Excuse my recent absence from the Internet. You will
have to read one of my future posts on another blog to understand why, but at
this particular moment our excursion to Baconfest needs to be addressed. Our
report is long overdue. I know you have all been waiting anxious to hear news of
such a wondrous event, and perhaps you have even been anxious over my long
absence (Okay maybe not).
Wow! Nueske’s has
truly fantastic products. Their bacon and cheddar sausage, …I’m still
drooling. I know they always have a kiosk in Mayfair Mall during the
holidays.
The
Wisconsin Cheese Mart, of Old World Third Street, had this bacon wrapped
baked cheddar….
Where am I? Oh!
And if you gave the Cheese People your e-mail address
they gave you a free chunk of cheese.
Then their was the bacon wrapped water chestnuts and
the mounds of bacon and bacon dip provided by Patrick Cudahy.
Problem. Not enough vendors. My heart sank as soon as
we entered the auditorium. Too much empty space. Waiting in line was the rule of
the day though the organizers told us, “Don’t make lines just walk up and take
what you want.”
Did we get our money’s worth? Two nice aprons,
cheese, the consumption of a goodly portion of bacon and bacon enhanced foods
(though I was expecting much more) and $15 in slot machine play? I may be wrong
to suggest that we did not get our money’s worth.
Long story short; they need to keep the same amount
of available tickets and find at least twice as many vendors. We don’t drink
alcohol and all the free (if you bought a ticket) drink samples, there were
quite a few booths, were alcoholic. I whole lot of people left dissatisfied. I
expected more food, and to be their max for one hour of gorging rather then the
nearly two hours it took us to forage for enough samples to feel like maybe we
got our money’s worth. Then we had to wait in another long line to get our
credit for the slots.
But the experience has not brought my spirit down. I
have no less a reverence for all that is bacon than before.
Spring is on the rise and riding is on the mind. If
you fancy I long Sunday drive tomorrow, Saturday, then the La Crosse
Bike Swap II might be for you. Or just prepare for the coming, ever faithful
Bike Expo
at State Fair Park; April 8th through the 10th. The original Bike Expo, not
a Johnny come lately wanna-be. And it is free, unlike some of its’ spin
offs.
Metro Mountain Bikers here in Milwaukee will be
continuing with their fantastic work with Maintenance Mondays. The Odd Tuesday
Rides will continue and Competitive Wednesdays will be expanding. A local
retailer known for hosting similar events may take the Metro Mountain Biker’s
Wednesday event under their wing to cover any insurance requirements. The
location may vary from week to week.
Be prepared to ride. If you have the mind to ride now
watch for ice along shady corners and underpasses.
The $132 question: What were my three most favorite
WORS
races? Keeping the same question. Check out
the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the
amount.
Friday, February 26, 2016
Saturday, February 6, 2016
Super Duper Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is tomorrow and I am hoping the
Broncos crush Carolina, literally, with their number one defense. No Cam. It is
not because your black, it is because you are a jerk. Tearing down the Packers
banner and destroying it… No apologies, no fines, nothing. And you don’t do your
little dances in front of your fans, you do them in front of the opposing team’s
fans. Here is an idea Cam… Get together and do your little dances in front of
the opposing team’s bench.
All this race crap people are trying to draw out around the Super Bowl and Cam Newton (here’s the tricky part… the big fig Newton) is not sticking and just taints the whole experience.
Here you have a quarterback whom few will deny is a future hall of famer clearly on the basis of his talents, and people are trying to make an issue of his race and that of the team. Do the Panthers really have more black players than other teams? I don’t even know. And I haven’t heard anyone bring up Jimmy the Greek.
All that in your face stuff the Panthers do is not even that distasteful, if they do not mind being hated for it. If you know you’re the best and bring the results, go old school; be the jerks do not whine like a bunch of cry babies. No one ever made the rule that winners have to be liked. History will vindicate you if you are worthy of your outrageously pompous behavior. Until then if you want to act like a jerk, you are going to be treated like a jerk.
In that light I predict 28 points for the Broncos in the first half; 21 by the Bronco’s defense.
And that is all I have time for now, but the prize pool grows.
The $131 question: What were my three most favorite WORS races? Keeping the same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.
All this race crap people are trying to draw out around the Super Bowl and Cam Newton (here’s the tricky part… the big fig Newton) is not sticking and just taints the whole experience.
