Crash test dummy

A couple of weeks ago, I bought a scooter. I've been taking it to DMV to practice riding the course so I can get my license. The first night I took it out, I managed the left turn ok, although it still needs work. I had the sudden stop DOWN cold. If nothing else, my scooter can STOP! I had a lot of trouble with the weave/u-turn part and the swerving was a nightmare. Thursday night, RF and I went over there while mom took the kids to the pool. I decided there was no reason to practice stopping because I was good. I also decided that I was comfortable with the left turn so I needed to spend our limited amount of time working on weaving and swerving. I wove and wove and wove and finally managed to do it several times in a row with only a few minor issues. We were running out of time so I decided to move on to swerving. That is definitely the hardest part of the test and I just wasn't getting it. RF kept telling me to really push, both with my hand and my foot to force the bike where I needed it. The last time down, I really pushed and I think I made the right turn and as I tried to swerve back (part of the test is to swerve around the red line and bring it back inside the yellow line), the bike slid out from under me and I hit the pavement. My foot got caught between the seating the fairing and as I rolled coming off, my foot didn't go with me. I also slid across the pavement on my left elbow/arm. Despite being a helmet nazi any other time, I wasn't wearing mine then. I had taken it off because we were in the parking lot and not going over 15 mph and I couldn't hear RF who was reading me the test directions and offering pointers on how to do stuff better. Fortunately, I didn't hit my head. I also, because it was stupid hot, was wearing a tank top while I rode. I had a long sleeve shirt in the trunk of the scooter but just wasn't wearing it. I was wearing long pants, which seriously saved my leg. No matter how hot, I always wear long pants riding because I seriously burned my leg climbing on my dad's motorcycle when I was 5 and I still have the scar. So good for me because the pants were trashed. The knee is covered in black tar and the pocket is all shredded. That would have been my leg if I had shorts on.

RF got me up and settled down. Although I was hurt, I was more angry than anything. I was mad that I'd only had the bike a couple of weeks and managed to put it on the ground. I was mad that I had hurt myself. I was mad that I couldn't swerve right, etc. I was yelling and cussing and everything else. Eventually, he helped me up and got me back on the scooter. I got it going again and we rode home. Other than the fact that my leg hurt so bad that I couldn't even put my foot on the floor board of the scooter, it wasn't terrible to ride home (and way better than the time I broke my ankle when I was 9 and rode my bike 3/4 of a mile home. This time I didn't have to pedal home) and the bike had to get home somehow. We got home and RF got our stuff together and took me to the ER, since I couldn't put any weight on my left foot at all. While we were waiting in the ER, he took a picture of my elbow, with blood swears and everything. See that top bit that looks like it is already scabbed over? Yeah, it's not. That is tar from the parking lot embedded in my elbow. Despite scrubbing, it hasn't come off. I'm hoping as it heals, it will be forced out. If not, I'll have a permanent black spot on my elbow



They never did look at my elbow. When we got home, my mom helped me clean it up and get it bandaged. The X-ray on the ankle came back saying no break (I'm very surprised). So now I'm in a splint and on crutches for the next several days. I'm supposed to follow up with my doctor sometime this week. In the meantime, rest and ice. Keep it elevated, etc. So far, I really don't have time for rest but I'm working the ice in occasionally during the day.

We finally got some decent gauze pads to bandage the elbow with (we had been using plain gauze and it was sticking like crazy) so while it was off today, I took another picture of the elbow, just for comparison :)

I found out today that there is a chance I was actually doing the test wrong and that would explain the wipe out. The way the course is set up there is the potential that you could either swerve left or right. Right is hard right turn, left is much more gentle. I'm going to talk to some people that have taken the test at DMV, not through the U of I motorcycle course and see if left is acceptable. I'm also going to call DMV and ask if I can fail a section of the test and still get my license. Because honestly, if it the right swerve, I will likely never be able to do it. The one and only time I used enough pressure to actually swerve around the object line, I dumped the bike. Not something I'm likely to try again. So I need to find out if I can just attempt it and hit the object line or the side line and still pass the test. We'll see what happens

I'm a loser, baby

In fact, I'm the biggest loser in my Weight Watcher's group! For the second week this month (unfortunately, non-consecutive because a new member clobbered me last week). My 3.6 pound loss puts me at 191.6. My 10% goal was 191.7!! I've lost over 21 pounds in 6 weeks time. My next goal is 20% which is 172.5 and I'm setting my date as the second weigh in in August, which is the 8th. That is 7 weeks. After that, I'm one more 10% increment plus pounds from my goal. That puts me at goal in 16 weeks, if I maintain my current pace. 16 weeks is TB's birthday, which was my original goal.

