For the past two hours there has been no peace from upstairs. First it was a quite murmur of pots and pans clinking. The noises increased with more footsteps and water running and the oven door being opened and shut. An hour later a strange smell occurred followed several moments later by the fire alarm. The alarm quieted but the footsteps were moving more quickly now; pots and pans were banging, a tub of ice fell across the floor and an occasional expletive drifted through the window.
Then all fell quiet.
I just saw her walking by on the sidewalk carrying a bent little silver pie pan covered with crinkled aluminum foil.
And everyone wonders why I stick with Ramen noodles.
..
We went out with mom to lunch today. As much as I like Acambero's that's probably the worst service we've ever gotten. I didn't get a single refill. Ah well, hanging with mom and Cory was worth it.
Bro and I then went and played tennis. He won. Twice. Finished up with an Italian soda at mudhouse.
..
A cat just ran past the window followed by a little boy in a red shirt.
"Come here! I want to save you! I want to keep you safe!"
I'm not sure if the kitty wanted to be saved, but a little while later the boy came past, grinning like a Norman Rockwell portrait, arms wrapped around the kitty's tummy.
Guess the kitty got saved.
.
Gotta' get back to studying.
What was I thinking? - Dierks Bentley
/-/
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Roadtrip
I was starting to think I was gonna' die. I was riding a $6k competition mountain bike down the side of this mountain in WI, and every corner held something new. Roots, rocks, trees, abandoned snow machines; you name it. Earlier, at the top of the mountain I had stopped to catch my breath and chat with the paramedic who was lounging on his 4-wheeler.
ME: *Wheez* some hill! I think I'm going soft.
MEDIC: Well, I think It's the highest point around. It's all downhill from here, buddy.
ME: So, you here to keep us from killing ourselves?
MEDIC: Naw, I'm just the guy that makes sure we get the body out before the varmits chew on it.
I hit a root and did a nice controlled endo. aggg. Thankfully the bike didn't get a scratch. I rode out of the woods and bombed it down the ski course back to the Giant tent. Fun. I like speed. The lady in charge at the tent asked me if I wanted to take another bike out. Goofy grin. "Sure."
A few minutes later I was headed back up the mountain side. This time on a $3k all-mountain bike. Heavier, but a lot more suspension. I took a steeper course up the mountain. Everytime I pushed the pedal the front wheel would lift off. Pretty soon I was laying on the handlebars trying to force the bike up the hill. Talk about a workout. I got to the top and dove past the paramedic -- back into the woods. This time was a lot more fun. With the added suspension I was able to trust the bike a lot more and pretty soon I was curving out some pretty sweet single-track. Yeah. That was fun.
So for a business trip it was a lot of fun. The Giant Maestro Suspension system was pretty rocking. And, while I don't think I'd make a very good mountain bike racer, a day of riding the mountain was fun.
..
Got to see the grandparents. It's tough watching them get older and knowing that we may not have many years left... They were really wishing they could see the other grandkids. With both of their sons getting divorced they've not been able to see any grandkids for awhile. I think they feel time is running out.
..
Madison WI is probably the most rocking town I've ever been in. Even better than Denver. 40,000 college students, 14 bike shops, and an incredible downtown. Bookstores, coffeeshops, art galleries, museums. It was incredible. College kids were studying everywhere you looked and bikes nearly rivaled the cars. Really, really cool.
Oh, and get ready. I heard about 4 bums on the street corner discussing where they were going to go for the winter. The local Victory Mission had better get ready.
..
We went to church with the Grandparents. Pastor Jeremy at First Assembly has been doing this study on the heroes of the faith. (Heb 11) Good stuff.
Downside was, he spent the entire time doubting the Bible. He started off for the first five minutes on how it's not some fictitional story. No problem there, but then he starts trying to prove the Bible using theologian's hypotheses. And there were a bunch of hypotheses. But he couldn't say definitively which ones were right because he'd have to use the Bible to define that.
But apparently we needed to prove the Bible to do that. Quite circular. Quite painful.
Other than that, it was a great sermon. Noah believed when nobody else did. He persevered for 100 years while everybody ridiculed. I honestly know very few people today close enough to God to hear His word and persevere on that level.
What a challenge.
++
ME: *Wheez* some hill! I think I'm going soft.
MEDIC: Well, I think It's the highest point around. It's all downhill from here, buddy.
ME: So, you here to keep us from killing ourselves?
MEDIC: Naw, I'm just the guy that makes sure we get the body out before the varmits chew on it.