Here you have a quarterback whom few will deny is a future hall of famer clearly on the basis of his talents, and people are trying to make an issue of his race and that of the team. Do the Panthers really have more black players than other teams? I don’t even know. And I haven’t heard anyone bring up Jimmy the Greek.
All that in your face stuff the Panthers do is not even that distasteful, if they do not mind being hated for it. If you know you’re the best and bring the results, go old school; be the jerks do not whine like a bunch of cry babies. No one ever made the rule that winners have to be liked. History will vindicate you if you are worthy of your outrageously pompous behavior. Until then if you want to act like a jerk, you are going to be treated like a jerk.
In that light I predict 28 points for the Broncos in the first half; 21 by the Bronco’s defense.
And that is all I have time for now, but the prize pool grows.
The $131 question: What were my three most favorite WORS races? Keeping the same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Gym Time
Is it time for yet another attempt at a gym
membership, because we all know a membership somewhere is required to lose
weight? The latest diet fad is the negative
calorie food diet. Yes, you can eat the fat away though there is no
scientific evidence that any food is truly
negative calorie.
Living in fear will most likely cause you to gain weight, so fear not when you hear of terrorist attempts here in Milwaukee. The FBI got their man and he worked at “9 Round Fitness” which I have discovered is an alluring system and a gym that has something I have always wanted in a gym; punching bags.
Now that the gyms will be thinning out, as the new year resolutions wane, it is a good time to research the best gym for you; the resolute. For the rest of you, there is another Hugh Jass Fat Bike Series race this coming Saturday. It is in Waukesha, in Minooka Park, a great venue.
“9 Round Fitness” appears to be a mixture of Cross Fit and mixed martial arts training. You go in, start at one of nine stations, work out three minutes at each of the nine stations with thirty second rest periods in between. Thirty minutes and you are out. The workouts are changed and vary daily; each day designed to give you a full body workout. In this way it is much like Cross Fit, which I also find alluring.
Cross Fit, when I checked this Summer was $125 a month. 9 Round Fitness, from what I could find, though I didn’t get it from them directly, is $49 a month. My former gym, Blast Fitness, has sent me an offer to rejoin for $15 a month. Their more expensive packages include child care while you work out. My wife wants to join a gym and talks often about Planet Fitness which is $10 month if you want to restrict yourself to a single location, or $20 a month for nationwide access and free message chair usage.
Cross Fit offers daily varied workouts for free on their website. Varying your workouts is the latest craze that in fact is considered very effective for fitness and health. Medicine balls and such equipment can be more expensive than one imagines, but for $125 a month if you have the space at home you should be able to create your own Cross Fit training area in three or four months; the rest is frosting.
I imagine from my research that 9 Round Fitness supplies trainers and motivators with the greatest interactivity for the price. They also boast the availability fitness monitoring tools.
I am losing weight now that the holidays are over. I
believe a meal plan would be helpful as when we have no planned lunch I tend to
munch throughout the afternoon. We don’t eat breakfast. We have the Bulletproof
Coffee. The Bulletproof Coffee was initially successful at losing weight. It
feeds good gut bacteria that thin people have a lot of and discourages bacteria
that tells your body to store fat.
I believe the addition of kombucha, a probiotic, has provided more good gut bacteria. It is just my opinion, but I consider it a reinforcement of the Bulletproof Diet. More on kombucha in the future; …really. And 3D printers.
The $130 question: What were my three most favorite WORS races? Keeping the same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.
Living in fear will most likely cause you to gain weight, so fear not when you hear of terrorist attempts here in Milwaukee. The FBI got their man and he worked at “9 Round Fitness” which I have discovered is an alluring system and a gym that has something I have always wanted in a gym; punching bags.
Now that the gyms will be thinning out, as the new year resolutions wane, it is a good time to research the best gym for you; the resolute. For the rest of you, there is another Hugh Jass Fat Bike Series race this coming Saturday. It is in Waukesha, in Minooka Park, a great venue.
“9 Round Fitness” appears to be a mixture of Cross Fit and mixed martial arts training. You go in, start at one of nine stations, work out three minutes at each of the nine stations with thirty second rest periods in between. Thirty minutes and you are out. The workouts are changed and vary daily; each day designed to give you a full body workout. In this way it is much like Cross Fit, which I also find alluring.
