This weekend was so so busy and fun. There was Halloween night, where we dressed up to hand out candy to the 15 trick or treaters that came to our door before we had to leave to head downtown to meet friends at a local restaurant that was hosting a Monster Bash for Halloween. Dave dressed as an undertaker and I was his fairy assistant, complete with pointy ears and wings. We met up with Oscar the Grouch, Dr. Feelgood, Catwoman, The Queen of the Nile, A Mime, and others. There was drinking, eating, and dancing. We got home around 4 am and slept in late.
On Saturday morning, we spent the day piddling around, finally deciding to go watch the Gators kick some Bulldog butt when our neighbor came over and invited us to be a part of his Halloween party that night. So we dressed up again...this time I was a witch...and we headed down the street. The neighbor had made a haunted trail behind his house and Dave and I got to participate in the scaring. Dave hid in a tree and jumped out at people and I got to be one of the trail guides. It was a lot of fun and we are planning to do it again next year. Saturday night we moved all the clocks back an hour and enjoyed an extra hour of sleep. The neighbor had invited us to join him and some of his friends on bike ride to the local swap meet, so off we went.
I got to experience my first ride in a pack of other bikes and it was so much fun. I also scored some lined leather chaps and winter gloves for $45 ($65 if you add in the $20 it cost us to get in to the swap meet.) On the way back from the swap meet, we left the pack and went to meet Dad for a ride to Lake Jackson. We had lunch with Dad and then came right back to the house. Total miles covered: 100. My longest ride yet. I am quickly improving, now that I am riding the bike to work everyday, and it is beginning to be a lot of fun. Now I just need a bigger bike so it's a little easier to keep up! I also need a day of relaxation to recover from my busy weekend...so jealous of Dave for having today off.
And now we return to our regularly scheduled programming
Life is a highway
It's turning cooler in the mornings and I am beginning to dress more warmly before I leave the house. I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to ride the bike, but I plan to continue as long as I can. I am going to have to invest in some thermal underwear and some warmer gloves.
I almost ran out of gas on my way to work. I forgot that Dave and I had gone to dinner on the bikes this week, so the tank that usually lasts all week didn't. I stopped at a station near the house that is completely out of gas, except for premium. That's been a problem around here since hurricane Ike shut down the oil refineries in Houston. I think Atlanta gets its entire fuel supply from Houston. I missed the panic where everyone was fighting to fill up over the weekend, since I was in Florida. I'm sure things will be back to normal before too long, but it's interesting to see how people behave when there is a shortage of something as crucial as fuel. It makes me appreciate the bike that much more...2 gallons and I've got a full tank!
As I was riding to work this morning, I was thinking of all of the things I've learned in the last few months of riding. So as soon as I got to my desk, I decided to write them out:
—Learn to be flexible and ready to shift into another gear or swerve around a problem at a moments notice.
—Forget about the road you've already traveled. If you mess up a little, mentally shake it off and just keep on going.
—Be aware of the road directly in front of you, but don't keep your eyes there. Keep your chin up and your eyes pointed forward. You will be a better rider if you are always looking toward where you want to be.
—Loosen up. Tension will just cause your ride to be shaky and your mind to become preoccupied with what could go wrong. The bike wants to move, so let it.
—Don't think too hard about how the bike is able to work the way it does, just appreciate that it works.
—Don't think too much about how fast the ground is moving underneath you. And whatever you do, don't look down.
—Don't panic. If you do, don't grab the brake for a full-stop or you'll end up hurting yourself and the bike. Pull in the clutch and just glide until you get your bearings.
—Wear protection. Even if it's uncomfortable, it'll save your skin.
—Baby the bike. Feed it the best fuel possible, check the tires and brakes often. If you take care of your ride, it will handle so much better, making the ride that much more enjoyable.
—The biggest hazard that you have to worry about is other people. Be confident in your own abilities, but be cautious of the intentions of other drivers. Learn to read them and be ready to anticipate what they are going to do before they do it.
Is it just me, or can almost all of these tips also be applied to living life?
Bummed
Today has not been a good day. Between putting out fires at work and dealing with a not-so-pleasant trek to the DMV to take - oh, no sorry, make that fail - the motorcycle driving test, this day is kicking my butt.