I hit a root and did a nice controlled endo. aggg. Thankfully the bike didn't get a scratch. I rode out of the woods and bombed it down the ski course back to the Giant tent. Fun. I like speed. The lady in charge at the tent asked me if I wanted to take another bike out. Goofy grin. "Sure."
A few minutes later I was headed back up the mountain side. This time on a $3k all-mountain bike. Heavier, but a lot more suspension. I took a steeper course up the mountain. Everytime I pushed the pedal the front wheel would lift off. Pretty soon I was laying on the handlebars trying to force the bike up the hill. Talk about a workout. I got to the top and dove past the paramedic -- back into the woods. This time was a lot more fun. With the added suspension I was able to trust the bike a lot more and pretty soon I was curving out some pretty sweet single-track. Yeah. That was fun.
So for a business trip it was a lot of fun. The Giant Maestro Suspension system was pretty rocking. And, while I don't think I'd make a very good mountain bike racer, a day of riding the mountain was fun.
..
Got to see the grandparents. It's tough watching them get older and knowing that we may not have many years left... They were really wishing they could see the other grandkids. With both of their sons getting divorced they've not been able to see any grandkids for awhile. I think they feel time is running out.
..
Madison WI is probably the most rocking town I've ever been in. Even better than Denver. 40,000 college students, 14 bike shops, and an incredible downtown. Bookstores, coffeeshops, art galleries, museums. It was incredible. College kids were studying everywhere you looked and bikes nearly rivaled the cars. Really, really cool.
Oh, and get ready. I heard about 4 bums on the street corner discussing where they were going to go for the winter. The local Victory Mission had better get ready.
..
We went to church with the Grandparents. Pastor Jeremy at First Assembly has been doing this study on the heroes of the faith. (Heb 11) Good stuff.
Downside was, he spent the entire time doubting the Bible. He started off for the first five minutes on how it's not some fictitional story. No problem there, but then he starts trying to prove the Bible using theologian's hypotheses. And there were a bunch of hypotheses. But he couldn't say definitively which ones were right because he'd have to use the Bible to define that.
But apparently we needed to prove the Bible to do that. Quite circular. Quite painful.
Other than that, it was a great sermon. Noah believed when nobody else did. He persevered for 100 years while everybody ridiculed. I honestly know very few people today close enough to God to hear His word and persevere on that level.
What a challenge.
++
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Walking out of Walmart I saw a car parked in the Pharmacy spot. It was 11 pm. The pharmacy was closed.
Does that then make that spot available for any customer's use, or does it just make it painfully obvious that said customer is illegally parked?
..
It's been a good week. Big news? The road rash is pretty much healed. Sweet. And we boys got a new apartment. It's the top floor of the Ambassador where we used to live. Has a little more space and a whole lot more character than our current pad. Hopefully the crime rate hasn't gone up too much from when we lived there last. So we should be moving in the end of this month. Maybe that'll give us a little reprieve from random stuff like drano bombs.
..
I'm totally digging my friends. In the past two weeks I've gotten to see more old friends and make more new ones than in the past 6 months. Too cool. All the late night 'partying' isn't helping the workout routine any, but then I guess I can work on my 6-pack when I'm 40 and all my friends are busy doing things like paying off mortgages. I'm kinda' dreading the start of the race season. I enjoy the cycling but I get homesick easily. Good thing it's still several months away.
..
Congrats to Josh, Nate and Daniel for their 5k times. Daniel especially. That kid more than proved himself in his first race and I think with a little bit of sweat we'll see him become quite the athlete.
Ash, good to see you in the land of the rednecks, if ever so briefly.
...
Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Eph 5:16
Does that then make that spot available for any customer's use, or does it just make it painfully obvious that said customer is illegally parked?
..
It's been a good week. Big news? The road rash is pretty much healed. Sweet. And we boys got a new apartment. It's the top floor of the Ambassador where we used to live. Has a little more space and a whole lot more character than our current pad. Hopefully the crime rate hasn't gone up too much from when we lived there last. So we should be moving in the end of this month. Maybe that'll give us a little reprieve from random stuff like drano bombs.
..
I'm totally digging my friends. In the past two weeks I've gotten to see more old friends and make more new ones than in the past 6 months. Too cool. All the late night 'partying' isn't helping the workout routine any, but then I guess I can work on my 6-pack when I'm 40 and all my friends are busy doing things like paying off mortgages. I'm kinda' dreading the start of the race season. I enjoy the cycling but I get homesick easily. Good thing it's still several months away.
..
