Bridezilla

Less than two weeks of engaged life and I've already become Bridezilla. In fact today I blew off one of my three scheduled training sessions for the day and walked to Nicole Miller to try on some wedding gowns. I'm officially driving Tim crazy with questions such as do you mind if my dress is antique white or do you prefer stark white? Do you prefer the color apple or wine for the bridesmaid dress color and guys attire? Tim's taken to quoting my Dad stating "You girls tell us what time the wedding is and we'll show up".

I'm a very difficult customer as I seem to like everything the same. After visiting Nicole Miller I stopped into La Jolla's M Bride to try a few more gowns. The nice lady there suggested I choose a dress with a halter or a strap to camoflague my "swimmers shoulders and arms" and "soften" me. Exucse me soft is for the muffin top look not the Irongirl. I quickly exchanged the gown and heels for my favorite Zoot running shorts and Newton shoes. Off to PQ I headed for my long run followed by a swim session. Back to Ironzilla for me.

In Memorance of Uncle Al

Last Saturday my Uncle Al passed away after a year battle with cancer. He will be greatly missed. All biases aside Al Uglow was one of the smartest, kindest, and generous people I have met. When I first moved to San Diego my Uncle Al and Aunt Joanie spent some time visiting. Many of the sights I saw in San Diego for the first time I saw shared with them. Favorites such as Balboa park and La Jolla Cove. My daily run takes me through the La Jolla cove. I never pass through without seeing Al's face and hearing his voice recalling the story of his first visit to La Jolla years prior. Al had commented to a local that "It was a nice little town" and the local replied with a smile "Yeah don't tell anyone." Al chuckled upon his return visit. He didn't tell but somebody sure did.

We'll miss you Uncle Al. Thanks for sharing your wisdom, friendship, and cheer.

P.S. You've given me some great one liners to quote.

Love,
Jen

UGELOW, DR. ALVIN, age 73, March 8, 2008 of Troy. Beloved husband of
Joanie
(Joanne) Tucek Ugelow. Retired psychology professor of Oakland
Community
College and local water color artist. Member of Phi Beta Kappa and
various
local art groups. Survived by sister Pauline (Sey) Leveen, nephews Bob
(Carol) Ugelow, Bryan (Diane) Ugelow, Thomas Yake, and many loving
nieces,
nephews and friends. His wonderful smile, intelligence, and sense of
friendship will be remembered and greatly missed. Memorial Service to
be
held Saturday March 29, 2008 at 1:15pm at Emerson Church U.U. 4230
Livernois
Road(north of Wattles Road) Troy, 248-524-9339, the white dairy barn.
Memorials donations to Beaumont Hospice, 1200 Stephenson Hwy, Troy, MI.

48083 or OCC Foundation, 2480 Opdyke Road, Bloomfield, MI. 48304.
Arrangements by Price Funeral Home, Troy, 248-689-0700. Share memories
with
online guest book at www.pricefuneralhome.net.

Coming Soon: Tales of the Engagement

The Engagement

Almost two years ago now Tim and I started dating. This was before I became the founder of idropboys.com and the owner of two pink bicycles. Tim and I met at a post swim workout with the tri club. Apparently I caught his attention while explaining to another health care professional my "you grew it ,you move it" policy in assisting the baraitric population with their needs in repositioning. Ok not very PC of me but ....it did make Tim chuckle and apparently caught his attention. As it turned out we both had the next morning available and plans to go cycling. It was suggested by a not so innocent bystander that we ride together the next morning.
We did enjoy the ride together. Apparently Tim had expected me to be really slow, wimpy, and whiny. He kept commenting on how strong of a rider I was and how surprised he was. Secretly I thought he was just trying to flatter me. Where I am from (The Upper Pennisula of Michigan) weakness, wimpy, and whiny aren't allowed. I mentioned that my riding wasn't that special. After all I wasn't all faster than Tim. I had never even riden more than 50 miles. To this Tim off handely replied that no girl(non pro pf course) had ever dropped him and he would marry the first girl who did. Hmmmm......I had a couple of thoughts A) He has potential. It's not if but when I will drop you. B) Concern because fools rush in and potentially I could drop him tomorrow. Then what he'd have to choose to be a liar or a fool ;) This worried me. I didn't want to slow down but I hoped I wouldn't drop him too soon. I really liked this guy.

