Dear So and So

[Blueberry]

Dear Old Blender:

You are retired and fired.

Love,

The Shiny New Vitamix

Dear TE:

Got tricks/tips/recipes?

[Biciclista]

to whom it may concern.
Raleighdon is eating lots and lots and lots. And getting tube fed. And getting stronger. So when is he going to start gaining weight? I REALLY don't want to outweigh him..

Thank you.

[emily_in_nc]

Dear Old Blender:

You are retired and fired.

Love,

The Shiny New Vitamix

Dear TE:

Got tricks/tips/recipes?

Oh, Vitamixes are awesome. Really loud, but awesome. We made some of the hot soup recipes in the recipe book that came with the unit, but our most common use was to make a healthy blender drink of carrot, celery, apple, flax, a little OJ (or other juice), and ice. In later years we started adding some frozen organic spinach to it. Drank it almost every single day. I miss that machine!

Enjoy your new toy!

[Crankin]

Lph, I think one of my issues is that these people are not really passionate about anything, especially the one who rolled her eyes. She is the most level headed and smartest person I know, who is not one of my friends connected to athletics, but her life is mostly work, family, and eating out. She has no hobbies or interests. Both her and the other person I've mentioned (friend of the Facebook posts) are friends for 20+ years, made when i first move back here and my kids were small. Our common bond was we met at the synagogue, and now, although we all still belong there, and support the organization, we are not active volunteers.
I think when she rolled her eyes, it kind of was surprising, but it didn't reach the level of my reaction to the other person! I know my reaction to that person is out of proportion, and it stems from the fact that she needs serious mental health help, and as a professional, I can see it, but as a friend, I can't say anything; it would totally end the friendship. This person does have interests, but things that I totally have no interest in. I listen and even ask questions about her interests, but there's no common bond anymore.
Does this make sense?
Maybe it's time to find some new friends, but that's not so easy at this stage of life.

[Biciclista]

Maybe it's time to find some new friends, but that's not so easy at this stage of life.

Let my grandmother be an inspiration to you. She was long lived; she lived to be 92. Time after time, she outlived her friends; but she always made new ones... until she lost her voice at the age of 90.

She taught me a lot, that old gal did.

[Crankin]

Well, I've never had trouble making friends, I'm pretty social, but it seems like a lot of people my age are still bound up in their (almost grown/grown) kids' lives, spend all of their time with family/relatives, or just aren't into letting new people into their lives. Some of this is New England, heck, I'm a native, and I know we are not a particularly friendly bunch! Living in the west cured me of that, but even though I never, never regret the choice I made to come back here, we have never developed the group of friends like the ones I had in Tempe. I know lots and lots of people and have had various friends here over the years, but most have faded away, as the interests that brought us together were no longer relevant for me.
On Wednesday, I am going to the last ride/event of the group I have ridden with for 6-7 years. They are a unique group, mostly older than me. I haven't been to one ride this season. When I had the time, I didn't want to drive far to a ride, and I chose to ride with Hirakukibou, who is a friend I made through TE! And sometimes work interferes, although I sought a less than full the job on purpose, so I could continue riding with this group. I keep Wednesdays clear, except for one client in the late afternoon. But really, I haven't developed a friendship with anyone in this group. They are nice, but most have known each other for many years. Even in the past, I didn't ride with them every week.
Another thing is, I stopped being socially friendly with people from work, quite awhile ago. That used to be a big part of my life at one point. And now, my colleagues are mostly closer to the age of my kids.

[alexis_the_tiny]

Tell me about it, I've noticed my sedentary friends and co-workers have stopped asking me what I do on my days off... My supervisor is now extolling the pleasures of being a couch-potato. He thinks after two injuries that I need to give the bike up. Yeah, right, like THAT is going to happen

My co-workers are the exact opposite. Every time we return to work after a weekend or long holiday, they want to hear how many miles I've run, or where I've been riding to. Although I still can't convince them ever to go for a run with me...

[Anelia]

My colleagues also ask where I went or what I did after the weekends. Also they want to see pictures but after the third picture, they seem bored by watching people with helmets or green mountains. But I don't blame them, it's not their cup of tea. Still they are really supportive and they are very proud of me when they see me come to work by bike in rain or snow or the temperatures are low.

[salsabike]

I have a couple of non-active friends. Strike that, they're non-athletic, which is something quite different. We're friends because we share other traits and likes, but also because we both are passionate about something. It doesn't have to be the same thing, but we understand having an overwhelming interest in something.