Actually, this whole week could use a do-over. All I can say is, thank God it's Friday. And that it's 4:36, which means I get to leave work in 9 minutes. I plan to head straight home and indulge in a good sulk and a big bowl of Oreo cookies n cream ice cream.
Fay, you are beginning to smell.
When I moved from the panhandle of Florida to Georgia, I figured I would be done with tropically classified storms. And this has been true for the last 3 and a half years I've been here. Until this week, when Fay decided to make an appearance. She is currently sitting on top of north Georgia, and though we really needed rain, it looks like we may get flooding with it. Fay, Fay, go away - you have overextended your stay.
All of this rain is doing two things for which I am not pleased.
1) Fay is making my head hurt. I have nutty sinuses and low-pressure systems make my head feel like it is going to either explode or fall off of my neck.
2) Fay is forcing me to pay more to get to work that I would like. I am driving my SUV instead of my bike, and I am going to need to fill up soon and oh my god that's painful. I am a cheap-skate at heart and do not like paying over $100 for anything, let alone a tank of gas. Man, it's not like I can wear it or show it off or anything.
In other news, Dave is installing wood flooring in our bedroom. I am excited about this because the carpet in there was nasty when we bought the house and has gotten even nastier since. Our dogs sleep in our bedroom with us at night and they are a huge source of dirt and hair and love to wrestle. Berber carpet cannot withstand two energetic labs, especially the cheap stuff the previous owners installed in the master bedroom. So now we will have oak floors and hopefully, my allergies will thank me...err, thank Dave, rather, since he is the one doing all of the work.
The downside of this project is the mess it is making of the rest of our house. We have moved into our guest room and all of the furniture and crap from our bedroom has been strategically placed around the rest of the house. It is currently looking a little cluttered around Casa de Chelle, though the cats are loving all of the new hiding spots that have been created. The other downside: going from sharing a king size bed to a full. Have you seen Dave? He fills a full sized bed by himself, so needless to say, I am awakened several times a night by elbow jabs and cover thievery, oh, and the snoring! Have I told you about the ear plugs I keep stored in my pillow case? I have had to use them only once since we moved rooms, but thank you baby jesus that we even had any, because there are times when Dave sounds like a freight train and it's either ear plugs or strangulation and I would much prefer to keep him around to continue with the home improvement projects and to do all of the heavy lifting. I cannot wait until this project is complete and we can move back into the master bedroom and back into our own sleeping zip codes.
Careful, she tends to wander
I have finally gotten a chance to breathe at work, so I have time to update. L has not been feeling well lately - her wisdom teeth are really bothering her - so I've been carrying the department for the past couple of weeks. She gets them out on Saturday, so hopefully things will be back to normal next week.
My little bro had a birthday yesterday, and I forgot to call him. I don't think he'll be upset, but I'm going to call him as soon as I get home tonight. I have written this on my hand in red Sharpie marker so I will not forget again.
And now, a funny story:
When I was very young, I had the bad habit of wandering away from my mom in stores. I was so short, that in order to locate her, I would look for strollers, because she would usually be pushing my brother around while browsing. On more than on occasion, I would latch on to the nearest stroller, eventually looking up to realize that the woman pushing the stroller was not my mom. So off I'd go to find her.
Well, I have not outgrown this bad habit, as I proved while grocery shopping with Dave the other day. He was pushing the cart and picking out green peppers right next to me, while I was browsing the bagged salad choices. My decision being made, I placed the lettuce mixture into the cart. And heard a "Hi," causing me to look up at Dave. Only it wasn't Dave. Or the cart he had been pushing. I made my apologies, grabbed my salad and scurried off to find Dave. Mortifying! I finally located Dave and told him what had happened and he laughed and asked if he needed to hold my hand so I wouldn't get lost or go home with the wrong guy. hahaha. My new tag-line: Keep an eye on that one, she wanders.
*****
We took all five animals to my Mom's house over the 4th of July holiday. I am impressed with how well-behaved everyone was while in the car for over 5 hours. Gavin and Leo were a little impatient with one another a couple of times, and Colin got carsick on the way down to mom's, but that was it for problems. I think it helped that they were all in carriers: three cats in a medium-sized crate and two dogs in their big crate.
I was able to visit with family I have not seen in a while. It's always a little strange because I do not have much in common with the majority of my family. I do not think we would associate with one another if we weren't related. Plus, living so far away and not seeing them often always makes it awkward when we do get together. I am glad I got to see them, though.
