This Weekend in a Nut Shell

Saturday I went to the beach for the Dragon Boat races. When doing our biweekly practices, we have had a full boat (22 paddlers) a few times, but more often than not we don't. We might have 14 paddlers, or even only 10, but come race day everyone showed up. We had about 4 paddlers more than we needed, so not everyone was able to get into the boat. It doesn't go by who went to every practice vs who went to only a few. It goes by who gets there first gets to go on the boat. So, that left me out for the first 200m race. Then some friends showed up in their power boat. I asked our coach when the next race was, 12:15, so I went off to sit in the boat with my friends. I didn't understand, this being my first time at the races, that you have to be sitting around waiting an hour or more before you are scheduled to race because they can be way early or way late. So I got back there at 11:20, figuring I was in plenty time, and couldn't find anyone on my team. Then I notice the boats pulling away from shore, and one of them was my team. So I missed the second 200m race. Later than afternoon, though, I did get into the boat for a 5oom races, our last race of the day. It was great! The only problem was that the fellow in front of me and myself kept hitting each others paddles and once even tangled them. To compensate for this, I had to change the way I was paddling and use my arms more and my body less. This is not good, you are supposed to use your body to do most of the work or it can make your arms really sore. Well, I found out just what Val (coach) mean when she said that. Today my right arm and shoulder were soooooo sore it was incredible. The left one is a bit too, but not so much as the right. I called Val's cell and told her I would not be there today. At that point, there is no way I could have shifted gears in my truck, never mind paddled a dragon. I could have sat on the beach all day and watched the others race as I had done yesterday, but that's really not my idea of a good time. I haven't sat on a beach for years, simply because I don't enjoy doing so. So, today I spent the day at home gently stretching and exercising my arms here and there to get them healing (and nursing the sunburn). It helped a lot and I am much better, tho I still have a sore right shoulder and arm. I'm sure by this time tomorrow or the next day it should be okay.... well, then again, I do have to go haul pellets tomorrow and that includes unloading them and stacking them on pallets in my carport where they are protected from getting wet.

This evening I was healed enough to drive again, so hopped in the truck and drove to the small town where I grew up, and where Mom and one sister still live. I left my truck at Mom's and drove her car up to the lake for a family dinner at the river mouth. My brother's in-laws own the marina there and it is sooooo beautiful and peaceful. I totally love it up there. My brother and his wife live in the Greater Vancouver area, but are up at the lake right now. I had a fabulous evening.

I would love to play along with Manic Monday, but it is late and I am tired. I have a busy day ahead of me tomorrow. I have to call the pellet company and confirm that they still have fur pellets in stock for me. If so, then I drive out there (about 15 minutes), get half a ton (25 x 40# bags which they load for me), drive home and unload them, stacking them neatly on a pallet in the carport, then back for a second load. I need both my arms for this, as well as my back, so I sure hope the arms are feeling better tomorrow than they were today.