Noticing things...

My eyesight is getting a tad weaker...but I seem to notice more.

It just takes a little longer.

Remember how the mouse on this PC was acting up? It finally froze up permanently and I was getting ready to take it apart.

I take apart things that break...I don't always fix them, or even put them back together again...but taking broken things apart is just my nature. Holdover from childish curiosity, I suppose.

I noticed that there was something sitting over top of the LED that functions as the mouse's motion detector.

A dog hair.

I have no idea HOW a dog hair got inside the mouse case, much less how the very tip of said hair came to rest against the centre of the LED. The upshot was that the mouse sensors told it that it was in motion, even when it wasn't. Took some doing to get the hair out of there too; it was pretty firmly wedged in between the two halves of the case.

Bike update.

Black Beauty is NOT a Klein. It has a pressed in BB like a Klein...but the specs are a little different. Also, Klein frames have a stylized logo stamped into the seatstays.

Still haven't thought of a way to get that BB out of there.

I have started to overhaul one of the bike wrecks Bob got for me. The bearing cone on the BB is so rusted as to be unusable; worse, it's FUSED to the frame, I may have to cut it out with a hacksaw.

Did a little cobbling on my Brogans. Tacks in the heel were coming up thru the insole and hurting my foot. A little work with a centre punch and hammer solved the problem. Now I need to shine them and clean all the DOG HAIR out of the insides.

Gave myself a haircut tonight: #2 comb all around and #3 around the ears, sides and back.

I look good.

WORK...

Still on those ever-dragging BLINDS. I really need a full-size High Reach to put these suckers away...and I really can't get access to one. I am trying to get all the blinds off Xdock by Friday and it doesn't seem like I am going to make that deadline. I am supposed to bring 10$ to work for Leia's baby shower (she's due in two weeks!). I can probably manage it, but mebbe not until Thursday.

Well, I feel like a total Nu-bee...

You find the most innnnteresting trivia on the 'net.

You can also embarrass yourself if you don't do your homework.

Over a year ago, my F.I.L. Bob Dallman found a high-end (but trashed) ATB that had been fished out of a ditch in Port Moody. It had a lightweight alloy frame and a black epoxy-coat finish. The frame geometry was unfamiliar to me. It looked a little like a Norco, but not any model Norco I am familiar with. It also had oil-damped Rockshox; which were broken. I fitted a spring-shock fork to it with an adapter, and put my best parts-box assortment on it.

It...Was...A...SWEET...Ride.

But, alas, a long-term relationship was not to be...

About 2 months after I started riding it (during the winter season), my Black Beauty developed shifting problems.

Yes...this was the ORIGINAL Black Beauty. The now-stripped frame is still hanging under our deck. I could not bring myself to get rid of it.

The shifting problem came about becuase the sealed bottom bracket bearings (say that three times fast) had worn considerably, and the chainrings were quite "wobbly" as a result. I took Black Beauty off the road for awhile, and eventually got around to attempting a fix of the problem. I removed the seals on the BB (BB means "bottom bracket" in this instance), only to find...no way to remove the bearings and crankshaft. As far as I could tell, they were "pressed" into place...See the archived entry here:

http://www.brianarcweblog.blogspot.com/2005_02_01_brianarcweblog_archive.html

You want the second entry...the one that begins; "Happy February".

Anyway...I described the problem to the Gentleman at my LBS. He had no idea what I was talking about; I go to him because he is a patient man who doesn't mind that I act like an expert. I was a little disappointed that he couldn't help me with this problem. I did promise to bring the stripped frame to him, but I never did get around to it.

Anyway... moving right along, I found this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/KLEIN-pressed-sealed-bearing-B-B-TOOL-for-bike-bicycle_W0QQitemZ7211246145QQcategoryZ27953QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

On Ebay.

The tool comes with a "proprietary sealed BB"; which just happens to be the exact bottom bracket that is currently fitted to Black Beauty.


It's a Klein.


I posted a couple of "attention Lower Mainland Riders" messages to a couple of newsgroups, asking if anyone could help me find a LBS in the lower mainland that still carried this tool, and could help me fix this frame.

And then...AFTER I posted...

I did a web search for "Klein Bicycle Dealers".

I got pointed to www.kleinbikes.com. The local dealer is Cap's Bicycle South Shore, which is 6 blocks from my house...

Sheesh!

That Cap's location is my other Local Bicycle Shop. Only took me 11MONTHS to figure this one out. I shall be contacting them next week. Further bulletins as events unfold. I may also snag a couple of fenders for the Beauty, once I get her all together again. As much as I enjoy riding my Hybrid Roadie, the Beauty was Bulletproof; especially in the winter season. I may see if I can get Cap's to retrofit a newer model cartridge type BB on the Klein (I wonder what model Klein the Black Beauty is?), so I can do the next BB overhaul myself.

For Donovan:

As previously discussed; one "bitch" entry about my car...

Actually, I don't have much to complain about...

Currently, the cavalier is running quite well. I have done some checking and I find that we have had the car for 20 months now (we had the DieNasty for 10) and we have had to send it to a shop for repair exactly...zero times.

There are times when the "allotropic" approach to diagnosis and repair of a motor vehicle just doesn't work. Particularily with an older, high mileage vehicle. The Cavalier was running poorly, idling roughly, and the fuel flow was very lean; which led to the engine running a little on the "hot" side.

Do I have to say again how USELESS Haynes Manuals are? Well, I'm going to anyway...

The first edition of any Haynes manual for any new car will be HOPELESS. Years later, after Haynes Publishing gets around to correcting all the poor editing, omissions, and errata of the earlier editions, they will finally publish the definitive home-mechanics manual for that particular car.

By which time, of course, the car is no longer being manufactured...

Haynes is in danger of becoming the #1 publisher of maintenance and repair manuals for OLD cars -- didn't Autobooks used to do that?? Before they went out of business??

Lemme give you some examples from this current automechanical adventure:

I turned first to the "symptoms" pages in the front of the book. I am looking for common causation in the several symptom lists there. They have, for instance, separate lists for "runs poorly", "stalls", "hesitates or loses power". I am looking for a common root problem to all three symptoms. This is the allotropic approach mentioned earlier. It is laziness to assume a complex set of symptoms has a single root cause, but that's modern medicine for ya...

What got me thinking "holistically" about the car's troubles is that there were two symptoms common to each list. Generic, but common:"vacuum leak" and "fuel system problem". Sounds REAL helpful, right? This is where it ocurred to me that there might be more than one problem in there.

So...where to start?

Well, a vacuum leak is the easiest place. Unlike earlier models, this Cav's vacuum devices plug into a common manifold. The manifold, in turn, plugs into a fitting on top of the throttle body. There are exactly THREE devices on the vacuum system that do not plug into the manifold; two of them are to one side of the manifold (one on each side).

The third one is behind the engine...

Owing as how the engine mount broke earlier, and the engine was leaning slightly inboard for a couple of days; I got the notion that anything back behind the engine had probably been subject to undue pressure and might be broken.

The widget behind the engine sits just above the ignition pack...and just below the manifold; it is impossible to see, but my arm is just skinny enough that I could feel my way to it from underneath the car. The end of the vacuum hose (which I couldn't actually see) was loose. I immediately panicked, and ran 'round like the proverbial headless mechanic. I tried to locate the part without knowing the part number and was told that "we don't stock them". This probably meant: "we don't want to be bothered tracking down the widget in question with only a vague description of it's title and function". This meant I had no way to obtain a replacement without having the original in hand to refer to.

SO: I decided to remove the intake manifold...arrg.

On the way, I also noticed the vacuum line for the PCV valve was cracked and leaking. I obtained a new one in the parking lot of Action Auto Wrecking. I WAS going to go in and ask the Guy Behind the Counter if I could go out in the yard and scrounge some hoses (I figured the coolant tank overflow hose was a good match for the PCV hose - plus the tank hose is about 2 feet long; plenty to spare!), when I spotted a piece of hose of the apropriate diameter just in front of where I had parked the car. I don't really like the GBC at Action, anyway...

I've done the manifold before, when I re-did the head gasket and upper-engine seals last year. Scraped my knuckles just as badly this time 'round too. I didn't have to purchase new seals, however; all the extra effort I spent last time dressing the mating surfaces on all the gaskets with permatex paid off. On the throttle body, for example, I was able to re-seal the gasket by re-coating the (still clean!) upper half with permatex black silicone. Both that gasket and the manifold gasket parted cleanly from the mating surface, and I didn't even have to re-dress the manifold. I love that stuff! Best way to ensure a tight engine, especially one with this many miles on it.

Anyway, I eventually reached the "evap vent sol vlv" widget and determined it's vacuum hose was toast. It was pretty late by the time I got there (what can I say? I got up at NOON); so back to the shop I went to scrounge. I found the old air line off Granpa's compressor tank (the one that I replaced after I broke the air nipple on it). The line was robust, and close enough to the proper diameter to make a good replacement. All it took was a little soak in boiling water to loosen 'er up. Did most of the re-assembly after sunset...sigh.

The car idled and ran fine...but.

There was still some hesitation.

I drove it to work the following tuesday. After work, the idle was TERRIBLE...and I couldn't seem to get it to steady out. I spent 10 minutes fiddling with the throttle speed to see if I could get it to a steadier idle at higher RPM. No dice...

Then I had one of those "what do I do now?" moments.

This one was scary: I suddenly got a strong urge to tap that little gold thing on the other side of the engine. I already had my Leatherman in hand, so I rapped sharply on the little vacuum gizmo a few times.

The engine immediately smoothed out.

Hmmm...guess I have to replace that.

But what is it, exactly?

Another look at the symptoms charts when I got home revealed that a rough idle could be caused by a "sticking EGR valve". Would have been REAL nice if Haynes had thought to include a picture of what one looks like. In fact, while I was taking off the manifold, I was trying to move aside a cable bundle that is attached at its far end to the AC compressor. I can reach the connection plug on the AC, but I can't see it. A picture of it in the manual sez; "AC compressor electrical connector (as indicated by arrow in 6.13)"...there's no arrow in the picture, and the picture itself is B +W and so indistinct as to be useless anyway. Typical.