Cross Fit, when I checked this Summer was $125 a month. 9 Round Fitness, from what I could find, though I didn’t get it from them directly, is $49 a month. My former gym, Blast Fitness, has sent me an offer to rejoin for $15 a month. Their more expensive packages include child care while you work out. My wife wants to join a gym and talks often about Planet Fitness which is $10 month if you want to restrict yourself to a single location, or $20 a month for nationwide access and free message chair usage.
Cross Fit offers daily varied workouts for free on their website. Varying your workouts is the latest craze that in fact is considered very effective for fitness and health. Medicine balls and such equipment can be more expensive than one imagines, but for $125 a month if you have the space at home you should be able to create your own Cross Fit training area in three or four months; the rest is frosting.
I imagine from my research that 9 Round Fitness supplies trainers and motivators with the greatest interactivity for the price. They also boast the availability fitness monitoring tools.
I believe the addition of kombucha, a probiotic, has provided more good gut bacteria. It is just my opinion, but I consider it a reinforcement of the Bulletproof Diet. More on kombucha in the future; …really. And 3D printers.
The $130 question: What were my three most favorite WORS races? Keeping the same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.
Friday, January 15, 2016
So Much To Do Saturday
And I am not talking the Winter’s Farmers Market,
though that is a great way to start a Saturday; plenty of food vendors if you
want something to eat on the spot.
The truly epic events this weekend are the Ray’s IMBA Weekend, where IMBA members can ride two for one; Buy one entry and get a second for a friend free (friend need not be a member) or buy one day for yourself and get the next day free. Become a member on the spot. Riding at Ray’s is worth the experience and with gas prices down it doesn’t matter as much how far away you are.
So… I heard that after you make this epic hill climb on your Fat Bike during the race you have to stop and drive a nail into a piece of wood before you can continue. Sounds like loads of fun if you enjoy objects to ridicule. I can be writing of none other than The Hugh Jass Fat Bike Series. Do you want to see how far you can throw a bike, among other things, than you don’t wan to miss the Hugh Jass. The event is clearly making a name for itself. Next race is tomorrow in Kletzch Park
You can rent a Fat Bike at the Hugh Jass or word is Fixation might have some demos for people to ride. There is also a Great Lakes Fat Bike Series.
The Milwaukee County Parks are reviewing their policy as to allowing Cyclocross races. In one park in particular there seems to be an issue of wear and tear. The biggest problem appears to be riders practicing continuously on fixed routes despite being told not to. So I understood from the last Metro Mountain Bikers’ monthly meeting.
Another question arose as to whether snow shoeing the trail, in order to groom the snow for Winter riding, should be considered volunteer hours. Only if you hate snow shoeing I say. Metro Mountain Bikers put in nearly 1,200 hours of volunteer work on our local trails. There will be an appreciation party.
Seriously it could be dangerous, if you don’t have a Fat Bike, to ride hard frozen trails. That’s my experience. It is also very destructive to the trails to ride them when they are soft, even in Winter.
It has to be on the coldest day of the year thus far.
Our furnace n began to underperform leaving us cold, huddled under our blanket.
I tried restarting it a couple times. And of course I hit it here and there with
this wrench. The spring in the mechanism made sure I didn’t strike it too hard.
But that is what we all did back in the day when something broke down; we hit
it. Something a millennial may find beyond their comprehension. And it often
worked. In our case we had to call the furnace repair man who replaced s sensor.
The experience has caused me to turn our furnace way up.
The $129 question: What were my three most favorite WORS races? Keeping the same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.
The truly epic events this weekend are the Ray’s IMBA Weekend, where IMBA members can ride two for one; Buy one entry and get a second for a friend free (friend need not be a member) or buy one day for yourself and get the next day free. Become a member on the spot. Riding at Ray’s is worth the experience and with gas prices down it doesn’t matter as much how far away you are.
So… I heard that after you make this epic hill climb on your Fat Bike during the race you have to stop and drive a nail into a piece of wood before you can continue. Sounds like loads of fun if you enjoy objects to ridicule. I can be writing of none other than The Hugh Jass Fat Bike Series. Do you want to see how far you can throw a bike, among other things, than you don’t wan to miss the Hugh Jass. The event is clearly making a name for itself. Next race is tomorrow in Kletzch Park
You can rent a Fat Bike at the Hugh Jass or word is Fixation might have some demos for people to ride. There is also a Great Lakes Fat Bike Series.
The Milwaukee County Parks are reviewing their policy as to allowing Cyclocross races. In one park in particular there seems to be an issue of wear and tear. The biggest problem appears to be riders practicing continuously on fixed routes despite being told not to. So I understood from the last Metro Mountain Bikers’ monthly meeting.