We stayed home last weekend and tried to clean house a little bit. We hadn't done much of anything since Dave's parents left, so it was high-time to get our butts in gear. I will be doing the same tonight, since Mom will be here from Florida this weekend. She is flying out to California to visit Chris for a (slightly late) birthday celebration. This will be the first time that Mom has ever visited Chris and I think it will be good for both of them. Although, I really hope he cleans at least a little bit before she gets there.
Well, that's it for an update. Soon I will be sharing info about our garden and whether or not I passed the motorcycle driving test. Wish me luck!
Tiny Victories
I've been riding the bike to work lately on days when it does not look like rain. I rode it on Monday, but since the forecast called for rain on Tuesday, I decided not to risk it and drove my gas guzzling suv, instead. And the day turned out sunny and gorgeous. On Wednesday, the forecast again called for rain. Dave needed the suv so he could pick up his parents from the airport after work. So I decided to chance it and rode the bike.
It started to look overcast about the time I was leaving, but the rain held off. I said a little prayer in my head for it to please just wait until I made it home. Not two seconds after that thought had left my brain did the sky open up. And it didn't just rain; it poured. It was storming so hard that Dave later told me his parents' flight was delayed because the weather conditions would not permit them to land safely. They spent 50 minutes circling the airport. That was the 50 minutes it took me to get home on the bike.
I made it safely, despite the lightning and fallen (or falling) tree branches. And despite the deer that ran in front of me out of nowhere. I had to stop at one point because the lane was closed due to a fallen power line and wait for a police officer to direct traffic (me) around it. I had stayed relatively dry up until that point because I was moving. Once I stopped, it was all over.
I didn't want to stop and wait it out because I knew my in-laws would be at the house soon. So I pressed on and finally made it home. The power was out, so I had to park and walk through the house to manually open the garage door. I didn't know how to do that, but now (thanks to Dave) I do.
In a way, I consider my experience to be a series of tiny victories. I was worried about being caught in a downpour...scared that I wouldn't be able to handle myself on a motorcycle. I feared falling on slick roads. I feared that the bike would malfunction. I feared that I would be drenched in the spray of oncoming cars and lose control. I feared the unknown. Now, I know better. And I can finally say that I've had an experienced on a motorcycle that Dave has yet to have had. And that makes me feel a tiny bit triumphant.
He's not heavy, he's my brother
Chris is safely back in California and my in-laws are in the air as I type this. I had so much fun with my brother and I wish he didn't live so far away.
He got here after midnight on a Tuesday and left on the earliest flight the following Wednesday. On his weekend, he decided to drive down to Florida to visit mom. I took a sick day and rode along with him. We only stayed a weekend and weekends go by so fast. We helped mom with a few chores around the house that she just can't do anymore. Like cutting down tree branches that were damaging her roof. Chris climbed up onto the roof in flip flops and shorts. I told him it was unsafe, but he never listens.
My older brother is becoming more of a recluse than ever. He only drove down from the city twice to see Chris. Only the first visit was any fun. The second, he wasn't feeling well and left soon after he arrived. On Chris's last night here, he didn't even make an effort at all. I feel uncharitable when I get so annoyed with him, but I don't understand how someone can not even try, always expecting everyone else to bend bend bend. I don't feel close to breaking, but I am tired of being so flexible.
I got to go on a bike ride with Chris while he was here. He gave me a few pointers and said I was doing really well for a beginner. I am glad Dave trusted Chris to ride his new bike. I think that was one of the highlights of Chris's trip. I know it was one of my favorite things.
I also put Chris to work during his visit. He came to eat lunch with me at work everyday, and on his last day, we did this:
Chris is a really good sport. I needed a photo for an ad for our manhole security product. The premise of the ad is keeping unauthorized personnel out of manholes. Chris offered to be the model (and the muscle) and we got a good photo for the ad. And we had a great time while doing it. Oh, the jokes that were flying around during this photo shoot!
I miss Chris and hope he moves close to me and Dave when he gets out of the Navy. He is mellow and fun and easy to be around. It's always hard to watch him leave, especially when he is so unhappy in the Navy and disappointed with where he lives. Only one more year. I hope he can hang on that long.
I'm looking forward to the next group of visitors. The house has been cleaned, the dogs bathed, the garage straightened, so I think we are ready. Now, if only I had about a day or two to catch up on my sleep!
