Family Time

This week has been low key - spent part at my sister's in Richmond playing uncle. Got to watch my 5 year old nephew CJ at soccer camp (so so, SO proud, my heart was literally bursting watching him dribble down the field - mostly headed in the right direction too!) Lots of pool time and did some shopping at Blue Ridge Mtn Sports where I got some great info for Shenandoah hikes, I cannot wait to try out the suggested trails. Looks like maybe next week before I get to go as I've had lots of company here in C'Ville.
I also have something really big that I'm excited about in the works, might be the coolest thing so far this summer if the timing works out - stay tuned.
JP came down for the weekend and we canoed, drank too much, and had a very memorable night in town with Jason, a guy who just moved to town three weeks ago and lives about 3 miles from the lake. Quote of the evening, "Hey girls, listen up..." those of you who know JP must press him for the details!
Hours after JP left, my parents and my Aunt & Uncle from Colorado showed up for the 4th of July week. Went back to Richmond today for a visit/cage match with CJ (where do they get their energy and how can we harness it?) and we plan on sightseeing Monticello & Ashlawn tomorrow. Amazingly, I've never been before! My parents were strong believers in US History as I was growing up so most of our vacations included the local colonial villages and the like. From the Independence Trail in Boston to the Liberty Bell, Fort Ticonderoga, Valley Forge, DC & the Smithsonians, Mt. Vernon, Williamsburg, and Mystic Seaport, I thought I'd seen every hot, bored teenager in breeches and a ratty tri-cornered hat on the East Coast being forced to dip candles or run a spinning wheel for a minimum wage summer job. But how could I have missed the site of Tom Jefferson's cross-cultural liaisons with Sally Hemming at his fabulous plantation of Monticello???? Tomorrow that will be rectified.
Wednesday is the lake's July 4th celebrations!! There is a 6 block long parade (3 blocks each way!! More sizzling details after I witness the extravaganza...) the across the lake swim, and we are also cooking out at the house with my sister's fam that night. I'll be sure to let you know how the swim goes.
Read "London Fields" by Martin Amis, Jacques Cousteau's book on inventing scuba diving named "The Silent World," and laughed my ass off reading Maartin Troost's "Sex Lives Of Cannibals." The last book is a hilarious look at a young DC man, kind of drifting in life, who whimsically wanders out to the South Seas to live for a couple of years; hmmmmm. It's kind of a "Don't Stop The Carnival" for the present day. He has a sequel titled "Getting Stoned With Savages" which explores his further island adventures, I'm hitting Amazon next...
Been running hard and swimming, (runs are up to 7-8 miles now,) and getting ready for my races. Funny thing happened yesterday as I was struggling up the hill with about 5 minutes to go on an hour long run, a passing SUV full of teenaged girls catcalled and sexually harassed me! "Hey, sexyyyyy!!" strange guttural noises, and comments about my butt!! I'm shocked, and I feel so violated and ashamed. If only I'd gotten a license plate, I'd tell them what I think of their degrading antics,... and ask for more.
That's all for now,
Ciao,
C