Anyway, on the assumption that the widget was the EGR valve in question, I ventured to Lordco to find a replacement. The EGR valve is on top of the engine, so finding a part number "17090076" was really easy. They had a re-designed aftermarket part, with a kit of adapter "orifices" to fit it to a particular engine. I've now got over 50 differently-sized and individually numbererd metal washers in my hardware box. Funny how they all look very similar, but according to the enclosed chart, "#48" was my number. I got the replacement done all right, and the car is more-or-less back to normal. Now that the idling and power problems are out of the way (I hope), I can spend more time worrying about the way the transmission goes "clunk" when you put the car in gear...

Ok, here's what I had in the job jar:

-Fix the car
-Haul the trash to the landfill
-Fix the garage door
-Finish the joins in the floor
-Fix the Bathroom window

Which I did manage to get done. In addition, I also got the tub and bathroom counter re-caulked; on the advice of Father-in-law Bob, who noticed it needed doing (he was correct).

-Finish the Floor
-Finish the Stairs
-Install baseboard around the living room and hallway.

Which I didn't get done.

Win some, lose some. Still have to get it done, tho.

Laurie found a new lounger!

But someone else already bought it...

Not one to give up easily, she made some calls and tracked down precisely which Bay stores have a furniture department. We then made a quick trip the next day down to the Metrotown Bay store and found the same chair as a manager's special! After we got an eager salesman's attention, my sweetie subtly hinted that I should make myself scarce whilst she worked her magic...

They knocked over 250$ off a chair that had already been reduced to 399$

I am in awe of my wife's bargaining powers...

The new chair will be delivered Saturday.

I am going thru the same flu the kids had. No fun at all. Boy, am I ever FIGHTING this one! My body temp has been elevated for the last 3 days (not fever, immune response in overdrive). After the initial nausea and vomiting (I induced, couldn't wait to get it over with), and "etc"; I went on a liquid-only diet. Still on it, as the thought of solid food makes my tummy jumpy. Have also been sleeping a lot. Have lost a few pounds; also have been entertaining the notion that I should try the "slim-fast" plan...

Hmmmm.

Well, THAT was anti-climatic.

The engine mount replacement that I told my wife was gonna take "a few hours"...well, it took about 20 mins.

Sheesh!

The sheared bolt end came out EASY...with just a little finger pressure. Getting the coolant tank off was simple as well: I'd forgotten that I lost the body clips and had secured it with a couple of zip-ties. Once the tank was off, getting the mount disassembled and installing the new damper was EASY. I paid 20$ for the part, while expecting to pay 50$. I spent the rest of the money on gas, washer fluid, and a new filter for the furnace. Life is good.

As usual, a one last minute gaffe occured. I forgot to take the 2x4 and jack out from under the engine...no problem, slid right out with no damage at all...but MAN, how embarrasing! I'm getting forgetful in my middle-age.

Good News: I finally confirmed that the vibration in the car's engine compartment is from a loose engine mount.

Bad News: I ran over a chunk of concrete yesterday and the BUMP! sheared off one of the two bolts holding the engine to the mount.

Well, I had planned on replacing the mount next week anyway...

Kinda freeky: we've been driving the car as little as possible, the vibration from the engine is UNREAL and a little un-nerving. Will be glad when I get it all fixed up tomorrow. This marks the third straight year in a row I have been working on my car when there was snow outside. My Haynes manual is no help, there is no procedure listed for removing the engine mounts. I have not so much as even laid eyes on the lower mounts, just the upper one. I hope that is all that will need replacing and/or fixing.

I'm going to be winging it again. My plan is to head down to the local scrapyards and locate a 2.2l OHV Cav of the same vintage as ours, take apart its upper engine mount, note how it is constructed/assembled, then tote it home and jack the engine while I dismantle the broken one and replace it with an UNbroken one.

Hmmm. Wish me luck.

This thing is gettin' to be a pain in the @ss...

I just KNOW I got some little critter in there on the hard drive that's eating up lotsa CPU cycles. The optimouse cursor is acting like it's got the DT's.

I swapped to the roller mouse, that takes care of the cursor troubles...now if only my wireless connexion would stop choking in the clutch...geez, it's like I'm using DIALUP again...

We're going shopping for a tree...again.

Never mind that we have nowhere to PUT the @#$%^&*!!! thing, never mind the mess, the needles, the pine tar, cutting the @#$%^&**!!! base and fitting it into our @#$%^&*!!! Xmas tree holder, keeping the @#$%^&**!!! thing watered...

But I don't mean to go on about it...

I SO wanna get a fake tree. We need a new snow shovel too. This may be the first winter since I lived with my folks that we've actually NEEDED a snow shovel. I'm pricing out a fair one at Superstore for 20$. We can probably do better at Home Depot. Since we're going to be at Home Depot picking up the d@mn tree...

Speaking of Xmas decorations: check out this site

Remember that idea of using a Gaffer's pole and Gaffing hooks to hang the Xmas lights? Someone else had the same idea. They're for sale at my local Superstore. Gotta get me one of those!!

"Do unto others..."

"What goes around, comes around..."

"Karma: It can bite you on the..."

I did finally get the tires on the bike swapped. I also came to the realization that I need to re-build my ATB...NOW!

I rode to work yesterday and picked up a small clump of something on Annacis Island. After listening to it go "thwip, thwip, thwip" past the front fender for about ten minutes; it dawned on me that if this were only a wet leaf stuck to the front tire, it ought to have fallen off by now. With a sinking feeling, I pulled over to the curb on Greybar road and pulled off a small lump of mud with a bunch of twigs 'n thorns (and a leaf for decoration) sticking out of it. "Mother Nature's Caltrop" is how I would describe it; since one of the protruding bits had actually intruded on my front tire.

I watched the sealant ooze out of the puncture, and stop a few seconds later. The tire was still at ride-able pressure, so ride on it I did. Passed by a poor soul trudging eastward on Westminster Hwy, and noted that his rear wheel had flatted. I called out; "Tire sealant, dude! Live by it!!". I was just feeling so pleased with myself at that moment, I couldn't help it. Got to work on time, and regaled Mike L with the tale. I admit, I was feeling a little smug.

On the ride home, I picked up a goatweed thorn on the rear tire. (Goatweed: thistle with fibre-tailed thorns). Unlike most punctures I've picked up over the last 11 months, this one went in on a tangent, and promptly buried itself under the tread of the rear tire. It flatted out just as I reached the top of the Nordel hill. There was a LOT of sealant leaking out, but the hole was too big for the sealant to plug right away. That, plus the thorn itself was holding the hole open and I couldn't remove it! I pumped up the tire with my mini-pump, while rotating the tire to ensure that the sealant was over top of where the leak was. After ten minutes of pumping the tire, and waiting for the sealant to stop flowing; I left it and rode the rest of the way up Nordel. The tire lasted until I got onto 84th, about 4 blocks from home. By this time, I was running a little behind; I HAD to get the kids to their ice-skating lessons by 4:45, and my usual arrival time is between 4:oo and 4:30. I was cutting it close, so the time had come for a crisis decision: I jogged with the bike for the remaining 4 blocks to home. I got there at 4:38, and breathlessly opened the front door and barked; "Everybody into the car, NOW!".

We made it on time. Laurie was grateful. L's right knee is 'out of action' at the moment and she is not really 'up' for excursions with the kids. Coral has been helping out in the mornings and I have been picking up a little slack, as well (which reminds me: I have to go clean the kitchen after I finish here).

SO:

The rear wheel is now wearing the former front tire. There are at least two punctures in it that I know of, both sealed, and it holds pressure pretty well. While removing the old rear tire, I pulled a startling assortment of thorns, slivers, glass bits and metal shards out of the tire. I scrapped the tube. The tire may serve as an emergency spare; it is well worn, but intact. I hauled out my spare tube, and the old 'Vee Rubber' tire that used to be on the front; before I got the Panaracer tires last Xmas. The spare tube...had a HOLE in the valve stem!! A massive leak that only showed up after the tire was mounted on the wheel. Sigh.

I hauled out another serviceable tube, and after 'clearing' debris from the Vee tire (I forgot, the first time 'round), mounted it on the rim, and shot another 4 oz of sealant into the mounted tube. Best way to check for stuff embedded on the interior wall of a tire: run a sizeable wad of cotton batting around the inside. The cotton fibres will 'catch' on even the smallest shard and show you immediately where it is; making it easy to remove. The odds are 50-50 that there is something embedded in the average bicycle tire that hasn't caused a puncture - yet. This is why some riders will fix a flat, and remove what caused it, only to find the tire develops another hole after re-mounting even though they haven't yet resumed riding! Always check the tire interior for debris.

Boy, am I focussed on cycling, or what?

These exercises in High Pressure Containment have shown me one thing: the amount of CRAP on the roads here, coupled with the less-than-robust tread thickness on the roadie's tires, means I will need to switch to riding an ATB. Only problem is: I don't have an ATB right now...

I still haven't finished re-building Black Beauty.

My Father-in-Law Bob has donated another two bicycle corpses. I am going to build one into a suitable ride (complete with fenders!), and turn the other one over for profit...if I can. The extra ca$h will go into buying L's Xmas present; assuming I can't get an Ipod by signing up five friends for some REALLY GREAT ONLINE OFFERS!!!!

Nah, I don't know anyone I would want to inflict that on...

Speaking of inflicting myself: My Elder's Quorum lesson went rather well; I could have used more rehearsal, but I actually prepared more material than the time allowed. I could tell Bro. Quarento wanted to discuss things in more detail, but time was limited. As I have been made his Home Teacher (along with Brother-in-Law, Grant), we may have opportunity to re-visit the discussion.

I have no callings at church at present. I know they WANT to call me, but so far my schedule (L's schedule) doesn't allow any weekday night activities, and I don't feel comfortable teaching younger kids in Primary. Maybe they'll make me Elder's Quorum instructor...

My BoM reading is going well. I should be finished the book by the end of this month, ahead of Pres. Hinckley's challenge.

I've had a lot of anger lately. One of the reasons I was away from church "for a month of Sundays", is because I as going through a 'bad patch' and I needed the Lord's help to sort it out.
I'm mostly focussed on myself and my own problems right now (gee, what was my first clue?), and I just needed to "look up, and calm down". I need to stir around a little more; find some ways to help others for a change. I will have ample opportunity next month to serve my FAMILY...I already have the job jar all set up and by the end of my two week vacation I will have started and mostly completed:

-the stairs
-the flooring
-the baseboards
-fixing the car
-cleaning the garage
-cleaning the yard and deck
-fixing the garage door
-hauling all our trash to the dump
(which I may have to do AGAIN after Xmas)

In addition to the above, I also have to find time to:

-re-build my ATB (I already mentioned it, I know!!)
-complete the upgrade on this computer.