Anyway Tim and I hit it off and rode further than I had ever ridden that day. We also enjoyed lunch at a little cafe on the coast. Oh and by the way Tim tried to drop me going up Torrey Pines but he couldn't. The following weekend I entered my first triathlon. Tim came to watch or rather scope out the age # written boldly on my calf. He had googled me and found race results dating back to 1999 so he was worried I might be old:) THANKS.

Tim must have been satisfied as a day later he e-mailed the following:

Sore from yesterday's race? Rode Torrey Pines yesterday in 6:04. I'll buy you dinner if can you ride it under 9 min. We still riding manana?

My response was this:
No I'm not sore and you are on. Can't wait to ride manana. Glad you got a ride in yesterday.

Jen

And the final word in edgewise from Tim:

Maybe I should up the cutoff.

Well as things would have it I had no problem making the cutoff time. In fact I dropped my chain twice and still made it. It was then I thought hmmm.......maybe he really likes me because this cutoff was too easy. Tim made me dinner. In fact he even burned a few quesidellas while entertaining me with his guitar as we waited for the bbq.

As time went on I looked for opportunities to drop Tim. Actually if you read the archives of this blog you'll find a couple good idroppedtim stories. None however would he own up too. Then the rules changed stipulations occurred. Blah, Blah, blah as my brother Tom would say.

So as time wore on Tim and I felt we might be ready for marriage. Tim claimed there was only once thing left to do. I had to drop him. I said I already did (read the archives for those tales). It was determined that I must drop him while he had the ring but I would never know when he had the ring. I was supposed to always be on my toes. This seemed like a raw deal to me.

Sunday March 9Th, Tim and I were supposed to be at Fiesta Island for the time trial before it was bright and early. In fact with the time change it would be cold, damp, and dark. We decided to skip the time trial and go to Pine Valley to climb Mt. Laguna. This is our favorite ride and it was Tim's idea. I was feeling pretty tired from the week of work, training, and recent move but wondered if I might have the opportunity to drop Tim. As we started the ride the wind howled. Somehow it swirled all around us. It was NEVER at our backs but didn't seem to slow us down. Tim started talking about the bonus points for winning the climb in the Tour of California or Tour De France. This is called the King of the Mountain. We discussed where on this ride "KOM" would be written on the road, where the bonus would be given. King of the Mountain you mean Queen of the Mountain I thought. The desire to become the QOM crept over me and propelled my pink bike up the mountain. My mind began to formulate and plan for how I would accomplish this. My energy level rose and I forgot I was "tired" today. A mile or so later we came upon a huge boulder in the road. (Glad I wasn't in the way when that rolled down). Tim asked for my camera and told me to ride past while he took a picture. I pedaled beyond the rock then paused for Tim to put away the camera. I balanced on my bike and proceeded slowly for a few seconds. Thinking Tim would soon catch up. As I resumed my normal pace I realized if I picked it up a bit I could drop him. I looked back and warned "I'm going to drop you now. Catch me if you can."With that I accelerated as fast as I could to the predetermined KOM point. When I got there I jumped off my bike and threw my hands in the air in a V for victory salute. I shouted"QOM, QOM." "I'm the Queen of the Mountain and I dropped you." (Despite this obnoxious behavior) Tim agreed and out from his pocket he pulled a little green box and down on one knee he proposed. According to Tim I thought about it for a minute, flipped a coin and then said yes. That's not true though. I said yes right away.

QOM, QOM

I drop boys

Life in theVillage

Home Sweet Home
Last weekend I spent moving. It was quite a job. The moving process was aided greatly by Tim (my superhero boyfriend). Without Tim's assisntance I'd still be sitting on my knees packing boxes in Carmel Valley. Not that Carmel Valley living is a bad life, it's actually pretty swell. It just that I always thought it would be really cool to live in La Jolla.