This sort of links to the Facebook discussion, of friends who "like" activities they don't understand. I tend to get passionate about a lot of things I do, and I like it when others are like that, even if I don't understand their things.

lph, someday I am going to buy you dinner, or something. I like this post!

[Owlie]

My friends are mostly supportive, as is my advisor (he used to be a runner, so I guess he gets it). My family, on the other hand, is ridiculous. My parents aren't inactive, but they don't do much other than walk. They ask politely and that's the end of it. My sister, on the other hand, makes derisive comments about my needing a grown-up hobby.

[Anelia]

Oh, my parents are not supportive at all. I used to ride to the place they live (25 miles) while my husband and son go by car and they found it ridiculous. How can somebody use a bike when they have a car. Finally my father forbid these visits and he said he was not going to let me in his house if I came by bike one more time. I don't want to confront them so I ride BEFORE I get in the car for the visit. They ask me all the time when I am going to give up. I got used to it and I try not to pay attention. My husband on the other hand is supportive as long as he comes to races with me, drives me aroud and he rides, too. But sometimes he gets grouchy when I spend time on the bikie and I didn't clean the dust or vacuum. Also he was really angry when I called him to go and pick me up because I was badly injured and I couldn't take the train back home. It was about 4 hours drive in one direction and he was mad on the phone but when he saw me, I guess he felt a little sorry for me. Still, he didn't miss the chance to make remarks like "You are overdoing things" or "You are not being careful".
So, sometimes it's difficult to handle the things
Well, I went offtopic....I can write something like:

Dear drivers or pedestrians,
Stop making signs by your hands "Are you nuts" when you see me on my bike riding in the snow. If I stop riding in winter, it is a difficult start of season and it's difficult to make up for the lost weeks.

[lph]

lph, someday I am going to buy you dinner, or something. I like this post!

And cheers to you

[lph]

Finally my father forbid these visits and he said he was not going to let me in his house if I came by bike one more time.

How can he tell the difference anyway? Stupid question, I guess you need a shower or at least a change of clothes, but I can feel my inner rebellious teenage daughter rising up at this one. I'd be standing at the door in full bike gear daring him to not let me in.

Ok, less confrontational: you could always meet your husband and son right around the corner, change in the car, toss the bike in the car, and turn up at the house "driving"

But honestly - how can he possibly think he has this kind of authority over you, to dictate how you should travel?

[Crankin]

I am not sure why what I said seemed to raise the ire of some here, yet when others mention their friends (or family) being negative toward their riding, I didn't feel the same vibe. Frankly, when people who are supposedly my friends do this, it hurts my feelings. I listen to them talk about their dogs, tennis, downhill skiing, jobs that seem boring to me, etc. That's part of being a friend. I guess I'm at the point in my life when I want to surround myself with like minded people, but I am too nice to cut the others out of my life at this point. My only concern is that I could really spend ALL of my time engaged in the activities I love, or with my DH, or our cycling friends. I know this is probably not healthy, so I try to continue my other connections. But, I admit, it's hard for me to be around people who live unhealthy lifestyles. I say nothing, though, and just go on.
Thankfully, my family is very supportive. My dad will tell me I am "crazy," but he does it in a kidding way. My mom, when she was alive, always encouraged me in this stuff. She was athletic at a time when women weren't supposed to be. And it was my son, who got me into cycling.

[Catrin]

.... Frankly, when people who are supposedly my friends do this, it hurts my feelings. I listen to them talk about their dogs, tennis, downhill skiing, jobs that seem boring to me, etc. That's part of being a friend. I guess I'm at the point in my life when I want to surround myself with like minded people, but I am too nice to cut the others out of my life at this point. My only concern is that I could really spend ALL of my time engaged in the activities I love, or with my DH, or our cycling friends. I know this is probably not healthy, so I try to continue my other connections. But, I admit, it's hard for me to be around people who live unhealthy lifestyles. I say nothing, though, and just go on...

I agree, it doesn't feel good when "friends" only refer to my activities with discouragement or to laugh at them, yet I've spent hours listening to them talking about some of their activities that I find quite boring - but I listen because that is part of what being a friend is about. Listening to and supporting each other. Of course I was already considered something of an eccentric...which seems to give them permission to talk about my activities as they do. Meh, I do get tired of this.