I stopped to take a photo of this little tree this morning on my way to work.

Full view of the Christmas tree. It didn't look nearly this big when we picked it out. Pazza thinks ornaments are toys and pulls several off each day. She was carrying an angel by the head a couple days ago.

Ted made this for me for my birthday. I came home to find it in the refrigerator. Nice surprise!

Under our new Christmas tree.

Yuck.

Pazza eats breakfast with me every morning

Ted, surrounded by cats

Challah I made for the first Thanksgiving dinner

Me at Steilacoom

Ted racing at Steilacoom

November

Well, my first big cyclocross race went fairly well. I would have accomplished my goals if I hadn't flatted with one lap to go; my goals were to not get lapped and not finish last.

Ted and I were lucky enough to have two fantastic Thanksgiving dinners this year. We spent Thanksgiving Day with his aunt and uncle near Spokane, and had a second dinner on Saturday with my parents. Needless to say, we have a lot of leftovers in the refrigerator.

I'm heading to New Mexico on Sunday to take my personal chef course, so I've been studying all of the materials they sent me. I can tell it's going to be very intensive, with class running all day long. I'm most excited about the business part of it, as that is what I know the least about. I'll be flying in and out of Seattle, so hopefully the drive over/back won't be too treacherous.

I may be leaving at a great time, as it is cold here. The high for tomorrow is going to be 21! Yuck. And, it'll be even colder on Wednesday.

I turn 26 tomorrow. I feel old when I think that I'll be 26.

The cutest kitties ever

What was left of my poor pumpkin

Someone just woke up

Just relaxing

Ted and Pazza

At the start of the state cyclocross championship

Weak Westsiders

State championship titles in bike racing used to seem like a bigger deal. The turnout last weekend in Spokane for the WA state cyclocross championships was piddly. Only eleven men did the men's 1/2 race, and only four women did the women's 1/2 race. Even the (often largest) men's 3 field had only 10 racers. For a state championship? Now, I know some of the more elite cyclocross racers were racing at the UCI race in Boulder, but surely everyone cannot use that excuse. So, where was everyone else?

Westsiders are lame when it comes to making the effort to travel to races. They whine when they have to drive more than two hours to a race, often simply refusing to make the effort. Horrible weather surely cannot be to blame, nor can westside races, as there really were none. Over 500 people showed up for the September 24th race at Steilacoom, so where were they for the state championship? Do state championships not matter anymore?

I now have the honor of being 2nd at the state championship for 1/2 women. I should not be 2nd! There are many women who would easily have beaten me down last weekend, yet none of them showed. Weak.

I've been kind of lazy lately, taking it easy for sure. Soon I'm going to have to give myself a little kick and get going again. I'm actually going to have some coaching help for next season (first time since 1998), so I think that will help my motivation a lot. Until then... I'm off to take a little nap with my kitty.