"My Life is Charmed"

Or at least that's the way it feels today.  I am thoroughly enjoying the feeling.  The plan is quickly coming together and I can already feel a growing sense of anticipation.

One of the big challenges the last time around was trying to travel for work, and trying to train at the same time.  It added a lot of stress and quite frankly I wanted to do it a little differently this time.  So towards that end, today I shared my Ironman plans with my boss and got a complete, immediate and unmitigated commitment  to support my ambitions.  She is prepared to help me work all travel requirements around my training needs.  You don't know how good this feels!  I love my job, and I was afraid that I may have to give it up for a while.  I would have made the trade-off if I had to, but again, it feels so good to be able to do both.  I am reminded once again, that although the company I work for may not perfect, it is damn ,damn good!  I'm closing in on 27 years with Magna, and I don't think I will ever work for another employer in this particular life.


The other thing that just came together was Roo's part in our adventrure.  While I finally conceded that she was not going to do the race herself (this time around) she has come up with an alternate amazing plan.  If you recall when she did a guest blog for me on TRY NOT she mentioned that when she turned 50 she wanted to do some kind of wilderness retreat.  Today we signed her up for an 8 day Outward Bound session called "Mindfulness in the Mountains"  Very, very exciting.  But what's really special is the location (Mt Assiniboine) which is located on the Alberta/BC border just 600 kms from Penticton.  But if that doesn't prove that the gods are watching over us how about this?  Her session runs from Aug 12-18....and Ironman is on Aug 26th!  It simply could not work our more perfectly.  I will drop her off at her thing while I hang around in some RV park somewhere nearby, and then immediately after she is done we have an easy one day drive to Penticton. A week ahead of the race. Just when we would have planned on arriving anyway!  Unfreakingbelievable!!

To celebrate all  these good things I stopped in to visit my sister Mary and her husband Mike.  It was for me a very rewarding couple of hours and reflecting back I think I know why.  Of course visiting with Mary is always so rewarding cause she truly cares to hear what you have to say, but I must say that I think todays time together was most satisfying for me because of Mike.  Spending time with him reminded me of the blessings I have had in my life long before today. Mike was one of those blessings.  The expression "he would give you the shirt off his back" was written with this man in mind.  When I was still young and aimless Mike loaned me his vehicles when I needed one, bought me beer at the steelworkers hall when I had no money, or better yet poured it for me at the Gronk Hotel, gave me work when I had none, and just generally was kind of a big brother to me.  He doesn't really know I think how I looked up to him.  I still feel the same way.

To top off a wonderful day I was also the recipient of a brand new (new to me) hardwood work bench compliments of brother Terry.  Woohoo!  It is already sitting in its new location in the shop.  Life is good.

"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings"---Eric Hoffer

"Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting."---Elizabeth Bibesco

Love
peter