She Swims, She Rides, She Runs…She Rocks!

Okay…this post is going to be primarily about Cheri because as I’ve learned…it is all about her.

This weekend was the 20th Anniversary of the Danskin Triathlon and Cheri was participating in her second in as many years. We were up early on Sunday morning (and I mean 4:30 early) so Cheri could do some last minute packing of her transition bag and and get a nutritious breakfast of bananas, english muffin with peanut butter, and some OJ. I had put her bike in the back of the car the night before, so we were good to go! We were a little early, but the area was already filling up with racers putting their bikes on the racks and laying out their transition equipment—biking or running shoes, bike shorts, running top, towels, snacks. Spectators were not suppose to be in the transition area, so I was sent out to wait and Cheri had to come and find me. You can see that the racers are starting to fill in the area—over 3,500 women participated in the event and it was very impressive to see them all out there!

It was still fairly dark when we got to the parking area near the race start. We got the bike out, helmet adjusted and made a final check before heading over to the Start / Transition area. Cheri needed to put some flip-flops near the exit from the water so she would have something to wear to the transition area. We found a spot right under one of the fences separating the spectators from the competitors.

Soon it was time to start racing. To keep it from becoming a madhouse in the water the competitors are split into groups of 150, with the exception of the first two groups. The first people in the water are the elite and amateur elite—those who really know what they are doing and don’t need anyone in their way. Next comes a group of cancer survivors in their pink swim caps and everyone cheering them on!

Finally, after a few more flights—I’m not sure if they do it by age but it did seem that some older folks were starting ahead of Cheri and this way, ideally people would finish closer—the yellow-capped group headed into the holding area. Cheri is just to the right of the right banner, and she and 150 of her new friends were waiting for the three minute difference between the flights.

Then they were into the water and ready to go…a few more seconds and they headed out for the first big buoy on a triangle course of one-half mile.

About twenty-four minutes later Cheri was back on the beach and heading for the bike transition point (after finding her flip-flops). You might think that the smile on her face in the second photo is because she just realized that her niece and nephew, Kristina and Brian, had joined me to cheer her on, but I think she was actually excited about passing someone from an earlier group in the light blue cap—although someone much older, she was still from an earlier group.

To see her coming in click on the photo to the right and watch her glide on by…you will also hear Brian and me cheering her on. Look for a link to see in a HD view in the upper right corner of the site where the video is seen. To see all of the photos in the on-line album click on the SheRox photo below… Danskin Triathlon 2009

Through the bike transition Cheri had to clean off, dry off, put on her shorts, top and shoes and walk her bike to the mounting area. Then she was off and down the road as seen the picture to the left. From Danskin Triathlon 2009 Then it was on to the run and we didn’t even have to move. Cheri went into the transition, dropped off the bike and helmet and was on her way out past us. Once again she is smiling and I am not sure if once again it is because we are cheering for her or because she is passing someone from an earlier group. To watch her smiling and waving at the crowd at the finish just click on the photo below. It seems we weren’t the only ones there that know her…. From Danskin Triathlon 2009 You can see that I shamelessly “borrowed” and edited the phrase from the SheROX mentoring program. But in this case Cheri really does Rock! Her time this year was only about 4 minutes slower than last year, and much of that is in the transition. She is already talking about next year and getting some of you ladies to join her…so check your caller ID when the phone rings or you may be smiling and waving your way through this event next year! Below the Collage check the box next to your thoughts.

Fourth of July Photo Album Link

It came to my attention that you can not click on the picture at the bottom of the "Content being Contented" post and be taken to the on-line album of all of the photos. To make that jump, just below the picture of the boat and beachfront is the phase Fourth of July 2009 in green. If you click on that phrase it should take you to the album where you can look at or download any or all of the pictures (including the separate pictures within the collages). Sorry for any confusion.

Content being Contented

With the help of the Federal Government we were able to shorten last week much like we did on the last posting. Having the Fourth of July on Saturday meant that Cheri and I had Friday off as a holiday. Instead of racing up after work on Thursday and fighting the Holiday traffic, we decided to stay at home, do some food prep, sleep in a little on Friday, get six weeks worth of recycling materials out of the Garden Shed and to the Transfer Station, and then head up to Andover on Friday afternoon. Deb, Scott, Dan, Tim, Laura and Laura's friend Lauren were already settled into the cottage for the week, so Cheri and I planned on staying nearby at Nana and Papa's. Arriving on Friday afternoon around cocktail hour, it didn't take us long to force a cork out of a bottle of wine and begin to sample the wares. Although the skies were overcast, the scenery was pleasant and the wine developed some nice legs sitting down by the water.

