I find myself saying "that just isn't worth the points" about a lot of things now. Today at the meeting, we talked about the importance of eating breakfast and the leader was asking "what is you standard breakfast"? "What do you eat a resturant for breakfast"? and "if you want to use the extra points, what do you induldge in for breakfast"? My answers were "sandwich thin and 1 TBSP of peanut butter" "I don't eat breakfast out" and "I don't. There isn't a breakfast food I've found worth the points" She asked me to clarify what I meant by "not worth the points". Basically, I look at every piece of food and say "is the satifaction of eating this worth the potential sacrifice that I will have to make in order to justify eating it?" The answer depends on the day. Sometimes, I'm just desperate for candy and then the answer is yes. Other times, I could eat it, but missing it wouldn't be the end of the world. In that case, I "just say no" :)

The problem that I have is that once I start eating something, I eat it until it is gone. This is why I HAVE to weight and measure everything I eat. My estimating skills suck so I actually have to weigh or measure to ensure accurate points. If I weigh out a portion, I will eat that amount and be able to not go back for more. If I just put the whole mess on my plate, I'll eat every bite, even if that means I'm so full I'm sick.

PS, I wrote this earlier and forgot I didn't publish it. I spent the day thinking "geez, no comments, what's up with that" and then I realized that of course there would be no comments because no could see it but me LOL

Boot Scootin'

see my new toy!

Monster muddin'

My dad got a wild hair a few weeks ago and bought the kids a new play structure. In addition to buying and building the structure, my dad bought the water slide attachment for the slide, then he rigged up a shower head attachment that we hook the hose up to and it sprays water on the slide, the attachment and the whole yard around the slide. We had some people over tonight and since it was stupid hot, we set up the water slide. The kids were a little tentative at first, because the water was awfully cold. Once they got over that, they LOVED it like a fat kid loves cake!

X-man and MT had optimum density and were able to shoot off the extension, way out into the mud.





Lightening McColin was a little lighter weight and didn't quite make it to the mud





X-man had some issue staying straight on the slide



Fortunately, Loosey wasn't horrified by the mess on her child



Bubba wasn't impressed with the cold of the water at first, but he got over that shortly





PG liked it until she had a crash





Quigs kisses the boo-boo away



Curious J went down once, then did his own thing for awhile. Bubba joined him to warm up a bit



Thunder McGavin so wanted to be with the big kids but the water was just too cold for his little body



Loosey, MacTroll and RF watch the fun



Quigs was appalled and horrified by the mud and the mess her kids were getting in to



RF and MacTroll act as "life guards" to the water play



Curious J rocked the sand box



Quigs may not have liked it but how can you say no to this much excitement?!

Toothless

Bring it on

We were driving in the car the other day and following conversation came from the back seat

MT: Hi, my name is The Boy and I like cheeeeeese
TB: I do not like cheese. Cheese is my mortal enemy!

Cruisin'

If anyone is interested in riding or donating to the event, you can find more information by visiting the website

Hey! It's almost that time again. Our fifth annual motorcycle marble run is right around the corner! This year's proceeds will benefit Camp COCO. I have attached our commercial that will air soon on WGKC 105,9. Pass on the ride info to your friends and family that ride. All makes and models of motorcycles welcome! Our event will be held rain or shine. Registration begins at 9:00 a.m. at Andrae's H-D and we will end at Fifth Dimension Collision Repair.
Enjoy the ride!
Jane

Cruisin' 4 Kids with Cancer
July 25, 2009
http://cruisinforkids.tripod.com

Preview of things to come

We took TB (MT voted to stay home) to see UP today. It was barely "meh" The opening short (often as good or better than the movie) was ok. It was cute but nothing great (my fave has to be the rabbit and the magician at the beginning of Wall-E) and the movie didn't go far from there. Ellie was funny and my kind of character. Dug, the talking dog, was, as predicted, the best part of the movie. There were lots of REALLY slow, sad parts. He spent a lot of time thinking about Ellie and those parts were always sad. There was some action and a few LOL parts (RF didn't think so and was torn between shushing me and living) but over all, pretty boring waste of almost $20 (I didn't dislike it as much as Wall-E because there wasn't as much of a message and it didn't beat over the head with it's social conscience and it might have been more in 3-D but I'm just not understanding the raves that I've been hearing about it)

The part that irked me was the ever loving previews. I like previews as much as the next girl and those are often the best part of the movies. However, these went on FOREVER! Not only did they show previews for Imagine That, G-Force, Transformers, and Harry Potter (plus a few others), there were commercials too. We, mercifully, missed most of the commercials because it was a last minute decision to go to the theater but even one is too many. TB had Pokemon club at the library at 1:30 and I assumed that seeing an 89 minute movie (which includes the credits) at 11:30 would leave us plenty of time to get home and get his stuff and get him there on time. Unfortunately, I was wrong because there were 30 MINUTES of previews! Forever, I tell you!

Schools out...for summer

Wed was the last day of school. They went for a whopping hour and 15 minutes. It was a waste of time but he got his report card so that was all good. After spending the whole year behind grade level in reading, he suddenly doubled his reading level and jumped right up to grade level. Let's hope he hangs on to that over the summer and starts close to grade level in the fall.

Since school is now out, we are going to be busy. Pools and parks and travels are calling our names. If I manage blog, it is going to be the same old same old. Stay tuned for blogs saying "We went to the pool" "We went to the library" "We went to the park" "We went to the children's museum" and hopefully "I lost weight"

Nothing big or exciting going on here

You KNOW you are jealous

I totally got into Quig's pants today. Usually it's Looseyfur's but not today :)

They are very comfy :)