Back on the Cycling Trail with Liz

For the past week my daughter Liz has been cycling through Arizona. She is now a sponsored member of the Colavita bicycle racing team and is training constantly. By profession she is a film-maker. You can see her listed in the credits of the current film "No Country for Old Men." She rode 400 miles in the pst week and is just getting stronger than she ever dreamed of. We are all really excited and happy for her. Go Liz!!!!

Christmas in Washington, D.C. with Family

My latest trip was to Washington, D.C. to spend Christmas with my middle daughter, Allison and her husband Will. We really had a wonderful time even though Will had just had surgery on his knee. He hobbled along bravely as we trekked to restaurants and the Washington Cathedral. I hope you'll enjoy some of the pictures I took there as well as a video of me playing Wii bowling on Christmas Eve!

Traveling to S.C. to be with Family

Last weekend I travelled to S.C. to be with my mother, sisters, brother and their families. It's always a beautiful trip down, across the Bluegrass horse frams and then down through the Smoky Mountains. We got there just as the Christmas Dinner was starting at Eden Terrace and were truly amazed at the beautiful musical program that the residents put on for us. I wanted you to hear this particular performnce of "Sweet Little Jesus Boy," sung by a 92 y.o. man. He pitch was quite accurate and he remembered all the lyrics perfectly as well as using lots of dynamic contrast and feeling.

It was a fun trip and we all got to help my mother celebrate her 82 birthday!

Final Week-end of Cyclocross Finds Liz Victorious

I've spent the last 30 minutes trying to get these pictures to behave and they won't do it so please know that that the pictureon the right is the group of women starting the race and the second picture is Liz about to pass her final competitor to win the race! This past week-end was her fourth and final week-end doing cyclocross races across the country. If you remember, she started out in Louisville the last week-end in October.

She finished today in New Jersey, coming in third yesterday and first today! She has won all kinds of trophies and merchandise and is pretty happy about it considering that she had never done cyclocross at all until this past Fall. I know I don't have to tell you that she doesn't get this athleticism from me but from my mother and one of my sisters who are extremely athletic as well as competitive! If you want to know more about the sport you can either just "Google" it or go to www.youtube.com/cyclocross. The sport really started in Europe and is much better know there but it is quickly becoming very popular here.

It really is quite grueling and there seem to b lots of crashes between fast, curvy tracks and then the times when you must jump off your bike and run with it up steps, through sand pits and across hurdles! Amazing!

Liz Wins Cyclocross Both Days in Boston!!

Well, I hate to brag (not!) but my youngest daughter, Liz, continues to blaze a path across the U.S. winning two cyclocross bike races this week-end in Boston. The thing that is so amazing to me is that it's not just about riding fast. In cyclocross, you ride fast around a hilly and curvy course and periodically, you must jump off your bike and jump hurdles, run through sand traps and across log piles, all while carrying your bike!

She has only been doing this type of racing for a couple of months, but this past week-end, in Plymouth, MASS, just south of Boston, she won her category on both Saturday and Sunday! Let's give her a big hand!!

Chantdoc travels to see Paula Deen cook!

Today I had a real treat! I got to go to the Palace Theatre in Louisville and hear Paula Deen speak and watch her prepare a delicious stuffed pork tenderloin. It was fabulous and Paula was just as nice and down to earth on stage as she is on her TV show. It was such
a treat!
She quite an entourage with her and they all took turns at the mike and sometimes at the stove. She took quite a few questions from the audience and people all over the theatre were shouting out questions not only about cooking but also about her personal life. She answered all of them and more!
Iwas going to buy everyone a cookbook for Christmas but we needed to zoom after the show was over. Maybe next time!

Liz on the Awards Stage again at Cyclocross Grand Prix

Another big day for cyclocross and Liz Cash! It's also er birthday today and she's a big 25!! My baby! I can't believe it! It was a bright but crisp morning and Liz' race went off at 9:15. That's her in the jersey with diagonal stripes down the front. Today she actually wore one o my old jerseys from when I raced with the Louisville Wheelmen. It was so cool!

Today she came in third and although she was disappointed, I was proud as could be. I'll go back this afternoon to see the elite women (pros) race for a solid hour in mud, stairs, ramps, and tight curves. This is an impessive sport!