Catch-up (in other words...too much to think of something clever)

Man, where do I start...

A *lot* has happened since I last posted.  D has left for Army training in Missouri for 5 months.  I turned 39.  Work has been busy.  I've been cycling more/running less (I need to reverse that a little).  And I am purchasing a new bike.

Now, there isn't much to say about D leaving.  It happens in military families.  I did it twice in the first three years of our marriage.  He was gone for a year while I was in nursing school.  5 months should be nothing, right?  Well, this time it was so much harder. 

In April, we will celebrate 8 years of being married.  And for the 4th time, we will celebrate apart.  And I think it really hit me this time.  I miss him, terribly.  And yes, people say I should be thankful that he's not in a warzone this time, it is very likely that he will once this school is finished.  And he wants to go.  And I will support him, as he supported me during my two combat tours.

A few days after D left, I turned the big 3-9.  And you know what, I was excited for it.  My 30s were awesome!  I met D.  I served honorably in the Army for 8 years.  I finally finished my nursing degree 10 years after I started.   I started running at 34 and have met a wonderful network of friends through it (and more recently, through cycling).  While D was not here to celebrate, one of my best friends with whom I *thought* I was having a quiet dinner, invited more of my close friends to celebrate with me at TRATA.  I don't think I can ever relay how much that surprise meant to me.  For this transplant, Rochester really felt like home.

"The Corporal's Breakfast"...essentially an Irish Car Bomb with bacon.

Oh.  My.  Cholesterol!  Buttermilk fried chicken with mashed taters!!!

Despite the blizzard on Friday (after working 3 nights in a row), I ventured out in my trusty Subaru to get fitted for a triathlon bike.  Now, the story behind this is interesting, to some. As some may know, my husband has a "hobby" in collecting large implement and equipment.  Think:  Backhoes, bulldozers, tractors.  And yes, this is silly when we live in the city.  But his thinking is that when we are ready to build on our land these will come in handy and save us money in subcontracting the house's foundation.  So, when he also purchased a used pickup truck (for a great price, I'll give him credit for that), I decided then and there that I needed to indulge in a toy myself.  After he did his test drive and asked if he could buy it, I said: "Sure, if I can get my tri-bike in time for next year's racing season."

And there you have it. 

I got fitted at Geneva Bicycle Center, and will pick up my new (two) wheels the first week in March.

And no doubt, I'll get more use out of it in the next four months than that bulldozer will!