BOY -- think of the sense of accomplishment if I actually get all that done.

Speaking of getting it done...

Colin is going out this week for more testing and prodding. He's having an ultrasound to test for urinary dysfunction. He's a bit of a bedwetter, and although we manage with plastic covers and a nightly 11PM "potty call", he still manages to go through a complete change of bedding every week.

Both Coral and Colin are doing better in school. Coral's reading level is within 80% of her grade, and she should be caught up by the end of the year. Colin has a full-time TA to help keep him focussed in class. I think Colin has been ruined by Video Games. He's all focus and NO attention span. If it ain't over in one 5 minute level, he's not interested.

Coral herself will be heading out to the UBC Dental Medicine Centre for another adjustment to her braces. L managed to get her enrolled in a Study the university is conducting on new Orthodontic procedures. We are saving SO much money on these braces. Between our medical coverage, and subsidies from the University, we have paid about 300$ for 3000$ worth of top-notch orthodontic work. I wish I could afford this kind of care for my OWN teeth.

Coral has started Square and Round dancing again. Bob is retired now and so spends more time working for (and with) the club. Apparently, his recent recruiting efforts have paid off; enrollment in the club is up this year after a mild slump the previous two years.

I'm too busy earning a living to make any money...

Put up the Xmas lights today. The kids helped. I mean, actually helped, it was something of a pleasant surprise. We decided that 8 years of service from the previous lights was a pretty good return and since Canuck Tire seems determined to sell off their last remaining stocks of "non-LED" outdoor lights CHEAP; new lights were in order. Besides, I got tired of patching together a working string from the ones we had.

I came up with a number of BRILLIANT ideas for how to hang and store and arrange those lights. All of these brainstorms had one thing in common: me NOT climbing a 20ft extension ladder up to our slimy, moldy eaves to hang a bunch of !#$%^&*!! lights that I'm going to have to take back DOWN again in January!!! The winning idea was to zip-tie each 9ft string of lights on a piece of 1/2 inch PVC pipe and use gaffer hooks screwed to the pipe to hang each section from the eaves. All it would require is a standard ladder and a LONG gaffing pole. I could store the sections in the garage rafters. I priced out the parts and the whole project is do-able for under 30$. Sigh. Maybe next year.

I am doing a little more bike work lately. I haven't EVEN begun to start promoting Tech Corps. Kwy has been working himself ragged getting the Core website up and running. We haven't got clients beating down the doors, either. I have managed to get most of my tools together for PC work, but haven't even finished the upgrade on this machine yet! I have also been looking at completing my bicycle toolset, and it turns out that I need only a few more items until I have everything I need to start my own shop...except my own shop. I really need to clean the garage.

I really need a lot more time. I'm working overtime at work almost every chance I get except Sundays and holidays (although I did work thanksgiving). I'm getting tired...and sore.

I will be teaching Elder's Quorum on sunday. I can hardly wait. I will either succeed brilliantly, or fail miserably. Watch this space for further bulletins. I've had members of the bishoprick call me repeatedly at home (I'm never here). I don't know what they want as I haven't BEEN to church in a month of Sundays!!! L is sodding off to Wash. state this sunday for a square dance association meeting (that was to have been last week), so I get to take Colin to church with me. Joy. I don't know if I'm still a Sunday School teacher or not, I haven't been there for 4 weeks so I presume by now they've replaced me with someone more reliable. I may do a reprise of my famous Golf Ball lesson for the kids...if I'm still their teacher. Perhaps Colin and I should arrive early to church on Sunday.

I wrote to "ask the Mechanic" about our noisy Cavalier. Haven't got a reply back yet, but I'm sure one is forthcoming. I may also post at freeautoadvice.com. I still have my old account there, but I haven't posted anything new since we sold the tracker! I hope the problem is not too expensive, and fixable...but I think our finances should be prepared to take a hit anyway.

I get two weeks off at the beginning of December. L already has big plans for me. That will be when I fix the !$$%^&*! car if I am, in fact, able to fix it myself. I also need to repair the garage door. L wants me to FINALLY finish the joins in the flooring, finish the stairs, and put baseboard and trim all OVER the upstairs. Sounds like a big job, right? You have NO idea...

And yet...think of the sense of accomplishment if I actually DO get it all done. What WILL I have to keep me going next year???

Oh, and we need new furniture. Especially a new lounger for my busy, busy wife. The one she has is falling to pieces. Literally. I would say it's from over-use, but not out loud where she could hear me...

Laurie's been telling me for some time that all the sick days I'm taking will catch up on me...

So I called my sweetie today and said; "Hon, do you remember how you said that I would get in trouble for all those days off I have taken?" "uh-huh" says Laurie, sounding mildly un-impressed.

"Well,"I continued; "today, they GAVE ME AN AWARD!".

She chuckled.

I got a gen-eww-wine HBC Logistics nalgene water bottle and a certificate congratulating me for 3 months perfect attendance...apparently I have had no absences for July, August and September of this year.

How the heck did THAT happen???

It certainly wasn't intentional...I mean, the recognition is nice, but I wasn't actually looking for any.

I am still riding my bike, and keeping it in good repair is becoming an increasing chore. The bike was "old" to begin with, now it is becoming truly decrepit. If it weren't for the supply of fresh corpses I get from neighbors, family and fortuitous circumstance; I would not be able to keep the clapped-out hunk 'o junk rolling. Currently, it needs a new chain, which I have; and also a new freewheel, which is currently soaking in lamp oil down in the shop.

Lamp oil?

An accidental discovery...lamp oil is a heavy oil, so it makes a good lube for freewheels; but it's also volatile, which means it contains light fractions that give it good penetration in metal and the ability to dissolve tar and residue inside the freewheel. I've resurrected two or three freewheels which were "shot", and got months more service out of them from this treatment. You get a small plastic bowl, with a bottom diameter smaller than the large cog on the cassette; this will leave a 1/2" or so space between the bottom of the bowl and the bottom of the freewheel. Pour in enough lamp oil to completely cover the cassette, and leave it overnight. Next morning, you will find a well-lubed cassette, and a small layer of dark sludge on the bottom of the bowl.

My Harem:

I have a harem of bicycles. I need to decide which of my lovlies I must part with...mainly 'cause it's getting REAL crowded under the deck out back and I don't even have enough room for the KIDS bikes!!!

Ouch...

ouchouchouchouch...

Spent two days this past week on the couch wallowing in self-pity...

...which was a bad move.

I should have selected a more supportive surface. Me lower back is all stiffed up again and was quite painful for a day or two. Icy Hot and Tylenol are keeping me going.

I'm going to ride the bike tomorrow, as L needs the car and I need to get my ass in gear before I start to blimp out again.

Bob managed to nick a couple of bikes for me that the city confiscated and held for a couple of homeless transients who were camped out at False Creek last spring. I feel so proud to own these bikes...

...first of all, they were owned by poor people who got (and are still getting) bumped from pillar to post. Add in the fact that they were probably stolen from someone else before their time among the great unwashed...

One is an original condition Schwinn World Sport - circa 1974. If I were to restore this to "mint and rideable" condition, I could probably get someone to drop a few dollar$ on it. It still has its original tires, for pity's sake! The only thing wrong with it is that it's previous owner-of-no-fixed -address didn't take care of it...and the city left it out in the rain for six months.

The second one is a mid-price ATB from a LBS (too nice to be a Dept. Store machine) with much the same issues: neglect, then more neglect as it was left to the elements by the city of Vancouver. I'm kinda glad Bob "rescued" these for me. I think I shall restore the Schwinn, then see if I can Ebay it. The ATB I will also make roadworthy, and then probably give it away to someone who needs it.

I am in a bit of a quandry about what to do with the 25$ the church group commitee paid me for fixing lionel's bike. It may well be time to start my own "mad money" account at the Royal. I have no complaint about Laurie's managing of our money (we may yet get our Visa card paid down...), but it would be nice to have a little "walkin' around money" of my own that I...well, don't have to ask permission to spend. I will have plenty of ca$h coming in if and when I decide to get serious about being a bike-mechanic-to-the-masses (I work cheap); and this venture with KWY could yet pay off if only I got a little more serious about it. I see...I see...lots o' money, if I can just balance earning a living long enough to go out and MAKE some money.

Quotes by Brianarc:

"Philosophy is the Opiate of the Intelligentsia"

"A car officially achieves Junker status when you have to attach pieces of other cars to it in order to hold it together and/or make it run"

"Buckley's Mixture will not cure your cold, merely throttle it into submission"

"Ralph Nader jokes are unsafe at any screed"

"Conceit is baseless, Arrogance is when you can back it up"

Q: how do you know when the bottom bracket on your bicycle is about to seize up?

A: when your 40 minute commute gradually becomes 55 minutes...

The Scouts (some of the same lads Dan and I took to Saltspring last summer) did a trip down the Kettle Valley. Lionel G had purchased a fully suspended Dept. Store wanna-be-hucker for the trip. The bottom bracket began to seize up on him a few days into the trip. Kerry Newton led the trip, and as he is a professional --AUTO-- mechanic; he took along an almost complete toolkit.

What he lacked were some small but vital specialty tools for servicing newer MTB bikes...

I give Kerry credit for trying; however, hitting a crankarm with a hammer is not the recommended method for removal. The cranks got pretty banged up, and both crankarm bolts got stripped.

When the Scouts got back from the trip, Kerry contacted me and asked if I would be willing to try to repair the damage (both from the original fault and also repair attempts without the correct tools). I agreed to have a look at it, and warned Kerry that I might not have the correct tool if the bike was equipped with a cartridge-type bottom bracket. I am familiar with the procedure, but as none of my bikes have a cartridge BB, I don't have the tool in my toolbox. Kerry told me that he could cover both the tool and the repair if I could do it. I thought about it for a day or so, then Lionel contacted me on Sunday and I agreed. He brought the bike over. I think the reason he didn't just take the bike back to the store was because there was some damage to a shifter (outer shell broke off), and of course the hammer-marks on the cranks.