It also didn't take to long to begin one of the best traditions of the Fourth...the searing of the beef!

Scott managed to find some great pieces of meat—Filets and NY Strips—and they were carefully seasoned and placed on the grill.

Of course, at the same time serious discussions and lemon-drop martinis were underway inside the cottage. Steaks, potato salad, peas, some more wine…a great time was had by all. Later Cheri and I headed back to Nana and Papa’s for the evening.

The next morning we lounged around and waited for Dad to show up and ride up with us to the annual Andover Fourth of July parade. This parade is small town Americana and we always enjoy the experience.

After settling Dad in along the parade route with a friend of his from the Drum and Bugle Corp (George and his wife Helen) we went off to explore the flea market, the reviewing stand and to get the obligatory French fries.

Tim came in uniform, so it was fun to see the interest of many of the young ladies as he passed by; just ask Cheri and Deb…there’s something about a man in uniform… Now was also a good time for Cheri to catch up with her cousin Jen and J.B. Turner before the parade began.

Bill Leiber, who announces the parade and activities and is a retired Air Force Major, was also glad to see Tim and Dan on the reviewing stand. I tried to get Bill to let the crowd know that Tim is single and we could hold a raffle for a date as a fund-raiser…it didn’t go anywhere.

And then it was parade time. You can see a smattering of the bands, floats and activities in the pictures below.

For an early version of your moment of Zen—and to experience the sights and sounds of the parade—click on each of the photos below.

From Fourth of July 2009

From Fourth of July 2009

As soon as the last members of the parade passed by the heavy clouds started to open up and give us a few sprinkles. Fortunately we had parked ourselves right across the road from the Town Office and School Parking Lot where we had left the vehicle. A few quick goodbyes to Dad’s friends and we were across the road and into the car.

No sooner then we got in and closed the doors that it started to really rain…heavy! A few seconds outside would be like standing in a shower. I had left the sunroof tilted up during the parade, but luckily we were in the car before anything came in.

We headed back to Nana and Papa’s to take a bit of a break—what some would call a nap—before gathering ourselves up and heading out to the cottage.

Back at the lake we were greeted by a larger number of Whitneys. Scott’s brother Steve had arrived along with his wife Cha and Scott and Steve’s mother Adeline. People spread out across the cottage, the lake front, and the hammock. Tim had been cleaning up the sunfish and he took it out for the first sail of the season. Once he came in I jumped at the opportunity to go for a sail and then soon after I came in Dan took the boat for a spin. The wind was great and it made for very enjoyable sailing. As the afternoon wound down it became time to once again light up the grill and sear some meat. This time we would go on a little healthier—other people’s opinion, not necessarily mine—route and have some fish. Scott grilled them up like steaks and it wasn’t long before we had another great meal on the table. We had a separate bowl of the mango-peach salsa on the table so people could doctor up the fish to their liking.

There was then some time for water-skiing, swimming, kayaking, reading by the beach, listening to music, and even a few more people napping. It was at this point the Steve pointed out that everyone seemed content being contented. Deb had started marinating mahi-mahi earlier in the day. She covered each of the pieces with a mango-peach salsa and let them sit in the refrigerator for several hours.

The evening progressed to the gloaming, and soon it was dark enough for the lakeside fireworks. For those of you that have not had this opportunity, let me point out that Tim Moran, who is two cottages over to the right when facing the water, puts on one of the best firework displays I have ever seen—including several towns, cities and Disney! He throws a large party for friends, his children and his children’s friends (it becomes a tent city in the yard behind their cottage) and then fires off a huge display.

One of the great advantages of this show is our ability to sit out on the dock and have the fireworks almost directly overhead. Below is a small display of my non-professional attempt at taking pictures of fireworks without a tripod and only bracing the camera against my body.

If you’d like an extremely small sample of the fireworks click on this single photo.

From Fourth of July 2009

After the fireworks we covered up the boat by moonlight—it gave us someplace else to sit during the show—and then we headed back to Nana and Papa’s for the night.

The next morning Cheri and I got up for an early morning bicycle ride along the old railroad bed from East Andover to Potter Place. It was a great ride and when we got back we took advantage of the nice weather to sit out on the deck with Dad and Nana while sharing stories and drinking coffee. We spent most of the rest of the day once again sitting by the lake at the cottage and were content being contented.

To see all of the pictures of the weekend click on the panoramic picture below.

From Fourth of July 2009

A Good Walk Ruined

We shortened last week by leaving home on Thursday after work and rendezvousing with Dan and Liz Manz at the Cottage that evening. This was the beginning of our annual (but possibly not the only time this summer) gathering of the Morris-Manz-Swenson adults.

