Row Row Row Your Boat!

So I find that I've been plunged head first into the world of serious rowing (no pun intended).  I thought I would have my friends flat all to myself for the month of August but have come to find out that I will be sharing it, at least for a short time, with two very talented rowers.

Kosta, who is a 27 year old Bulgarian national rowing champion and sports trainer and Bryony a British women's lightweight champion.  Bryony will be picking me up at the airport... my friends who's flat it is tell me she wants to size me up to see if I would be a good steal for her rowing club.  Apparently it is very competitive over there.  There are tons of clubs along the Thames and each is trying to win the most titles so stealing rowers is not uncommon. 

I think I would like to join with Putney however... not the biggest, nor most prestigious, but as the Albany Rowing Club once said "scrappy but good!"  Although how scrappy can they be if they have a workout room, water tank for training and a BAR?  Hello!  From their website they seem a friendly bunch willing to take on people who are new to the sport like me so that sounds good.

Besides I'm sure I will have my hands full just finding my way around and learning the ropes at my new job so I doubt I will be winning any regattas right away.  I'll post some pictures of rowing on the Thames and the rowing club as soon as I can.  Monday if possible!

Packing and Repacking

I've begun the monumental task of packing.  How did I manage to accumulate so much stuff in one tiny little apartment?  The good thing about a move like this is you tend to purge a lot of useless junk; the school papers from eight years ago, CD cases who's CD's have been long gone, and numerous other little bits and pieces that I've been saving for I don't know what.

The other nice thing is you get to reminisce with yourself.  As I packed and moved stuff out of my apartment I came across various mementos (even if they didn't start out as mementos they are now).  My book of concert tickets from concerts I've attended, backstage passes at the Grateful Dead and Woodstock reunion concerts.  Don't ask how I got those, that's a whole other story!  Sporting equipment from skiing to white-water kayaking.  All of my instruments and music, gifts from family and friends, books and kitchen stuff,  each object reminding me of some adventure or period in my life, it made me realize something.  So far it's been a life well lived.

So now that I am moved out of my apartment and living at my friends house for the next couple of weeks the second purging has begun.  I'm trying to travel as light as possible so the new rule is if I haven't used, worn or even seen it in the past year.... out!  It's very liberating.

In the realm of other news, I've been rowing with the Albany Rowing Center every M-W-F nights and have found a club in England right next to where I'll be staying!  The Putney Rowing Club, check it out!  They have a bar on the top floor of the boathouse!  How convenient!

http://www.putneytownrc.co.uk

Okay, well that's about it for now.  Back to repacking!