Another question arose as to whether snow shoeing the trail, in order to groom the snow for Winter riding, should be considered volunteer hours. Only if you hate snow shoeing I say. Metro Mountain Bikers put in nearly 1,200 hours of volunteer work on our local trails. There will be an appreciation party.
Seriously it could be dangerous, if you don’t have a Fat Bike, to ride hard frozen trails. That’s my experience. It is also very destructive to the trails to ride them when they are soft, even in Winter.
The $129 question: What were my three most favorite WORS races? Keeping the same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.
Friday, January 8, 2016
The Wise Men
My wife realized that we hadn’t bought any eggnog
this past holiday season. She forced me make my rice pudding on Christmas Day
and now she and my mother demand I make more… and more.
The Epiphany and Orthodox Christmas has passed. The three wise men have come and gone. The Christmas tree and lights have come down. There is a common understanding that it takes a lifetime to become a truly wise man. If you want to be a wise man in your home, one’s castle, among your family here is a sure and proven method. Do the dishes. Making a delicious rice pudding doesn’t hurt either.
My rice pudding is delicious; to die for. Restricted to
my bulletproof coffee for breakfast my wife sat before me savoring a dreamy
creamy bowl for breakfast, watching me as she ate. My wife has a beautiful
smile.
If you are a true mountain bike enthusiast, in pursuit of feats of extreme physical prowess, it may be wise to register for your summer events now. If Europe is your destined proving ground The Trans Alp or the Sudety MTB Challenge compete for your favor; each taking place at about the same time in July. The MTB Challenge also hosts a series of events in May.
Closer to home registration for The Ore to Shore event in the Upper Peninsula is cheaper the earlier you sign up, though registration is not yet open. Mark the last week in May if this be your chosen claim to fame. February 1st is when entries open for the Simpson Desert Bike Challenge where the toilet bowls swirl the wrong way; down under. Sign up for the Trans Iowa is closed; the event is full. The BC Bike Race sold out in less than five days. The Tour Divide is open to any rider that shows up with the resources and time.
Even closer to home. The Tour of America’s Dairyland (not California) is growing in stature in the competitive road bike community. Unclear when registration opens but it will be great for spectating here in Milwaukee. And they have a Facebook page.
The Milwaukee Ray’s Indoor Bike Park received some local news coverage. These warm days of sleet are not the time to be riding the local trails. Do it indoors.
The Bicycle Times has reviewed some great mountain bike adventures from 2015 for reference, if you find competition a bit too traumatic.
Preparation, resolutions, reflection and contemplation embrace one as the holidays pass and the Winter confines. The house is being cleaned and organized, determinations made and we hope to get back out to the Winter Farmer’s Market tomorrow.
The $128 question: What were my three most favorite WORS races? Keeping the same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.
The Epiphany and Orthodox Christmas has passed. The three wise men have come and gone. The Christmas tree and lights have come down. There is a common understanding that it takes a lifetime to become a truly wise man. If you want to be a wise man in your home, one’s castle, among your family here is a sure and proven method. Do the dishes. Making a delicious rice pudding doesn’t hurt either.
If you are a true mountain bike enthusiast, in pursuit of feats of extreme physical prowess, it may be wise to register for your summer events now. If Europe is your destined proving ground The Trans Alp or the Sudety MTB Challenge compete for your favor; each taking place at about the same time in July. The MTB Challenge also hosts a series of events in May.
Closer to home registration for The Ore to Shore event in the Upper Peninsula is cheaper the earlier you sign up, though registration is not yet open. Mark the last week in May if this be your chosen claim to fame. February 1st is when entries open for the Simpson Desert Bike Challenge where the toilet bowls swirl the wrong way; down under. Sign up for the Trans Iowa is closed; the event is full. The BC Bike Race sold out in less than five days. The Tour Divide is open to any rider that shows up with the resources and time.
Even closer to home. The Tour of America’s Dairyland (not California) is growing in stature in the competitive road bike community. Unclear when registration opens but it will be great for spectating here in Milwaukee. And they have a Facebook page.
The Milwaukee Ray’s Indoor Bike Park received some local news coverage. These warm days of sleet are not the time to be riding the local trails. Do it indoors.
The Bicycle Times has reviewed some great mountain bike adventures from 2015 for reference, if you find competition a bit too traumatic.