Liz had made gazpacho for dinner and along with a couple of glasses of wine had a cool, early summer dinner. The loons even started laughing at us as the night went on.

We didn’t make it a late evening. Everyone—correction everyone but Liz, did I mention that School was out—had worked this week and combined with the travels and a little vino we were all ready for an early evening.

Waking up early Friday morning I looked out to fog covering the lawn down to the lake. By the time a pot of coffee was made—French Roast…some of what coffee is all about—it had lifted enough that I could see the dock. Within a half-hour, and half of the coffee, the opposite shoreline was taking shape. This was a great time to enjoy the quiet of the morning, a good book, and the view of the lake.

It didn’t take long for the coffee aromas to reach Dan out in the van—Dan and Liz were trying a new form of ‘roughing it’ by sleeping in the conversion van instead of in a tent on the lawn. As is their custom, Dan came in and got a cup of coffee to take to Liz before she even got up.

Dan and I were soon out of the Cottage and heading for Lochmere Country Club to meet James and my brother Bill (Art) for an outing of golf. Dan and I walked the course and found that the course professional was exactly right when he warned us that it is a very tough walk. Bill played well, Dan played well, James played very well and I, as Mark Twain would put it, spent my time ruining a good walk—one of the absolute worst rounds I have played in years, and that says a lot.

We did cut the game short by two holes since Bill had an afternoon appointment and we needed to get back to the Cottage and pick up our ladies for a night out. Fortunately we got back to East Andover in time to take a quick swim in the lake and then get get ready for the evening. Gail Tuscany joined us at this time and we all squeezed into James and Stephanie’s mini-van for a trip to Conway.

Our first stop was at Cafe Noche for a bite of Mexican before the show. We figured that the combination of margaritas and filling food would set us up well for the evening’s performance.

Just prior to the show the effects of the margarita had a little effect on James and Stephanie—who had both seen the show earlier in the week. But they both were fully alert by the time the curtain went up.

Thomas, seen to the left, was a leading character in The Secret Marriage a comedy opera. Fortunately for all of us the opera was in English and the translation managed to keep the humor. In addition, some liberties were taken to bring more current phrases into use. Thomas was, as usual, in excellent voice and performed with outstanding diction. Everyone’s acting was great and we all enjoyed the performance.

By the time the show ended, we congratulated the cast and traveled back to the Cottage it was getting late…even for us. So it was off to bed and leaving a light on for Thomas to come in later—he did quietly come in a couple of hours later without bothering anyone…including our campers in the van and even his mother, and mothers always keep an ear turned to hear their children.

The next morning was clear and beautiful. I took a hint from a picture Jessica had text-messaged to me the previous day from Florida and included a bit of myself in the picture of the morning view.

It was another one of those quiet, comfortable mornings alongside the lake. Once everyone was up and about the Manz’s packed up and headed off to meet their children, significant others, and some of the parents of significant others for a few days of camping in Queechee, Vermont.

James, Thomas and I headed out to the Country Club of New Hampshire for another attempt at this game they call golf. This time everyone played well, including this writer. I played one of the best games that I have in years and had some good witnesses to verify it.

Back at the Cottage we were soon joined by Dad, Nana, and Papa for some cocktails, swimming and beach time.

The afternoon was filled with crackers, boursin cheese, guacamole, salsa and various snacks to tide us over. While we enjoyed the afternoon I placed a couple of large pieces of pork loin on the grill to slow-roast. The previous afternoon I had injected the pig with a marinade of watermelon, jalapeno and midori liqueur to give the meat a distinctive flavor—pigs cooked with watermelon, how much more southern cuisine can you get! In addition, I had sliced up potatoes and onions that I slathered with olive oil and some spices, wrapped in aluminum foil and placed on the grill. Cheri had sliced some summer squash and they got the same treatment and heat applied.

The meal turned out great, although the low temperature slow cooking kept the potatoes and onions from getting fully cooked to a soft stage—that just made them perfect for frying up to have with omelets that I made for everyone for breakfast. Everyone enjoyed the unique taste and we agreed that this is something we should try again…just in case the first time was a mistake.

Later in the evening we played some games, read and told some of the usual stories. It was then off to bed to get ready for another day.

As mentioned we woke up to more fresh coffee, pan fried potatoes and onions, omelets, and Cheri cooked up another pig’s worth of bacon. We did have a visitor down on the raft and soon after he flew off, so did all of us. After packing everyone else off we packed, cleaned, re-made beds and got the cottage ready for the next weekend.

Another adventure well enjoyed.

A moment of Zen (and Thomas)...ckick on the photo below (and imagine it rotated 90 degrees)...

From MMS Weekend at the Cottage