...you do triATHalons??

I just beat Greg at wrestling, like I always do, thusly I get to sit and blog while he helps his mom set the table for brunch! Remaly family Christmas is going great so far, as is my little Charlottesville-visitation-and-reminiscing trip. Highlights of the trip thus far include:

- Riding Tango, which was so much fun! Greg came to the barn with me so that I could teach him how to groom and tack up a horse and, more importantly, so that he could document the event. Here I am in borrowed boots, borrowed tack, borrowed chaps, and a borrowed helmet (the dirty vest, the salmon pants, and the big smile are all mine though!), on an awesome borrowed horse. My inner leg muscles are still screaming in the aftermath but it was worth it. ALTHOUGH I must say, these new monster-mushroom helmets that everyone has to wear are kind of ridiculous. Way too big and ugly. If they wanted more protection why not go for face masks or something.

- I went to a party the other night, where the #2-ish ranked student in the current 2nd year UVA med. school class said to me "so, you're a triathlete... what does that mean, you do triATHalons or something?" I laughed, nicely I hope. Then she and her husband were telling me about their friend who's grand aspiration of the year is to qualify for Kona. I responded with a 5+ minute rant on the evils of the Ironman corp. and the bullshitness of their world championships for age groupers to a room full of glazed-eyed non-athletes. Despite this minor faux pas, I swear you can dress me up and take me places!

- Greg is a very good, and very entertaining, ping pong player. So is his dad!

- Yesterday Greg's dad got a puzzle for Christmas, one of those 9-square things with different pictures and you arrange the squares into one big square. To everyone's great amusement, I struggled away at it for a couple/few hours, developing, testing, and refining my theory and strategy... at 12:03 a.m. I DID it! Proof (note the Bicycling magazine on the floor, where it belongs - just for you Tracie!):


- As a follow-up to previous bloggings: a. as an EIGHT year old, Greg swam faster than I do right now. When I was eight, life was about ponies (photo at right was taken during my 8-year-old year), and the only swimming I did was during games of Marco Polo. And b. Greg's dad did help me with my stroke. It was great. I am heading home armed with some really specific drills and goals. I got better and faster even within the 45 minute instruction session. MAJOR PHEW. I am on my way to swimming at 9- or even 10-year old Greg Remaly speeds.

- This one is perhaps my favourite. I learned from Greg's mom that out of her 3 children, he was "always the sweet one." How cute! Little Greg was the sweet one!