Since I arrived in California almost four years ago I have had a love affair with the village and the the cove of La Jolla. Originally I was a travel nurse with a 3 month contract and no plans to stay. I would take all of my guests to La Jolla. Everybody loved it. Nobody could complain that the beauty wasn't enough (although there were a few comments about the seals stench). During the course of my stay I showcased the La Jolla Cove to my parents, my Aunt and Uncle, my girlfriends Charity and Elizabeth from Michigan, my roomate from college. I would on occassion drive to Torrey Pines or the cove and go for a run then read a book in the sun. When I joined the tri club two years ago the Friday night Cove swims became an event I looked forword to. I remember how nervouse I was to swim in the ocean at first. The 1/4 mile buoy was a long way out for me. Hanging out before the swim in the grass and visiting with friends was my incentive to swim. After the swim there was always a gang walking to someplace in the village for dinner. I loved the lifestyle. At the time I started these swims I was thinking of taking an assignment further up the coast like LA. LA would have been a lot more money but I didn't think the swims would be the same. ( Swimming in LA .....not so much). Definitely not the scenery.

So after a weekend of hauling boxes and stair repeats instead of a 4 hour training run I live in the village of La Jolla. It sort of reminds me of my flat in Petoskey. Although, I am about a 1/3 mile from the water now and Petoskey didn't have a Maserati dealership down the street. Anyway the qualities of life that appeal to me exist here and I am happy. I am 1/4 mile from church , the grocery store, Bev mo, and 1/2 mile from the cove. There are lot's of quaint and funky coffee shops, taco shops, fine dining, designer clothing stores, etc, etc. Despite the fact I like to eat at home, and "try" to save money by brewing my coffee myself although Pannikin is hard to resist at times. I love the atmosphere. It's funny how time flies. It seems like just the other day I was viewing these sights for the first time. Funny I don't feel like I've changed but I look at pictures and I certainly have.

Nice and Cozy:)

You didn't really think my bikes would sleep in the garage did you?

Jet Setters

At the ripe age of 30 Tim and I have proven to be jet setters. Yes, we have.
It has become routine that on a powder day we fly in to Oakland. Ok, maybe not routine but fairly frequently. Bruce (Tim's Dad) picks us up and Riley happily licks our faces on the ride to Tim's folks. We spend a few hours visiting before hitting the hay to power sleep. Sweet dreams of powder float through our heads. In the morning, we rise early for a hearty homemade breakfast. The drive to Kirkwood takes about 3 hours, but it's well worth the drive. I usually sleep part of the ride to the ski area. I have to store up my energy for the adventure.

Lunch in the sun
Epic, Epic, Epic

Tim's Gramps came with us last time. He has been skiing at Kirkwood since the resort opened. Tim brother Seth comes too. In fact he has been known to occassionaly borrow his Dad's skis for the last run of the day. Secretly I think he wishes he was a skier.When we arrive we ski hard looking for epic runs with untracked powder. We hope to have a run leaving us with the chance whsiper "epic, epic, epic"

Seth, The Alpine Imposter

After a few hours of skiing we get the back pack and the great lunch we have packed. The best part of this is that in California you sit outside and enjoy lunch. You bask in the warmth of the sun. After the sub zero temps of the East, I rather enjoy this. After lunch we head out and hit the slopes again. We try to get as much skiing or riding in as we can before we have to head home. We always leave the mountain a little later than we should. On the the ride back to Pleasanton I try to at least stay awake as we descend the mountain. I fight my falling eyelids. It is no use fighting and I fall asleep. You see... I am a hard packed, glare ice girl by trade and this powder (warmed and turned heavy by the sun) has given my legs a once over. All the things that make your ski gear great in a race course are going to make you work in the powder. That skinny aero dynamic basket on my ski pole....Ha ....it sunk in practically to the grip. Those riser plates desingned to stiffen the ski ...ugg. They are heavy in the crud. And what do I have to say about these things.....bring it on. I love it. My goal: To be a big mountain, all mountain girl.

When we arrive back in Pleasanton we have been lucky enough to enjoy Cindi's wonderful cooking. I wish she could come skiing with us but a torn ACL and multiple knee surgeries keeps her off the mountain. After dinner, we rush to the airport to catch a 9:00 pm flight back to San Diego. Unfortuanately we don't have time to help with the dishes or unload the car as we rush to the airport. We board the plane and head back to sunny SD (as Tim's mom does the dishes and his dad stores our gear:) Not a bad life .