Life Keeps Me Busy

About a month or so ago I vowed to cut down on all my activities and have more free time to relax and enjoy life. I managed to do that, somewhat. At least I'm feeling less pulled in twenty directions than I had been. Of course, I'm the one doing the pulling, since I'm the one setting up my social events calendar. I have only myself to blame.

Last week I went out to see Supercrash play at the Red Eyed Fly. I like REF as a live music venue except during late summer. The mosquitos swarming off Waller Creek and the oppressive humidity are at their worst at this time. REF tries to keep it comfortable by running large fans but hey, when you're outdoors in August in Texas there's just not much you can do, y'know? Supercrash rocked out, as usual, and for a while I forgot how miserable the weather was and found myself caught up in the music.

Friday was Family Night with my Miller-Reinhardt clan. Our Fam Nites are always about three things: food, fun and flinging the one liners. No one is safe and no topic is taboo. Laughing your way through an evening is the absolute best. I did find out that my 3 year old nephew thinks I'm a boy. He giggled at me everytime I told him "no, I'm a girl. You're a boy." I don't think he was convinced of my gender.

I woke up superfreaking early on Saturday for the first registration day of Austin Fit. I'm coaching the slowest running group this season. For those of you out there who are already raising their eyebrows, please remember that it is a combo of running and walking. And the slowest of the slow runners. I'm intimidated, but feel pretty good about this coaching gig. I'm going to be completely upbeat, positive and cheerful when I meet my runners. I have to...they can smell fear and I don't want them to find out I don't know what the hell I'm doing.

After handing out shoe tags for the Orange color group of runners, answering a gazillion questions and breaking down tables and tents at Aus Fit, I headed home to get ready for The Event of the Weekend: tubing! I'd never been tubing before, despite having lived in Austin half my life. I had no idea what I'd been missing.

Jaime and I met up with friends at City Park in San Marcos, right on the river. We found a shady spot for our stuff, rented our tubes and got into the water as soon as we could. The spring-fed river was cold but not too cold. Think refreshing instead of take your breath away chilly. We lazed our way downriver, then hopped the tram back to the start. After a bathroom-bevie-bite to eat break, we were back in for a second float trip. It was a beautiful day, sunny and bright. I was content with being able to float 3 times, considering we didn't make it out to the park until a bit after noon. I want to go again, as soon as possible. This time I won't make Jaime eat a bite of papaya, which the group dubbed "assfruit" for its peculiar flavor.

Sunday was a different kind of family day. We went over to my parents' house where I was making enchiladas for lunch. When I pulled up, my father was outside admiring his brand spankin' new truck. He hadn't told me he'd bought a beautiful Ford F150 double cab truck with a sweet V8 under the hood. At least he had the decency to simply hand me the keys as I walked up the drive toward it. We took it around the block and I ooh'd and aah'd over how comfortable it is and how well it drives. Makes my Kia Sportage look like a Tonka toy.

The enchiladas turned out yummy. I posted pics of the process on my Statesman blog. And for you myspacers, there's pics plus a link for a video of me rolling out the enchi's. I think I could eat enchiladas almost every day. Oh, sure, eventually I'd get tired of them, but it would take a while.

How was your weekend?