They Say Today is the Day

SAIGYO, a medieval-age monk wrote,
"Could I die under a cherry blossom tree in full bloom on a full-
moon night of spring?"

Today is the day that the Cherry Blossoms are to bloom in DC. The weather has definitely been warm enough. My husband is out on a bike ride near the tidal basin now. I am anxious to get his report when he returns.

The season is here when DC folks get up from their desks and flock outside. I love this time of year. The weather makes it easier to get out of bed in the morning; warm air flows in from outside instead of bitter cold.

St. Patrick's Day 8K

I keep forgetting to post about my first race of 2006. On Sunday, I ran the St. Patrick's Day 8k in Washington, DC. It was supposed to be a 10k, but the DC police would not approve the course, so an 8k it was. It was a gorgeous day to run, the sun peaked through right at the start of the race (why does that always happen?).

The course was quick and fun. It had a lot of turns which kept things exciting. I would highly recommend this race!

Race Stats:
I finished 234 overall out of 2489 women runners, and 69th in my division of 789 runners. My pace was a 7:57 mile.

I feel like I did pretty good, especially since I was up late hanging out with family the night before.

I just found an indoor public pool blocks away from my apartment. In a way I always knew it was there, but it took a friend telling me that she had also swam there before I actually went to check it out for myself. It is a great free pool, a little sketchy at times, but what isn't in DC? Any DC resident can use it, and guests are allowed.
I absolutely love swimming. I have been twice this week and hope to begin swimming on a regular basis. I used to be so jealous of Bill and Hannah, but now I have a pool too!
The possibility of training for a triathalon is becoming much more real.

I just found this great photography site. The photos are simple, pure, and crisp. They are also very cheap...making good presents.

Check out Alicia Bock, courtesy Decor 8.

These flowers remind me of the beginning of spring. I noticed the small purple flowers with the white centers popping through the mud during my run on Sunday. The wind is becoming less harsh, and the sun is shining longer.

About two years ago I read John Adams by David McCullough. It was an incredible book, but I was left wanting to know more about Abigail. Hearing of my interest in Abigail Adams, my husband's grandmother sent me her copy of Dearest Friend, a Life of Abigail Adams to read. And I am so glad that she did!

This book did an excellent job of characterizing Abigail, and of deciphering her emotions, needs, and wants amongst the multitude of correspondence that she produced. It certainly fullfilled by desire to learn more about Abigail. In fact, I was so drawn in to Abigail's personality that I did not want the book to end. I rationed my reading of the book, allowing myself time to mull over her words of love, commitment, disagreement, and responsibility to her husband and family.

Abigail was a very complex woman, and maybe that is why she is so intriguing. She was highly self-conscience of her ability to write and spell, yet she did not let that stop her from sharing her views of politics in letters to her husband, dignitaries, and newspapers. She believed that a woman's responsibility was to her family and her home. Yet, she stepped outside that boundary quite often, engaging in politics and discussion of the emancipation of women.

But mostly, what draws people to her character and life is the transcendant nature of her letters. They are filled with advice and charges that can be applied [and in some cases should be applied more often] today. Though times have changed, public decency, good character, and a women's strength should not.

My friend started a very interesting blog on current issues facing women today. It is a great site! Also, check out Becca and Bella for another book review.

Simple Pleasures

Barefoot Contessa put new recipes up on her website today, to mark the slow beginning of Spring. Check them out here: http://www.barefootcontessa.com/

I absolutely love the yellow background!

Also, today is the first day of Lent, an increasingly important time of the year for me. My sisters, mother, and grandmother are all reading through Henri Nouwen's Show Me the Way.

A beautiful passage today states, "The Season of Lent, during which Winter and Spring struggle with eachother for dominance, helps us in a special way to cry out for God's mercy."