Preparation, resolutions, reflection and contemplation embrace one as the holidays pass and the Winter confines. The house is being cleaned and organized, determinations made and we hope to get back out to the Winter Farmer’s Market tomorrow.
The $128 question: What were my three most favorite WORS races? Keeping the same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year
A joyous and Merry Christmas to you and yours. The
season continues until the wise men bring their gifts. It is that time of year
when all misgivings and offenses are forgotten. It was why the baby Jesus needed
to be born. Peace on Earth Goodwill to All Men.
And A Happy New Year.
I walked into our Church’s Christmas party some days back and “The Grinch” started playing on the radio. I asked, “Did you put on that song just for me?” which brought many a smile; sly mischievous smiles.
A star; we moved the Christmas tree
downstairs this year and now have room for a star. “Star of wonder star of
light…” I put the outdoor lights up Christmas Eve (after returning from
Firestone) and they will be up until January 6th. Though the tree was up several
days prior, we trimmed it on Christmas Eve also. When I was young many families
still waited for Christmas Eve to buy and trim their tree. Now we can enjoy the
remainder of the Christmas season in Winter’s rest.
Even the lack of snow on Christmas, or seeing young ladies wearing white after Labor Day, cannot dampen the Christmas spirit. The lights would certainly look brighter with some snow however. Our home hold a lot of holiday decoration potential.
I have a nice place for a Nativity scene under our
porch. Christ was born in a cave, so they say. I was there on the spot. My most
moving experience in the Holy Land was in Galilee. It looks very much the same
as when Jesus walked the coastline, near completely undeveloped. There is a big
groundhog like creature that inhabits the rolling hills. As I watched them my
heart was moved as I realized that Jesus had watched the very same
scene.
The cards all went out on time. Though we received far fewer cards this year than last I have no interest in worrying over stolen mail trucks, lost cards and packages, local thievery or vandalism, all which seem to be on the rise. This is Christmas.
I was Christmas shopping with my wife and asked “Should I use the fifty dollar bill I have or small bills?” as we walked up to the register. Her answer was indistinguishable.
“Are you going to pay, or should I pay?” she asked a few moments later.
The shopping is over. Now we can enjoy the rest of the Christmas season, I hope.
The Container Store had a variety of stocking stuffers on sale. I have to imagine their sales boom after the Christmas holiday. They sell bicycle hangers, as I mentioned before, if you need to store your bicycle for the Winter.
The Fat Bike Alpha Trail riders are encouraging, through Facebook, other Fat Bike riders to get out and ride to groom the trails. Yes the ground is covered and beginning to freeze. If Fat Bike is something you enjoy it is time to get out and support the cause. There is a race this Saturday. Otherwise there is the entrepreneurial success known as Ray’s to celebrate with.
Click here for editor picks for the best bikes in 2015, or if you are the type to build or upgrade your own bike click here for the best components of 2015. Here is a review of some bike shoes and a frame bag. There is still time to take a survey for an entry in a bicycle give away.
Are you ready? …Are you ready. It’s time. The Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival registration begins January 1st, and if you don’t act fast you’ll be passed over. The allure of the event comes from its foundational position on the mountain bike scene. This will be its 34th year. That, and the fact that it is in a remote area of the state that has avoided over development.
As I shopped a few days before Christmas in peace, by myself, the lines at the checkouts were long. It was far from shoulder to shoulder in the aisles as one shopped however. Will the malls ever be as packed with frantically merry shoppers panicking over last minute Christmas gifts as in times past? Does one blame the economy, or is it the Internet?
The major retailers were happy to wish me a Merry Christmas. This is the Midwest. The Post Office was another matter. I never felt such a sense of fear and/or disdain from another over Merry Christmases as I did from those working at the Post Office this year. It was as if they were saying, “Why are you doing this to me?”
Misao and I went to see “The Nutcracker” Sunday. We received the tickets as a gift. It lifted our spirits to enjoy a bit of extravagance in our life. The objective of the ballet performance was crystal clear to me; mice in the house need to be killed. Yes children, they may look cute and seeing a dead creature may be distressing but it is a necessary reality. Don’t disparage your parents for killing mice. As soon as there are enough mice to choose a monarch all could be lost. A message conveyed in Victorian militarist ideal and splendor. It is like those old stories of trolls and bridges, all to teach the children; “Don’t talk to those strange people living under the bridge.” It is for insights such as these that you read.
