Hey guys...

[veespin]

....look what I'm going to be doing next week.

http://cycleloft.com/page.cfm?PageID=343

Was busy checking out the local bike shops in my new stamping ground and I stumbled across this. Already signed up and had my confirmatory e-mail from Joey.

I think it'll be quite fun

Vivienne

[like2bike]

I think it'll be quite fun

Understatement of the year! Viv, in knowing you through cyberspace these past few years, you are going to be eating this up! Man oh man I can't wait to hear about it. How's life in the new digs? We've missed you 'round here but hopefully you're settled in now and can start checking in more regularly again! Missed you girlfriend! :)

[Pink]

Vivienne, for some reason, you popped into my head while I was driving around yesterday. Have no idea why...but I was wondering how you were settling into your new digs. Very jealous of your plans! Anyone who knows me, knows I was a WSSC Joey stalker (when I wasn't stalking Giba, that is). Have fun!

[SpinBob]

If you're trying to make us all jealous, it's working. :D Have a blast!

[veespin]

SpinBob.....things have been in such an upheaval for me this past few months, this is one small little crumb to brighten things up.

Basically we've pretty much moved. By "pretty much" I mean we've bought our house in Sherborn MA.....and still have our house in Glen Head ......darn the slow property market. Husband started his new job Tuesday after Labor Day.....and loves it...so we moved a little bit of furniture up for him just to make things civilised (must've been college moving day or something as there were no 10' trucks at Budget rentals only the next size up which I didn't enjoy driving one bit). Since then and this weekend I've been commuting between MA and LI every week to continue sorting stuff out down there and finish teaching all my classes.

This weekend was the bigger move (leaving a few items behind to "stage" the house) Now, how come you can de-clutter solidly for over 3 months (to the tune of 3 ten yard dumpsters) and still be down to the wire and dumping a load of Hefty sacs at the curb. Anyways, the house in Sherborn is very nice. For the first time ever, I've moved into an immaculately clean house with no work to be done on it but painting....someone told the previous owner not to be afraid of colour and she replied "Alright!".

All this turmoil has had me pretty much neglecting my own fitness needs so, other than my 6 classes a week I've not done much.....no running, only taken the bikes out a few times, no weight work to speak of.....so I think I'm at about my lowest level of fitness for ages. I'm going to use this testing to set a baseline and then make a project out of a winter training programme and get retested in the Spring......using myself as the guinea pig to see if there's any meat to all of this stuff.

How fortuitous that I should stumble across this testing on CycleLoft's website. There are a load of nice bike shops around and it seems there are a few clubs that would accomodate my level of riding (would prefer to ride with training wheels!) so that'll be my project come the Spring.

This weekend, I'm tackling some garden chores (the boxes can sit in the basement for a while longer.....if I have to look at another packing case, I'll shoot myself!) I have 2 acres. The front garden is pretty much "woodland" so Nature takes care of that. The "garden" part is nice and flat so I can handle the mower. The previous owner was something of a plantswoman so I have well stocked perennial beds. and.....we have a pool!.
This part of the garden is fully fenced and beyond that I have a section where I have a potting shed (always wanted one) and room for my composters and beyond that little bit it's back to "woodland".....all in all making two acres managable. Dogs love it, of course....both have a real sense of purpose what with chasing down new smells.

Still doesn't feel like home, though :(

Vivienne

[Pink]

Still doesn't feel like home, though :(

Vivienne

It will once you start making memories in it.

[like2bike]

V you have been busy! And Pink is right, once you start making memories your new house it will begin to feel more like home. Patience, my friend. :)

I'm glad to know your DH loves his new job. That is one hurdle down! I love your plan to make yourself the guinea pig starting with the CycleLoft event. Sounds like a wonderful challenge you've planned for yourself to use this as your baseline and then start your winter training and re-test again in the spring. Can't wait to hear about what your findings are. It should be quite interesting.

[kszspin]

Hey Vivienne...nice to hear from you. :)
After reading what you've been up to I need to sit down and rest a moment, I'm pooped! Sounds like you'll bring your new home up to snuff soon and start feeling right at home!
You may not enjoy the testing on the bike, but I'm sure you'll reap valuable info to work with. Happy training!

