Changing It Up!

Reflecting over the past year, there has been so much change in my life. Falling in love... Moving from Seattle to Phoenix, to Glenwood Springs... Leaving my daughter, grandkids, Mom and siblings... Starting up the online store... Adapting to a new climate and elevation... Getting a job... Making new friends... Oh! How I have been stretched!

I have had my heart stretched until the scars on old wounds have fallen off and the heart underneath has become flexible again. I have had my boundaries stretched until I laid down those weapons of Distrust, Fear and Judgement and was able to fresh gain perspective from a beautiful new vantage point. My desire to "hold on" and "hold close" has stretched my arms and hands wide open...

Life in a small town, especially where tourism is the main industry, brings a myriad of people into your life - but some of them only for a short time. The gift of their friendship and laughter is something to be treasured, even if I never get to see them again. People just seem a bit more precious these days... extraordinary, unique and beautiful! Maybe it is just because I left my "home" that I become so easily attached to the ones that wander into my life now...?

Last Spring, we met Adam and spent an incredible summer of crazy fun dice games (and NO! I don't cheat!), driveway dance parties and enjoying the local fairs and music festivals. He is generous and kind with a wicked sense of humor. The first night I met him, he told me "You and me, we are going to be friends." And what a dear friend he has become! When he moved back to Indiana for a job in August, my heart was so sad.

Paul, a good friend of Peter's, and his son, Phil, moved into the mother-in-law apartment downstairs in our home this summer. There was such good energy having them here! The driveway was always busy with trucks coming and going, a steady stream of busyness and "man stuff" going on... dump trucks, tractors, broken cars being torn apart, and... Even a totally fun night of Phil playing the didgeridoo while I played the flute. They left two weeks ago now for Florida. The house seems so very quiet. I miss them and their little pug, Frank. My heart is sad.

A handful of the people I worked with for the past six months at Glenwood Hot Springs have left for work on the mountains... I miss them too.

I decided I really hate change. I know I should embrace change and the doors of opportunity that they open up... but I don't.

Change makes my heart sad. When I find new friends, I kind of want to keep them around...

Then, I watched this video last night by Sean Stephenson...

And I decided that I'm going to change it up! I'm going to have my very own little dance party every time my heart become sad! Because I agree, "Life is meant to be silly, not so serious!" Thanks, Sean, for this wonderfully uplifting video!

Change. I'm changing my thoughts on change and I'm going to get my groove on - dancing to the beat of a different drum! That's the drum of thankfulness - thankfulness for the people whom I have had the pleasure to become friends with - if even for just a little while. Because, you know what? They are worth celebrating! You are worth celebrating!

Salsa'n the Blues Away,
-Cheryl

Phat Fish

I have noticed a subtle change in my thinking over the past year... A new appreciation of how precious Life is - but not just human life, but a deep appreciation for every creature, every plant, every tree, even the water that flows through the rivers and the stars that are scattered across the night sky. The list is endless. One cannot exist without the others. Perfectly created, our world is.

Having placed a greater emphasis on my physical health over the past 18 months, I am beginning to appreciate more and more how magnificent the human body is. Closing my eyes and being enveloped by the sensations that surround me - the warmth of the sunshine streaming through the window and the way it warms my cheek; the crackle of the fire burning in the fireplace; the lingering smell of freshly brewed coffee. How I love to embrace these gentle moments of awareness! When I stretch out my legs, I can feel the strength flowing - from fueling my body with the nutrients it needs and giving my body the exercise it desires. How beautiful the human body is! 

Earlier in the year, we adopted 30 gold fish to live and play in our three ponds. With the weather beginning to change and continuing cold temperatures at night, I watched our ponds freeze over. Back in Seattle, I knew that goldfish could survive the winters in semi-shallow ponds... but not here in Colorado. I watched the fish swimming slowly back and forth under the ice, their food supply diminishing. I was impressed with their desire and ability to survive under such extreme conditions. My heart stirred... 

Having placed them in these ponds, my heart tugged that it was my responsibility to continue to care for them - when they could not care for themselves any longer. So, off to Walmart I went and purchased a $12.99 10 gallon tank, rocks and a fish net. I was not quite sure how many goldfish had survived the past 6 months, but I was ready to begin fishing for my fish.

Donning rubber gloves, I began to tackle the bottom patio pond. It had an ice covering of about 1 - 2 inches thick. The edges were able to be broken off, and I was then able to get the larger ice pieces up out of the water and, leveraging it on the edge of the pond, flip it onto the ground. It shattered into a thousand pieces, like broken glass.

