cruisin'

In both meanings of the word.... ;-)

Even tho it's only May, and weekends for the most part haven't been that great, we've still been on the bike quite a bit. We signed up for three dif "poker runs," to use the generic term. One ride is the Kilbourn Firebell Run for a Fire Dep't in Wi Dells: The Firebell Run is a road rally where participants have the whole summer to visit 60 individual stops across Southern Wisconsin. Participants drop off a ticket at each of the stops along the route for a chance to win Cash Prizes. The more stops they visit, the more chances they have to win! Our bike club is having its annual tour: The 2007 Circle Tour is the Colors of Wisconsin. Wisconsin has many towns with "colorful" names, so stops will be in some of those towns. There are two loops, each with 6 stops. Each loop covers approx 300 miles from the metro Milwaukee area. And third is a different GWRRA chapter's run: The Coordinates tour has 20 locations listed by GPS coordinate (and latitude/longitude). Find each location and answer the questions listed. If you count that up, it's 92 stops that we will be making around Wisconsin (most in the southern half)... we are about 1/3rd of the way done already. And to make that better, we have done the stops that are furthest away. Greg has been creating rides for us to hit these stops in an organized manner, and apparently three more day rides and we'll be done! wow!! Then what'll we do / where will we go on the bike??!!

In the other sense of the word cruisin'... as I posted, I have really missed taking a ship cruise this year. But now I have something to look forward to. We just booked a cruise for next January. Yes, it's a long time away. But yay!! I still get that happy feeling just knowing it's booked. We'll be taking Carnival Destiny from San Juan to: St Thomas, Dominica, St Kitts, Barbados, and La Romana (Dominican Republic). Altho we've done most of these stops, that's ok, they're all good places, haven't been in a few (or more) years. In St Thomas we'll probably ferry over to St John, since we haven't been there yet. And La Romana will be interesting, we haven't been there yet (we did goto Punta Cana, Dominican Rep, but it was a 4 day all-inclusive, and we just stayed at the resort). We pull into La Romana at 3pm one day and don't leave until 5pm the next, so there is plenty of time to see quite a few things, and even experience some nightlife off the ship. I'm not sure yet what we'll be doing at the other stops, but I have plenty of time to figure that out. Right now I'm just so dang excited to have a cruise booked. YAY!!! And we got SUCH a deal - we paid approx $485 pp (inc tax/fees) for a 7 day cruise. And because Carnie was offering a free upgrade special, we have the top level of inside cabin, which is currently being sold for $639 (PLUS tax/fees). And we picked a cabin that is larger than most inside cabins, which are large on Carnie anyway. Instead of 185 sq feet, our cabin is 220. But yes, there is a downside - we are directly underneath the gym - so we'll hear pounding on the treadmills in the morn, unless we wear earplugs. And then another aspect - our cabin is a handicapped room, which is why it's bigger... so then my question - if they have people who need a handicapped room - will they request us to give up our room? If yes, would they offer a better room (window or balcony) or give shipboard credits? Either way would be a win/win for us. So anyway... we'll see. We have a cruise booked, and the itinerary is great, and that's what matters!!

and time marches on

goodness, how time marches on... I can't believe how long it's been since I updated cyberspace. lol

So high (and low?) points:

I turned 40 this year. That sucks. I guess it really hasn't been the hardest bday for me - my 25th was kinda traumatic. I threw a party for myself - it was officially a volleyball party, but just about everyone knew it was for my bday, so there were decorations and a cake (Dean and Karen - I will get you back!), and some prezzies. We played vball for around 4 hours pretty much straight, then had a great chicken dinner. 'Twas lots o' fun!

We didn't take a cruise this year, and no plans to do so. I miss that!

Oh, the U.P. ski trip in Feb was GREAT! I actually skiied all three days, a first for me (due to my back probs). so yahoo! and the best part - I tried tree skiing. What? - you ask. OMG It is so much fun. Of course I had no clue what I was getting into when I followed Greg into the trees the first time. Ok - an explanation. In downhill skiing, between the runs are wooded/treed areas. Well some fools (heehee) make paths thru the trees, and then other fools (like us) go on those paths. Those paths are anything but straight, you have to weave in and around the trees. And they're anything but flat, you go over tree roots and shrubs then drop down, you go thru ditches, etc. And the path is literally one person wide, so no room to really slow down or stop. So you just go flying on down the hill, back and forth, up and down, bumpity bump, 90 degree turn, lol, doing anything you can to keep your speed down. And as I said OMG it was so fun! After I made it down the first tree run alive and uninjured, I had to keep going back for more.

My friend Carrie and I started a yahoo group for our little group of scrappin' friends - we call ourselves the Outlaws. We didn't like the direction taken by some of the other larger groups that we did stuff with, so decided to head out on our own. And it's great. We all get along, there's no nit-picking, no childish behavior. woohoo!!! Anyway a few of us went on a weekend scrapbook retreat - we tagged along with another group. It was in the Dells, and the place was great, and most of the folks were fun. But there was a definite them and us - we didn't mingle much - so we've decided we prefer to try to do our own day and weekend retreats from now on.

Talkin' 'bout scrappin'... I'm going to another CKU. I really had decided not to go at all this year. Some of the Provo & Chicago dormies were meeting up in Anaheim, but that just didn't thrill me. And the timing was bad. Etc, etc. But for some reason, I really wanted to go to the one in Nashville in August. The timing is even worse. But I LOVE Nashville, and I *really* LOVE the Opryland Resort, which is where the event is being held. So I was grumbling to my bud Emily from WA state that I wanted to go, blah, blah, but "no one" was going. That was my excuse, you see. I had to have an excuse so I felt ok that I wasn't going. So what does my gf Emily say? "Oh well, that sounds fun, let me check with dh." Oh, NO! That isn't what she was supposed to say. And of course her dh said "sure, go" and then Greg said "sure, go" So we're going. And I emailed Carrie saying how great it would be if she could go, and that I probably shouldn't ask, but could she go... and YES, she's going to. woohoo!! And another friend of Emily's is going too. So the four of us are going to be roomies, and we're starting in dorm, just gotta find a few more folks for that. So I'm TOTALLY excited, I'm going to CKU, I'm going to Nashville, I get to see Emily, I get to spend lots of quality time with Carrie, I get to meet my new friend Becky... woohoo!!!!

ok, the other kinda big news in my mind... After years of not really wearing much for jewelry - I just keep my earrings in - but I always have worn rings to match my clothes... I got a few things from a company called Lia Sophia. And there were so many cool things in their catalog. And they have a lifetime warranty! So I decided to have a party, thinking maybe I could get a couple free things. omg You wouldn't believe it. I got over $400 worth of stuff for free. And other stuff at big discounts. I ended up with $900 retail and spent maybe $140. That rocked! But now I'm totally hooked on their stuff. Which I guess is good and bad. I look more "polished" now, with nice necklaces, bracelets, earrings, etc. But I've spent more money, and I know I'll keep spending it because their stuff is so cool. lol

well... that was kind of a brief (for the most part) synopsis of the last several months. yikes. Altho it was way busier than just that - with the usual volleyball, and now motorcycling, and lawn work, and for a while I was learning swing and lindy dance, etc. Life is always interesting, I gotta say that!