[SpinBob]

Viv,

My heart goes out to you. I know how unsettling moving can be. We relocated from New Jersey and moved to California about 15 years ago where we bought our first house. In 2000, we moved back to New Jersey. We're always comparing this "home" to our other one. Even after 7 years it still not the same. What Pink said about the memories is right.

We're painting our living room and dining room this weekend and we've moved all the stuff into the garage. The house is just like when we were moving in...kind of empty...
Joey Adams is a model human being and any amount of time you can spend with him will be rewarding. He should be able to help you take your results and tell what you can do with them.

I will be driving from New Jersey to Boston on Wednesday and returning home on Sunday next week. It looks like I pass by your exit on the Mass. Tpke., if you need any help with anything let me know, I'd love to stop by.

[cfoam4me]

Wow Viv, you've been one busy lady! Glad to hear some excitement in your words with the things your doing now. Pink's right and it will feel like home before you know it. Thanks for checking in.

[veespin]

Viv,

My heart goes out to you. I know how unsettling moving can be. We relocated from New Jersey and moved to California about 15 years ago where we bought our first house. In 2000, we moved back to New Jersey. We're always comparing this "home" to our other one. Even after 7 years it still not the same. What Pink said about the memories is right.

We're painting our living room and dining room this weekend and we've moved all the stuff into the garage. The house is just like when we were moving in...kind of empty...
Joey Adams is a model human being and any amount of time you can spend with him will be rewarding. He should be able to help you take your results and tell what you can do with them.

I will be driving from New Jersey to Boston on Wednesday and returning home on Sunday next week. It looks like I pass by your exit on the Mass. Tpke., if you need any help with anything let me know, I'd love to stop by.

SpinBob....you're more than welcome to come and gape at all my boxes....really.

Exits 12 or 13 off the Mass Tpke will get you to my house no time at all.

Vivienne

[SpinBob]

I'll be leaving Boston on Sunday morning, I can stop by with some bagels for brunch.... they do have bagels in Massachusetts don't they? If you want to PM me with an address and phone number, I'd love to meet you in person. I'm stopping at UConn on the way to Boston to take the tour of JFK's lab. Anyone else in the area I can visit?

[DanielleF]

Vivienne,

Good luck with the adaptation process of moving...I moved 10 times from ages 7-17, it only makes you stronger... And HOW LUCKY to be testing with Joey!!

Bob, don't let Jennifer get close to you with her rectal thermometer, I'm serious!

Danielle

[like2bike]

Bob, don't let Jennifer get close to you with her rectal thermometer, I'm serious!

OOOOOOWCH! I just sqwuinched my sphincter! :o

[SpinBob]

Bob, don't let Jennifer get close to you with her rectal thermometer, I'm serious!And what's all this all about? :o

[cfoam4me]

Bob, don't let Jennifer get close to you with her rectal thermometer, I'm serious!Danielle

Umm Bob, this gives a whole new meaning to lab work! Seriously though, how awesome you get to travel and visit with form mates at the same time!!! We need to have a central location picnic week-end one of these days...but where would that be? P.S. JFK can't drive the van...(see another post):p

[SpinBob]

Umm Bob, this gives a whole new meaning to lab work! Seriously though, how awesome you get to travel and visit with form mates at the same time!!! We need to have a central location picnic week-end one of these days...but where would that be? P.S. JFK can't drive the van...(see another post):pI'd suggest Central Park as a, um, central location. Either that or my backyard. :rolleyes:

[cfoam4me]

Hmm, Robert what about our left coast and in between folks????? ;)

[SpinBob]

Hmm, Robert what about our left coast and in between folks????? ;)Frequent flyer miles?:rolleyes:

[JFK]

I mean we've bought our house in Sherborn MA.....

Vivienne

Vee, you've picked a great place for riding. I often ride through Dover/Sherborn with my uncle and it's so gorgeous out there (I grew up further in, in Belmont, so there's more traffic to contend with before getting out to the country).

I know it doesn't feel like home to you yet, but you'll settle in and find your clubs for teaching and friends for riding, etc. It took me a few years to feel really settled in CT (after we moved from Boston) and I still can't believe it's been 11 years, but I guess I've adjusted. ;)

Have fun with the testing. Doing it at a low point is really a blessing b/c you'll really be able to see your progress as it develops. You could acquire a testing "habit" and get it done regularly (more productive than doing your nails or tanning or something like that....)