Running the pump, the water spilled out and the pond began to drain. Capturing one, then two, then three fish... taking them inside and placing them in the tank. The rescue continued, slowly but surely, until every last one was captured. 

The large heart shaped yard pond proved a bit more challenging... draining the pond took a lot longer, and the rescue couldn't begin until the water was down enough to walk in the pond itself. It was dusk before the fish were caught... They were bigger, stronger and faster... and had more places to hide! But, persistence paid off and all were safely rescued.

We began counting... 19, 20, 21, 22.... Wait, start again.... How many fish do we have now?

Whereas the life of a fish is greatly dismissed as "insignificant", there was a gentle satisfaction in reaching out and helping these little guys. Just like us, they too are amazing and magnificent creatures - beautifully created, swift, strong and vibrant. I believe they deserve to live, breath and be - just as much as you and I do.  To me, that is the beauty of Life itself... the connectedness between every living being. 

Phat (noun): great, wonderful, terrific

So I sit here this morning, a smile playing on my lips, as I watch my phat goldfish frolic in their bowl. I am thankful for their little lives and the pleasure they bring me, and I know they are thankful for their new home and the hand that feeds them. One day next spring, I will set them loose again to roam around in a larger pond... but for today, we shall enjoy each other's company - living together in peace, love and H2O harmony.

Lovin' my Phat Fish,

-Cheryl

Washing Dishes

There are some things in life that I really.... really... really have a hard time being excited about doing. Most things are really no problem... but there are a few that I really struggle with. One of them is washing dishes. I don't think it's because I am lazy because I "enjoy" (cough, sputter) other household chores - dusting, vacuuming and mopping, even cleaning the bathrooms. So, what is it about doing the dishes that I find so difficult?

This morning, as I was MAKING MYSELF wash the pots and pans, I began thinking about my yoga practice and how I have an aversion to the difficult poses. However, as I have gradually learned over the past year, quieting my mind against the "chatter of self-defeating words" and relaxing into the pose, I have found myself able to become a pretzel for moments at a time in poses that I was previously not able to do.

Likewise, there have been hills I have hiked with steep elevation gains that were difficult for me to keep going on... And again, I found the "chatter of self-defeating words" filling my head! How frustrating is that?!? There have been bike rides where the headwinds were so strong that I felt like I wanted to stop my bike and quit riding - Just because the "words in my head" said it was too difficult.

"chatter of self-defeating words": This is too hard. I don't want to do this. I am uncomfortable. I don't like this. I  just want to go home. I'm a Princess and I like soft and cuddly things. 

When I find these awful words crowding my mind, I guess in that moment I have a choice: To entertain each one and let them invite their friends Quitter, Frustration and Agitation over too OR I can choose to begin focusing on my breathing - in and out - and breathing in Thankfulness for...  a roof over my head; good food to eat and dishes to eat it off of; hot water to wash the dishes in; the breathtaking scenery that the Master Artist created for me to explore; a body that is healthy and strong; a heart that is willing to love; and the strength of will to be able to make these choices of Gratitude... and breathing out the discomfort, the struggle and the frustrations of the moment.

So, I guess, with this beautiful revelation awakening within my heart this morning... washing the dishes wasn't so bad after all.

Happy Suds,
-Cheryl

Little Steps

It is an extraordinary experience to take a hike at a child's pace... I have covered many miles of the surrounding trails over the past six months, but never at the pace that I have during the past two days. There is something about being in the presence of a child that reawakens the wonderment of each moment encountered. 

On Sunday, Grandson and I invited our Friend, Nava, to join us and we ventured up the Grizzly Creek trail.  Today, Grandson and I hiked up the back of our property.

 What made these marvelous moments so amazing? Let me count the ways...

We took time to...

Wave at the river.

Point and watch the airplanes that cross the sky.

Look at the snails on the side of the trail.

Throw rocks in the river.

Look at the pretty purple flowers.

Look at the pretty yellow flowers.

Smile for the camera.

Wave at Mount Sopris.

Yell.

Sing.

Jump over rocks.

Run.

Stop. Go! Stop.

Pretend to be a backpack.

Smile for the camera again! 

 

Fall down and get hurt, but become easily distracted by a caterpillar. Then, hold the caterpillar.

Eat a picnic. 
Then tell the picnic table "Bye Bye!"

Wave at the butterflies.

Take time for a hug.

Stand on a tree stump.

Pose for another picture.

Build a rock cairn.

Knock the rock cairn down.

Count mud puddles.
Look at the rocks in the river.

Try to catch a grasshopper.

Throw more rocks.

Wave to the clouds.

Climb on rocks.

