Arrived home today to find a group in a circle on the green space in front of my condo practicing Tae Kwon Do. Their teacher looked good and friendly for a TKD instructor (they are often very harsh).

After a snack I went out to watch from the side .... they invited me in to the group . Very friendly bunch. It's a casual class and they say it's their second class so as one said "you should not be far behind us"

I may keep doing this if I get home in time. Obviously I'm not about to change styles or teachers but the stretching was great, a little bit yoga and work on speed/power can't hurt. I'll have to be very careful as I can't do some of the kicks but when we did punching and block drills I saw the teacher nod "oh, you've done something like this before".

Seems a good way to meet the neighbors anyway. So often we are hidden logged onto our computers, watching the tube.

Log off the d@ng computer, get outside and meet your neighbors (after you read my blog of course).  Pictured above is my favorite way to unwind and get outside, my road bike. 

My dog is adoted from the pound, she's a rescue. I have so much to say about her and plan to do so from time to time. You, my readers will hear a lot about her. I got custody of her in a break up, the ex got the house.

I think I got the better part of the deal ;-)

Here she is resting on an accumulation of beds. The rug is not one I'll keep, it's not an indication of my sense of design.

When I took up the trully horrid awful gross disgusting carpet my dog balked at walking or resting on the sub floor. Since at that time it would be a while till I got the new flooring installed I got a rug, brand new from a local thrift store. I'm sure to donate it back as I make myself at home in the new place. But Mae needed a soft spot under her paws.

So here she is with two (2) beds, the blanket from the car, and a rug. Soft enough for you, dear?

Next up on the agenda is taking the carpet out of the entire upstairs, including the bedroom where we sleep. Since she sleeps on the floor next to the bed I wonder what she'll think of that?

Right now she is trully enjoying the new kitchen floor, it's linoleum but looks nice. All Mae knows is it is cool and smooth under her paws.

If this was a home I planned to stay forever in I'd have gotten cork or Marmolem. If you haven't seen Marmoleum look it up. Amazing colors!! Some shades look very much like cork, or wild vibrant exciting colors. You can play with designs or single sheets. Marmoleum is what linoleum *used* to be, pure linseed oil.

It's been a tradition to ake Bike to Work Day Off. I try to visit as many "refreser stations" as I can and of course pick up a lot of SWAG (stuff we all get). I got a bit of a late start, got out about the same time as I'd leave to work but then it is my day off.

My first stop was my usual train station. I chatted with the ladies at the booth. This stop I think is the most important of the Bike to Work refresher stops round the Bay because my 'hood is trully a 'hood. Solidly working,lower middle class, a lot of "invisible cyclists". Most did not know there is this yearly event, are not aware there is a community of cyclists and resources. I thanked the volunteers and rode on.

Next stop an Elementry school. The teacher who crews that stop is a teacher who remembered me from last year. Again I was the only adult she'd seen so far that day on a bike. But there were several kids who rode in, a few with a parent. She'd led a massive helmet-safety drive during the year. And the one kid I saw ride in with his Dad you guessed it, kid has a bran bucket parent does not. But lots of good things going on. There is now a "edible schoolyard" program with a garden that is science, ecology and nutrition education for the school and a much needed help with food expenses for the cafeteria.

This year she said they may build a greenhouse to grow even more and year round.

I rode on. Next stop was Downtown station more volunteers to thank and SWAG to get. A bus driver stopped by and the volunteers gave him a snack and a t-shirt. He carries cyclists too so is part of the solution.

Did I mention it was HOT? I'd planned to go to Castro Valley next but decided to cut it short, get on the train and head downtown. So at that point I did.

A nice ride, and short but exhausting because of the heat. I'll fill in more later but Mae wants a walk now.