the year that was and other stuff...

Remember that scene in the movie Notting Hill where Hugh Grant's character is walking through Portabello market, walking through the seasons? Bill Withers singing in the background...ain't no sunshine when she's gone...it's not warm when she's away...



The scene is a good description of how I feel just now...only without the sorrowful dejectedness. This past spring I started walking (figuratively) and now I look around me and it's fall. Already. Where did spring and summer go? What all have I missed over the past several months when, with so much going on, I had to remind myself to breathe?

It's been a long year--in so many ways, yet at the same time blessed beyond merit. A landmark year.

This weekend marks the final race event of the season. Of course then we start planning for next year. But this time around I won't be the rookie. And while I feel like this is the job I've spent most of my adult life training for, it hasn't been without it's frustrations and stresses. However, having spent a good deal of time over the past nine months basically building my own training manual, I have a feeling planning and executing next year's race season will go much smoother--even though we are adding a fifth Little-Big Adventure (adult/child team triathlon). Then there's the bit about the woman who signs my paychecks being pregnant and due next summer. We've basically cleared the month of June but I'm sure my job description is about to morph into Take Over Whatever Needs to be Done so Baby can be fed. I can handle that.

So here it is Fall again. My baby girl has a birthday right around the corner. She refuses to listen to our kind request to not grow so fast. Halloween costumes are just about done. There are a couple of pumpkins on the front steps...more will follow, I'm sure. Jacob's class enjoyed their first field trip--though to his great disappointment he didn't get to ride the bus since his dad had the audacity to volunteer as a chaperon and drove our car. But they have a trip to the pumpkin patch in a couple of weeks and we promised him he could ride the bus then.

Sean's off again to another school next week. At least this time it's only for a week and he'll only be a couple hours away. I have some things to catch up on--obligations made that have been pushed to the back of the line--enough to keep me busy for the week. And then his family is descending for a visit. That's always fun. One can always hope for a drama free week.

Due to this and that I've realized I won't be able to join friends on the Appalachian Trail for this year's Cancer Takes A Hike. I'm sad about that. I miss my friend and I was looking forward to the time on the trail to just Be.