After 3 difficult, unpleasant weeks in the hospital, my dad finally got to go home yesterday! The check-out process was painstakingly slow - each of many doctors had to stop by to give their last minute orders - but nevertheless, he is home resting comfortably in his favorite chair, restoring his energy with homecooked meals, and enjoying a steady stream of visitors who stop by to wish him well. I am thrilled that he has made it through these last few weeks with such a strong will and good spirits. Now he just has to get out for a bit of fishing to keep himself occupied - that is, as long as he doesn’t catch anything bigger than 10lbs!!

And I returned home yesterday to my NEW home! Montreal just about killed me this year - the crap weather, the crazy courses, the plastic dorm beds that stuck to my skin in the middle of the night when I’d wrestled all the sheets off the bed - so I was more than happy to leave Canada, and especially stoked to come home to a brand new house. There will be enough work to do around here to keep me busy for awhile, but hey, I can’t (or don’t) ride my bike all day anyway so decorating will be the perfect task for the next 7 days. I mean, we have done this enough times it’s like I can almost snap my fingers and things start to magically appear in their proper place. Well, almost. It’s my hesitation about putting holes in the clean walls that might take some time to pass. Using toothpaste to caulk unwanted holes just isn’t going to cut it anymore.

Philly was a blast as usual this year. Unfortunately, the women’s race is already ending just as the men are starting to make things happen in their epic battle, but Philly is Philly and short or long it is always a great race. And it never fails to make me more nervous than any other race all year. The crowds, the expectations, the Wall, wondering if luck will be on your side…it all makes the butterflies in my stomach flutter like mad. Luckily, the TEAm had a good day - Kristin took one of the podium spots by easily sweeping up the QOM competition - although we didn’t go home completely unscathed when Brenda went down pretty hard in the last km of the race…but crash or not she’s not one to let some road rash keep her from wearing her trademark tight ass jeans and having a good night out! As is tradition, many of the riders go out for a good time whether it’s to celebrate or drown the sorrows. The usual suspects were out in full force having a good time and maybe even talking about something other than bike racing for a change. Actually, probably not, but at least everyone was having a good time. Some people more than others (I won’t mention my teammate’s name) since jumping into the LOVE fountain - that would be the water fountain near the LOVE symbol, not necessarily the “LOVE” fountain - seemed to be a good idea, fully clothed and freezing cold. Ah yes, good times.

I’m going to find the most strategic place for that nail hole now…

-MM