Catching My Breathe!

It was a busy week!  I feel like I’m just starting to recover from this last weekend.  I’m finally almost back to normal; if ever I would consider myself as such.  Last Friday,  I forgot to do my weekly check in and I also didn’t do my month end report as I was driving on my way to Lewiston, UT to set up my art booth.

 Last weekend (Friday night and Saturday day) I had a booth full of my artwork and various other items featuring my art up in Lewiston Fairgrounds in the Little Red Riding Hood Expo while the wonderful all female Little Red ride took place on Saturday.  When it came time for me to head out on the bike, I started feeling a bit under the weather.  I never did venture with my bike on to the scenic route.  That was a bit disappointing.  I think it was all of the stress of setting up and manning my booth.  It was the first time I had ever done anything like that and I felt like I was a chicken running around with my head cut off.  I will admit that it was FUN and I did manage to sale some of my art which was also fun too!

Friday night ended up being pretty busy in my booth after the costume contest which I entered.  They had all the costumed individuals get up on stage and dance.  How do hippies dance?  I didn’t know so I went up there and just wiggled around.  I imagine I looked quite foolish but isn’t that the name of the game with any costume contest.  It was fun but there were costumes a great deal better than mine that came up on stage.  I was the second one out of almost 20 on the stage.  But here’s me doing my wiggling thing…

Photo of myself "Wiggling" on Stage.

I do however have the stats for last month….

428 Miles Cycling

16.75 Miles Running

1 hour 25 minutes on Elliptical Machine

3 Pilates Classes

And

I’m up to 24 books read for the year.

Trick-or-Treaters, Bike Rides, & A Month End...

I had 2 trick-or-treaters that showed up on my door step last night. It surprised me and I was totally unprepared. All I could offer them were Clift Sports Bars. One of the kids just gave me a look like, “What in the Heck is this?” I offered to give him cherry-flavored sports beans instead. “Beans?! No Lady, that’s okay, “and they walked down the hall to the next door. For two years, I’ve been prepared for kids to visit my apartment door and never had anyone show. It would figure the one year, I’m unprepared I have a couple show. Go figure!



The whole group of riders at the 5th Annual Tricky Treat Costume Ride!



First Place Costume Prize- Minnesota Viking and her trusty steed!

The 5th Annual Tricky Treat Costume Ride this last Saturday was a success and TONS of fun. There were almost 50 riders and 85% of them came in costume. The first prize went to the Minnesota Viking and her faithful steed. Second place was an original costume that referred to himself as the “Antelope Island Road Kill”. He had a broken helmet as well as an arm and buffalo tracks all over. Third place brought in the Groovy Trio. Though, I will say that it almost made me think of Thing One and Thing Two when my friends Diane & Kym stood next to each other. And in fourth place were a copper and robber. After the costume contest we did door prize drawings. Thanks to the donations and help from my wonderful group of friends, there were a little over 25 door prizes for the riders to possibly win. It was very nice because a great deal of the riders went home with something. A BIG THANKS to Doug Jensen, the Levenson’s, Penny Perkins, Curt Griffin, the BCC Club, and my Disneyland friend Sal.

Myself, the "Holy Ghost", & 2nd Place Winner- Antelope Road Kill.

3rd Place Winners- The Groovy Trio- Diane, Stephen, & Kym.

4th Place- Cops & Robbers!

I was just amazed at the variety of costumes. There were two REAL highlights once the ride started. One of the highlights of the ride was a donut stop at a local bike shop (Salt Lake City Bike Company) where we got to play a version of the “Wheel of Fortune” and win tire patch kits, water bottles, or a tire tube. The other highlight happened as all 50 of us waited at a stop light. As we stood with our bikes waiting for the light a group of Japanese tourists were in the cross walk. They stopped and quickly grabbed their cameras. It was a variation of paparazzi! Cameras were flashing and various people standing by us having their picture taken. I was crying because I was laughing SO hard. Sometimes, there’s some truth in stereotypes?

And the month report for October....
I still have 7 more lbs. to lose to my goal weight.

I'm currently working on porch #83,84, & #85.  I seem to be having issues with completely finishing a painting.  I'm hoping to cure that problem soon!

STATS for the Month...

18.5 miles Running

100 miles Cycling

2 hours 3 minutes on elliptical

Read 5 books this month --up to 53 books for the year!

The 4th Annual Tricky Treat Costume Ride...

The 4th Annual Tricky Treat Costume Bike Ride was wonderful!  I was concerned about the possibility of rain but it held off till much later in the afternoon.  There was a good turn out too!  There was 23 adults, a grandson, and a dog; all dressed out in costumes for the bike ride.  It was VERY hard deciding who was going home with 1st, 2nd, 3rd, & 4th place costume prizes.  Here's some photos of the ride...

