Eagle Eye

Silhouetted against the cloudy sky at the top of the hill, the three deer looked huge. They were turned sideways and looking down on us. It took her a minute, but Gretchen saw them too. About the same time two of them turned and I could see they weren't that big at all. In fact, the two of them were just fawns - only a little bigger then Gretchen.

Gretchen started to run. Simply I said "Gretchen, no." She stopped. Obediently she turned back toward me and left the deer for another day. We rode on and finished our ride.

Meanwhile Jen's sights were set on a Bald Eagle catching its breakfast.

Obviously another great morning at the lake.

Today I'm off in support of Ben's 24hr solo singlespeed mt. bike race. Not only will he be battling fatigue, hunger and the looming possibility of mechanical failure, but he's up against someone else for the title of their class. The two of them will be caught in an epic 24hr clash of suffering wills.

While I drink beer and make PB&J sandwiches.

Yeah. He's going for the gold and I'm going for a few less brain cells.

It's important to have goals in life. How else do you expect to get anywhere?

Above original picture is here.

- b

Gretchen's Vet

Likes to ride singlespeeds - in his underwear. More info here.

Luckily his office has a dress code.

- b

Burning Sky

Went to Four Dogs last night for dinner and watched the sun set over the Chester County countryside from the back patio.

This morning it was the sun rising over Marsh Creek lake. It was beautiful.

Should of had the camera.

Should also remember to bring my light battery for these early morning rides.

- b

Empty

Ran out of gas three times this weekend. The first was Saturday afternoon. I had done a bunch of piddly chores in the morning, took the dogs for a hike, then had a late lunch. It wasn't long after lunch, I was down for the count. Laid down in bed, kicked off the shoes, and passed out asleep for forty-five minutes. Took forever to wake up and I was never quite right the rest of the day.

Sunday I decided to do some welding in preparation for supporting Ben's Big Adventure next weekend (solo singlespeed 24hr race). The rack for my truck gave up the ghost last winter and snapped apart. As far as welding goes, it wasn't that difficult of a deal, but I was way out of practice. I'm hoping to get a picture page up for the ordeal, but time will tell.

Back to the point - I ran out of welding gas in the middle of it. It was bad enough I was impatient, in a hurry and out of practice, but welding without gas, makes for really ugly work.

Later that evening as I was cutting the grass and Jen grilling dinner, she ran out of propane. I said "huh?" She repeated thinking I didn't hear her from the tractor, but truth was I didn't believe her. Even with our new grill, we don't use it that often. Seemed a little suspicious to run out in a single summer. Oh well. I threw on the new tank and dinner was good to go.

Just so you don't think this post was all about gas, here's a welding shot.

Nothing like cold hard steel to bring a subject back in check. Actually it was smoldering hot steel, and I've the burns all over my hands to prove it.

- b

Frisbee Dog

We've been working on a new trick.

It requires a lot of coordination on all parts.

I think the hardest part is taking the picture.

Luckily Gretchen just sees it as fun. Hell, fetch is her favorite game.

Or course wearing her ass out is mine.

- b

We got Heat

The new local hardware store came through and got me fuel for the winter.

Apparently the word at the hardware store convention in Chicago is that pellets are harder to come-by this year. With new home construction down, so is lumber production. Less lumber production means less sawdust. Less sawdust means $$ pellets.

Eh. They're still cheaper then liquid fuels.

For $25 they even delivered.

I probably have more then I need, but I can't really base one winters needs on what's to come.

- b

Red Sky in Morning

After a two week break (job related - mine), we were back at our morning routine. Two weeks time brings the sun up later, so we were treated to a nice sunrise over the warm waters of the lake.



It was almost worth the getting up in the complete darkness at 5:30. Though I shouldn't complain. I was happy to get up after the nightmare I had through the night (job related - mine again). I dreamed there was some place down a lonely wooded road (kind of like Sawmill rd. in Downingtown) that was experimenting with people. They were either creating people or messing with them, but they turned them into monsters. They would go into these fits and just start killing. They attacked and massacred a group of boys camping in the woods near the place, then attacked someone at a bar down the road. Nobody else knew who or what was going on, but somehow I did. They'd go into these spells of hyper animation where their heads would spin and flip real fast while their arms swirled all around. I couldn't tell if they actually grew extra arms or their arms were moving so fast it just looked like multiple arms. It was something like Jacob's Ladder.

