A Memorable Week

Last Saturday (October 15) I got some new clothes and shoes from my wife. I knew the reason although she did not say it. On Sunday I participated in the Houston Striders 20K run in downtown Houston as in the past. The weather was perfect. I completed although I did not have much training. Besides, I could tell that this dude was slowing down with age. I struggled the last couple of miles, but completed in 1:50:51 (chip time) and received my "Finisher" T-shirt. Monday was a busy day at work. Tuesday early morning, I left for San Diego for a two-day business meeting with Solar Turbines. The weather was gorgeous, but we stayed indoors. I came back on Wednesday evening just in time to watch the Astros play the Cardinals. Our Astros made it to the World Series for the first time in its franchise history. How sweet it was!

Thursday I was back at office. It was my "official" birthday. Did I mention earlier about those new clothes and shoes from my wife? She greeted me with a "happy birthday" in the morning. I had a card signed by coworkers and had seafood at lunch with some colleagues. When I checked my email at home in the evening, there were birthday wishes from our daughters and a few others. Our younger daughter from Tokyo sent an egreetings that had a cow mooing "happy birthday to you".

Friday was a half workday for me. It was a beautiful sunny, cool day. So, after work I went to Skydive Houston at Waller (approximately 50 miles northwest of Houston) and did that tandem dive that I had been thinking about for a long time. It was awesome. I was floating freely. I could see far, far away including the Houston downtown skyline. There was another skydiver who was taking video of us. Suddenly Nicolai (a Russian immigrant from Kazakhstan who I was latched onto) launched the parachute. It seemed like I was going upward fast. Actually, the parachute slowed down our freefall and it was the sensation that made me feel that way. Nicolai even let me handle the parachute as we were coming down. By tugging on the parachute one way or another I could change course. In no time we landed safely. I felt light headed. I got out of the diving suit, waited for a while, picked up my DVD and headed home. It was a birthday treat to myself. When I got home, my wife was a little upset at my midlife craziness.

Today, my wife and I went out to dinner at Landry's. She did not say anything about yesterday. We drove back home listening to some favorite music. Then we talked to our daughter in Tokyo. She is coming home for Thanksgiving.