I got the cranks off no problem, but there was no way to get the cartridge BB out without a splined ISIS removal tool. I got a nice 1/2 drive IceToolz socket from Cap's on Tuesday...but I was so BUSY that day that I didn't actually get to the repair until about 9PM. I got the BB apart, and found...no lube whatsoever. Manufacturing error. The bearings were completely dry, and quite cooked to boot. The races had been reduced to shards of rusted metal and dust. I was quite lucky (and surprised) to find no damage to the bearing cones and the crank itself.

SO...

First order of business was assembling a working set of raced bearings. I found the necessary in my parts bin; and BOY am I grateful I spent that hour or so last spring sorting all the loose bearings in the parts cabinet! Finding two sets of clean bearings was no problem...

Got the BB packed with moly grease, installed the bearings and seals, then installed the cones and torqued the whole assembly up to spec. Now came the hard part: installing the new crank bolts in the damaged threads of the crank. I got the LH side in OK, but the RH side of the crankshaft was too badly damaged to fit the bolt. The bolt WOULD NOT go in without cross-threading. I only had the one bolt, and if it wouldn't go in then I was going to be spending another day on this job; purchasing a new crankshaft and re-re-assembling the bike.

I had one of those "now what do I do?" moments.

And the answer came...the "still small voice"...

SSV: "You need to chase out those threads with something".

Me: "Like what?"

SSV: "How about a tap from Granpa's tap and die set?"

Me: "Oh, ok...where is it?"

SSV: "Over there in the corner, underneath the socket set and wrenches."

Please bear in mind that I've NEVER used a tap and die set before. Granpa's set comes in a big blue metal tray with a latching lid. It is about 24 by 32 inches, and easily holds about 50 taps and dies, all packed in foam. It takes up so much space on the shelf that he stacked the other tools on top of it...

So I opened up the set and peered inside...having absolutely NO clue what I'm looking for. It was almost as if someone had taken hold of my hand because I found myself reaching inside the tray/box without realizing it.

Me: "Which one?" - as my hand is almost guided to a particular spot in the box.

SSV: "That one..."

Me: "This one here?"

SSV: "No, the one just to the left of your hand"

Me: "That one?"

SSV: "Yes..."

I located the proper chuck, and after verifying the tap was about the same diameter as the bolt shaft and had the same t.p.i. (like I would know!), I set it into the crankshaft.

I think back now of ALL the ways this could have gone wrong for me...sheesh!

The tap went straight in.

I began to turn the chuck...one...two...three turns...

And the SSV says very abruptly "stop!". I stopped. "Now, chase it with the bolt". I removed the tap, and a 2cm piece of damaged thread, from the hole; and held my breath as I threaded the bolt into the crankshaft.

It went in straight! I socked it up almost to full length, but was advised "that's far enough", and removed the bolt again. One or two threads on the bolt end were a little shiny, but not enough damage to render the bolt un-usable. Put the other crankarm back on, tightened both, Job Complete...

Now, the point of the Q&A at the beginning of this entry...

By the time I finished Lionel's bike, it was almost 10:30; but I still had one MORE job to do...while the tools et al were still out on the bench.

My commute time has been steadily growing over the past two months, especially since I rode the bike in the rain. My bottom bracket was sticking - badly. Got it popped apart and sure enough, one whole set of bearings had fallen apart and several parts of the crankshaft were REAL shiny on that side as they had been scraped clean by bits of crushed bearing and broken bearing race. I had a couple of new wrecks in the shop, and a suitable replacement crankshaft was among the parts I got off those wrecks. Suitable, yes...but shorter.

Shorter?

After assembling and re-packing the BB on my bike, I realised that shorter crankshaft is a better fit. The longer length one allowed me to put a little too much torque on the cranks and chainrings...which is why they're almost falling apart right now...sigh. The extra torque was also probably helpful in destroying the previous set of bearings.

So: rode yesterday and today. Trip time is back down to 45 mins. Yes!

Only now I noticed the front wheel is starting to grind a little...and the tires need to be swapped.

Sigh...maybe I should take this Saturday off...

I re-read the tag end of that previous post. I sound like such a cynical jerk, don't I? The Nawlins Deesasster. What a circus. Funding being diverted, pumps failing, levees breaching, disease-ridden floodwaters in the streets, forced evacuations, lootings, shootings, raping and pillaging and general mayhem...oh my.

I'll say it again...never should have built a city there in the first place.

FEMA - you got some 'splainin to do!!!

I read a story in F&SF a few years back called "Gas Man". A near-future setting where most of the Gulf Coast and Florida are under water, gangs of pirates roam the seas, fighting over the few remaining low-lying islands, and our "hero" the Gas Man - a salvage diver for hire, sumping out old Truck Stop fuel tanks for the precious gasoline contained therein...

Interesting premise, given current trends in storm intensity, and gas prices. The bad news with this premise, of course, is the Malthusian die-off that reduces the population of the Gulf Coast and Florida by about 99%. Mark my words people, it's gonna get mean out there...we're already well on our way.

On to happier things. KWY got the Tech Corps site up and (mostly) running. Go to www.tech-core.com to see more. Will need to ramp up efforts to recruit more (part time, initially) techs and get some advertising out to the neighborhood. Esp. for our virus-and-spyware cleaning services. What we're really looking for are careless, clueless, net-newbies will lot$ of Ca$h...
I am REALLY hoping and praying that this venture takes off. KWY is going to be putting a LOT of work into this and it may be a good thing he is taking a LOA from his present day job to pursue this dream. He's gonna need every spare moment he can get.

As for my dreams, they're on hold for the moment. Typokillers.com is available, but I don't know any webmasters who can build me a site ('cept KWY) and I don't know the first thing about DIY website building. I understand it can be done, but I've never done it...

In other activities; my two-wheel passion is cooling somewhat, with the coming of Autumn. I still have to get the Townie Cruiser I'm building for Trudy finished. It is functionally finished as is now, but I need to install a stand, basket, rack and fenders to really "deck it out". Might throw in a Lock, as well. Dave Fulton gifted me the big Raleigh ATB frame from his garage, and now it looks like I can re-build black beauty on the new frame. Freddy Fender needs a BB overhaul as well. All these bikes to do, and no desire to do 'em! Sometimes I regret working so much overtime at the DC. I'm sure some of that regret will fade when I see my next paycheque, however...

I'm home sick...allergies plus exposure to one of the kids' friends who had bronchitis already. Plus I haven't slept really well lately.

Time to update the 'blog.

What's going on in the world lately?

Hmmm.

Gas Prices.

The Iraq war.

Camp Casey.

New Orleans may be gone...



Let's start;

Gas is getting REAL expensive. Yet one contrarian wag I heard on NPR claims that in terms adjusted for inflation, we're spending just as much as we did in 1985. Which means, of course, that we're trying to buy the same commodity at the same price with dollars that are worth only 50% of what they were worth 20 years ago. Further, the 'rise' of the Canadian dollarette against the US greenback is NOT an indicator of strong growth in the canuck economy, but rather shows simply that the US dollar is devaluing faster than ours.

I am considering building a moped. I have seen chinese-made chain drive motors on ebay. I have seen friction drive "mosquitos" on places like www.bikemotor.com. Having seen the ease with which both designs could be adapted to a large-wheeled ATB, I have resolved to BUILD a large wheeled ATB, obtain a used 4 stroke weed whacker motor, and kludge up the mounting for either a chain drive (use a RH crank with chainrings on the LH side? Or retr0fit a separate sprocket on the LH side of the rear wheel?) or a friction drive. The friction drive seems to be the easier of the two, but requires MUCH more hardware. A chain drive setup would require a CV clutch to ensure that it could be disconnected so as to not interfere with the 'normal' operation of the bike.

Lessee, where were we? Vietnam, wasn't it?

Nah, that was 1968...

Many, many brave and fearless souls have come forward to Speak the Truth about the US administration, its lies, its wars, its avoidance of the Facts...to wit:

The US military forces are spread thin.

Conscription will NOT be tolerated by the American People.

The US is losing the war in Iraq. A war, some of the blunter and braver pundits have opined, that the US should never have started in the first place.

The hypocrisy of it all leaves me cynical.

Thus far, none of the brave speakers of Truth have mentioned the fact that all this and more was said BEFORE the war started. None of those messengers of doom 'n gloom were listened to at the time, and their input is conspicuously absent now. In fact, to quote a Certain Fox News Commentator, they were told at the time to; "SHUT UP!!!!".

"We are less secure now...". No Kidding!!!

The degeneration of the Greatest Democracy on Earth into a Fascist Police State has been only a minor annoyance 'till now. I am going to need a passport, apparently, to visit the LDS temple in Seattle. The worlds Longest Continuous Open Border just got Closed. Manifest Destiny, anyone??

Ah well, I guess I can hop a bus to Cardston or Edmonton.

Speaking of getting on the bus.

Camp Casey.

Few have mentioned the irony that the US is still free enough to allow this little campout/media circus. Yes, she has rallied the antiwar elements in the media and public opinion. Yes, her continued presence and speaking out has proved a small embarrassment to the Administration.

Let's look at the flip side, shall we? If the US pulls out of Iraq now, with the job not even half done...all that blood and maiming will have been for NOTHING. US boys 'n girls will have died (once again) for the US government's lies and posturing. It's both too early and far too late to pull out now, so say the experts. Too early because things are still a mess. There's precious little drinking water, electrical service is out much of the time, and there is little medical infrastructure up and running currently. Too late because the US might have been able to Get Out of Dodge after they found Saddam; if anyone at all in the War Party were inclined to do so, or to listen to those on the ground who were recommending finding an Exit, and quickly. Perhaps Pres. Bush has a Men in White Hats complex. The US are the good guys; they have to GET the bad guys and afterward, leave town nice and peaceful like (with nothing but the number of caskets at the local undertakers parlor out of order).

Of course, it isn't going to happen.

The US WILL stay the course. Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do...Bush & co. are hoping that if they leave US forces twisting in the desert wind long enough, somehow some good will come of it. In the meantime, they can blame the lack of troop morale on the whiners in the press, the public, other nations, etc.(we all know troop morale has nothin' to do with being stuck on the ass end of the world, separated from home and family, run around by an administration that keeps changing the rules about going home - apparently with NO end in sight to it all...) There will be a final assessing of blame, of course, but I won't be putting any money on the whiners being found as the main cause for the War in Iraq being a complete disaster. There will be a reckoning.

