In retrospect... I do understand why he never wants to talk to us about his dating life. Because, yes, we get a bit too excited about it. 😂

And perhaps it leads to a bit of a gossipy nature... perhaps ... 🤔🤫🤐😁

Good morning all - was up early and had a bunch of to do list stuff to I wanted to take care of before my fuse was lit... and just felt like baking up some aquafaba meringues. I used to make them all the time, but you really can't do them in the humid part of the summer as they don't hold up... and because I wanted to do french meringues for the holiday last year, I was practicing those in the fall and stopped doing these.

But they're a great really low calorie treat (like 30-40 of them for 60-75 calories?) so I wanted to get back in the habit. Nice thing is, although I'd done this a hundred times, a couple of the techniques I'd learned from the french version I'm actually using to modify my "bean water" ones... and I think it's a nice tweak.

Anyway... enjoy your day!

Love,
Allie

Oh by the way, forgot to share this photo from the ride home from electrolysis yesterday.

I can think of SEVERAL things to say with regard to this photo, and, I will admit, I find some of them quite amusing.

However, the editor in me knows when to leave well enough alone. Nothing I can say is any better than the photo, speaking for itself.  And so it is presented.

I could but the post would be deleted!! (there goes my sense of humour again getting me in trouble)

Quote from: davina61 on March 21, 2024, 02:48:39 PMI could but the post would be deleted!! (there goes my sense of humour again getting me in trouble)

Yes, I should have clarified: I can think of several things to say about that photo — only some of which would pass the site's content guidelines. But that's what happens when you're dealing with anything in the cat family, and, frankly, the fuzzy end of the lollipop.

So tonight I was texting with the boy... who was still in his office at around 8 pm. I asked if it was because, as he mentioned, he had scheduled a bunch of congressional town visits in the next two weeks and he said yes, he had some briefs and remarks he was working on, but also he was "trying to get ahead so he could actually leave on time tomorrow."

I turned to my wife and showed her the text, and said he CLEARLY was talking about a date -- since if he was doing something with his friends he'd have said something directly. But this... just dropping it like that, AND knowing that he asked us not to react? I felt like this was basically a form of entrapment. He was counting on the fact that I would not have the willpower to take the bait and would have asked a question. Dirty pool if you ask me! 

So I said to my wife "Well, we are definitely getting some answers at Easter!"... to which she said "Fine, you can ask one question".... and I said "Why does it have to be me? Why don't YOU ask the question?" And she said, because "I'm fine not knowing."

Which is a total lie. 

"You just know if you say nothing eventually I WILL say something and you're off the hook because you didn't say anything."

She smiled and kissed me on the cheek.

I'm getting entrapped all over the place tonight, I tell you. 

Was commiserating with a few friends this morning about this very topic... how much, especially this weekend, with the NCAA basketball tournament in full swing, that I really miss being able to work at my old job.

Even after 20+ years, walking on a court hours before a nationally televised game, when all you can hear are the squeak of sneakers from players at shoot around and whispered laughs and nervous chatter from coaches and staff as they countdown the minutes until tip off... and then being out there again closer to game time — the area full of 15-20,000 people, the same players shooting, the same coaches talking, and all you can hear is the buzz of the crowd, the music, and the bands... as your stomach muscles constrict.

Talking to people you grew up watching on TV, having THEM seek YOU out to get your input...and later hear that they mentioned you on the broadcast and cut to you on the air (mostly by your friends saying "you looked awful!")...

The post-game lockerrooms... full of unmitigated joy on occasion, but always, always ending the season with tears and heartbreak. But having to remain professional in both circumstances.

When friends who aren't in the industry ask about it, I always say we don't really have a lingua franca... so I can describe it, but they cannot really understand it. It's incredibly stressful, doing ANYTHING in front of a national audience with hundreds of reports around ... and at times when we hosted, where we were responsible for all of it... but it's exhilarating and exhausting and ... a terrible privilege.  And, as mentioned, I miss it deeply.

Love,
Allie

P.S. Not that this clarifies anything, but, I don't know... it somehow resonates to me as endemic to the stakes and absurdity of it all. A dear friend of mine, a guard on our basketball team, an all-league performer... who came to our school after being his state's player of the year in HS... led us to the tournament one year.

And we ran into a team who lost in the final four that year, and won it the following year (I believe). Anyway, they were known for being aggressive on defensive and they destroyed us. Per usual there was tons of credentialed media there, including several of his home town and home state papers who travelled across the country to see him play in the game.  Nice, right?

Well, and I will never forget this, because it is one of, I think, the greatest descriptions (and cruelest) ever set in ink:

His hometown paper described his performance as follows "He played like an unwrapped sandwich in a forest full of hungry bears."

