Ok, I haven't posted since last year and lots of things have happened in the meantime. I am certainly not going to write down everything, but I hope to post more frequently this year.
The major things that happened after the last post was that we took 29 students to Istanbul on Winter Break, I had major surgery, and I bought a new bike. I thought I would spend my time knitting and watching tv after the surgery, but instead I started doing a lot of reading. I am still reading a lot of history, biography and mysteries. Most of the books these days are from the library. I have really been trying to curb my spending. Although I have not been totally successful, we are well in credit rather than debit these days even with the major bike expenditure.
This is Gattamelata, the new bike. Named after a famous fifteenth-century mercenary who has an equestrian statue by Donatello in front of the Basilica of St. Anthony in Padova, it is a beautiful bike. I am learning to ride all over again with different gears, different breaks, and clipless pedals. I have fall enough on both this and the hybrid that I have ordered knee guards. I always bang up the right knee in the same place and I am hoping the guards will let my knee heal for a change. Of course not falling would be more effective. I keep hoping that my bike handling will improve so that I not only don't fall but will allow me to actually take a hand off the handle bars for signalling, drinking, etc.
In just over two weeks we will leave for Padova with 17 students. This trip should be better organized than the last one. I am looking forward to revisiting places and seeing new ones. I hope that at least some of the students will get excited about cultural exchange in the fifteenth century. I know they will participate in one aspect of cultural exchange--shopping. But I am hoping they will get more than designer shoes out of the class.
I have finally put together my goals for the year. I will put them on my PDA and try to look at them every day. Journaling is one of the goals and the blog is meant to be the journal. I also need to keep track of what I eat since a main goal is to improve my eating habits. I have fallen back into eating too much meat, too many snacks, and not enough fruit and vegetables. So of course I started my day of new resolve by buying an eclair. As long as I don't eat them every day, I should be ok.
My knee is still sore (and looks icky), but I am hoping that I can still ride on Saturday since I missed the Tuesday ride. Tonight, maybe I will get to Knit Night. It is Matthew's birthday and I haven't been knitting much. I feel I have lost touch wth one of my communities of friends. I need to reconnect with them as I make new connections too.
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