Finally we have snow. Misao almost made it home in the storm. She got the car stuck good, down at the end of our alley. She called and had me trod out to help. I rocked the car out, with the help of a neighbor, came back around the block and backed the car down the alley from the other end. Yes, the city did a lousy job cleaning up the snow. In-laws, via a younger brother, were in town (they left this morning) and were disappointed that it looked like they would not have the opportunity to see snow. They are from Brazil. The blessings of the Christ Child come in many forms. They got their snow and I hope it didn’t effect any of their return flights.
The Christmas lights in snow. Even a few of the icicle
lights have started to work again.
$360 for two new tires as I found a flat when we were preparing for our holiday sales December 23rd. A cut in one tire and a nail right at the edge of tread on the other; both needed to be replaced. The days around Christmas are very hard to judge as far as sales potential. I don not think we lost out much sales wise.
Snow tires? I wish I could afford them this year, but my dad has complete confidence in the modern all season tire and he should know. He learned to drive when everyone had snow tires, some with steel studs, and when one was still allowed to put chains on their tires in the city.
I was going to buy Misao a new washing machine but now with the cost of the new tires she says, better not. However, if I were to believe the e-mails Sears is sending me they are almost giving appliances away right now.
This is not the first time, in the many years we have lived here, that our car has had problems right on a big sales day. We celebrate Christmas unfazed. It is of no consequence in light of what others have suffered, and it makes the wonder of His birth all that more significant.
I had to call AAA for the tire change because the Ford Fusion has lug nuts that do not hold their form and go round and round in the manufacturer provided wrench gizmo. The ratchet set was no help either. I have several problems with the design of the Ford Fusion which I may innumerate on in the future. As I was attempting to change my flat the night before our neighbor was struggling with his truck, which wouldn’t start.
But no Grinch will be stealing our Christmas. Leaving our house this morning on a spare and a low tire I passed a slew of cars in the neighborhood also with low tires. Firestone was unexpectedly busy Christmas Eve morn when I brought the car in the next day. The man who arrived just after myself also had a low tire he needed repaired quickly, in order to keep to his travel plans. Colder temperatures; it’s the time of year to check your tire pressure. Even colder temperatures will keep tiny vandals off the streets.
Many demand our police officers wear body cameras. I say mechanics need to wear body cameras. I am completely confident that I will receive proper and reliable service for tires from any major tire retailer. But I do not care where you go. When it comes to other auto repairs, beware; especially you women.
I have some furniture design and build to
do. Misao got me the tools I need from my list, a bunch of underwear and some
other necessities. A wool fedora from JC Penny was a happy surprise. “All I need
now is a pheasant feather to stick in the band.” I told my mother as I showed
off my stylish look. My father blames JFK for men’s hats going out of fashion.
He never wore a hat.
Misao was happy with my gifts to her. We heated up a Honey Baked Ham on Christmas and went over to my parent’s home to share. Then it was to my brothers to spend some time with more family. My parents didn’t feel like leaving their home any over the holiday.
The dog received nothing this year and I think he has taken note. Perhaps it will be wise to sleep with one eye open for a while.
“The diet?” you wonder. Your concern moves me. The diet has suffered over the holidays. My initial twelve pound loss on the Bulletproof Diet is well preserved but I have retreated drastically from my under 250lb race weight goal. I thought I was losing a bit of weight but it was only improved muscle tone I had been observing. I am not sure if that comes from more walking, reflecting the demands of shopping, or the new health drink we are consuming known as kombucha. I will have a long post on our kombucha adventure in the New Year.
No fitness or bicycle related gifts this year. No
shortage of snacks either. This year we neither gave nor received fruitcake; the
meal of kings in my book. Working fitness back into my daily life will be high
on my New Year resolutions, possibly even ahead of my goal of worldwide
dominion.
The $127 question: What were my three most favorite WORS races? Keeping the same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.
And A Happy New Year.
I walked into our Church’s Christmas party some days back and “The Grinch” started playing on the radio. I asked, “Did you put on that song just for me?” which brought many a smile; sly mischievous smiles.
Even the lack of snow on Christmas, or seeing young ladies wearing white after Labor Day, cannot dampen the Christmas spirit. The lights would certainly look brighter with some snow however. Our home hold a lot of holiday decoration potential.
The cards all went out on time. Though we received far fewer cards this year than last I have no interest in worrying over stolen mail trucks, lost cards and packages, local thievery or vandalism, all which seem to be on the rise. This is Christmas.
