Rugged Weekend

Mom had some of our old family photos scanned... going through them and dreaming up goofy captions will be a fun ongoing project! This one seemed fitting for me this weekend.

   It has been a very rugged weekend... I crammed for yesterday's race on Friday night (training in advance is for sissies) by doing laundry, mowing the lawn, and carrying 600 lbs. of top soil.
   Saturday I got my Rugged on, and changed into dry clothes in an attempt to get warm. Then I came home, changed into hiking clothes, wolfed down some leftover pizza, grabbed the dogs and drove all the way BACK to Weston to meet up with Joni, Wager, Kip & Asher; and Susan, Mark, Louie & Zeba for a 4 mile hike at Weston Bend State Park. It was an absolute gorgeous day, despite being cool (low 40s), and despite the peak leaf color being last weekend. Our pack of 4 people & 7 dogs had a blast!
   Then we all ran to our respective homes and changed clothes (I had more costume changes than Beyonce!) and met up at Saigon 39 for a feast. I had worked up a pretty good appetite, and devoured a bowl of rice noodles with spring rolls and dumplings. YUM.
   Today my plan is/was to relax... But the weekend is my best chance to get some things done, too. And I'm surprisingly not sore, other than my poor, poor adductors (riding that mechanical bull pre-race might not have been the smartest idea).
   After I spread all that soil in the backyard in an attempt to even out the grade, then walked the spreader around to put down a layer of weed & feed. It is truly amazing how much of the grass—and weeds—survived this summer's drought. Nature really is incredible, and the plants bounced right back after a couple of good rains this fall. On top of that, the cilantro seeds that I planted back in May that never germinated... finally germinated! I had been crossing my fingers & watering them all summer, but really thought it to be a lost cause. But last week they sprouted! What a treat—late season cilantro for salsa & Thai dishes (thanks to Allyson & Scott for the seeds!). 
   I washed my Rugged clothes 3 times to get all the mud out, and did another load of clothes and 2 of bed linens. Tonight I shall rest my weary body in a clean, fluffy bed, with added electric blanket and down comforter to combat chilliness. And won't I have deserved it!  :)