First Bike Ride and Interview

First, can I get an Amen for posting another blog less than a month from the last time? I will attribute part of that to the fact that I borrowed a laptop from school which is just easier to use at home since I can take it away from our little guest room/ office downstairs...only to find out that they're buying me my own NEW laptop which should be here this week! Sweet, huh?! Maybe I can keep up this blog thing better??!! I said maybe.

So, yesterday was a great day! Cara, Kara, and I decided to go on a bike ride. It wasn't perfectly sunny out, but nice enough. We decided on a pretty easy ride that Kara found by calling one of the local bike shops; however, we must have missed a turn because we ended up at a trail that the girls have been on called Lair O' the Bear, which is a bit more technical and has some climbing streaks, which of course, I wasn't really ready for...especially on my first run! We had a great time, although I felt extremely out of shape! I need to spend some time on some flat trails just to get used to my bike and get my legs back in gear before I go back out to a rough mountain trail again. I bit it pretty hard coming over the top of one of the hills...there were two pretty thick roots in the middle of the track and I couldn't decide if I should go over them or around since I was going fairly steep downhill. I decided last second to go around to the right and fell into the brush on the side of the trail. I didn't flip over my bike, but didn't land too gracefully either! Not too hurt, just a few scratches, I got up and continued on. The uphills were pretty steep and had a lot of switchbacks (sharp turns going in the other direction like zig-zagging up the mountain) that I had to walk my bike through, although so did Kara and Cara. I'm pretty sure the switchbacks take a bit of experience to be able to handle on the bike.

Riding downhill felt exhilerating! I learned last night that I need to keep pedaling as it continues to balance the bike, even when I'm going downhill. When we got to the bottom, the girls and I were just jackin' around in the parking lot and we decided it would be great fun to try and jump our bikes up onto this foot and a half ledge. What the hell was I thinking?! Cara (Dallas) is super athletic! So she makes it up in a second and I'm thinking, "hey, I can do that!" So I pull my bike half way across the lot, race towards the center median, pull my bike up too late, and flip myself and the bike onto the grass! I wasn't hurt, but it was much like running myself into a wall! It was pretty funny! Then Kara (my roomie) decided she should try and did about the same thing that I did, but somehow she racked the hell out of herself in the process and was on the ground holding herself like a guy! I felt so bad because I knew she was actually in pain, but it was the FUNNIEST looking thing I have seen in quite a while! She and her bike just sat there in mid air for about ten seconds while we all knew it wasn't going to end well. We laughed our happy assess off for a long time about that one. I have a strawberry bruise on each leg from our adventure/ stupidity.

Last night I met with the first family who I've been speaking with about a possible summer nanny position. They were a nice family. The kids seem a bit inactive, which doesn't interest me as much, but they seemed like a good family and I'm sure we'd all get along. I sent the mother my references today and she replied saying that I was their top candidate right now but that they had a couple more interviews this week. I have another one on Wednesday as well that I am looking forward to. This family seems much more active with three girls (13, 11, and 8) who are all involved in various camps through out the summer. Keep your fingers crossed that this family and I actaully connect as well as I'm feeling we might! It's a four day a week job and I like the idea of having most of the week dedicated to earning some extra money. I'm also talking with several people about possible dog and house sitting gigs, some for this month and some for this summer, which I hope work out. I think that is such an easy way to make money and enjoy being with animals. Keep you posted on that...

After the interview with the first family (not of the United States, just the first of a couple families I'm talking to), I went to Darcy's house for dinner with she and her boyfriend Alex. They invited me over earlier in the day and cooked up a yummy good meal! We had such a nice time eating and enjoying each other's company. That is my kind of Sunday...

For now, I'm looking for another trail to ride on Wednesday after school...it's supposed to be 70! Wish me luck!