Crissi's Blog

Aaaahhhh....this is the life!! Instant transformation into a "mushroom-head" (with my helmet) and it's off cycling around the lake on a magical scenic route!! There's nothing quite like cycling on a gorgeous day!!

What magic it is taking a ride and witnessing the exquisite beauty of nature first hand with the breeze blowing …!! Today’s ride was even more magical than most. The trail was quieter than ever (it certainly pays leaving earlier for the ride than usual… before the teenyboppers are up and out yet:D )

I thought it was a statue at first but noticed that it slowly turned its head to follow my gaze as I cycled past.

As I started on todays ride – the first minute in – I subconsciously notice this huge thing on the right side on a grass embankment outside one of the office buildings (you know how you – via the side of your eye – suddenly & immediately notice things that seem “different”…that are not usually there?) and turn to the right. It was an amazingly beautiful and *huge* falcon.

If it wasn’t moving its head to follow my gaze as I cycled past, I really would have thought it was statue! I don’t think I have ever quite seen one so close up before…just a few metres away. It was really something! It really is quite incredible all the different things one notices each day on the trails… the incredible amount of colourful butterflies that are fluttering everywhere, the cute little chipmunks that are darting here, there and everywhere, the wondrous array of different flowers and species of birds…so much that we just simply take for granted. Well, today I thank God for all these gifts that I am able to enjoy each and every day!

It's just a not-so-little bug, that's all...

Well, I went for my ride after all and it was absolute MAGIC! I must admit…the best time to ride is when there’s an impending storm on the horizon! The trails are really quiet and the breeze is truly magical!! The temperatures were perfect too! It would have been the perfect ride altogether had I not had a battle with the bugs!

There’s nothing quite like hearing a loud BZZZZZZZZ and then feeling a solid ‘THWUMP’ as a not-so-little bug disappears beneath the neckline of your tee-shirt as you’re breezing down the trail at 20MPH! Well, thank goodness a mad shake of the shirt was all that it took to set the bug free…ahhh….bliss once again as the buzzing sound is no longer heard but only the silky smooth wind as it glides through the hair….aahhhhhh….

Until the NEXT bug adventure of course! Or was it just a (little fat) leaf that fell between the vents in my helmet? Well, never fear while Crissi’s here! 2 seconds later and the (little fat) leaf was history!!

And the rest of the ride was absolute magic. Bliss. Heaven.

And now on to the rest of the day…

The gorgeous riding machine!

So here is a l’il pic of the incredible riding machine! At this point I’m about to get a tee shirt that says “I love Bianchi!”…this is how happy I am with my bike:) I’ve been spending some time doing research on what bike rack to get for my car, to carry “Biagio” around (I even named my bike! AM I getting soft in the head?) Looks like the verdict is in for the Sarus Bones 2…

My very spoilt girl Taicha

Hopefully I will be able to get out and ride today…am soooooo tired! My [very very very spoilt] dog Taicha kept me up *all* night! She can’t sleep when there’s lightning and there were little flashes of lightning right throughout the night alas. So…that meant zero sleep for me too. Here’s a pic on the right of the spoiled girl that I love to bits!

If she doesn’t sleep tonight then I am wearing earplugs and that’s it! Whether I’ll be able to wake up the alarm tomorrow morning is another story altogether…!

P.S. YAY for Spain winning the 2010 World Cup !! VIVA ESPANA!! Of course I would have been absolutely ECSTATIC had South Africa won! At least we are the reigning Rugby World Champs!! GO SA!!

I am very definitely going to have to open up my own animal sanctuary one day, as soon as I can afford it…something along the lines of Best Friend’s Animal Sanctuary…where the place is like a giant home for all animals great and small, where they can roam freely, but safely and are all well looked after and cared for.

This not the actual kitterello but, again, it's pretty close! The original kitty had brown eyes and a smattering of orange on it's forehead.

Midway through today’s ride, I came across yet another kitten in the middle of the trail…just lazily wandering across the path, seriously considering plopping itself down right in the middle. It was slightly grown..perhaps 3 months or so, but looked so tired, skinny and slightly sad. With the way the teenyboppers zoom around in their golfcarts this time of year while they are off school I certainly didn’t want to leave it in the middle of the path so picked it up and moved it over to the side…giving it a few gentle pats at the same time. Well, show an animal just a little affection and they’re your friend for life! This little kitty did just not want to leave me after that and I was *completely* torn about having to leave it behind so just did not know what to do. I was too far out on my ride to be able to pick it up and try carrying it back…it would be much worse off if I did because the area it was in was much safer (traffic-wise) than where I was headed on my way back to work. So with a sad heart, I eventually had to say goodbye and be on my way. It really broke my heart having to ride off while it’s gaze followed me long into the distance… I trust in the angels to take care of this little kitty.

Man, do I LOVE my new bike! It was SO worth the wait and the perseverance in making sure to get the one I had set my heart on. A great many thanks go to my friend and colleague who told me not to give up on my dream bike!!

I feel like I am riding a Porsche, I tell you! It handles WONDERFULLY! Of course, I made a deal with myself that I would have to wear a helmet the moment I started riding the new bike, so now I am. Sigh. Safety comes first! The problemo is that I feel like a giant mushroom when I am wearing it…

Anyway, the fact that I now feel only 1/3 as tired as I normally do after my daily ten-mile route dramatically reduces the “mushroom-effect”:)

Those uphill climbs…ahhhh, what a BREEZE now!