The whole time I was afraid they were coming after me. I spent a lot of time lying rigid in the bed for fear any movement would give away my location. In what I thought was a move to let me know they could find me, they started traveling. By car, bus and plane, they were on the move. I could see one on some overnight international flight going into one of its fits, but controlling itself enough not to kill everyone on the plane. Everyone was asleep as it smiled to itself controlling the rage and successfully getting to a new place to kill and/or find me.

Then the alarm went off and I was up. Two weeks off hurt. My lungs and legs were screaming while I barely managed an 8mph average. I was going so slow Gretchen got bored. It's amazing how much your body dies when you don't do anything.

- b

Broccoli Bandit

A certain something has been attacking our broccoli.

With all the exercise, I guess Gretchen is worried about the free radicals she's got floating around inside (the anti-oxidants of broccoli combat that). Either that or feeding her and CJ broccoli stalks was a bad idea.

- b

Pool Party

Had our last of three parties for the summer this past Sunday.

Good times and good food was had by all. Jen even thinks we're getting good at his.

- b

Another Saturday Gone

I have an demo due on Monday. Last Thursday was the dry-run. Lackluster would best describe how that went down. The week of September 15th we're scheduled for an integration workshop with other applications. The middle of October this goes live in front of customers at our user group conference in Vegas. In January they get to buy it.

The schedule is tight, requirements vague and pressure high. I've got other people in the company asking to review our designs (our piece is central to the entire application implementation). I don't even have designs myself. Status quo for software development right?

The concert Friday night inspired me to do great things for this Monday demo.

It's my job to make applications user friendly and exciting. It's my art. I do things most developers don't bother with or hardly understand. I was hoping to get some of those nuances in this weekend - some of those "that's really nice" or "wow that's cool" features.

Didn't happen. I spent all my time just making it work.

We're required to use the latest (bleeding edge) internal architecture designs - use them before they're completed or supported (my IMs at midnight went unanswered). Apparently our designs are too advanced cause I spent too much time making our stuff backwards compatible for their latest and greatest.

Ugh.

- b

Dog Bath

Gretchen got into something smelly this morning. After breakfast she went outside for a while - a long while. After coming back in, we noticed this funky odor. It was her. There was a streak of something black and smelly running from her snout down to her paw. Outside and under the hose she went.

Though she looks terrified in this picture, she did really well for her bath.

CJ used to do similar things when he was young. We'd go to a friends house that was next to a horse farm. Through the course of the weekend, he'd run over to the farm at least once and find something nasty to roll in. I remember him doing it one cold February night as we were about to leave. I had to wash him in the backyard with warm water. His fur literally froze as I was scrubbing him.

Speaking of CJ, he got a bath too. It had been nearly a year. Over the winter he ironically didn't seem to need them as much when we were hiking him more. Having not hiked for a while, he was getting smelly.

He doesn't like baths. Never has. At least now it's over and maybe he'll last another year before he needs another one.

- b

Dinner and a Show

Went to the Melody Gardot show at the World Cafe last night. It was a really nice time. We got there at six when the doors opened for a nice and easy dinner. We took our time ordering drinks, appetizers and entrees before the 7:30 opener Beaucoup Blue started.

They're a local father/son blues duo. The father was really fun to watch play the slide guitar. He was moving every which way to the soul of his music.

After a brief intermission it was time for the main attraction. I've been listening to Melody for about a year now. She's got an Amy Winehouse kind of voice and control of her genre, but without all the drama. Being three seats off the stage, we had a real intimate show.

The Beaucoup Blue father has played on her album, so he came out to play with the band. Speaking of the band, we sat in front of the drummer and base player who also put on a great show.

The evening was great. Nice venue, food and entertainment, but we had a train to catch. We ran the three blocks to the station only to find out it was the wrong train. The one we needed wasn't leaving for another hour. The one we ran for went nearly all the way, so we decided to take it and wait at a bar there for the next one.

It was a late night, but a nice escape from the stress of work right now.

- b

Brushed and Battered

CJ got a little brushing.

While Gretchen got battered.

Apparently there was a squabble over a ball at daycare today. From the looks of it, Gretchen lost.

- b

What Day Is It?

I keep forgetting.

- b

Motorcycle Culture II

The overall plan was to get safer with my motorcycle commute the work. After being in the U.K., I decided to pull out the old two piece leathers and start wearing them to work everyday that I rode. I figured if I used to go to the trouble to commute via bicycle and change in and out of bike clothes at either end of the commute, I should be able to do the same with leathers.

