Feeling Random on the Friday before IM Moo

Not much race news today. George and Mike swam this morning, went to the pre-race briefing, and spent time with their legs up, resting. They took newcomer David on a quick bike ride this afternoon. This is David's first Ironman, and apparently the bike trail portion of the 112-mile ride course is a bit dicey. They want him to be prepared.

Angela and I enjoyed shopping on and around State Street. I picked up my mother's thank-you gift but can't tell you what it is because she's going to read this post. (Hi, Mom!) We also stopped by Walgreens because, of course, I forgot my toothbrush.

Random news from Madison...

1)  We're eating our way to the Ironman. Angela and I decided that tonight's dinner should be a veggie sub at Subway, and when I told George this, he sat up straight, puffed up with righteous foodie indignation, and declared, "I will NOT eat dinner at Subway." Well, that put me in my place. I'm such a Philistine.

2) Do you know how, sometimes, you see something at a quick glance and have to do a double-take because your brain can't quite trust what your eyes just told it? Something similar happened earlier in the day and proved that, clearly, my ADD is getting worse. While Angela and I sat on our favorite flat rocks by the swim entry point, sipping Starbucks while Mike and George swam, I was talking (hard to believe, I know) when I caught a movement out the corner of my eye and thought, "That swimmer is heading for the rocks!" Double-take ensued, and I interrupted myself mid-sentence to blurt out, "Oh, that's a DUCK!"

And it was.

Angela was very nice about it, but I'm starting to worry about myself.

3) The makers of Crest toothpaste will be getting a sternly worded email from me about the hinged caps on their tubes. They don't latch closed, and last night, when I pulled out my cosmetic bag to brush my teeth with my (forgotten) toothbrush, I discovered that half a tube of toothpaste had squirted all over stuff that doesn't even have teeth...like my very expensive bottle of allergy eye drops and very inexpensive bottle of nail polish. What a nightmare of a first-world problem...which may or may not have provoked a smallish temper tantrum.

4) Thank you, George, for going to the front desk to pick up a complimentary toothbrush and for not judging me for my toddler tantrum.

5) Jack went to the sixth-grade social after school today and had a wonderful time. I had to order him to go, and I'm so glad I was right to do so, as it might have backfired spectacularly. He's also texting me and George like mad from his new iPod. It's adorable.

6) Praise Jesus that the escaped cobra was captured! Y'all know how I feel about snakes, and that scary, slithery thing escaped the zoo just to search all America until it found me and gave me a heart attack and then bit me to make sure I was dead. I just know it.

7) George started a thread on a triathlon forum about the water snakes in Lake Monona, asking if they were bad this year. Well, there are no snakes in Lake Monona, but he enjoyed watching the panic that ensued.

8) We're heading out soon to eat again. Oy vey.

Peace, love, and heartburn in Madison.