I've neglected to post some of the funny stories from last weekend b/c I wasn't ready to be over the trip yet. But now that I'm over the initial homesickness that always accompanies a trip home, I'm ready to talk!
We really had a fabulous time. Shauna picked me, Anne and Susan up at the airport, and even surprised us by coming inside to the gate area. We all walked down to the baggage area together, looking outside at how the air was shimmering from the sheer heat of it all (dreading walking outside). The site of the first hilarity was actually at baggage claim. We're all standing around waiting on our luggage--when I was prompted (by some random something someone said) to bend over and "shake a tailfeather." Almost immediately, I see everyone's eyes open in shock! Especially Anne who in slow-motion is reaching for me with this crazy look in her eye. I mean, I've never been an exception "tail-feather-shaker"...but I'm having a hard time figuring out what's going on. Until I see that all the girls aren't really looking at me...but at a spot not far behind me, right about butt level. I turn around, and an old man--at least mid-80's, is in a wheelchair, his face NOT SIX INCHES FROM MY REAR END. I've just shaken a tail-feather in an old man's face. Literally. I'm understandably overwhelmed at this point. I can't decide whether to cry or laugh, or both. So I apologiz over and over--and he says, "Don't worry! I've seen that before! Well, not THAT one! But I have seen it before!" To which his wife begins loudly and obviously showing her distaste for us. Well, me. It was so funny. And humiliating. And high-larious. But hopefully, it made that old man's day!
After the airport, we went to Fellowship North to pick up Taido's sweet bike for the race. Got to see Craig and Donna Hall. While I was chit chatting, Shauna showed the girls around the church. Then we went to a fancy pants restaraunt for lunch, Adelotte's in NLR--had a fancy salad, drove around to our old dog-town haunts then headed for the River Market. We weren't there long when I talked to Parker and he begged us to come home--so we did. On the trip from LR to Arkadoo, was another funny moment. Shauna and I were telling stories about our friend, Lorena, who is originally from Mexico. And how she used to say "went all over it" instead of "went all the way down it"--as in "I went all over the street" instead of "I went all the way down the street." Get it? Anyway, we're chatting it up about funny Lorena stories, when Shauna says: "Yeah, she doesn't use principles." I said, "Principles? What do you mean, principles?" She says, "You know, principles like 'the' or 'as' in her sentences". I proceed to shoot coke out of my nose. She meant "participles." Does anyone else see the irony in that?? So funny.
We proceed to Rogers casa--where we arrive to hamburgers being cooked. We had dinner and play with my mom, dad, Parker, Jeff, Lori, Landon, Granny, Barbara, Melanie, Bailey, me, Shauna, Anne and Tango. It was CRAZY. We had a blast. Lots of chatting and eating. Lot's of playing cars w/ Parker. I took the girls and Parker on ride to the covered bridges on the Gator. We even put on our shorts and tennis shoes to have a race with Parker in the yard after supper. We spent the rest of the nite working on bikes in the shop and hanging out at Jeff and Lori's for a bit watching the baby crawl like a bandit, then chatting it up w/ Barb till late.
Saturday, Shauna and I got up early and hung out with my mom and Parker while Susan and Anne slept in late. My mom fixed chocolate gravy, drove thru OBU, we headed to HotSprings, walked around, ate, drove up the mountain, etc... Headed back to Arkadoo--stopped at the lake for a quick, lake-weed filled swim, back to the parentals where we cooked dinner and lounged before going to be fairly early.
Sunday, got up at the crack of dawn for the race. Packed, headed to DeGray and set up in the transition area. We were all tired and edgy in the morning from a long weekend. We got a bit of a sketchy start Sunday morning, but by the time the race started, we were ready to go! I had a swim that I felt great about--and I think Susan did, too. Anne had an awesome swim--an awesome race, in fact. Especially considering she was on a too big bike! Susan and I did the bike ride together. Well, most of it, anyway! ;) We turned around a bit early after some technical difficulties. After the bike, Shauna jumped in and had a FABULOUS run for 1.6 miles straight up and back down Iron Mountain! Team "Bama Belles" had a great showing at the DeGray Lake Sprint Tri! Post race, we hopped in the water with Parker for a bit, then headed to TaMolly's for a last meal with the fam (minus Lori and Landon). We had a slight detour to WalMart after Shauna had a tire problem, the headed back to Dogtown where we visited with the Loibner's and took showers before Julie drove us back to the airport.
48 hours. I've been thinking about that 48 hours for at least 7 days now. Must've been good.