Speaking of reckoning days:

New Orleans...is it gone yet? The sheer hubris of building a city there in the first place...and then the Extraordinary Measures taken to ensure the city's existence. Dire warnings have sounded for YEARS about What Might Happen If...yeah, if only anyone were listening.

As for me; don't really know, don't really care...

It's like the Tower at Pisa. Everyone knows it will fall one day. But we all prefer to pretend that day won't happen anytime when we will actually be around to SEE it.

Colin learned to ride a two-wheeler yesterday. I have been employing the Ballantyne Method to teach him; but unlike his sister Coral, I did NOT push him at all (either literally or figuratively). Over the last two months, he has progressed from scooting along, to scooting and balancing, to balancing and gliding, to gliding, and finally...pedalling. The last 3 steps took about an hour.

He did not fall off.

He did not cut, scrape or bruise himself.

The entire process was practically painless.

The process was painless for Coral too, but I pushed her so hard that she learned to loathe the bike. While she ALMOST got the trick of riding, she refused to get back on the bike until the following spring. I had to browbeat her into trying again, and she picked up the necessary coordination pretty quickly.

She hasn't looked back since.

I think it's really cool to teach your kids something that you enjoy doing. I can hardly wait to teach 'em how to drive (shudder).

I didn't go to church today. Laurie and Coral left at 6:45 am in order to get Coral aboard the ferry for Camp. Colin complained of a very sick tummy, so I wimped out and stayed home with him; while Laurie slept off her early wakeup. Rather a pity, actually; I had a good lesson prepared, and I would have loved to have given it, but 'twas not to be.

Things I need to do:

Finish the stairs - finally!

Fix up Colin's new bike.

Read up on Apache and see if I can get the linux box set up as a web server.

Get some ad copy together for TK and TC and Refresh.

CLEAN THE GARAGE. Mebbe a garage SALE???!

Build Mom-in-Law Trudy a town cruiser type bike.

Paint the deck rail - again!!!

Convince KWY to become an Ebay baron...

Well, it's been some time, eh?

I am pondering how to spew all this out in one go...where to start?

B.C. Hydro: no dice.

Merge operator position: shot myself in the foot during the interview. Hindsight is 20-20; I finally figured out what I ought to have said to Clara about TWO WEEKS after the interview. D@mn...

I would say there's always next time, but frankly, next time may come too late to do me any good; career-wise. Frustration: I've been with the company over 12 years and never taken (or been offered) the opportunity for any real responsibility. The part that hurts is knowing if I had really wanted this one, I could have had it. When the moment came to "stand and deliver", my delivery left a lot to be desired.

My book: Found a publisher, followed the easy-to-read submission instructions. Result: "while your writing shows a firm grasp of technique; a brief search of books in print reveals that the subject matter in your proposal has already been presented in existing publications." I finally got around to doing a google search on the subject of "Bicycle Commuting" and found at least three books (from three different publishers) on the subject. One of these books was (thoroughly) written by an expert with more than 30 years experience in all aspects of cycling. After reading some excerpts from his book on Amazon.com; I want a copy for myself!

Speaking of bicycles...

Black Beauty is still hanging under the deck. I still don't know how I'm going to fix that bottom bracket, short of acquiring a new frame. I asked Dave Fulton about it, but he doesn't presently have any MTB frams that will work for me.

Speaking of Dave...

Mr. Fulton was looking to build a Street Beater with as light a frame as possible. A few months back he stumbled upon a 12 speed Marinoni at a garage sale. The bike was about 90% complete, which suited him fine. He stripped down the frame, installed some 26" wheels (frame is built for 700cc tires; 27" wheels won't fit), replaced the front fork with a 26" fork, added huge "stamped steel" BMX brakes on the front, replaced the stem with a BMX stem and "high rise" girlie-bike handlebars...and finally, added an overpadded sprung seat the size of a piano stool. The resultant Ugly Bike was a street cruisin' "comfort bike" built around a really light steel frame. Unfortunately, the geometry of the racing frame was all wrong for the riding position Mr. Fulton chose. In this configuration, almost all of his weight was toward the back wheel. Shortly, he began popping rear tires. After the third such incedent, all of which invariably happened on long rides from which he had to walk home; he gave up the bike as a bad job, and began riding another of his creations.

Then, he gave the bike (the pieces of it, anyway) to me.

Oh my...

I boasted to everyone at work about this baby. Bored 'em all to tears...even while I spent my nights fixing up the Marinoni and replacing the missing bits; in order to get the bike roadworthy. At last I got it into riding condition, and so I rode it to work.

Ouch.

The gears on my homebuilt commuter hybrid (which I have named "Freddy Fender") are a lot more forgiving. The Marinoni has a 12 tooth - to - 21 tooth cassette on the rear wheel. With a 52 tooth and 42 tooth chainring on the front end, this meant I was trying to push a 2:1 gear ratio up the Alex Fraser Bridge. Between the Alex Fraser, and Nordel Way, I had to stop to catch my breath...four times. I haven't had to to that in two years. Obviously, the Marinoni (which I have named "The Italian Job"*) was going to need a little more work.

So: I replaced the stem with a shorter reach stem (ok, only a professional cyclist would identify it as a "ladies bike"), and replaced the 12-21 cassette with a 14-38 cassette. I also installed "suicide bars" for the brake levers, and replaced the faded red neon bar tape with some basic black foamtape. The bike looks good, and only a hardcore racing cyclist would be able to tell that it's being ridden by a total wimp...

I DON'T ride the Italian Job in the rain. She's strictly a fair weather friend. Takes about 10 minutes off my commute time, too...

Speaking of riding bikes...

I am once again using the Ballantyne Method to teach a youngster how to ride: in this case, my son Colin. I first used this method on Coral, and pushed her so hard that she wanted nothing to do with the bike after a couple of days; despite the fact that she had almost got the knack by then. By unspoken consent, we left the matter until the following spring, whereupon I browbeat her for a few more hours until voila'!, she was riding on her own! I have NOT repeated my behaviour with Colin. His first session was about two hours: in which he learned to scoot around using his feet to push the (pedal-less) bike forward. The session was OVER when he decided he was tired. Next session will include more scooting and some quicker runs down a slight slope. From there we'll progress to still faster runs on a longer slope. Finally, when he is able to coast downhill without having to use his feet to correct his balance, we re-install the pedals et al and introduce him to pedaling. This is the same pattern Coral followed, albeit much more quickly ('cause I was pushing too hard), and will teach him to ride WITHOUT the negative reinforcement from constantly falling over. Did I mention that I learned to ride using the "solo shock-therapy" method? I still have scars on my knees to this day...

But enough about old wounds...far too gloomy.

Let's shed some sunshine, shall we?

Last Sunday, I had Special Guests in my class...

The Ward Sunday School President...and a member of the Stake Sunday School Presidency...and the Ward rep had already told me the reason for the visit was because the Stake rep had requested to sit in "the rowdiest class you have". Flattering, no? TWO Sunday School Leadership reps in my little class!!! But hey, no pressure on me, right?

Somehow I got through that class. There was even a ten-minute window when I was actually getting them to listen. Bro. R. (stake rep) praised me on my teaching style, and offered some reasonable advice on some of the "discipline issues" in my class. This advice I acted upon immediately; 'nuff said.

I was also invited to a meeting with the ward rep after church was over. I was informed that I would be moving on to a different challenge: I was going to move on from the 12/13 year olds, and into the 16/17 year olds. This class was ably taught by Alister Sewell, who moved out of the ward two weeks ago. My brother in law Grant Hastings will be taking over for me in the 12/13 class.

How do I feel about this? Pretty darned good, actually. I have viewed getting released from my teaching call as a kind of defeat. I know I can teach the gospel; the question was whether or not I could teach it to a bunch of rowdy 'n hyper sixth graders. If I got bounced out of that class, it would be because I couldn't keep the kids orderly. Well, I was getting a handle on that (assisted by more than one of my students' Parents), but now I've been moved onto a different challenge. A challenge for which I view my previous tenure with the younger kids as a "training drill". I'm actually going to be teaching people who can think for themselves! Well, a little bit, anyway...I was accustomed to teaching the "reader's digest" version of the outlined lessons...abridgements were necessary because not all the material in the lesson manual is geared to a 12-year-old intellect. Besides, I didn't want to bore them too much. Now, however, I'm gonna have to be a little more prepared. Some of the deeper material is going to be covered, or else I'll lose their interest. This will require a lot more preparation...and maybe some jelly beans.

Speaking of meetings after church...

While I was waiting in the foyer for my 1-on-1 with the ward SS rep, sis Linda King (Stake Choir Director) came bustling up and asked if it was true that I could sing? I admitted as how I could, a little, and this got me a personal invitation to the Stake Conference Presentation Choir practise that evening.

I'll say this for sis King: she's got a marvelous talent for pulling together a motley assortment of voices and turning them into a functioning choir in VERY short time. I think she's the most serene type A personality I've ever seen. High pressure and short deadlines are no problem at all - she doesn't even raise her voice in practices. She's also got an uncanny ability to choose pieces of music that are easy to learn (without being boring), and make very good use of the various abilities in the choir to greatest effect. In short: we are gonna ROCK!!! Mind you, most of the current singers in this edition of the stake choir have had some prior experience (including myself), and even those unfamiliar with some of the pieces (including myself) have enough ability to follow along with those who ARE familiar with them. I myself am singing with my old friend Robert Slaven (he of Jepoeardy! fame); Rob is not altogether familiar with the repetoire for this performance, but he IS a musician and singer, and he can sight read...which helps a LOT.

Hello again;

Down to business:

I am applying for a job with BC Hydro. I don't stand much chance of making it; but if I do, we'll be able to start paying tithes again as there will be more than enough money. A new job would also be an opportunity to take firmer control of the financial reins around here; but don't tell Laurie, eh?

Another option I have to make more money is to move into Barry Kemp's spot as the "go to" overtime guy in big ticket. Of course, this means Barry would have to give up his spot and the only way I can envision that happening is if Barry won a huge lottery jackpot - so GO LOTTO!!! Barry does play the lottery, and I truly wish him all the luck in the world; bizarre, huh?

A third option would be to try a little Job Creation. Finding and building a successfull secondary career that could make up financially for what my present job lacks.