An update
There has been so much excitement around here lately, I'm not sure where to start. So I will make a list:
1) Gavin is better. He tested negative for all sorts of nasty-sounding things and after two enimas, three separate overnight stays at two separate veterinary clinics, and our emptying of our wallets over six hundred dollars, he has finally pooped, has stopped throwing up, and is back to treating us like his royal majesty's personal servants.
2) I went to Savannah over the weekend. Dave went to Huntersville, NC. Both trips were for fun. He was participating in yet another Scottish Highland Athletic Competition and I was ghost hunting, drinking, and soaking up the sunshine. Our lovely, though a bit nosy, across the street neighbors fed the dogs and have offered to do so in the future for our little over-nighters. This is a really good thing when you own two labs that are not easily transported everywhere you would like to go.
3) I have learned that I am not a person who is sensitive to paranormal energy. No spirits tried to communicate with me and I did not get to witness even an unexplained noise or movement. Ghosts, if you want to talk to me, better not be subtle!
4) I miss the ocean! We visited Tybee Island before leaving for home on Sunday and I highly recommend it as a place to visit if you ever want to visit an East Coast beach.
5) Do not ever stay at the Savannah River Inn. It is ghetto. The "lobby" is a desk in what used to be a hotel room. And the person manning said desk is rude. I am happy that Hotwire refunded my money and I was able to stay at a much nicer hotel in the historic district.
6) Sunday evening I was productive! I cleaned litter boxes. I did laundry. I washed dishes. And then I dropped dead from exhaustion.
7) Today is Tuesday and I rode the bike to work today for the first time since purchasing her at the beginning of last month. And just in time, too. Gas prices ain't lookin' so good.
Baby steps
Thanks for the kind comments on my last post. Gavin is back to normal, with a slightly improved disposition. I think the two days away made him realize just how good he's got it!
*****
Last night, Dave and I took the bikes to dinner. We went to our favorite sushi place that's about 5 miles away from our house. Dave let me lead, and we made it there and back with out any mishaps on my part. And I even had to ride over railroad tracks and a large puddle of water on the road. We definitely weren't traveling as fast as I'm sure Dave would have liked, but he is being patient with me as I take baby steps toward mastering this motorcycle. And I am so happy with the progress I am making! I am no longer apprehensive about the twist throttle or the shifting and can now concentrate a little more on how I should be riding. When to lean and how far when turning. How to sit more comfortably. And soon I may just be able to wave back at the other bikers we pass.
Bikers have a special "wave" that they give other bikers when they pass each other, much like boaters wave at other boaters. When passing another boat, you just give a friendly wave, but on a bike, you are supposed to take whatever hand is closest to the other rider, make the peace sign, and hold you hand down by your side, fingers pointed toward the ground. I have not been able to do this yet, because I usually have a death-grip on the handlebars. But I'll get there, fellow bikers, just give me time.
Foolishly fun
Today is Tuesday, It is also the first day of April and The Day of the Prank. I've never been a big prankster and I'm rarely the one on whom pranks are pulled. I guess I'm not very gullible; or maybe it's that I tend to take a swing at people who try and trick me.
This past weekend was Dave's first Scottish Athletic competition of the year, the Mint Hill Scottish Games. He came in second overall, winning first place in the Caber toss, the 56# weight for height and the 28# weight for distance. I went for moral support and I froze my butt off. I spent a good portion of the time sitting in the car, reading my book, so there are very few pictures. Plus, it rained on and off all day. Here are someone else's pictures if you are interested: http://highlandgames.us/2008Pages/08MintHill.htm.
I have decided that I am not going to attend any more of Dave's games, unless, of course, friends and family are present. It really is a very manly sport and there is a great deal of camaraderie between the players and I end up feeling like I am intruding when I try to hang out around Dave. So this will be his "man time" and I will either travel with him and go do my own thing in whatever city we are in, or I will stay home and babysit the pets.
I drove us home Saturday night, through the rain and it was so lovely to be home and in my own bed again. Sunday was a lazy day, until dinner. We met my Dad and his family, and my aunt and her family at our favorite sushi restaurant. Then my aunt et al came over to my house for coffee and to visit a little longer. My cousin is looking at colleges and was here from Jacksonville to tour Georgia Tech, though I am trying to convince her that Florida would be a MUCH better choice.