Congrats to Josh, Nate and Daniel for their 5k times. Daniel especially. That kid more than proved himself in his first race and I think with a little bit of sweat we'll see him become quite the athlete.
Ash, good to see you in the land of the rednecks, if ever so briefly.
...
Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Eph 5:16
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
knee knolls
About three months ago I thought I'd train for a marathon. I ended up injuring my knee in the first week. (typical me. Either all-out or couch potato.) I gave up running for several months to let it heal while I focused on my cycling. In the last few weeks, though, I've tried to pick up running again. And each time after less than a mile it flairs up with sharp pain. I suppose in the next year or two I'll need to have it 'scoped.... it's probably left over from that childhood injury where I tripped running in the dark. ( I was 13. Scared of the dark but had some chores to do. I hurried through them and ran to the house. Tripped on some chicken wire in the process, and, other than the ensuing very brief flying career, effectively ended any notions of being a world-class adventure athlete. I'm still trying to figure out why I was scared of the dark at 13...)
So I won't be competing at any running events this fall. I know several people have been training for them and I think that is totally cool. So I will still be there. And if somebody is wanting to walk-run an event I may pin a number on and join you.
So come on out this weekend to Ridge Runner sports and do a 5k.
...
Found a R. Mullins song I hadn't heard before:
So I won't be competing at any running events this fall. I know several people have been training for them and I think that is totally cool. So I will still be there. And if somebody is wanting to walk-run an event I may pin a number on and join you.
So come on out this weekend to Ridge Runner sports and do a 5k.
...
Found a R. Mullins song I hadn't heard before:
And the dark comes through these windows on the wind
Makes those votives glow more brilliantly
Well, if passion can lead to prayer
Maybe prayer can give us faith
And if faith is all we've got
Then maybe faith is all we need
And may the angel of His presence keep your heart
And when your prayers give flight to your dreams
May the only scars you see on their wings
Be the wounds of love - Rich Mullins, Wounds of Love
.
Makes those votives glow more brilliantly
Well, if passion can lead to prayer
Maybe prayer can give us faith
And if faith is all we've got
Then maybe faith is all we need
And may the angel of His presence keep your heart
And when your prayers give flight to your dreams
May the only scars you see on their wings
Be the wounds of love - Rich Mullins, Wounds of Love
.
Road Rash
I thought I'd stop by one of those blood pressure cuffs they have at Dillons. My arm actually screamed. It really was embarrassing, standing there in the pharmacy with a screaming arm...
..
I went down to AR this weekend to race in their state championship. Nice way to wrap up the season.
Early on in the race I won a cash prime. Feeling pretty good about myself, in the last laps I tried getting around a rider who looked a little unsteady and get to the front. We touched handlebars as I passed. A little verbal war ensued as he cursed me and I told him to 'hold his line'. Apparently that was too much for him. I realized too late that he was sprinting after me and felt this incredible shove as he passed. It's one of those moments you pray you can keep it upright, but know you aren't going to.
Thankfully the bike absorbed most of the fall with only some cosmetic damage. I got pretty chewed up on my left side... but then I also got the attention of all the pretty nurses. Pros and cons I suppose.
...
I rode in the race on day 2 just to regain my confidence. Went out off the front early just to see what was in the legs. Not enough, as usual, but I felt a lot better. Ended up finishing 11th.
Let the winter training begin.
..
I've got some imperfections
But how can you collect them all and throw them in my face?
..
I went down to AR this weekend to race in their state championship. Nice way to wrap up the season.
Early on in the race I won a cash prime. Feeling pretty good about myself, in the last laps I tried getting around a rider who looked a little unsteady and get to the front. We touched handlebars as I passed. A little verbal war ensued as he cursed me and I told him to 'hold his line'. Apparently that was too much for him. I realized too late that he was sprinting after me and felt this incredible shove as he passed. It's one of those moments you pray you can keep it upright, but know you aren't going to.
Thankfully the bike absorbed most of the fall with only some cosmetic damage. I got pretty chewed up on my left side... but then I also got the attention of all the pretty nurses. Pros and cons I suppose.
...
I rode in the race on day 2 just to regain my confidence. Went out off the front early just to see what was in the legs. Not enough, as usual, but I felt a lot better. Ended up finishing 11th.
Let the winter training begin.
..
I've got some imperfections
But how can you collect them all and throw them in my face?
I hope you're not intending
To be so condescending
It's as much as I can take
And you're so independent
You just refuse to bend, so I keep bending till I break
You always find the words to say to keep me right here waiting
And if you chose to walk away I’d still be right here waiting
Searching for the things to say to keep you right here waiting -- Staind
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