Newness

Got a new camera at work so I can shoot detailed photos of parts for the many reports I seem to be writing lately. Of course, no time at work to shoot so I can get familiar with the camera. Had bring it home to do that. On the plus side, I got to play around with to taking shots of my new disc brakes (Shimano SLX M666 with XT rotors) for the Monocog Flight. Pictures taken with a Panasonic Lumix LX5 on apature priority, without flash.

Enjoy.

Life Updates

Today is a strange day.  Looking back over the last week and wondering what took place, why I am exhausted, why my back hurts so bad...

Last Friday, November 11, 11, while we were honoring not only the US Vets but also remembering Eric's life on the anniversary of his death, we received the phone call that Helen Pidcock had just passed.  Helen was like a grandmother.  I say like, though she called us her grand-kids and we called her our adopted grandmother, we were not actually related.  Helen was just 92 years old.  She was as mentally sharp as I can ever remember and if it wasn't for her failing body, you would not have know she was a day over 50.  She was a colorful person.  Not only her personality but literally.  The inside of her house was painted in almost fluorescent colors.  She always dressed in bright colors.  I say this as it just didn't seem right to wear black clothes and drive my gray car to her funeral services.  I found my brightest dress shirt (purple) to wear with my black pants.  Then, thanks to Chris at Don Wood, I drove a Sunbeam Yellow Toyota FJ Cruiser to the funeral.  I think she would have loved that.  She was a big influence on my family's life and she will be missed.

Spent the weekend trying to get caught up, if only a little.  Split and stacked the rest of my firewood Saturday.  We finished the day planning to get pizza at Fox's in Rutland.  When we arrived, there was a large party and we were told that it would be over an hour before they could start our pizza.  Instead we ended up at the Court Street Grill in Pomeroy for burgers.  Not the plan, but worked out anyway.

Sunday I managed to get in a 20 mile ride in 20mph+ winds between lunch at mom's and dinner at the OU-AIA Thanksmas gathering.  We made food for their event and were supposed to help serve.  Ended up just helping clean up as they had more servers than they needed.

Woke up Monday barley able to stand up.  Not sure exactly how I did it, but managed to injure my back.  Not fun.

One more commentary.  Ethan had saved money to buy an iPod Touch.  We ordered it from Amazon over the weekend and it shipped from Lexington, KY on Monday via "Super Saver" shipping.  To save shipping costs, the box went from Lexington, past Athens to Grove City (Columbus), before it came back to Athens today for expected delivery on Weds.  Logistics...

That bites

Yeh, so after all the other little annoyances of the last few weeks, I broke a molar.  Luckily, not much of any pain with it other than the sharp edge of the tooth.  The dentist got me right in for xrays and a cleaning before fixing the tooth today.  They placed a form around the tooth and filled it in.  Good as new.

I know  I have complained about all the little stuff going on.  Not to say they aren't a pain to deal with, but it all could be so much worse.  The car fire was minor and the alternator fix a pain, but I had a backup vehicle that did a fine job.  My truck needed two trips to Pomeroy requiring me to burn time off from work just to replace the LED cab lights, but it is under warranty and the washed it.  Brock is still exhausting but healthy after a round of antibiotics and steroids.  Have to deal with the pain of getting Shelly's car fixed but nobody was hurt when she was rear-ended.  I can still eat and have plenty of food.  Firewood still isn't split and stacked, but I have a heat pump.  Work is a lot of work right now, but I have a good job.  The list goes on...

There are real pains and real issues.  Please consider supporting the groups that are at work for the horn of Africa.  Over 30,000 children have died of hunger from the famine.

One.org: the real 'F' word, sign the petition.
World Vision: donate to the relief fund.

Cycling front: need a new rear tire on the Masi already, squared mine off.  Also need to replace the brakes on the SS.  Between the crash last year that ripped the hose off and the mud race at Lake Hope, they are shot.  Big shout to Athens Cycle Path.  They have been very patient with me and all my questions about what to do regarding the brake set.

Venting

If it wasn't enough to have Brock and Shelly sick, I finished out the week with it.  Then, icing on the cake; Shelly gets rear-ended uptown Athens by a college student.  Luckily, even though she had all three boys with her, nobody was injured.  Brock screamed his little head off, but not injured.  Now the joy of dealing with another persons insurance carrier and to get Shelly's first new car ever repaired.

Working a night test at work.  Decided to open my brand new Bodum and make a pot of coffee.  Yep, it never ends.

In the cycling world, well, nothing is happening.  I do need new brakes for the Redline, new tires for both the MTB and road bike.  Thinking of a set of Kenda Slant 6's for the MTB after racing twice in the rain this year.  Part of the reason I need new brakes too, pads and discs are shot.  Have not ridden anything since my last post with a lunch time ride.  Feel like it is going to be a long winter.

Well look at that, it just turned November.