Well, my bike clothes - even in winter- were way easier to change in and out of then my old leathers. The zippers were a bit busted and the leather seemed to have shrunk considerably. I attribute that to wearing these only in the rain my last season of racing.

So there was a change of plans. The old leathers too much a P.I.T.A. to try and sell were donated to a local hyena looking for some safer attire, and I went back to the drawing board.

I have a couple of what Jen calls "James Dean leather jackets" (black with snaps and buckles) that I've been wearing for years. The obvious solution would be to get matching pants (without snaps and buckles of course) and be done with it. That works fine if you're riding some fat hog, but I'm riding a little 250 Ninja. Hell, the full race leathers were a stretch for that one.

The last alternative is textiles. There's a whole line of riding gear that's made from tough fabrics like cordura. It has hard plastic armor where you really need it, but otherwise the jackets and pants are fabric. It's cheaper then leather and comes with the philosophy that it only has to protect you once.

Yeah it looks like a giant rain suit and provides excellent weather protection, but does it really work? Who knows. Let's hope I never have to find out.

Truth is abrasion is the least of your concerns on the road. It's the most likely on the track, but on the road it's impact you have to worry about and leather isn't going to protect you from that.

Why the funny poses? Way back when I was looking for my first set of leathers, I would look through catalog after catalog of motorcycle gear. The models always did these silly poses to show off the gear. I'm not sure why, because it always looked stupid.

- b

Pretending

Not sure if I was pretending to be a mechanic or pretending I rode enough to require mechanical intervention.

- b

Party Hardy

So it rained. It was still the best homemade gourmet meal I've ever had in my garage.

Doesn't hurt to have good friends around too.

- b

Rain Rain Go Away

We're supposed to have a party today.

- b

Deck Rails

Got some pictures/description up about the Deck Rail project.

I still owe pictures for:
London
Cabin
and now Banola picnic

- b

Mmmm Butter Loaf

- b

Up to 53

It appears the Pepboys magic worked. The little Ninja 250 is now up to 53mpg!

- b

Red Eyes Rolling In

Went for the usual early morning adventure again today, but ran into more problems. Apparently the little side trip I took into the brush on Wednesday did more then flatten my front, it bent it too. When I put the wheel on this morning, it wouldn't spin without rubbing the fork.

So Gretchen and I hiked while Jen paddled around in the sunrise.

I've noticed while riding the sounds of planes overhead, but today without the noise of me breathing and Gretchen's chasing paws I could pay closer attention. They're all heading east - coming in from the west over night I presume. One right after the other they come in descending over the lake toward Philly or turning up toward Newark.

The hike was nice. Gretchen had more time to run off the trail and chase things instead of just chasing me.

The wheel is mostly done. I can limp it along, but I've got a new one ordered.

- b

Dark & Stormy Morning

After a fitful night, we rolled out of bed at 5:30 this morning to head to the park. Packing up I noticed it was darker then past mornings, which is to be expected as the days shorten, but this morning seemed darker.

Half way over to the park, fat drops of rain pelted the windshield. "Oops. Guess we should have checked the radar before we left. Oh well." As quickly as the rain fell, it stopped.

At the park we unloaded and headed our separate ways - Jen out onto the super still water, Gretchen and I into the dark woods.

They really were dark. The first part is climbing, so it's kind of slow going - enough time to register the obstacles and potential hazards in the dark. In the back of my mind I expected it to be lighter when I hit the faster sections.

Having to be at work early today, the abridged ride brought me to the faster sections - faster.

With a snap something caught my left foot and drove me off trail into the brush. While concentrating on the trail under my tires, I neglected the dark and unfamiliar trail sides.

My front tire burped (tubeless). I pulled myself back onto the trail and continued down.

Something was different. The ride was softer. It was soft like suspension, but I don't have suspension. At the first turn, my suspicions were confirmed. I had lost a lot of air from the front. It was soft enough to smooth out the ride, but too soft to hold a line. The trail continued it's twisty traverse down. While concentrating every thing into my new riding condition, I barely noticed the roar over head.

"What the hell's that?" I thought to myself. Rain. It was coming down hard. I couldn't feel it through the forest canopy, but I could hear it.

"Great! I've got a flat. I'm the farthest from the car that I could be. It's raining. Jen's out on the lake, and I can't see." There was nothing I could do, but ride it to the bottom.

