I am sure that one of my 3 followers has been wondering what I have been up to since my last post. Frankly I have been quite busy. I feel like I have been going non-stop for the past few months. Family visits, holidays and other commitments have been weighing me down.
Lately, during my few free moments I have felt a surge of creativity! I have started so many new projects! I hope I am able to finish them all!

I am still in training for the Trek Across Maine. I am having a blast with all aspects of this ride. I am on my way to raising my goal of 1000$. I only have 120$ to go!
My rides have increased to the 55mile range. I almost always stop for ice cream. But yesterday I stopped at Scratch Bakery. What a cool place! Unfortunately I was on my bike so I couldn't load up with goodies. I got a brownie and gobbled it up outside on their bench in the sun.
This is my favorite time of year to ride. The blossoming flowers are particularly fragrant right now. I love spotting the wild apple trees in full boom on roadsides.
Back to my surge of creativity! Lately my creative energy has been focused on work projects. Sounds boring right? The thing is, I really love my job! Especially when I have research projects to work on.
Recently I have been put in charge of expanding our sweets line-up. The things I have been working on are certainly French in background, but range from fancy to totally accessible. Recently I have been working on Parisian macarons and pop-tarts made with fantastic pate brisee. Once I have found recipes that I like, I have to multiply and simplify everything. The trick is to rewrite formulas and processes so that everyone at the bakery with some instruction will come up with the same results as me. It's a little tough, but I am inspired.

I am also working on a costume prop that I can't talk about right now. Don't you love secrets?

180 miles of cycling love!!!

We all know how important having proper breath control is to belly dance. We as dancers need to breath fluidly and fully to bring life and emotion to our performance. Without clean air and good lung health where would we be in this dance?

This year I am a participating cyclist in the American Lung Association's Trek Across Maine. In June, I will join thousands of other cyclists in a 180 mile, three day journey across Maine while raising money to fight lung disease and increase awareness about the importance of lung health.

How many people do you know who are affected by some type of lung disease?

Lung disease can take someone's breath away, leaving them unable to work, exercise or play. Growing faster than almost any other major illness, lung disease, including lung cancer, asthma and emphysema is the third leading cause of the death in the United States.

Please join me in my efforts to make a difference by making a personal or corporate tax-deductible donation.

For online donations:

http://action.lungusa.org/site/TR/BikeTrek/ALANE_New_England?px=4235321&pg=personal&fr_id=2180

You can follow my training progress at:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Erins-Trek-Across-Maine/180707735293484

Thank you in advance for you support!