Let Grandson take a picture.

Share a smile.

Watch ants cross the path.

Use our trail manners and stand on the side of the trail to let other hikers pass by. And then be thanked for being a gentleman!

Climb a hill.

Look at a beautiful waterfall.

Put our fingers and toes in the cold water.

Hold hands.

Yawn.

  Point to the trees.

 Look at the sky.

Enjoy just being together, doing whatever...

Get excited to go home and share all about what we saw on our Grand Adventures.

Life is always good when taken one little step at a time... I am thankful for the gentle reminder of how sweet THIS moment is and every other little moment that follows.

Takin' it Slow,

-Cheryl

Oh, Yes I Can!

I have always loved the feel of the wind in my face - from riding with the windows down; racing down the lake in the boat; skiing down the snowy slope; standing outside on a windy day; running my horse; sleeping with the window open; to riding a bike.  The caress of the wind against my cheek is almost always sure to bring a smile to my face!

Getting home from work one day in last July, I sat for the better part of three hours in the shade of a big oak tree watching Kevin Horch finish building my new bike. She began to take shape... from the gears, pedals, brakes to the new handle bars with black speckled tape. However, sadly, a few parts were missing... So, the maiden voyage was waylaid.

Riding a road bike is really different... I was certainly apprehensive about the whole being "clicked in" thing, where your feet are stuck to the bike pedals. It just doesn't seem right to be stuck to something... However, the day was quickly approaching when I would get to experience this.  My darling boyfriend told me, "Don't worry.  You will fall once, and then you will never fall again.  You will remember to un-click before stopping." Hummmm.... sounded like fun. NOT!

It was kinda exciting shopping for my riding equipment at Sunlight Ski & Bike Shop. Let's see... there were the Pearl Izumi bike shoes. The bike shirt which has pockets in the back to put stuff in like chap stick, your phone, and other stuff. The "diapers" which are bike shorts with much appreciated padding to help cushion the girl parts. And, the Hoo-Ha lotion which helps... never mind. And lastly, the cute helmet with brown and pink paisley flowers on it. I was ready to ride!

A new bike is worth grinning from ear-to-ear!

Growing up, my parents never placed much importance on good sporting equipment... my first bike didn't even have a seat on it. And the 10-speed that I inherited in Junior High came with a rusted chain and brakes that barely worked. So the anticipation of getting this new bike was really quite a thrill for me!

My sweet red bike was finally ready in early August and off we headed out to ride the Glenwood Canyon Bike Trail. The trail heads out East along Interstate 70 and the Colorado River and offers the most beautiful scenery of the majestic river flowing below the steep canyon walls. We rode out to Grizzly Creek and back, which was a fantastic12 mile ride. On the way back to Glenwood Springs, we stopped at the Glenwood Canyon Resort which is about half-way back down the trail. Sitting at their outside bar, we enjoyed the sunshine, beautiful scenery of the Colorado River and a well deserved beer to celebrate!

Peter and Cheryl at Glenwood Canyon Resort

It was a little confusing for me to figure out the gears.. High gear, low gear, spinning, cadence? Huh? There is a big gear, a middle gear, and a little gear in the front. Then, in the back there are five different gears... And somehow, you push the smaller black lever with the right hand to make the back gears go from easier to harder. By pushing the silver big lever, it makes the gears go from harder to easier. (So, is that going up or down?!?) Then, with the left hand by pushing the small black lever it makes the front gears go from biggest to littlest or push the silver big lever and the gears go from littlest to biggest. So... the smaller the gears, the easier it is to "spin" or pedal and, as far as I can understand, this is considered a "high cadence". I simply have had to put this all into my own language... Big gears make you pedal harder but you go farther faster. Little gears make you pedal easier, but you sure don't go very fast - however, this is the gear you want to be in when trying to go up a hill. Capiche?

Braking. The back brake is on the right and the front brake is on the left. It is wise to remember to use only the back brake when going down hill... or you can flip the bike. The front brake is apparently just to make the left hand not feel left out because it is the right hand who really has all the control. Or, maybe it just seems that way to me because it seem all I ride down are hills?

How about pedaling? Since your feet are attached to the pedals, you not only gain momentum while pushing down, but also when you bring your foot back up. So instead of pedaling by just pushing your feet down, you do a continuous motion kind of like scraping gum off the bottom of your foot. I was amazed at what a difference it made in speed and distance!

