GET OFF THE TABLE!!!

Welcome to my life.  Only if this was actually Bissell, he'd be giving the middle claw too.

I saw the above picture on Facebook and almost fell over laughing (if I wasn't sitting, I surely would've fallen over).  I guarantee that my neighbors are tired of hearing me yell at my pets (Bissell in particular).  Every evening is a battle, a face-off between the cat and I over my dinner plate.  Sneaky little jerk is on my chair, paws on the table within nanoseconds of me getting up to get a glass of water.  Or tonight, as I'm trying to FaceTime with my lovely goddaughter (HAPPY THIRD BIRTHDAY, REAGAN!!), Bissell is in the background, leaping up on the counter to steal leftover greenbeans.  I alternated between trying to chat with Reagan and trying to nail Bissell with the squirt bottle.  The kitchen counter and floor were soaking wet by the end of the conversation.  Sigh.

Training is coming along.  I'm definitely less strict with my sweets intake this fall compared to this summer.  It's my goal to keep my fridge stocked with a homemade apple pie every day of this glorious season.  Because what is life if you can't enjoy a slice of apple pie every day of autumn?  I've not been feeling super peppy on my runs or rides, a week ago I blamed it on still being tired from Vegas.  This weekend, today in particular, things seemed to be coming around.  Probably had something to do with being in bed at 9:30 last night.  This past Thursday I joined the Ignite/Tri360 evening ride through Arlington.  It went through some beautiful neighborhoods that I didn't even realize existed.  And it was full of hills.  Hills, hills, hills.  It was an hour of heart-thumping, leg-pumping good times with a friendly group of people.  Highly recommend coming along in the next few weeks if you're looking for something fun to do on Thursdays.

Today was a weekend of triathlon firsts for some of my friends.  I was talking to my mom and she told me her boss (HI DR. PAISNER!!) was doing his first triathlon today.  Dr. Paisner - when you read this, I want a full report!  Ask my mom for my e-mail address.  And my good friend Jonathan, who I have known forever, was doing his second triathlon ever this weekend.  And my friend Jessie, who isn't even 21 yet (why oh why couldn't my motivators in college have been swimbikerun instead of beerwinetequila??) smashed her age group AND most of the other female competitors in her first half Ironman today.  I think there's something pretty neat about your first few races - no major expectations, going out of your comfort zone, the thrill of accomplishment that comes with completing a race/race distance you've not done before.