Sadly, the end of the season. Masconomet 18 CCHS 6. 
Policemen scare me! They don't smile, they carry guns, they have big egos and have to appear bad ass, but look at Mr Officer Polite and Kind. He must do this as a part time gig, he probably works as a matrie d at some fancy hotel the rest of the time. I am sure he has another job because he is way to nice. Here, back at the Plymouth Tri, I asked Officer P&K if he wouldn't mind humoring me and my gang in taking a photo for my handstand blog. He obliged without hesitation. We waited for the traffic to clear and while keeping his mind on public safety struck a very official policeman like pose for a quick handstand photo!
Not to be a bummer, but you know those days when you have a goal in mind and you know the steps it takes to get there? However somedays your mind is flat, you don't have a creative bone in your body and you know you just have to put in the work or effort to achieve the goal? Well, this week was a bit like that. My enthusiasm has waned. I imagine throughout the winter I will have days like this. I like the lesson in this though. Enjoyment can be patiently found in all of the steps it took to get where you are and where you are going.
Today is veterans day. The family is home, including my husband, the yard maintenance police, so I was put to work. Since I need to be distracted while participating in this taxing work, I prepared for my latest handstand "set". The KGirl, one of my swimmers and fellow blogger http://thekgirlsguide.blogspot.com/ is competing in a meet this weekend and fully intends to break the New England Record in the 1500 meter free. Just another way to express my enthusiasm for the KGirl's successes! KGirl. Go for it!
When I asked my son to take this photo I could see in his eyes he was questioning my sanity. The outfit, the set up, the fact that I asked him to take the photo whilst he recovers from the flu, perhaps the swine one. However, I was questioning his as well. He was out in the cold stacking wood so I figured a little break to humor me wasn't off the mark. The outfit wasn't quite what I expected it to be. I was hoping it would glitter in the flickering lights of the pumpkin glow and candles. There is also a fire behind the stone wall in our outdoor fireplace, unfortunately it cannot be seen. We took about 10 photos each one he told me, "No, that one wasn't good" I thought we came away from here without a good shot, but this one is pretty decent. Everytime I ask him to take a handstand photo I think he is going to say no, but he always obliges. Go figure? What a fella I've raised, he continues to humor his mom:)
I know, you can barely see me, but I am there, to the left of the tree. This photo represents the fading of fall into winter. Throughout the month of October I was looking for a beautiful tree to do a handstand near. The first tree I located I did not get to in time. I had to coordinate the time of day, the photgrapher and permission from the property owner. By the time I was ready the leaves had all blown off the tree. I found this one while on location for my corvette birthday photo. I have to prep now for cold weather handstands! Oy vey!
My husband's friend, Scotty, has this great Corvette! (Vintage- the year of my birth) I asked him if I could get a handstand photo in front of it on my birthday. After we were done with the photo shots I asked Scotty if I could drive it. He smiled silently, like the night, black as night like the blackness of his corvette. I took that as a no! I think I will try again next year though, Maybe he will reconsider, if I bring an offering, like a case of Budweiser.
It's ashame I went to Bermuda and did not get any handstand photos at the shore. I will most certainly have to go back there. This photo is taken in front of City Hall in Hamilton Bermuda. As I was googling to make sure I had the correct building in my mind I found this photo also taken in front of City Hall. I guess this is a popular place to get flipped in Bermuda! This particular day was our last day there. The day was intended to be filled with adventures all around the island but due to torrential rains our adventures were characterized by rain walks, bars, bus rides and restaurants. A different sort of adventure. 
We were going for capturing the handstand and shadow in this photo. It's too bad you cannot see the fantastic Bermudian ocean in the background, but just beyond where I am handstanding you can see some stairs. Those stairs lead into a cave where pools of water rest. You can swim in them! There used to be a disco down there in the 70's. There are two gound levels in the cave. There was a stage for the band and a dance floor and as far as I can tell it was not man made, perhaps man honed! It's very cool and kind of spooky!
This week I was covering for my handstand coach, TBird, who is the diving coach for some pretty phenomenal divers! I am a swim coach so this dive coaching thing was new for me! I learned a lot from Gracia and Sean (the divers) and have a new found respect for diving coaches everywhere! It takes an incredible amount of concentration to analyze each and every dive. Think about it...each dive is executed in about 5 seconds and they are coming one after another!
This was a fun one! Super easy without gravity to contend with. Maybe you can see how I am cheating to keep from floating up. I kind of blend in with my aqua speedo but my silver Gray Sharks cap stands out! My fellow swimmers surround me, from left to right Dave, Cathie, Kirsten, Steve, Karen and Paula swimming in the background. This was taken on one of our Saturday afternoon workouts. We were filming our strokes with an underwater camera and of course I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get a photo for the week.
Thanks to Jack (my son) and Owen (his friend) who took time out of their Monday holiday to humor me in my handstand quest! Jack took a few photos. Some were taken in a field of wildflowers and sunflowers and some with this flumey stuff (don't really know what it is). The wildflowers were cool, but the handstand in this one was better. Still working on that toe point! You would think that would be easy to incorporate once you have got the handstand down. Not so! I will keep working towards it.
Yesterday was my handstand coach's birthday and today I took her to one of my favorite places, a Massachusetts gem which will remain unamed. Above me is Tracey Bird who has been training me in the art of the perfect handstand. By the way, today I accomplished one of my goals. I held an 8 second handstand, 2 times! Witnessed by my coach :)
After a long weekend holding down the fort, while I was off at The Lobsterman aquabike in Freeport, ME my husband, Dan, agreed to get down on the ground in "just the right lighting," and take this photo. 
With me here is my friend, swimmer of the ABC Gray Sharks and Plymouth Iron Man Triathlete, Dave Hart. Here he is rounding one of the turnarounds of the 112 mile bike ride after completing the 2.4 mile swim in 59 minutes! The photo above is taken during the third out and back loop of his marathon after his 112 mile bike ride! Dave came in third in his age group with at time of 12:57:52. 
9/11/09
This weekend was spent at Lake Winnepsesake with friends who were participating or spectating the Timberman Triathlon. We had folks in a winning relay, sprints, aquabike and complete 1/2 Ironman. I myself participated in the 1/2 Iron aquabike. 
This week I thought I would post both my blunder attempt and my so, so, handstand. I am sure by the 52nd week I will be popping up into my handstand with ease and delight. My friend, Brad, here agreed to pose in his headstand while I attempted my handstand along side of him. He looks so peaceful and blissful. He probably could have stayed there all day. 
Today, August 7th, I began my photo blog of 52 weeks of handstands. I am inspired by the jumping boy, a neighbor of mine, who had his father take a photo a day of him jumping. View his website here http://www.jumpingboy.com/ Of course, dad is a graphic artist and his photos might be a bit more professional than mine, but I think my son and I can do a fairly stellar job. I think we start out with a bang here with the fish eye lens. 