Several rides later and no catastrophes with un-clipping my feet from the pedals lead to a little bit of false confidence. Ha! My darling boyfriend and I took a short five mile ride on the Glenwood Canyon Bike Trail to No-Name and back. Pulling up to the parking lot, I un-clipped only my left foot getting ready to stop at the car and turned my handle bars to the right... Really? What was I thinking! Ka-boom! I fell over to the right, my leg hitting the curb and the rest of my body bouncing on the grass. I couldn't get my foot off the right pedal quick enough to catch myself! Snap! Boy was I was sore, but thankfully not injured.

At this point, it was about a month until the Tri-Glenwood Triathlon that my friends Cindy Jo Robinson, Brian Wells and I had agreed to compete as a team together in. Cindy Jo would swim the 825 meter swim, Brian would run the five miles and I would bike the 15 miles. It was time to start some serious training... Except, at work on August 8th, I dislocated several ribs. Double snap!

Peyton, Dennis, Cheryl and Peter

It was about two weeks later that I was healed enough to get back on my bike. So, on a beautiful Saturday morning Peter, Peyton, Dennis and I headed out on the Rio-Grande Trail. It was an easy ride at a slow pace full of good conversation and laughter. The ride was a little painful getting on and off the bike and I found myself to be quite unsteady, however, it felt so good to be off the couch and outside on my bike again!

The next day, the darling boyfriend and I rode 10 miles up the Rio-Grande Trail again to the city of Carbondale. While he participated in the Yoga in the Park practice, I enjoyed a good conversation with my dear friend and then relaxed under the trees watching the clouds float by until he was finished. It was a well need break for my aching ribs. We biked over to Beer Works for delicious brats and a beer and then headed back down the trail towards home. It was my longest ride so far - 21 miles round trip.

I was still apprehensive about un-clipping and falling again, probably more so because of my rib injury, even though I was gaining overall confidence on the bike.  I talked to the darling boyfriend's sister, Becky, and she so wisely advised me to "just un-clip both feet early when coming to a stop." So simple! This helped... Did you know that most advanced riders are able to maintain their balance for several seconds when stopped without un-clipping. I wonder if I will ever be able to do that?

Grandson's First Bike Ride!

Grandpa is Ready to Hit the Trail with
Grandson in tow!

Due to our travels out to the Pacific Northwest at the end of August and my rib injury, my training really didn't start until we got back. September 2nd through September 10th, I rode a total of 82 miles training, building my confidence and strength. Thanks to Dailymile.com, it's been easy to map where I have ridden and keep track of the miles.

The day before the triathlon, the darling boyfriend and I got up and were ready to go ride the course by 6:00am... "Why so stinkin' early?" you ask. Well, we had to ride the interstate with all the big trucks and crazy drivers so the earlier the better (less traffic).  The 15 mile course leaves the Glenwood Hot Springs parking lot, heading west on Interstate 70 to Canyon Creek and then back. I thought I was going to collapse from exhaustion... It was the most brutal ride I have ever done! The darling boyfriend has a saying, "The miles between the ears are the longest." And that morning, there were thousands of miles between my ears. That ride took every ounce of strength, will and determination to continue to ride against the gusting head winds, cold temperatures and body aches I was experiencing. I wanted to cry. I felt like throwing down my bike, calling it "Stupid!" and stomping my feet! But I pushed through... The darling boyfriend's gentle encouragements kept my head above the waters of "I Quit". I felt like I had been hit by a fly swatter... twice.

Saturday night, preparing for the race, the darling boyfriend pulled my bike out to make some last minute adjustments and said, "Well, now I know why you had such a bad ride this morning. You have a flat tire!" I rode over 21 miles with a flat?!? YeeHaw! There WAS HOPE for my race in the morning!

Well rested, dressed, prepped, and ready to go I left the house about 6:45am Sunday morning and rode my bike down to check in. I put my bike up on the rack, visited with other races for a few minutes and when I turned around... there was a red feather laying by my back bike wheel! I knew then, my Dad was smiling down on me and it was going to be a good race!  It was really exciting to see the 250 athletes getting ready. I met up with Cindy Jo and Brian by the pool and we offered each other those well needed words of encouragement. It was going to be a perfect race day... mid 70's and very calm winds. "The Go-Jo's" were ready to do this!

Cindy Jo's swim started at 8:12am. After 7 smooth laps, she emerged from the pool and ran to the transition area in the parking lot where I removed the chip from her leg and attached it to mine and then I took off towards the exit and began my 15 mile ride...

I was so thankful for the darling boyfriend's words of instruction and wisdom that kept playing through my mind. Those thousands of miles between my ears from the previous day were reduced to just the few inches that were supposed to be there during the race. I kept remembering his words: Don't pour it all out on the way out, so that you have strength for the ride back. Maintain my own steady pace. To breath through my nose when I felt winded. That peddling in a high cadence you can actually recover and maintain your endurance. In the strong head winds, pull you knees in and get your head down. Shift before you go into a climb. 