In the meantime, I am going to start an income and spending ledger on this machine. I dusted off the old copy of Spreadsheet Plus and installed it. I think I'll begin with the next pay period for baseline, then track income and expenditures starting with an April-to-April fiscal year. A closer watch on what we earn and what we spend may show opportunities for saving or at least debt reduction. It will also confirm or invalidate L's argument that we can't afford to pay tithe.

My weight point shifted five pounds downward, and now I am showing a hint of a waistline! I still have the 20lbs of GUT hanging below my navel, but it's shrinking little by little. If I can ride consistently (and well) over the summer and autumn, I may finally make my weight goal this year. I still eat indiscrimanately, but I am getting better. I find that what I eat matters a lot more than how much.

The moves towards more fiscal accountability, and physical fitness, are two parts of a list of goals that I am working towards. New-Years Resolutions? Nah, those are made to be broken. These were made so that I can finally Grow Up; 'bout time, too. Am I on track? For the most part, I still have a few areas to work on and some problems persist in Not Going Away. I think I just have to take it day-to-day with some things. I also need to spend some time focussing on what is going RIGHT in my life now instead of always berating myself for what I've done wrong.

There is much in my life that lacks accomplishment. There are a number of challenges that have yet to be met and overcome. But I'm still moving forward...I guess, that's the point, isn't it? To keep trying, to keep going.

My kids taught my Sunday School lesson last week; and did a fair job. Shayla took the lead, ably assisted by what's-her-name...

I felt the urge to share a few details, but time would not permit.

This week, I have a lesson on A of F #4, and the manual recommends making it a two-part lesson. SO: I'm going to do three mini-lessons: I'm going to share my observations from last week, then I'm going to share the answer to a question I've been pondering for some time; "why DID we agree to enter mortality in the first place?". From there, I will segue' neatly into the first half of lesson #7; "the First Principles and Ordinances of the Gospel". All told, it should be an interesting 30-40 mins.

I'm experiencing a little turmoil at the moment. Principles of the gospel and obligations I took on with my covenants are the cause. To wit: I have let some things slide for so long that it may now be impossible (without divine assistance) for me to take those oppotunities to recieve the blessings that would come from living those parts of the gospel...and I REALLY want them! Ironic, no? I finally get a testimony of the law of sacrifice...and my situation demands that I am not allowed to live it. Yet.

I want to pay a full tithe...AND offerings. I can at least volunteer a little more of my time in Service. I want to go to the Temple. I can at least strengthen and perfect my worthiness to be there. I can devote more time and effort to the callings I have. I want to live more happily with my wife. I can work on that...at least, I can work on my part of it. I must face the fact that I and I alone made much of the mess I am in. I feel obligated to find my own way through it; though I know the Lord stands ready to help. I just don't know if I dare ask Him to bail me out of this...

These will be "learning times"...

L took Coral to her appt with the Child Psychologist. As usual, Coral's "issues" are all with me. Apparently I'm not spending enough "quality time" with my daughter. SO...

We both went along for the Scout's ride along Boundary Bay this morning. We only did half of the route the boys did. This was, after all, Coral's very first trail ride. She rode with me several kilometres from Mud Bay to Boundary Airfield and back. Took about two hours. She did very well, and we got very dirty; had to thouroughly detox both bikes before we could pack up and go home.

I bought Colin a little 2$ electronic kit-in-a-box. It's a noisemaker that uses the variable resistance of a graphite trace on paper to vary the output of an oscillator circuit hooked up to a tiny speaker. Amazingly enough, it actually works! Coral was so impressed that she asked if she could get one too, and offered to buy it with her own money. She got a Burglar Alarm. L figures Coral could get both her cycling AND electricity badges for this. We had a lot of fun, too...

It's been a pretty tranquil time around chez Sanderson recently...this feels a lot like the calm before the storm...which makes it sound like it can't last but what if it COULD? I wonder if I am able to work myself up to being this wonderful ALL the time? To DREEEEEAM the imPOSSible DREEEEEEEEEEEEAM!!! Which would I prefer? Tranquil and serene home life or hot 'n heavy sex life? Both, actually...but I'll take what I can get of either. (hubba hubba!)

Money is getting to be kind of an issue. As usual, the issue with money is the lack thereof. L wonders aloud when will I be working some more overtime? So long as L holds the purse strings...we ain't got any extra for extras...and that includes tithes. I want to act unilaterally, but I've already had pretty clear (and prophetic) warnings NOT to do so.

At least taxes aren't a problem. I found a straightforward site that will prepare a straightforward return for the modest sum of 10$. This is probably the cheapest you'll ever get away with while filing your taxes electronically in Canada; but there are some provisos. E-filed returns, of course, get very prompt attention and quicker refunds. That's the point of E-filing.

Happy February;

Hmmm, let's see:

My Book: I looked at all the files recently and realized I had 17 chapters and over 75 pages of material (more, if you include the illustrations I haven't put in yet). I am currently playing with an outline; trying to get it all in some semblance of order - 'cause I certainly can't publish it in the order that I wrote it!

I need an Editor.

Work: Patio season is upon us. The only blemish on this happy time is the fact that we have a new Head in the purchasing office in Toronto. Head has decided that we are going to try "pricing by Wal-mart". In other words, we're going to sell OUR patio sets for whatever price undercuts the local Wal-mart store in whatever part of the Country that Wal-mart is selling the same, or similar, patio furniture. If they sell for more...so do we. The reason I mention this is because the Head has sent the word down from on high that none of our suppliers are to put PRICETAGS on the merchandise they ship us. Well, these first sets are the cheapies; the high-volume/low-price items, and we didn't order in time for them to be re-labelled...so we're running around with "pink pearl" erasers, rubbing out the prices!

These patio sets are also reverse-engineered from the packaging backward: 100 sets cubes out a 40' shipping container almost perfectly, and is very easy to offload, to boot. If it weren't for the label alterations, we would be flying through these.

Business: Things must be tough all over, I have had more than one friend/relative approach me about some Home Based Opportunity or other. If it isn't selling used computer parts on Ebay, it's hanging out me shingle as a consulting tech (a tech that consults an expert over the phone).

Bah.

I am getting the bike itch again, big time. Spring could be very profitable, IF I start soon.

Which brings me to:

Bikes: Black Beauty's bottom bracket (say THAT three times fast) packed it in last week. Like the orginal rockshox fork it was equipped with, which hasn't been made for years; the bottom bracket is old technology that isn't made anymore. This is what you get when you work with "recycled" parts.

The bearings are pressed into place. Not threaded, pressed; as in with a big industrial machine that I don't have and can't even HOPE to duplicate.

I am so hooped.

The easiest solution I can come up with is to re-build BB on an all new frame. I will be taking steps to obtain one in the near future. I tried Dave Fulton first, but the MTB frame bike he had got stolen.

Speaking of stolen bikes, I'd like to head down to Nordel Ravine sometime soon with the Scout Troop and see if we can recover a few...there have been enough "liberated" bikes dumped down there that you can see them from the street above!

I installed the new Pheonix light system and flasher on Big Red, as well as the new tires I got for Xmas. BR rides really well, but still doesn't do so well in the rain. I may consider a re-build on Red. I would LOOOOVE to get that Minelli frame off of Dave, but he doesn't want to sell it. I guess I better keep a weather eye out for new bike-fodder during Spring Cleanup this year. Time to do some curbside trash-picking!

Happy New Year!

Feh...

The water pump on the car packed it in early last week, so after some nail-biting moments while I confirmed that it was the pump and not the ENGINE that was spouting coolant all over the driveway...

Honestly, I don't know WHAT I would have done if that engine needed MORE work. I just did the head, if it turned out the block needed machining too, I would probably have given up and had a new engine installed. One of my problems is that I tend to anticipate the worst...

So the water pump needed replacing. I didn't get to it on Monday, but something told me I had BETTER get to it on Tuesday...

...so I did; took three hours, most of it after sunset. No more leaks (so far).

Then, the snows came...

We have to locate our snow shovel; thus far we haven't needed a snow shovel, but we certainly do NOW. No mail delivery unless I clear off the walk this weekend. I won't be riding the bike for a few weeks, that's for certain. I don't DO snow...

Work is proceeding as usual. I haven't taken any more time off or any sick days (despite severe temptation). Surprise! my commute to and from work has been really easy; if only other commuters in the Lower Drainland had it so good.

I go to clean the chapel tomorrow morning, I will probably be giving someone a ride to the chapel as well. I may have to call Greg Cuervin to confirm.

Remember that Dristan Cold I had this time last month? Well, THIS month's good news was this season's Flu Strain. Coral got it first, so she recovered first, then me, then Laurie...

This is suckin' the life right outta me...

I have developed, at the tender age of 38, a tendency to migraine headaches. My beloved wife is a Tylenol and Advil fan, which I cannot fault her for, but this means there is no ASA or Aspirin in the house. Tylenol and Advil do nothing for my migraines, even combined. Aspirin is and has always been completely effective. I discovered something else that was similarly efficacious: Icy Hot. Desperate for relief, I recalled a news story on a medical implant used to control migraines by cutting off neural signals to major nerves under the scalp. I applied Icy Hot to the back of my neck, the area shown in the news story, and 20 minutes later, my entire scalp had gone numb; the nerves were still inflamed, I just couldn't feel 'em...felt a little strange to have the 'ol bean still pounding a little, but unable to feel any pain, or anything at all, really. The effect lasts about 4-6 hours, and I may rely on it more in the future, since Aspirin also disrupts my sleep somewhat.

Anyway, suffice to say that L and I are in day 7 of what is probably going to end up being a 14 day ordeal. I have a feeling that I should be fairly functional by day 10; which is good, because I have to go back to work! The total irony here, of course, is that even though Laurie went and got the Magic Flu Shot a few months back, and she has been on antibiotics since about two days ago, I cannot tell that her recovery is proceeding any quicker than mine; and of course the primary irony is that she got this flu in the first place, after being "immunized". Further Irony is the kids: Coral's total down time was only 8 days, and Colin, we believe, contracted this strain about two months back and spent only 7 days with it. Of course, he's immune...people hacking up a lung all around him, virii everywhere; and little boy is still his same happy, cheerful, bounding self - which can be very irritating to mommy and daddy when they're sick...

