Suddenly, It's Spring!

Friday was just as sunny as today was, but after work at 1pm, all I did was come home, have a great big turkey sandwich for lunch, play with my niece and nephew in my room (they are over for the weekend, so my sister and bro-in-law can have a holiday) and do more planning for the New England trip. After the kids went to bed, we watched "A Good Year" (2006, Russel Crowe) from Netflix. It was alright... "rich guy finds out there's more to life".

Today, however, I wanted to experience the cool (probably 60's) sunshine all day long. After a big breakfast with the whole family, and after I digested a bit and read in the whale book, I got ready and went for a 20 mile bike ride on the Burke-Gilman Trail, starting in Woodinville and ending at Matthew's Beach park in Seattle. I love going north on the Burke... all those hills in Bothell really burn. :) It took me roughly 45 minutes each way (10 miles). I had been thinking of turning around sooner than Matthew's Beach, but I decided to keep going until the record I was listening to (on a tiny mp3 player... lol) completed it's run. It finished just as I put my toes in the water! So I sat there on some grass right on the sand watching the ducks swim by for about 20 minutes. I drained my water bottle as soon as I got off my bike. It was brilliant sunshine, so my legs started to warm up after being chilled by the breeze from biking. I was wearing my athletic pants that only go to my knees.

It was just time for lunch with everyone when I got home around 1pm, so I made another ginormous turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomato and cheese. But I also wanted to go ride my horse today, so right after lunch I changed into some jeans and headed for the hills. I forgot to mention how I could see all the Cascade Mountains clear as anything while on my bike... I got to see them a lot closer as I drove to Carnation. I sang loudly with Rich Mullins on the gorgeous drive over "Sing your praise to the Lord, come on everybody, stand up and sing... one more, hallelujah! Sing your praise to the Lord..." (it's classic Christian from the '80's... it makes me happy). When I got to our friend's house, I couldn't believe my eyes! Directly east of the pasture, where there had been forest before, suddenly there was nothing but a clear view of the Cascades, much closer! Apparently, Weyerhaeuser had logged a few weeks ago... so now, instead of feeling a little closed in in the pasture, now there is a grand view of the mountains, like we used to have to ride a half-hour to go see! Roo was a bit of a brat, both during hoof-picking and riding, but we fought our way through it and I won. :) As a reward for finally listening to me, I took him outside the ring to where there is some nice, long, bright green grass. And he loved it. :)

I was with the horses for about an hour, fighting and riding. The drive back home was just as wonderful as the drive over. Upon returning, I read a bit in Meg's dissertation (I'm making it through it! Only one more chapter!) and then my parents were taking the kids to a park in Kirkland... so I went with them... I walked the dog around a bunch and then played with the kids... and right now, back home and after a bit to eat... I am wiped out. :)

Jp