Gretchen and I stopped at her watering hole, while I tried to make amends with my tire. It was a no go. After a year of neglect, my pump wouldn't function. It was still raining and there was enough air in the tire to ride out, so I decided to cut the ride short (again) and head out through the fields.

The fields were actually a nice change. Gretchen plowed herself through the wet grass as I stuck to the smoothest parts of the trail. Sitting down, I cranked out a constant rhythm. Gretchen wasn't quite as smooth as she wrecked herself sideways through a thick patch of grass.

We beat Jen back to the car by ten minutes. Being on the water and wet didn't make much of a difference to her when it started to rain.

All in all it was a good morning. New experiences usually work out that way.

- b

Is it noon yet?

I need a drink

- b

Look Into My Eyes

Despite the hype, I thought The Joker could have been more. He had more, he just wasn't given enough time.

Lecter, to me, looks like some old dude trying to be scary. Hell. He looks like my Dad with a muzzle. Woops! I mean my Dad trying to be scary. Damn it! I mean my Dad being really scary.

- b

Weekend's Work

Another busy day. Jen and her mother really went to town around the pool. We have a whole new climbing rose wall, though I didn't get any pictures.

I was up before six to get a good day in on the deck, but got sidetracked by this.

The filter has been a pain for most of the summer. When it wouldn't start up this morning, I figured it was time to do some long overdo maintenance. We've had a bit of an algae problem too, so in addition to rinsing the filter grids, I soaked them in acid for a bit.

Happy that I finally did the needed maintenance, I put it back together expecting it to start up and get myself back on the deck work.

No go.

It would suck in some water, then quit sucking. The pump was running, but no water was moving.

Plan B

I fired up the air compressor, stuck the hose in the skimmer pipe and let it rip. We got all kinds of bubbles on the other end, so we assumed it was clear and good to go.

Nope.

Plan C

We jammed the water hose into the skimmer pipe and let it rip. The water/bubbles coming out the other end were really cloudy (D.E.). Eventually it cleared, so we put the pump back together and fired it up.

It worked.

Finally I could get back to the deck. It was 1pm. I spent six hours messing with the pool pump. After seven hours on the deck, I got one post up.

One single post.

It's crooked.

I'm tired.

Good night.

- b

Satur DAY

After sleeping in from the party it was time to get the day rolling. Jen's Mom is here, so she and Jen had plans for the yard (not without a handful of bee stings). My plans were for the deck railing, but first I needed some supplies.

A new hardware store opened up down the street, so I went to check it out. It's not bad for a local place. Some kid, whose Dad does well in construction, owns and runs it. He's local and nice enough, so I gave him some business and bought $50 worth of galvanized carriage bolts. The store is still stocking supplies, so I headed to the warehouse home centers for the rest.

Back home the rest of the day was spent doing this.

That's just twelve feet of railing. It took eight hours to do and I've got thirty some more to do. Jen thinks I'll get faster, but our deck isn't that easy. This is one of the straighter sections. The rest is all at weird angles and what-not. I did learn lots as I went along. My cousin's been coaching me via email the last couple of weeks. He really knows his stuff. I've got all kinds of "tricks of the trade" now to make it look some-what professional.

Like everything else lately, I'll get a page up soon just for the deck work.

If only I could make that white submarine go away...

- b

Party Time

Had our first of a few summer parties last night. Some old friends from SAP came over for some deck time.

It was nice to see old friends and meet new ones (Natalie).

The first surprise of the evening was Jen making three new dishes (grill roasted chicken, zucchini soup, and peas & asparagus salad) to try out on everyone. Luckily all was delicious.

The second surprise was this little guy (or girl?) joining the fray shortly after midnight.

We heard the faint little meows, but didn't see anything until the flood lights were turned on. Very young and in need of some attention, the ladies went right to taking care of things.

We decided to put the little bugger up for the night - just in case. In the morning we found out our suspicions were right. The kitten belongs to our neighbors (the Cat people), so we returned him (her?) with a full belly and a little view of how things could be.

Yeah I know. We have a party and all I can talk about is a semi-stray kitten? At least it's better then me going on and on about getting loaded then upset because I had to do dishes (during the party) that I was told, earlier, I didn't have to do.

Like I said. It was nice to see everybody and have them over. We're looking forward to the next time.

- b

Tree Songs

I want to climb trees and sing with the Cicadas.

I'm tired of my job.

- b