A Shot Gun Wedding!??!

Pochantas and a Ninja

Diane- Little Red that hit a chicken coop-- must have been on her bike!

Little Mr. Buzz Lightyear and his Grandpa Builder Bob

Yabba-dabba-Do! The Flinstones!

Was it the Hockey Player?  A possibility for the Shot Gun Wedding?!

And here's the whole group!

Look out Ghost Busters-- A White & Black Ghost!

And here's me the Killer Bee on my bike during the ride!

Like Christmas in October!

It’s not that far away from my favorite holiday—Halloween! I’m like a big kid the night before Christmas when it comes to Halloween. I love the decorations; black cats, pumpkins, bats, and scarecrows. But my absolute favorite thing to do is dressing up. I find it really amusing going dressed up in full costume to a neighbor’s or friend’s and engage in small talk; knowing that they have no clue that it’s me that they are talking to. The aspect of the candy, well, let’s just say I try NOT to partake of this part; for as the saying goes,” a moment on the lips and forever upon the hips.” But I will admit to being a bit partial to candy corn.

Myself as Ragged Ann and Doug as Genie last year doing the door prize drawings.

This holiday really has become special in the last few years as I’ve been “hosting” a Tricky Treat Costume Ride for my bike club. It's a wonderful way to combine costumes and cycling together!  This year will be the fourth ride that I’ve done. I always hold this bike ride the last Saturday before Halloween. It’s kind of become a fun social event. Prizes awarded to best costumes and door prizes too.

Jay as the Tin Man strutting off in his costume.



Last year's Wizard of Oz Costumed Trio

There’s a costume contest before the bike ride. Everyone is invited to “strut” their costumed-self in front of group. There are prizes for the top four best costumes. The crowd judges by clapping and cheering for whom they think is best. It seems that the competition is getting stiffer every year as the costumes are getting more elaborate.



Doug, as the Head Hunter, and myself as a Clown in 2008.

It seems to me that it’s getting more fun each and every year. Last year there were about 25 people that attended. But one person, Doug, a fellow bike club member, had initially set the bar high when it came to being in costume. He has shown up as a pirate, a head hunter, and last year as a Genie. To put it in a mild manner, he REALLY gets into this dressing up in a costume. In fact, I remember jaws dropping when he pulled up in his vehicle as the Head Hunter.


Doug, as the Pirate in 2007!



Here's the group picture from last year.

After the costume contest, there’s a drawing for “door prizes”. Everyone that shows up gets a raffle ticket and then everyone that dresses up in costume gets an extra ticket. So everyone has two chances to win some fun prizes to take home. I will admit that most of the prizes are bike related but then you have to remember that it is a Halloween bike ride.

Debbie, a pumpkin, and myself as a Black & White Cruella in 2007.

And so, as I’m putting the last touches together for this event I’m finding myself getting more and more excited about it. Just like that little kid the night before Christmas!

My Favorite Time of Year!

Oh how I love this time of year. I love it more than Christmas if you can believe that. My favorite things about this time of year are: the beautiful fall colors, the cooler temps where you can break out those sweaters, dressing up in costumes, and scaring co-workers. As for example earlier today I scared a co-worker who was singing along with his iPod and didn’t see me sneaking up. Boo! Boy, did he jump!

Awwww…. It almost makes me miss those days (five years) when I used to work (volunteer) at a local haunted house. The ultimate compliment for a haunted house “employee” caused a need for the mop bucket. Yes, I did my share of scaring the piss (quite literally) out of people; and loved every moment of it. I may have a bit of a sadistic streak in me.

What I love more than scaring the piss out of people is dressing up into costumes. I have several different costumes that I have hanging in my front closet that I can pull out at a moment’s notice. But this year I have opted to purchase some new items for a new get-up. I’ve been a patriotic clown, Medusa, a variety of Cruella Deville’s, a murdered ghost bride, a flapper, and a mysterious masked caped female. Its fun dressing up and going out into public, a vampire, and watching how people react to the costume. I enjoy getting into the roll of the character of the costume.

So, I’m preparing my last details of a new costume which I will not reveal until the Halloween Bike ride that I put on. (I just hope that the weather holds out for it.) This is the third year that I’ve had the Halloween Bike ride. Some of the photos that have been taken during these have ended up being in one of my paintings and who knows I may have enough inspiration from this years ride to make another painting hopefully better than the painting below. And see if you can figure out which character I was above in the photos.