I was Christmas shopping with my wife and asked “Should I use the fifty dollar bill I have or small bills?” as we walked up to the register. Her answer was indistinguishable.
“Are you going to pay, or should I pay?” she asked a few moments later.
The shopping is over. Now we can enjoy the rest of the Christmas season, I hope.
The Container Store had a variety of stocking stuffers on sale. I have to imagine their sales boom after the Christmas holiday. They sell bicycle hangers, as I mentioned before, if you need to store your bicycle for the Winter.
The Fat Bike Alpha Trail riders are encouraging, through Facebook, other Fat Bike riders to get out and ride to groom the trails. Yes the ground is covered and beginning to freeze. If Fat Bike is something you enjoy it is time to get out and support the cause. There is a race this Saturday. Otherwise there is the entrepreneurial success known as Ray’s to celebrate with.
Click here for editor picks for the best bikes in 2015, or if you are the type to build or upgrade your own bike click here for the best components of 2015. Here is a review of some bike shoes and a frame bag. There is still time to take a survey for an entry in a bicycle give away.
Are you ready? …Are you ready. It’s time. The Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival registration begins January 1st, and if you don’t act fast you’ll be passed over. The allure of the event comes from its foundational position on the mountain bike scene. This will be its 34th year. That, and the fact that it is in a remote area of the state that has avoided over development.
As I shopped a few days before Christmas in peace, by myself, the lines at the checkouts were long. It was far from shoulder to shoulder in the aisles as one shopped however. Will the malls ever be as packed with frantically merry shoppers panicking over last minute Christmas gifts as in times past? Does one blame the economy, or is it the Internet?
The major retailers were happy to wish me a Merry Christmas. This is the Midwest. The Post Office was another matter. I never felt such a sense of fear and/or disdain from another over Merry Christmases as I did from those working at the Post Office this year. It was as if they were saying, “Why are you doing this to me?”
Misao and I went to see “The Nutcracker” Sunday. We received the tickets as a gift. It lifted our spirits to enjoy a bit of extravagance in our life. The objective of the ballet performance was crystal clear to me; mice in the house need to be killed. Yes children, they may look cute and seeing a dead creature may be distressing but it is a necessary reality. Don’t disparage your parents for killing mice. As soon as there are enough mice to choose a monarch all could be lost. A message conveyed in Victorian militarist ideal and splendor. It is like those old stories of trolls and bridges, all to teach the children; “Don’t talk to those strange people living under the bridge.” It is for insights such as these that you read.
Finally we have snow. Misao almost made it home in the storm. She got the car stuck good, down at the end of our alley. She called and had me trod out to help. I rocked the car out, with the help of a neighbor, came back around the block and backed the car down the alley from the other end. Yes, the city did a lousy job cleaning up the snow. In-laws, via a younger brother, were in town (they left this morning) and were disappointed that it looked like they would not have the opportunity to see snow. They are from Brazil. The blessings of the Christ Child come in many forms. They got their snow and I hope it didn’t effect any of their return flights.
$360 for two new tires as I found a flat when we were preparing for our holiday sales December 23rd. A cut in one tire and a nail right at the edge of tread on the other; both needed to be replaced. The days around Christmas are very hard to judge as far as sales potential. I don not think we lost out much sales wise.
Snow tires? I wish I could afford them this year, but my dad has complete confidence in the modern all season tire and he should know. He learned to drive when everyone had snow tires, some with steel studs, and when one was still allowed to put chains on their tires in the city.
I was going to buy Misao a new washing machine but now with the cost of the new tires she says, better not. However, if I were to believe the e-mails Sears is sending me they are almost giving appliances away right now.
This is not the first time, in the many years we have lived here, that our car has had problems right on a big sales day. We celebrate Christmas unfazed. It is of no consequence in light of what others have suffered, and it makes the wonder of His birth all that more significant.
I had to call AAA for the tire change because the Ford Fusion has lug nuts that do not hold their form and go round and round in the manufacturer provided wrench gizmo. The ratchet set was no help either. I have several problems with the design of the Ford Fusion which I may innumerate on in the future. As I was attempting to change my flat the night before our neighbor was struggling with his truck, which wouldn’t start.
