour.  Grimacing, I look away and put on my gym clothes and shoes.

I stretch.  It feels wonderful...the tension willingly leaves my body ... It will be mostly cardio today, I say to myself, feeling bloated from the mindless picking at leftovers we brought home from the Labor Day picnic at my nephew's.  Always too much food at gatherings, always leftovers.  It's the reckless, shortsighted munching of those leftovers... just a bite of this, just a bite of that...okay, so another bite...and then just a sliver...it all adds up to a lethargic fog, a waddle effect.  I gotta pull in the reins the rest of the week, very tight, very low carbs ... rid myself of this extra water retention.  Something tells me I won't see a loss on the scale again this week.  And if I don't, who do I blame?  Moi.

Time for a quick check of emails, followed by my daily devotions and scripture.  God's Word rains down on my mind and heart, washing away the weariness and filth ... feeding me with clarity ... like rain to a wilted and tired flower ... and I'm restored and strengthened with hope.

I begin to pray.  The Windham Hill station on Pandora plays softly in the background as I talk with God.  The gentle music slows me down, allowing me to totally bleed out my heart to Him, stripping away the pretense and rhetoric, calling forth my utmost genuine praise and thanksgiving, releasing the grip on my fears and my worries. The amazing power of music... filling the empty pauses of our lives when words either can't or won't form... when words sometimes just are not enough.

I prepare my BCAA's in my water bottle, grab my keys, my gym bag, and switch off the lights just before heading out the door.  It is dark out, the air heavy, the stillness invigorating.  I'm thankful to be awake.  My mind is clear and made up.  I am resolved.  It is a new day.