The Finish Line

With the encouraging shouts from the volunteers along the path echoing in my ears, I arrived back into the transition area safely and began to laugh as I got off my bike and ran across the parking lot to where Brian and Cindy Jo were waiting for me because my legs felt like jello! I couldn't even stop when I got to them and we all were cracking up as I was saying "Stop me! Stop me!" We were quickly able to get through the transition and Brian was off and running for the last leg of the race.

We gathered my bag and bike from the transition area and headed to drop it off at the car so that we could get back to the finish line quickly.  Brian is a swift runner and finished strong! The Go-Jo's completed our first triathlon in 1 hour and 56 minutes! We placed 11th out of 25 teams, and took 6th place out of 11 co-ed teams. (Actually, we were 6 seconds from making it in the top 10 teams...Not bad!)

The Results

I had cut 10 minutes off my time from the day before! What a great feeling! We celebrated our grand achievement at our friend, Nava's home that evening and toasted to our first triathlon! It was an exhilarating adventure and one I look forward to doing again in the future!

However, until that opportunity comes again, I am content to feel the caress of the wind against my cheek as I coast down the trail on my bike and the sheer joy it brings me... So, with thankful heart for the darling boyfriend and all of his help in preparing me for this adventure, I look forward to pedaling into the future and the next Grand Adventure...

Loving Life on the Trail Together, the Darling Boyfriend and Me

Happy Trails,
-Cheryl

Why Ask Why - Part II

You know what I find quite interesting? Human beings and their reactions, thoughts and choices. If you read my last blog "Why Ask Why?" then I am sure you were questioning my thought processes and wondered "What in the heck is she talkin' about!" But the beauty of what I wrote was just that... We all have thoughts that we probably never share with other people, let alone question why we are thinking them. I just happened to share them with you...


For me, and again these are my personal beliefs, my reaction to what I was reading about open marriages and/or relationships was so strongly opposed to it that I began to wonder WHAT really is the foundation for my choices and belief system? I asked myself "why". 


I received several responses to my blog that were dripping with judgment, false accusations and an ugliness that disgusts and sickens me. While I have no regrets for my thoughts or what I wrote in my previous post, I do have to say that I did not intend it to be sacrilegious in any way. For those of you who are questioning my faith, I believe in God and in His mighty power. (Just look at my grandson!) However, not everyone believes how I do. I have chosen not to use this blog to pontificate my beliefs nor to dispute your thoughts about me. If you don't like what I have to say, then its really quite simple...don't read this blog.


So with that preface,  I will continue to share more of my thoughts about human choices... Why do we choose the things we do?


Like, when you go into a bathroom with two rows of stalls. Which stall do you choose? The first one? The last one? The middle one on the left? Do you make a conscious choice or not? And, why do you pick that one? Or, pulling into a parking lot at the grocery store... Is your car up front or in the back of the lot? Or the first available spot that you can find?

When you fold laundry are your socks rolled into balls, one tucked into the other flat, or kept separate? Why? Do you have a sock basket for the single stray socks or do you toss the ones you can't find mates to?

How about this: Why does one procrastinate? There is nothing beneficial about procrastination, but it happens to most everyone on a daily basis. Why do we make choices like this? I can think of at least 5 things right now that I should have done yesterday...


And let's talk about beauty. Who defines what beautiful is? Society through advertisements? What my parents and siblings taught me? My peers? When you look in the mirror, do you see how divinely beautiful you are? Or the supposed "flaws"? My guess, because it is usually this way for me, is that It is the"flaws" that win out.. But why is it so hard to look past the wrinkles and funky hair to see the beauty that God created? Why do most people believe beauty is on the outside when really, its what is on the inside? So, when exactly were the definitions of beauty laid in my subconscious? The day I received my first Barbie?


And let's talk about our habits like smoking, excessive drinking and drugs. The choice to poison your body is met with flabbergastment when the body begins to break down. It's pretty universally known that a car without oil breaks down, but our bodies need that same tender loving care too. Why does one make these choices? (And no, I am not smoking, drinking excessively or doing drugs... So don't read more into his comment than was intended!) I really just wonder why we do the things we do.... 


And on that note, why does one read more into comments than was ever intended!?!



These are a few of the bizarrely random thoughts that I occasionally ponder... I'm just curious to understand the "why's" of life. 


I even wonder why you read my blog... :O)


-Cheryl