But no Grinch will be stealing our Christmas. Leaving our house this morning on a spare and a low tire I passed a slew of cars in the neighborhood also with low tires. Firestone was unexpectedly busy Christmas Eve morn when I brought the car in the next day. The man who arrived just after myself also had a low tire he needed repaired quickly, in order to keep to his travel plans. Colder temperatures; it’s the time of year to check your tire pressure. Even colder temperatures will keep tiny vandals off the streets.
Many demand our police officers wear body cameras. I say mechanics need to wear body cameras. I am completely confident that I will receive proper and reliable service for tires from any major tire retailer. But I do not care where you go. When it comes to other auto repairs, beware; especially you women.
Misao was happy with my gifts to her. We heated up a Honey Baked Ham on Christmas and went over to my parent’s home to share. Then it was to my brothers to spend some time with more family. My parents didn’t feel like leaving their home any over the holiday.
The dog received nothing this year and I think he has taken note. Perhaps it will be wise to sleep with one eye open for a while.
“The diet?” you wonder. Your concern moves me. The diet has suffered over the holidays. My initial twelve pound loss on the Bulletproof Diet is well preserved but I have retreated drastically from my under 250lb race weight goal. I thought I was losing a bit of weight but it was only improved muscle tone I had been observing. I am not sure if that comes from more walking, reflecting the demands of shopping, or the new health drink we are consuming known as kombucha. I will have a long post on our kombucha adventure in the New Year.
The $127 question: What were my three most favorite WORS races? Keeping the same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.
Thursday, December 17, 2015
How Bazaar
No, I’m not referring to the weather as bazaar, those
balmy spring like temperatures confusing the world of Flora, as I wait eagerly
for the snow. Nor am I referring to the fact that Hillary Clinton, or Obama for
that matter, can even show their faces in public, let alone her being the
supposed democrat candidate for president. That is truly bazaar but not the
bazaar of this post. (If “13 Hours;
The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi” doesn’t open the eyes of democrats I don’t
know what will. Debate over.)
The bazaar I am referring to is The Milwaukee Bike Bazaar formerly known as the bike swap. If that is not bazaar enough for you perhaps the Hugh Jass Bike Series is more your style. An interesting series I first heard of at the last Metro Mountain Bikers meeting. The events include demo bikes, a bike toss and a taco truck to fuel the body. The next race is a familiar venue to all mountain bike enthusiasts in Milwaukee.
And what is this bazaar looking chunk of wood and MDF? It is a jig for assembling more cedar planter boxes for standard 2x4’s or rough cut. There are so many slots to accommodate having more then one vertical support per wall at various spacing.
Bazaar rot patterns on my garage wall are
duplicated on the opposing wall’s exerior. It comes from the spawn of Jehovah
Witness families urinating on my garage for over a decade. The overhead door is
smashed in as many years past, though none of them or their friends lived along
our alley, they would set up a portable basketball hoop and drive into my garage
door over and over. It all began shortly after we moved into the neighborhood
with the ring leader of these haters shooting a pellet gun at my dog (Tun-Tun my
late very bestest dog ever and forever) from their upstairs unit window across
the street. Other antics included, but were not limited to, turning on my
outdoor spigot or that of my neighbor’s to run water continuously against our
home’s foundation wall, sending water into our basement and raising water bills.
A rock thrown at our window and the attempt to kick in a man door on our garage
were frustrated by neighbors. “To steal our bikes.” they confessed to a neighbor
as they continued to kick the door until the neighbor chased them away.
Confronted at times they were even heard to say, it is because of the Church we
belong to; using the derogative of course. A very special Merry Christmas to all
Jehovah Witness.
How
bazaar.
Tun-Tun bloodied up a loose pit bull that tried to attack Misao in the park one day.
The $126 question: What were my three most favorite WORS races? Keeping the same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.
The bazaar I am referring to is The Milwaukee Bike Bazaar formerly known as the bike swap. If that is not bazaar enough for you perhaps the Hugh Jass Bike Series is more your style. An interesting series I first heard of at the last Metro Mountain Bikers meeting. The events include demo bikes, a bike toss and a taco truck to fuel the body. The next race is a familiar venue to all mountain bike enthusiasts in Milwaukee.
And what is this bazaar looking chunk of wood and MDF? It is a jig for assembling more cedar planter boxes for standard 2x4’s or rough cut. There are so many slots to accommodate having more then one vertical support per wall at various spacing.
Tun-Tun bloodied up a loose pit bull that tried to attack Misao in the park one day.
The $126 question: What were my three most favorite WORS races? Keeping the same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.
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