I did indeed get a proper light system from Laurie for my bike: now, if I can just muster the energy (and lower my blood pressure) to go out and install it on the ATB. I will be riding the ATB again come next week, once I get those gumboots...

I really have three priorities this week: Get some waterproof footwear that I can ride in, get the hardware/software for a broadband internet hookup (granpa has offered to cover half, he says is really worth his while), Get my home teaching done...

I am going to detail a demo I did for my Sunday School kids on walking (living) by faith. It was part of a lesson I prepared called "some things must be believed to be seen". I started out telling them about the physicist Foucault. He of the famous Pendulum experiments. I told them the story of how he discovered that a pendulum of sufficient mass would describe an arc over a 24-hour period, the size of the arc dependent on one's latitude between the equator and either pole. They found this mildy fascinating. I then fixed a small screw clamp to the track on the suspended ceiling, and hung a golf ball from a bit of string with some masking tape. I laid a line on the floor with the tape and asked for a volunteer. I told the volunteer to stand with his toes on the line, and he was not to move at all unless I told him it was alright to do so. I then pulled the bob of my improvised pendulum back until it touched the bridge of his nose. I released the bob, and it swung away, on the return swing, he (the volunteer) flinched away (well, not too much, I myself actually reacted much more strongly when I tried it out beforehand). On the second trial, we proceeded exactly as the first, except I had him cover his eyes...

He didn't flinch.

Why?

Because he couldn't see it coming, of course.

In this situation he had only the following actions open:

First, he had to trust that what he had already learned in school science class about pendulums was true: namely, that a pendulum mass never returns to its precise point of release (as long as it has been released properly).

Second, he had to adhere to the conditions of the experiment: if he allowed his weight to shift forward even a little, it was going to put his nose into the path of an approaching golf ball...Er, I mean, pendulum bob.

Thirdly, he had to trust that the person in charge of the experiment (me), wasn't going to put extra acceleration on the pendulum mass, thereby allowing it to return with sufficient energy left to hit him. ie: he had to trust that I wasn't going to smack him in the face with a golf ball...

How does all this apply to living by Faith?

Simple: In life, we really are blind most of the time; we can't see what's coming at us day-to-day. So we can either get smacked in the face...or:

Trust what we have already been taught about Life, God, Good & Evil, and start living and learning like all that and more really mattered and had real consequences...because it does.

Obey the ground rules the Person (God) in charge of this experiment has laid down for our safety.

Trust that He has our best interests at heart and does not wish to smack us in the face with a golf ball...or see us unnecessarily hurt in our lives.

Anyway, that demo probably constitutes the most creative thing I've done since my attempts at becoming a writer...but it was a LOT more fun.

Even if I didn't actually smack anyone in the face with a golf ball...

Leaving the posting a little late this month, eh?

Worry not, friends 'n neighbors, 'tis the holiday season and there should be plenty to write about over the next nine days...which I have off work, btw.

What to do with all this free time on a sudden?

Well, tomorrow we're going to see the Polar Express (which reminds me, I need to look into getting advance tickets). We'll probably go out to dinner as well and enjoy some good "comfort food". Coral is finally over her cough and Colin seems to be doing ok, so it should be a merry (and healthy) Xmas after all.

We bought a toy...a portable DVD setup for the car...and now L wants to return it as she can't see us USING it all that much. We'll probably blow some of the ca$h back on a night out and put the rest on the vi$$$a card.

I've got all my gifts bought, and almost none of them wrapped - aigh! I managed to hit the high points on Laurie's list and I know she tried her best for mine. I really need to think about upping my "Xmas fund" donations for next year.

I haven't rode the bike to work lately. I need a proper light system - which I believe L is going to provide - and some sort of waterproof footwear. The gumboots I have in mind are common to any surplus store, but I haven't been anywhere NEAR a surplus store lately. I'll find 'em. Meanwhile, my weight has plateau'd again and I may be wearing my belt out another notch soon. GOT to get back to riding in the new year! HAVE to!

My new course of study for my new Sunday School class is Church History, specifically the D+C. I am sure I will learn as much as my students!

Bro. Cassel has re-commited himself to Home Teaching, and he's taking me along with him! Bless him, his commitment makes up what I lack.

Mom and Dad are away in San Diego doing the tourist thing...feels a little strange not having them around.

Anyways, will right more later as the mood strikes me.

I have a Dristan cold.

You know, itchy, watery eyes, runny nose, touch of fever. Plus various assorted aches 'n pains...

I went to work Thursday...probably shouldn't have. It was one of those days where you hope things will get better and they just don't.

So I took Friday off. Saturday as well. Still feel awfull.

Do you know what my WIFE had me doing today???!

Her parents came up for the day so they could all attend a funeral together. Umm, Spring's father, old family friend of the Dallmans and fellow square dancer. Died suddenly of a heart attack in his kitchen...

Anyway, L had her dad bring the 20' extension ladder and once AGAIN I was risking my life on that thing putting up our Xmas lights. I have a COLD darnit!!! Freezing my nay-nays off on a ladder is the LAST place I should be!!!

Bob and Trudy were not only nice enough to give L a ride, and ferry the ladder to me, but they also took care of our kids on Friday night. L and I went out to dinner, enjoying some great comfort food; also did a little window shopping. Went to see "Finding Neverland". Definite Chick Flick, but a good performance by Mssr. Johnny Depp. I found it amusing to see all the 'tweens and teens ooohing and aaahing over Johnny D.; they DO realize the guy is pushing 40, right?

The car is running fine, after the half-an-overhaul I gave the engine. Nothing leaks, and the engine seems to be running as well as it did when we bought it, mebbe better even...

I have finally acquired, after 32 years of being literarily capable, a strong testimony of reading the scriptures daily. Especially the Book of Mormon, I intend to spend the next few years memorizing it...and no, I'm not going to jinx this intent by putting it down on paper. I have finally found a genuine desire. Why? Let's just say it has given me the strength (in ways I don't yet fully understand) to deal effectively and finally; with my daily struggles.

I have decided that my reliable homebuilt roadie, Big Red, is NOT an all weather machine. Although I have been able to improvise some effective Wet Gear, the bike itself suffers too much when exposed to the elements. I have not yet completed black beauty, the hardtail that I think was once a Norco Katmandu. Beauty needs brakes, a chain and a new seat. I could also stand to re-do the rear axle. Some fenders would help as well. Beauty would necessarily be a slower ride than Big Red, but I could take some of the rougher side paths and shortcuts that are too risky to Big Red's tires. I think the overall trip time would even out. Frankly, I think riding thru that sandbar by the Lafarge Concrete rail spur would be much easier once the ground is frozen! All I really need for proper cold/wet gear is a good pair of waterproof boots, cheap.

I got to meet Coral's psychologist, Dr. Kope. She's a nice lady, but I think I intimidated her a little...We discussed Coral's diagnosis and prognosis and she recommended a little home study reading. Coral's treatment has been a godsend, and BOY can you tell when she's off her medication!!

We'll be getting some Xmas fund$ from my parents, and some additional ca$h from my savings bonds thru work. All told, about 500$ to spend. L wanted to buy a portable DVD player and we may still do so. Another choice would be a video camera. Perhaps a model with DVD recording capability...?

We've been meaning to get ourselves a video camera for some time. I would consider it a bonus if we were able to find a model that functioned as a webcam, as well.

Speaking of gifts, I wanted the Lifu Prontool set for Xmas, but L sez no way. She did, however, relent a little and let me buy a copy of Sidwell's "Bicycle Repair Manual" a concise guide for the Home Mechanic. Bliss!

Well, I got my juice back...automotive-wise.

The slight coolant leak on the Cav turned into a major gush on the eve of the 27th (Tuesday night?). SO I began to poke 'n prod Wednesday after work, and got the full kit of parts and a torque wrench from our local Lordco. I took Thursday off and got the head removed, and prepped the head Friday after I got it back from the machinists. Saturday I spent putting everything back together and part of Sunday I spent second-guessing myself because the car wouldn't start as I forgot to plug the fuel pump back in!

Actually, it was a textbook job, except the part about the fuel pump...

What other news? I got Randy's computer fixed up for his kids...then the 2gig supplementary HD I installed blew a fuse and took the CD with it. Spent some time at driverzone last night finding the right drivers. This is kind of embarrassing, as I promised to have the unit back to him (in working order) by Friday. So I can't do the CPU upgrade (in-betweener Pentium/non-MMX), and the extra HD didn't work. Now all I need is for the SIMMs I installed to go wonky and I'll end up owing my client a new computer...

I priced out a reasonable fee for the package...it's more than the PC is worth...

Why do I bother?

Laurie won a 500$ shopping spree from Art Knapp's Plantland (the home of Dept. 56 Collectibles). She was PUMPED, and spent today shopping at Knapp's. I worked some overtime, and managed to catch up on a little of the massive backlog that has built up in Central Stock.

Took the kids to see Disney/Pixar's THE INCREDIBLES. WOW!!!

Definitely gotta go see that one again...IT ROCKED!!!

I've got my home teaching list and I've been partnered with Don Cassel. I guess we'll keep each other honest.

"In a world where complete honesty is a dream and an ideal, only dreamers and idealists are being completely honest."

Last Sunday, Bro. Mark Bell raised a point during Grant's lesson about "Sincere and honest prayer". He pointed out that it may be hypocritical to be honest and sincere with the Lord and then go out and be dishonest and insincere with our fellow man. With that in mind, I determined to try raising the level of honesty in my life and dealings with the people I meet day-to-day.

Last Thursday I was loading some electric fireplaces with the clamp truck and noticed that the night crew had top loaded some of the units in a trailer for one of the Eastern DC's to cube out the space in the trailer. Now, loading this way is certainly a more efficient use of space, but it's not a terribly efficient use of time. I had been straight-loading these myself (ie: loading the shipment in an HBC trailer with exactly the same stack pattern as it was found in the shipping container), which can leave some empty space in the taller CP trailers; but takes a minimum amount of time per load/offload.

Len Lemieux, our new Dept. Supervisor, faulted me for not cubing out the trailer as the night crew had done to theirs.

I tried to justify myself by pointing out that there is a "do not tip" warning on the fireplace cartons, and that the night crew should not have loaded them laying on their sides like that. I argued that dire consequences could result from such methods. I suppose that Len didn't feel like arguing the point further, and let the matter drop; looking more than a little annoyed with me.

