I am off sick AGAIN from work.
My head is in a vise.
My chest is in the grippe.
My nose runneth oer.

I decided to take off a Misery Weekend and see if I could give Bronchitis a miss this year. As fun as having the chest Xray et al was last year; I feel this year I can do without.

I don't know if I'll be able to sing at the next Choir Practice tomorrow. I may show up (kids in tow) anyway to listen to Laurie go for it. I want to get some sort of babysitting going and I'll see if I can work something up.

I have yet to start phoning people.

Dave Fulton came over this morning. He's my neighbor from across the way on 114th street who runs a bike shop in his garage. He had an old 700mm Italian racer wheel that he was having a devil of a time mounting back on the rim. I did it for him, barehanded. I then re-inflated the tire with my hand pump (which has an adapter for presta valve tubes). He was very grateful, and now we are even for the pedalcrank he was able to get me for the Blue Meanie (the schwinn).

I have been riding the Blue Meanie to work because the Norco cannot swim; every time I take "big red" out into the rain it comes home looking like it has been thru a sandblaster and there is grit EVERYWHERE. Since it is impossible to keep the Norco tight, clean, and dry; I have decided not to ride it until the Wet Season is over. The blue meanie is only a few pounds heavier and its components are more durable. I just need to get off my duff and do more regular maintenance on the schwinn. Its pedalcrank was BADLY scored and pitted; I had to replace half the bearings too. Thank goodness Mr. Fulton had a suitable spare; I did not.

Our Scouts are going to do a bike tour around one of the Gulf Islands this summer. As part of the preparation for this "super activity" their leaders want someone to conduct a clinic in bicycle maintenance. I volunteered to be the "wrench" in question, as long as I get to make the trip! I even have a spare bike or two I can throw into the mix if some of the boys don't have their own. Should be fun. Still have to work out vacation schedules with my wife tho'...

Today's weather was Bloddy Arful. We had sleet, hail, more sleet, a little snow, and yet more sleet and then some rain for a chaser. Miserable; hope it's all over and done with! I am planning to RIDE on monday.

I've started something again that I probably won't see through.

I got one of Grant's keyboards (really just an electric piano) and I have begun to pick out hymns on it. I also picked out some themes from my "mirror concerto" that's been running thru my head for the past few years. It would be wonderful to get it arranged and recorded, then I could annoy all my friends with it.

My vacation is almost over, I go back to work in four days, but not before I complete the sisyphean task of heaving all that SNOW off the back deck before it collapses under all the weight. This may be an all day project. Speaking of projects, now would be an ideal time to overhaul the bikes and maybe get that pair of Raleigh bashers in roadworthy shape. It's not like I'll be riding with all this snow on the ground.

In other news, I have been released from the Sunday School presidency, and called as the Ward Choir President. My last duty as SS president was to hand Dennis Sloan (called to be the new Sunday School president) all the information on the Teachers, Students and curricula of the Delta Ward Sunday School. All the information, in other words, that Derek never bothered to give ME, when I replaced him.

I am going to enjoy being the #1 booster for the choir, and getting in the faces of anyone I can to build the best choir possible. Mostly, my duties will consist of phone calls, emails, faxes, letters, and finding babysitting so the choir can get more members of the congregation to come out. I hope to fill every one of the chairs on that pulpit stand. I know we have more than enough talent in the ward to make a good choir, what we need is COMMITMENT.

Saw the Lord of the Rings III tonight: well, it's definitely over, folks...
...Now they'll probably do "The Hobbit".

Good Night, and Happy New Year!

Next: new year's Resolutions.