leslee roberts :: shouting into the wind

striped bass from bill

thanks bill

second ride on strida

i went out for my second ride on my new strida. i still feel shaky but i am starting to breathe a little more now when i'm on the bike. i am still very, very tired after riding because i am so tense:

new necklaces

i had to fix the length on the necklace i made for mom. after looking at it, i decided i wanted something similar so i put these two pieces together last night:

black matte japanese seed beads, various bali silver beads, shell, ostrich egg shell, turquoise bird's eye kings mantle from two cranes:

black matte japanese seed beads, various bali silver beads, silver calico onyx california from two cranes:

new clogs

i was so pleased when i found these clogs by taos -- they have a knitted cover on the body!

contorted hazelnut tree (rainier)

last night in rainier

spring day in rainier (today)

dave just passed these pics to me -- this is today's weather in rainier, wa:

david cook...

serves it up fresh EVERY time

whoa.

american idol.

strida - day 1

yesterday, i drove down to sports basement in the presidio to pick up some necessities for my new bike. i picked up a small pump, a helmet and a little bag to hold a spare tube, tire irons and a pair of gloves.

later in the day, i drove into the presidio to practice riding in an empty parking lot. it took quite a long time to be able to ride (in a swerving kind of manner). i was so tense (death grip on the handlebars) that by the time i was done, i was aching badly. i got in some good practice -- i now know that it will be a while before i can ride on a path or anywhere near people.

this morning, i woke up with swollen, very sore hands. i don't know if it was from the death grip i had on the handle bars or if it was from the 2 hour assembly job the previous day. i managed to split my left index finger during that episode and it is quite painful.

i also know that my brake position needs to be adjusted -- i can't reach the brakes and the lever is too far away for my small hands. i will probably bring it to sports basement to adjust it as i do not have the proper tools.

yarn4socks sock club

lynda gave me a sock club membership for christmas and i recently received my first shipment: a beautiful hank of harmony sock yarn (the woolen rabbit) in herb robert colorway and a lace sock pattern, violets rising by Anne Hanson.

after more than a dozen pairs of socks completed, this will be my very first time using double pointed needles (harmony needles from knitpicks) and anything but the original sock pattern i learned from nenah galati.

socks for guillermo

guillermo just had his birthday this past monday. i had to knit like a fiend on the weekend to finish the pair for him but i love the color:

my new strida!

my new strida was delivered at 1pm today:

i opened up the box:

i only needed to install the seat and the rack -- everything else was assembled. i had read that this should only take 10 to 15 minutes. but i am lame, i actually had to pull out my cheesy walgreens tool kit and my c-clamps from my jewelry toolbox to get the job done. it took me 2 hours!!!!!!!!!

i am exhausted -- totally wasted.... but here's my new bike:

:-)

long term goals

nearly 5 years ago, i attended an employee health fair at work -- it was crowded and there were tons of different tests available for us to take. when i finally had my turn to take my blood pressure, i remember the nurse's face when she turned to me and said i should get to the doctor as soon as possible. time kind of stopped for a few seconds -- her face was very serious. coincidentally, i had a doctor appointment the next day.

turns out i had high blood pressure, probably for quite a long time.

after that appointment i put together a long term plan to get healthy -- the Get Healthy Leslee plan. it was my goal to do it by the time i was 50 (at that time, a couple of years off).

well, it took a little longer than that but i have dropped 50 pounds and am continuing to strive with weight watchers. i saw my doctor yesterday and she said it was time to stop the high blood pressure medicine.

part of the plan was that by the time i felt i could actually ride a bike, i was going to buy one -- well, that time has come too.... my strida 5 should arrive today!