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Back In The Saddle Or Should I Say Easy Chair

Today on my afternoon commute home from work on the Ti-General Purpose bike I found the conditions perfect for a ride. A pleasant 60 degrees F and a very uncommon for this time of year lack of wind. I got kitted up in my black stretchy pants and headed out for my first recumbent ride of 2014. And its about damn time!

Even with this horrendous winter weve been through I still managed to get two or three commutes by bicycle in each week. Riding my upright bike regularly keeps my bottom end used to the saddle. Lets face it any time on any bike is

good time and for short utilitarian trips around town the diamond frame wedgie bike really shines. Once I got out on the open road though my old stalwart companion HP Velotechnik Street Machine proved to me once again that a longer ride can be a pleasurable, comfortable experience instead of the exercise in pain management that comes from sitting on a few square inches of traditional bike saddle and bent over holding those curly handlebars like they use in the Tour De France. Its not all about kicking back and relaxing on the bent. If youve got the legs and want to hammer you can certainly do that too.

Im not sure what I like best about riding recumbents. One thing is for sure I love being able to easily look around at the country side as it slides by. Granted things are pretty much dead and brown looking but thats soon to change. One of the best things about living and riding in Ohio is experiencing the change of the seasons from the back of a bike.

The first few rides out early in the season are always great. Even on familiar routes that Ive ridden many times always seem fresh and new. I didnt have enough time to head over to the local rail trail so I picked the medium sized route leaving from my driveway. The southern part of my ride took me down through a bit of Morrow County. This area is pretty much rural and you never know what you might see along the way.

Ford Ranger - Manure Spreader Combo

This fine country gentleman has his own observatory!

Really, there is a telescope mounted up under that dome.

Later I encountered some gravel. No worries and no gravel bike needed. My dual suspension recumbent took it all with aplomb.

So nice to get back out there!

Iberia Loop

Ride Time: 1:18:30

Distance: 17.35 miles

Average: 13.2 mph

Max: 29.4 mph

Back In The Saddle Or Should I Say Easy Chair

Pixies at the OSCARS To Cut or Not to Cut

I LOVE Julie Andrews! She is totally one of my girl crushes! And I have always thought she is just the most completely exquisite human being with a tremendous sense of humor which makes her more endearing.

But I have always loved her hair! I can never imagine her hair any other way! And, of course, she is aging so gracefully!

And how great is this picture - so trendy even way back then? And with with the pixie cut being so tres chic, I am getting the urge to cut my hair.

So watching the Academy Awards, I really noticed a great deal more short pixie haircuts on the women than usual. And I love each one more than the next! The amazing host, Ellen Degeneres - LOVE her - has always rocked the short cut and she looks gorgeous in it. Although, back in the 1980s, she also had it quite a bit longer. I think we have all had some version of this haircut at one point or another.....

The three women I noticed last night were Jennifer Lawrence, Charlize Theron, and Kristin Chenoweth

First off, I love her. I love that she seems like a normal person and yet she was super stunning at the OSCARS looking totally Hollywood glam.

I love that this cut is SO versatile that it can be worn in a bunch of different ways from casual to classic.

Here it is a little shorter which leads me to believe that she is growing it out now.

Charlize Theron - is she always perfect?

Every time I see the Jadore commercial, I am usually sitting on the couch eating something which is less than healthy. And watching that commercial depresses me so I eat more. LOL

LOVE Kristin - always the epitome of style and grace. She really changes her hair up a bit!

I completely love this look on her!

I remember reading when Anne Hathaway chopped off her hair for Les Mis and she sobbed for days. (It was REALLY short) but alas, she has kept it and I think it is gorgeous. Although, I cant help but miss her old hair too - she had such beautiful, long hair.

Such a difference with it short! WOW!

I also LOVE Jenna Elfmans sun kissed short cut! ADORABLE!

And I can still wear headbands and barrettes!

I always love Beths hair on her blog at http://seersuckerandsaddles.blogspot.com.

Source: Runningoffthereeses.com

And who didnt love Kathleen Kellys hair in Youve Got Mail? Meg Ryan was once the queen of hair before Jennifer Anniston took over! Here was my version of her cut in 2000...

This is my hair now - on the longer side but thinning like crazy from my breast cancer medicine. I used to have such thick and healthy hair and now it just makes me want to cry.

I have had a love / hate relationship with bangs and I can never not have them. But they have been the bane of my existence.

And then there was the whole blonde period - I still love the Rachel cut. (Stop laughing).

But actually, really, it is just hair. When I was in cancer treatment, I lost all my hair and was completely bald which was SO easy. I would flip on my wig and I never had a bad hair day! I dont recommend it but at least there was an upside. I am not sure if I want to cut it off - now that the warmer weather is upon us, it is nice to have to option of a pony tail or messy bun. But I know that in the coming weeks, I am going to be tempted to get that sassy, short cut just in time for SPRING! But for now, as the snow falls outside my window today during this second week of March, Im good. :-)

Pixies at the OSCARS To Cut or Not to Cut

Kitchen Backsplash Stencil or Stone Stone!

I found this on Pinterest and really love the rich, warm feeling this stacked stone backsplash brings.

But then I found this stenciled backslash idea on Etsy. It could be really pretty and economical.

Since I have been SLOWLY changing my kitchen over from bright green to a calming grey blue, I have the itch to change up the backsplash. I decided on the stencil effect done in blue and white. I bought a roll of white adhesive contact paper and cut out the pieces by hand. SHOOT ME!

I painted a patch and applied one of the stencils "just to see". I decided this could be totally adorable.

So just as I was almost done cutting out all the pieces I would need to begin application, I found this stacked stone on special at a home outlet store. I could do the entire backsplash for under $100. WHAT? I did some serious calculations regarding Bang for your Buck and already having the under cabinet lights in place to highlight the stone - yes the Beachwalk stacked stone was the WINNER!

A few years ago, this is what I started with. Wood trim cabinets, brass hardware and the creme de la creme - hunter green formica countertops. Yay me.

So, I painted the wood trim white to blend in with the cabinets, painted my formica to look like black granite, added a wood backsplash to match and changed out the hardware. HUGE difference.

The countertop area prepared for the stone - cutting around the outlets is not going to be fun. :-(

Here is the stacked stone well "stacked" up against the wall so I could see how this would look in my kitchen. I instantly LOVED it. It will totally give a natural and coastal look to the kitchen. Coupled with the color, the kitchen went from WOW and loud to Ahhh and very calming. Dont get me wrong, I loved the black and green harlequin decor, but the day after it was done, I wished I had painted it blue instead. Now here - four years later - it is to be blue. I cant wait to finish this.

Here again is just another angle to show how it is eventually going to look. Lots of work to do but I am eager to get this project completed so I can share the final result!

Kitchen Backsplash Stencil or Stone Stone!

Move or Stay and Remodel

Are you contemplating a move? Or are you wondering if it's worth it to stay where you are and remodel? Sometimes these decisions can be so difficult to make!

Moving can be such a pain in the butt. On the other hand, the excitement of moving into a new home can more than make up for the short-term pain. Remodeling can be costly whether or not you're handy enough to do-it-yourself. Here are some tips to help you decide:

1 - Neighbourhood / Proximity to Work/Schools

Are you happy with the location of your current home? Do you have a quick commute to work/schools? Do you have kids? and do your kids love their school? Commuting costs are rising and the longer your commute, the more wear & tear on your vehicles. As the cost of gas rises, these issues can take a bigger bite out of your budget than you realize. The shorter your commute, the better! Keep this in mind when making your decision.

Move or Stay and Remodel