[JFK]

Bob, don't let Jennifer get close to you with her rectal thermometer, I'm serious!
Danielle


Danielle, you're just jealous! Bob, never fear, I'll just show you the things we have in the lab...no experimenting on you. :D

We need to have a central location picnic week-end one of these days...but where would that be? P.S. JFK can't drive the van...(see another post):p

Okay, my memory fails me...why can't I drive the van? (I'm sure there are lots of good reasons, I just don't remember any specific ones I've shared here. Does it have to do with coffee?)

[SpinBob]

Whew, that's a relief... ;)

[veespin]

Vivienne,

Good luck with the adaptation process of moving...I moved 10 times from ages 7-17, it only makes you stronger... And HOW LUCKY to be testing with Joey!!

Danielle

Well, at least this move isn't as bad as the last.....when we came from England to the US.

Problem is, we lived in our house in Glen Head for 21 years......prior to that dh and I made 3 moves in about 6 years so this is the longest I've lived anywhere.

I've taken the neighbourhood for granted and grown comfortab;e with casual aquaintances that just developed and I guess I feel like I want it all overnight.

As you say, what doesn't kill me makes me stronger.

Vivienne

[veespin]

Vee, you've picked a great place for riding. I often ride through Dover/Sherborn with my uncle and it's so gorgeous out there (I grew up further in, in Belmont, so there's more traffic to contend with before getting out to the country). ....


Isn't it gorgeous!

I found the area just by happenstance. We knew we couldn't afford what we want in Boston itself and, although Geri was at Harvard for 4 years, we didn't investigate much outside of Boston/Cabridge in our trips up there. Everyone said avoid north or south of the city because of the commute so we started to look west....Wellesley was a name I'd heard so did a few searches of that area on the internet(too expensive)...I saw a cute little house in Dover on one web site then clicked on various links on that web site (the way you do) and found Sherborn.

For folk whjo don't know the area it's very incongruous as it has a semi-rural feel although it's barely 20 miles outside of Boston and 4 or 5 miles south of Framingham and Natick. Cycling does look ok here and that really is my focus for next year.....to get out on the road more aquire some riding skills.

I found the performance testing the way that I found the house.....clicking on web sites for bike shops in the vicinity....and just in time, I imagine, to get a time slot.

All in all things seem to be working so fortuitously for me/us....other than the soft property market down in LI (and even that worked for us up here.....you'll see what I mean when you visit, SpinBob)....that I reckon that it bodes well for a happy future here. For sure, even though we need to paint a fair bit to really make it ours and move all our furniture in for any real comfort, everything that's been done to this house by the previous owners......including the startling interior decorations....has been done to the highest standards. That's a real first for me!!

Vivienne

[joyofspin]

Viv - just checked in and saw your posts. Glad you are feeling a bit more "homey" away from LI. Miss your closeness. Sounds like there is so much for you there. Please let us know about your testing. I think the last time we both did it was at Busto's correct? Tim's guys? - Joy

[veespin]

Viv - just checked in and saw your posts. Glad you are feeling a bit more "homey" away from LI. Miss your closeness. Sounds like there is so much for you there. Please let us know about your testing. I think the last time we both did it was at Busto's correct? Tim's guys? - Joy

Yep....that's the last time. Early 2003 I think.

The two guys who did the testing then used a set up called CardioCoach (http://www.korr.com/products/cardiocoach.htm) and I fancy it was much more basic than the stuff that's out now.

It was quite funny alfterwards, though......we did it on a Sunday, right?....well at the Tuesday evening Gold's class the guys (Steven, Danny (shoeperman) the Bald Eagle.....and mustn't forget Jason) were obviously comparing their VO2Maxs before I arrived. When I got there they asked me mine (just above 43 ml/kg/min.....apparently "excellent" for a 50+y.o woman) and suddenly remembered all manner of conditions that thwarted such "excellence" in themselves. A "cold", doing a run ahead of time etc. etc. Had to remind them ....it ain't the size, it's what you do with it that counts! That was a fun group, right??

I see ECA's in Feb this year. You'll see me then.....at this rate, I might be commuting in from Glen Head as usual!!

Vivienne