I went to break, and while eating I suddenly realised, "I don't believe a single word of what I just said back there..."

Which means...?

I was arguing with my BOSS for the sake of arguing!

Not a bright move.

So immediately after break I sought out Len and told him (he was talking to Tony B, our Facility Manager), "if I am ever that full of it again you just tell me so, I won't be offended". Then I apologised for trying to give him a hard time.

Felt good.

Fact is, I have been full of it for a while, and I needed (still need?) a serious reality check.

Saturday I did some overtime, and after finishing my first assignment that morning, Len asked me to switch to replenishment picking. Normally I would have jumped at the chance to get off the dock and back to my safe, boring, regular assignment as a machine operator; but not this time. I said something like "ok, I'll go if you want, but I kind of assumed that once this load was finished, I would be doing a second, and perhaps a third...". Len knew I was unhappy (have been unhappy) all week on the dock, and was throwing me a bone. My answer told him I was more than willing to suck it up and get the job he needed me to do completed - and I did complete it.

I managed, through a little serendipity, to very neatly (and quickly) dispose of a problem shipment that had been lurking in our staging area for the last couple of days. Criteria for these crossdock transfer loads states that the merchandise MUST be palletized and our departmental goals state that the trailers SHOULD be cubed out as much as possible. Unfortunately, the Ti-Hi limits on palletized product often mean that they get loaded with a less-than-optimal use of space. The problem with the shipment in question was that the boxes were very large and oddly shaped. When stacked for loading, the palletized product was too high to fit through the trailer door! No-one over the last two days wanted to touch this shipment, as the first solution to the problem was to re-stack the entire 300 carton order! I left the order palletized as it was, and merely doubled two pallets worth of merchandise onto one pallet, using the clamp truck. The shipment fit well and cubed well, and should be easy to re-assemble when it reaches its destination. I didn't quite complete that third load as I had a couple of problem shipments show up one right after the other, and I decided that it was probably better to pick it up on Monday. Know what? I don't mind so much being on the dock now...

Offloading and loading trailers is not the easiest work in the world, but I don't mind it that much. It still gives me the same feeling of "a good days work well done" that I get from picking in the Central Stock dept.

Been playing Backgammon at MSNzone again...

Lame!

Four opponents: two English, one Hebrew, one Korean - all on "expert" level. Down by one or two points in each match...managed to pull even or ahead in all four games (once by judicious use of doubling cube) and ALL FOUR quit before the match game was complete!!! Sore losers...

I mean, the Hebrew BURIED me that first game...and played well all the way up to the final game...and quit when it was obvious he was too far behind...feh!

One advantage to the "play for money" sites: if your opponent gets fed up and quits, he STILL has to pay up!!!

I think I'm ready...too bad I can't find a club here in town where I can drop in to play... FIBS, here I come!

Weather has been getting cold of late...I am down to two or three days riding per week. This is enough to maintain my fitness level, and even provides for a little weight loss; albeit at a slower rate. I must watch what I eat, as well.

Found and repaired that old bottle genny that Taras gave me. It's a 6v/5w lightweight dyno with a .5 inch friction wheel. I was built into the headlamp housing; which has broken, so now I am debating whether or not to house the genny seperately and kludge up a new housing out of PVC pipe. I still have that generic handlebar mount; I ought to be able to screw that puppy to anything. Now all I need is an appropriate bulb. I was thinking a 12v/10w krypton bulb should do me...and should be "blow out" proof as well. The genny set will be my primary light source, with the twin C cell headlamp as the backup.

Saw another Dead Man Riding this morning. Dark clothes, no lights and not even a hint of high-vis reflector anywhere on his person or bike...sigh, and they say motorists are negligent...I have even seen Phantom riders doing the Suicide Run down Nordel way in traffic for pity's sake! Oh well, these Darwin Award nominees are doing the rest of the cycling public a service by not living long enough to breed...

"Sir? Are you aware that you're leaking coolant at an alarming rate?" - Futurama: "Planet of Robots" episode.

The Cavalier is loosing coolant. It needed to be fixed anyway, because I bodged the thermostat replacement and I STILL can't get the radiator fan to switch on...the car was running REAL hot this summer.

So I worked some overtime and took the car to Toyo motors. They replaced the thermostat, tested the system for leaks and got the rad fan working again. They also overcharged us by about 20$; but hey, it's only money! I appreciate that they have loaner vehicles available for their loyal customers...

I have set up Parental Controls on our system. The kids are surfing more often and are sometimes unsupervised...I feel better knowing the "bad stuff" is blocked out. I have yet to explore all the possibilities of Norton Internet Security.

We need to do some serious clean up around here. The old rug from the kids room is quietly moldering on the back deck (smells bloody awful), and we still have some scrap metal and bits of garden stuff and generic trash hanging around the garage to go. In addition, I need some sort of bin or something to keep my bike parts in. I would really like to set up some sort of shed or something out back to replace the old rotting shed back there, and have someplace to put some of the garden equipment we don't seem to have room enough to store anywhere right now.

It's still a little too early to sink into a seasonal depression, but that IS how I feel; I gots the blahs...

I need to start a new project, or finish some existing ones...

I have a new Internet Addiction...

Backgammon.

Thus far, I have only been trying my luck with the other NuB's down at MSNzone...but I think I am ready for the Real World.

I am going to start playing on FIBS...I hope I don't embarrass myself.

As a reality check, I went to see Dad yesterday...because his is the only objective opinion I trust. His conclusion: I am both skilled AND lucky. We played a 3 match, followed by a 5 game tourney, and I won both. We had a final game for fun, in which he built a seven pip blockade (looked like I was in real trouble there), just to see if he could do it. A fortuitous boxcars roll got me out of that bind before it was too late, and I managed to win the game by 3 pips.

Dad's pretty good, he's just a little out of practise.

My play ettiquette is horrible, ie: I don't have any. I am far too talkative, far too helpful, and far too distracted in face-to-face play. I may have to stick to online play -- it's easier to stay focussed.

But no - repeat NO - wagering...that way lies madness.

However, I can dream of winning a prize tournament someday, eh?

Last Tuesday, I turfed at the foot of Wiltshire St. That same little curb I've been safely hopping for the last 6 months stopped my front wheel dead when I missed the hop (guess I was going too slow), and the rest of the bike kept going, me along with it. I wound up facefirst in the cedar chip-lined trailhead with the bike frame wrapped around my butt and the handlebars poking painfully in my left thigh. I had to laugh, it was the most postcard-perfect endo I've ever seen; if I had had an audience, I'm sure there would have been applause.

I've been annoying residents on that cul-de-sac for weeks now. Ever since I built the hybrid and started riding it daily. Reason? I didn't get the brake alignment quite right and they SCREAMED at high speed. Every morning that street awoke at 5:55 am to the sound of the two wheel screaming symphony. I just finished redoing the brakes the previous week, so the noise problems were finally silenced. Still, the residents of Wiltshire Close would probably claim my ungainly accident was nothing more than poetic justice.

On the other hand, I had a pretty soft landing; if you're going to do a faceplant, that's the place to do it.

However, the drama doesn't stop there...

I arrived at work, a little dirtier than usual...and was assigned a container of 150lb dinette sets. Previously, this would have been the ultimate drudge work, but since we got the clamp trucks on the dock we can go through oversized loads like these at a pretty good clip...

One drawback: you still have to clear the first few feet of the load by hand, so the clamp paddles have enough room to get a purchase on the load. After chucking about 8 of these 150lb monsters (two man job for us non-kryptonians), I discovered that my left wrist was REALLY SORE...I called our first aider over and he and I repaired to the dispensary for some ice and a tensor wrap. Thus fortified, I continued the load with the clamp truck and all seemed to be well. We finished the load in time for the 10 AM break and I went to breakfast...

When I got back up from eating the wrist hurt to move, in any direction...and was starting to swell under the tensor bandage.
I left work early, and our first aider offered to send me to Richmond General for an assesment. I said no, and got a ride home from L (left the bike at work). Went to the clinic straightaway and saw Dr. Teskey. His assesment: ice & ibuprofen for 3 days, and come back if necessary. To be thorough, he sent out for some Xrays.

So I informed work that I would be off the rest of the week, and work informed me that WCB no longer covers accidents during travel to/from work. Only travel away from and back to the workplace on company time...
Darn.

I may not get paid for those three days...

The wrist feels better, for some reason I am now getting a buzz from wriggling my fingers; I think I may have to get one of those squeezy-ball thingies...I've got a clean bill of health from the clinic, but I'm going to go easy on the arm for the next couple of weeks just the same.

The worst time was Sunday...

About 8 years ago, I had outpatient surgery at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster to remove some necrotic tissue from my right knee. An intra-muscular blood clot had caused massive infection around the joint and the leg had swelled to the size of a party balloon. This made walking, much less working, quite difficult; the attendant fever and constant pain were no picnic either. Did I mention that I used to carry loss-of-income insurance and I had cancelled the coverage the week before? I lost 10 days to that injury...

Anyway, my point is...I KNOW what intra-muscular and deep tissue infection feels like. My left hip, with a bruise the size of my fist where the bars hit, had developed such a condition. I was taking ibuprofen, which will relieve the symptoms but not the cause (if the cause is a circulatory blockage of some kind), and I needed to take ASA, which helps both cause and symptoms. Problem was: you can't mix ibuprofen with ASA. So I waited several hours 'till the ibuprofen wore off and took a quad dose of ASA before bed (now THAT was an uncomfortable night), and another quad dose after midnight. Got up the next morning and the pain was gone...even the bruising had gone down. So I'm feeling lucky...

By the following Tuesday (yesterday) the wrist was mobile enough to drive with ( and bike with, lucky me!) and our HR intern and I discussed restrictions on my duties. So far, heavy lifting is still out, but I can do everything else. Got my forms back and visited the doctor today. Now there is just the matter of getting paid; do I have to trade in some vacation days??

I sold Blue Meanie, the old Schwinn, to a professional ticket scalper who's in town visiting from Montreal. Harry offered 30$ down ( I was looking for 50$) and two tickets to Storyeum. The tickets have yet to materialize. Rather than arguing the deal, (I went all the way downtown to deliver the bike) I walked away. The back tube has a valve problem that will let the tire down in 24hrs or less, but that's HIS problem now...