This week, Dave is on nights, so it will be quiet for me at the house, which is perfect. I've been needing some me time. I left my book at work today, which is a bummer, but maybe I should watch a movie instead. I guess I could always start another one, even though it feels like cheating on the first one.
I'm am currently being stared at by a few pairs of beady eyes. I think the cats are trying to telepathically tell me that it is time to be fed.
Things that make me happy:
* I am switching my company's web hosting to a new company because our current company needs to learn the art of customer service.
* A good friend is sending me a mixed cd and I cannot wait to get it.
* I unexpectedly received pretty magnets in the mail from another friend yesterday and I love them! Totally made my day.
* Text messages from Catiecake.
* New parts for a broken motorcycle were waiting on my front porch today. My mechanic (Dave) should have all repairs completed by this weekend. Yay!
* 10 Cakes
It's all good
Happy Easter, everyone! Or Day-After-Easter, as the case may be. It has been a busy weekend and the good news is it isn't over yet. I am taking a mental health day (otherwise known as a sick day off from work when you are feeling perfectly fine) and the day is just full of endless possibilities. I think I'll do a little gardening and let my otherwise indoor cats run around outside for a little while. Dave is also home, so we are going to go register the motorcycles and maybe have a nice lunch together. I love three-day weekends, and I just don't get them anymore with this current job.
So, let me fill you in on everything that has happened in the last few days!
1) I got to leave 40 whole minutes early on Friday so I could get a jump-start on my Easter weekend. Don't I work for a great company?! I came home and immediately practiced on the motorcycle all by myself for about an hour. My confidence has improved greatly and I am finally getting excited about going on an actual ride outside of the safety of my neighborhood.
2) We got up early on Saturday and packed up a bunch of Dave's tools and a wheelbarrow to go help with the Cabbagetown Community Cleanup. We got to the spot where we were supposed to meet-up with the organizers, and it was absolute chaos. There was no parking, so cars were parking along the streets, turning two-ways into one-ways, but the traffic was still coming from both directions. We ended up stuck a couple of times, we parked somewhere we were told we weren't allowed to park, and Dave didn't want to park a distance from the meeting place and walk because he was afraid his tools would get stolen. We kept circling until Dave finally ran over a hole in the road that ended up having screws in it which pierced his rear tire in two locations. At that point, I made the executive decision to abandon our attempt at volunteering, so we could go take care of the tire situation instead. Oh well, we tried!
3) The remainder of Saturday was spent cleaning house. Boring, but necessary. I kicked the cats outside while I swept the floors and at one point, my house was completely empty of all animals. Well, except for Dave.
4) Sunday was Easter and Dave volunteered us for two things. The first was a motorcycle ride to Lake Jackson (thirty miles away!) with my dad and the second was Easter dinner with my dad and his family. The motorcycle ride was going so well! We made it to the lake in about 40 minutes and I really felt like I knew what I was doing. Until the ride back. For some reason, Dad was pushing speed around some of the turns and I ended up dumping the bike...again. But this time, going kinda fast. The good news is I am fine! Not even a bruise, which I find highly disappointing. The bad news is, Stella did not fare as well, and she will now require a new set of handlebars, a new headlight, and a new left rear shock. Also, she is going to require some cosmetic surgery at some point. But not until I know what I am doing. Poor Stella. She is not quite so shiny anymore. She's tough, though. I was able to ride her home, even though she was banged up pretty bad.
(On a side not: my guardian angel should get a bonus this month. She didn't even get the Easter holiday off.)
Dinner at dad's went well, though it is that polite type of chit-chat that is typical of any event that includes my stepmother and stepsister. I feel so different than those two that I really don't ever know what to say. And my dad just sits there, letting them dominate the conversation. He is a lot more fun without them around. I remarked to Dave after dinner, that he would really have made a better big brother than a father. He is not very paternal. He acts like he has something to prove, like a big brother. He was driving too fast around that curve and I guess he didn't realize that stupid me was trying to keep up. He kept saying it was his fault I fell, and I kept saying, "no, it wasn't," but a tiny bit of me thinks that "yes, yes it was" since I had never been out of the neighborhood on a ride before today. I keep having to remind myself that I am Inexperienced. Obviously, I have to remind my dad, as well.
I just had a cat (Colin) crawl into my lap, so there goes typing. And, it is time to find something to eat.
