nightmare before Nationals

It's down to the last week (I fly out Saturday) and I'm mostly good.

Physically, I feel ok. Adding some yoga to stretch my back has made a noticeable difference, and I'm still doing the foot/leg exercises every time I practice. My endurance is improving, and my clubmates say I've improved as well. I'm trying to believe that without letting it go to my head!

Mentally I've been trying to take the attitude of "make them work" to the strip every time, 'cos my habit of holding back (to conserve energy) until I'm 3 touches against isn't working :P I'm definitely not going in with the overconfidence of my last competition - the way I figure it, everyone in TX next week had to qualify same as me, and I barely slipped in under the rope. I'll be lucky if I win even one bout in pools (though I admit I really want to!)

Nah, most of my nerves are about getting there and having my equipment in order. I've had nightmares (really!) of either forgetting my equipment, breaking it, or forgetting/breaking it and scrambling to get it fixed before strip time :P

In reality, everything is working, but I'm regretting not getting there 2 days before I fence rather than 1 - I'm going to have to play in the airport/fly half the day, check into hotel, go straight to the venue for weapons check, eat something and get back to the hotel, hopefully to be asleep early because check-in the next morning opens at 7(!) and I'll need to get up in time to get dressed, eat something (assuming there's anything available), and get to the venue in time to check in and warm up (aaaaa!) before actual fencing starts.

Oh, yeah, and I'm parrying in my sleep again.

It will turn out well.

because the internet is for sharing cat pictures

Click through for dramatic foreshortening:



( Kisia also occasionally lays on her back )

Independence Day: High Fat Theater

D. and I plotted this all week :)

Yesterday we trashed - completely - any semblance of healthy eating in favor of good all-American junk food favorites:

• Hot dogs, with all manner of condiments as we came up with on our own and with a little help from LJ/FB suggestions. Truth told, I only want onions with mine (Vidalia, minced, please), but I got the works for D. Even sauerkraut, which I hate but that he loves :)
  
  
• Mac and cheese. Not the carefully melted and blended 4-cheese-in-the-oven variety, but the cheap, nasty boil-on-the-stove, sauce from a packet kind. I am almost embarrassed how much I was craving this - it was a gooey Velveeta-y (yes, we went there) nostalgic trip of the tongue!
  
  
• Cole slaw - possibly the only green thing on my plate. I love good slaw.
  
  
• Potato salad (old fashioned). Not the highlight IMHO but absolutely necessary for a good old American 4th.
  
  
• Apple pie - frozen, not homemade (this is junk food, remember?) A la carte with ice cream for D.; with chocolate frozen yogurt on the side for me (because even in my worst indulgences I CANNOT eat ice cream)
  
  
• Beer - Yeungling (no idea whether this is a good beer or not, but we like it). We don't drink it often, but it was the obvious beverage of choice with the above (except maybe the dessert).
  

Happy Independence days (on the 1st and 4th, belatedly here and up north)...