yeehaw cowgirl

RC got me a Cowtown (his cycling team) outfit. So we suited up today in our matching outfits! and went biking on the paved trails at Smithville Lake. RC also put skinny wheels on my bike - I felt like I was flying today. We rode 2 hrs and ~30 miles - my longest ride ever!!!!!!! I felt great. RC has made a big return to cycling this week, after taking 2 months off he biked several times this week. So I'm patting us both on the back:)

Along the way we had the usual assortment of birds: chickadees, cardinals, indigo buntings, dickcissels, field sparrows, summer tanagers, brown thrashers, eastern kingbirds, meadowlarks, blackbirds and grackles...

shingles

So I finally went to the doctor today to determine why my lymph nodes in my neck is HUGE (eek). In so doing, I found out my sunburn rash, which is now scabbed over completely and even more disgusting looking than before, is actually shingles (the same virus that causes chickenpox). So that explains the insane pain associated with the rash that is different from regular sunburn. I have to have blood drawn and get a cat scan. I won't know for a couple days what they find out. The good news - I have good blood pressure, a healthy weight, and nice veins!

not so much fun in the sun

Despite SPF 30 sublock, my weekend fun has turned into a very painful experience. I wish I could say this is the first time I had suffered a sun burn rash like that above, but it has happened a few times before. It is very painful, and of course worrisome knowing I just increased my chances of getting skin cancer. This only happens to my chest, so no more lounging around in my swimsuit:( This is the 4th day, each day the rash grew and grew - I think it should start receding by tomorrow. It actually wakes me up at night, and just my hair touching it hurts. OUCH...