Dear Mr. May – Have I every told you how much I admire your photos? I mean, I admire you, too, because you’re just a super neat person, but today?  Today’s photographic offering is particularly striking.  First because they are all black and white and I am a total sucker for black and white photos; and second, because my heart zings with glee when I see your perspective on buildings and places I pass (and slightly ignore) every day walking or biking.  It makes me anxious to get outside and go see what you see!

Ya’ll can see Mr. May’s photos HERE!!  Seriously.  Go see.  And take a moment to smile at the Grandbaby on on the right side of the blog.

Dear Princess Pea – Whoa!  What an amazing find on the chairs for your apartment!

Dear Windowsill Dove – What a good job you did sitting on those eggs!  I can see two little babies poking out from under you now.  Sorry, friends, I tried to get a picture of the wee babes, but Windowsill Dove would not cooperate and stand up for me.  She’s much more protective of the fluffy babies than she was of the eggs.  Perhaps in a few days when she needs to go fetch food for them I can get a good shot.

::faithful

Praying for

• Jen, with prayers of thanksgiving!  The chemo has worked it’s wonders, and her leukemia is once again in remission.
• DirtBike, that he finds his way through these frustrating teen years
• Kevin, for some relief as he struggles with the responsibility of his family

• air conditioning
• Cherry Ames’ first ‘big girl’ job, as a unit clerk in a local hospital.  They will work with her nursing school schedule – yeah!

::healthy

I continue to get in many miles a week on Princess Grace, as well as keep up with CrossFit classes.  I’m amazed that I can do 100 pushups in a single workout now, and it no longer hurts for days after.    I wish I hadn’t wasted so many of my younger years not being fit.  The plan going forward is to be the healthiest, strongest, coolest Grandma in the world in another five years or so.

::creative

It’s done!  Finished, wrapped up and delivered to lovely Baby Bean.

::delicious

The lineup this week includes

• Hamburgers
• Turkey Panninis
• Copycat Panera salad with spinach, grilled chicken, strawberries, mandarin oranges and poppyseed dressing
• Blackened Tilapia
• Pasta with fresh tomatoes and grilled zucchini
• Fish Tacos
• The Architect’s Birthday Cake!

::fun

The entire Pea Family rode in the Parker County Peach Festival this weekend. 26 miles of fun for all of us except The Architect.  He only did the 9 mile loop because he rode in the Smurf Boy endurance race the same evening:  four hours of single track goodness.  There wasn’t a junior division, so he was riding with the big boys, men 39 and under. He came in 6th place, completing 6 loops in the four hours, stopping only to change flat tires and refill water bottles.  Oh, and the last hour or so of the race was in the DARK!  With Headlamps!

Hello Chickies!  Mercy this week has been crazy busy.  This is the first opportunity I’ve had to fire off a blog post.  How fun that it gets to be Friday’s Letters!

Dear Mr. Pea –  You often give me grief over my lack of coordination and the extremely strange situations I often find myself in. For instance, Sunday evening when we were out riding and  the left crank arm came off of Princess Grace!!  There I am on the side of the road with the crank arm stuck to the bottom of my shoe.  Thank goodness I was able to get my other foot unclipped before I toppled over into the ditch, but oh! I was laughing so hard I couldn’t get untangled from the bike.  I’m standing there straddling the bike on the side of the road – I couldn’t get my foot with the crank arm attached up and over the cross-bar without tangling in the brake and gear wires, and because the crank arm was no longer attached to the bike, there was nothing to ‘push’ against and get my shoe unclipped. I kept leaning over trying to pull it off with my hand, but I just couldn’t.  What did you do?  Stood there and laughed with me, because it really was quite ridiculous. Then you pushed me all the way home.   You rode your bike right next to mine, reached over and pushed me all the way home.  You’re my hero.

Dear Trail Ride – 

You were hot and dusty, but you Totally Rocked!  (That’s Princess Grace on the back of the rack.  Her name is a nod towards her lovely color, as well as a tongue in cheek statement regarding my own ability to stay upright whilst on a bicycle.)

Dear Neighbors  – If you don’t want to take your toy with you when you move, my children will be happy to give it a new home.

And, the parade was lovely!

Dear Windowsill Dove – Admittedly I was a little put out that you chased your fledgling out of the nest, just days after I took his picture.  Yes he could actually fly on his own and probably find his own food, but still.  It seemed a little un-motherly to me.

You are now redeemed!