Like I said. A terrible privilege. That hangs on his wall to this day. We wouldn't have it any other way.

The one thing I do miss is drag racing, the nerves as you pull into stage and the 200% concertation on the tree cutting a good light. The G force from the launch and running through the top end at speed, what a buzz.
 But drag racing is sudden death, you win or lose on a split second so elation or disappointment. But there is always a barbeque and a night in the clubhouse with friends.

Quote from: davina61 on March 22, 2024, 12:28:16 PMThe one thing I do miss is drag racing, the nerves as you pull into stage and the 200% concertation on the tree cutting a good light. The G force from the launch and running through the top end at speed, what a buzz.
 But drag racing is sudden death, you win or lose on a split second so elation or disappointment. But there is always a barbeque and a night in the clubhouse with friends.

Wow, Davina - I can certainly appreciate the danger in all that.

Was this something you did just for fun, with your own cars - street stuff? Or are you talking about non-street legal drag racing cars on a track?

Either way, how did you get into it and when and why did you stop?

Hi Allie and Divina

The thrill of winning and standing before ones peers in a national competition is exhilarating.  I was involved in life saving and in 1988 there was a Royal Life Saving Society national competition in Canberra, Australia.

I won a gold medal in the life saving section (rescuing several victims, drowning) and bronze medal in the overall championship.

Winning, filled my fellow team mates with joy as well.

Love and Hugs
Sarah B
PS I still have the gold and bronze medals from that competition

Whoa, Sarah B. You were world class.

Quote"He played like an unwrapped sandwich in a forest full of hungry bears."

^Brutal,^ Allie. The Chicago Tribune used to flay Jordan too. If he played well, they'd hail him. If he played poorly, they'd gut him. It never felt fair to me.

I'd like to hear about your racing too, Davina.

And back to Sarah: Did you save someone who was actually drowning in the competition? I assume it was a simulated drowning, right? I'm also assuming that you've saved some people from real drowning when not competing.

Hi O&C

Quote from: Oldandcreaky on March 22, 2024, 04:00:26 PMWhoa, Sarah B. You were world class.

Thank you for the compliment, not world class, but I do know what you mean.

Quote from: Oldandcreaky on March 22, 2024, 04:00:26 PM^Brutal,^ Allie. The Chicago Tribune used to flay Jordan too. If he played well, they'd hail him. If he played poorly, they'd gut him. It never felt fair to me.

I'd like to hear about your racing too, Davina.

Double standards and not fair at all.  Michael Jordan?  Yes Davina, tell us more please.

Quote from: Oldandcreaky on March 22, 2024, 04:00:26 PMAnd back to Sarah: Did you save someone who was actually drowning in the competition? I assume it was a simulated drowning, right? I'm also assuming that you've save some people from real drowning when not competing.

No there was no real drownings at the competition.  There were too many lifeguards and life savers, well versed in saving people.  Yes all the victims who were in trouble or drowning were made up scenarios.

Winning that event I did not expect, as us team mates analysed I would have got 3rd or 4th place.  Well the team jumped for joy when the announcement was made, I had won the event.

I have saved 2 people in real life one drowning in a pool and the other at a beach.   Numerous times when kids where having trouble around the swimming pool where I worked as a lifeguard.

Love and Hugs
Sarah B
@davina61
@Oldandcreaky

Started in the "street" class with my daily Ford Capri then bought a 340 RT Dodge Challenger (still my daily) and raced that in street running 14sec 1/4rs at 104mph. Took the engine and box out and sold the shell and built a full tube drag car to put it in. Raced that and won the Pro ET class in 2000 and runner up in 2001. Life got in the way,daughter was dragging her classic beetle and only able to tow one car at a time.So brought it back out and did a few bracket races for ££s and came runner up in the end of year Big Bracket , hand full of wedge and a bag of goodies. Lost our local track to housing and that is just when I came out so sold the race car, it was a very good consistent dial your own bracket racer running 11.5 sec 1/4 at 120mph with good 60 ft times (1.5s) and 7sec 1/8 at 90mph. Potted history of my drag racing years 79 to 2018.

Quote from: Sarah B on March 22, 2024, 03:45:37 PMHi Allie and Divina

The thrill of winning and standing before ones peers in a national competition is exhilarating.  I was involved in life saving and in 1988 there was a Royal Life Saving Society national competition in Canberra, Australia.

I won a gold medal in the life saving section (rescuing several victims, drowning) and bronze medal in the overall championship.

Winning, filled my fellow team mates with joy as well.

Love and Hugs
Sarah B

Being the best at anything is a major accomplishment Sarah.  Being selected as the best is a huge honor, one not to be dismissed, regardless of the discipline.

But being the best by winning a competition against other challengers for the same crown? That is literally a peak experience. I've seen teams do it. I know people who have rings from having done it, but I can only imagine what you have actually lived.
It must be nice to have that feeling in your memory bank to pull out whenever you feel the skies are a bit too grey in your world.
The time you were challenged and, against the best in your country, you proved yourself to be the champion.

Amazing stuff!

Love,
Allie

Quote from: davina61 on March 22, 2024, 05:04:10 PMStarted in the "street" class with my daily Ford Capri then bought a 340 RT Dodge Challenger (still my daily) and raced that in street running 14sec 1/4rs at 104mph. Took the engine and box out and sold the shell and built a full tube drag car to put it in. Raced that and won the Pro ET class in 2000 and runner up in 2001. Life got in the way,daughter was dragging her classic beetle and only able to tow one car at a time.So brought it back out and did a few bracket races for ££s and came runner up in the end of year Big Bracket , hand full of wedge and a bag of goodies. Lost our local track to housing and that is just when I came out so sold the race car, it was a very good consistent dial your own bracket racer running 11.5 sec 1/4 at 120mph with good 60 ft times (1.5s) and 7sec 1/8 at 90mph. Potted history of my drag racing years 79 to 2018.

Davina - I cannot emphasis both how few of the words and phrases in the above that I even remotely recognize (my car knowledge on a scale of 1-10 is... "embarrassing") but also how much I DO understand and appreciate the journey you're talking about - the success, the way family and life intervenes. It sounds like you had quite an adventure though and something that, in another life, could have been a really interesting road not travelled!
Thanks for sharing!

Love,
Allie

Hi Allie and O&C

Thank you for a lovely reply.

I remember exactly to this day what happened in that 1 minute and 45 seconds, that was allocated to rescue those poor drowning victims!

That particular moment in time was a 'one hit wonder', since the following year I did not do well as far as I remember.  The old adage, "you win some, you lose some" was applicable.  When I entered competitions it was not to win, yes I tried too, but to do my best and winning was the cream icing on the cake.

I will save the full description of what happened for a later posting in my blog.  I have already written the story this morning, in response to O&C's posting, but decided not to include it.

Oh before I go, the lion statute on the back of the vehicle, had no meaning for me.  I guess it was too esoteric for me.

Love and Hugs
Sarah B
@imallie
@Oldandcreaky

I would not change my life for anything, even the "bad" bits. 3 lovely kids who all did some drag racing, eldest was chief starter for a few years, youngest lad was the first to ride a junior drag bike (I built 3 for him) from 10 to 16 years old and then was a fire marshal. Daughter was feared by the racers in the race for money bracket class in her Beetle. Now they are all in their 30s with kids of there own so I have 6 grandkids and 3 acquired ones from their partners previous.
 Things fall into place at the right time, my new adventure with life has just begun (okay 7 years in) and looks like things are working out for you as well with good timings. 

QuoteNo there was no real drownings at the competition. 
Love and Hugs
Sarah B
@davina61
@Oldandcreaky

I took a stress and rescue course in scuba.  I was a particularly strong swimmer, and very comfortable with scuba.  The "drowning victim" was a fire rescue professional.  He flailed and kicked and gave most people a little trouble, but he kicked it into another gear for me.  We were friends, and he threw the kitchen sink at me.  He elbowed me in the face (it was like being punched), knocked my mask off, ripped my air supply out and pulled me under.  I recovered and made the retrieval.  Next time around, though, I swam out to him, dived deep and came from directly beneath him on his back side (yes, he was spinning, but I still managed it) inflating my BC as I ascended) and grabbed him and inflated his BC and dropped his weight belt, then retrieved him.  I kept the middle of his back on my hip and all he could do was reach back over the top of his head.  He did manage to knock my mask off again (break the seal), but it just fell down towards my regulator, not off into the pool.

Afterwards he commented that I was lucky I came up with that strategy, because he was planning to make it even tougher on me than before.  He said he didn't think the others could handle it, but he was preparing me for the worst I might face in real life, because some people are absolutely losing their s4!t and can be exceptionally dangerous to the rescuer.   He followed that up with, I know you can handle way more than most.  I felt honored.

My question is, what is it ACTUALLY like rescuing people.  Do they (unwittingly) try to drown you?  Do they try to use you as a floatation device such that you are in danger?  Or, are they so relived to be able to breath freely that they lose their fight or flight feelings?  Was he doing what he said?  Or, was he just messing with me because we were friends and sometimes that's what guys do to friends?

My father had said when he took a course in the 20s. They were taught if someone had a death hold on them to dive deeper to get them to release. No scuba just aquatic training. I'm guessing there are a lot of new techniques these days.

Gina, when I took (non scuba) rescue, we were taught that same thing.  You can save them if they kill you.  Obviously, when they stop pulling you under, you get a breath and try again (more careful to protect yourself).