So quite possibly you’re sitting there, reading this in preparation to go out for a big night of ‘forced fun’ to celebrate the new year. I dig.
We will be celebrating low key style – sort of celebrating the fact that there’s no one around.
Don’t get me wrong – the Holidays were great. We had my folks and my sister here for about a week and a half and prior to that Lyn’s folks were here for about a month and a half. it was great to see them all. It’s also nice to be able to walk through our townhouse without banging into someone again. I would like to take this opportunity ot thank them and both sides of our family for all the great support and love over the past year.
Santa was good to me this year. Good to us. I got some good stuff. Most importantly – Lyn’s healthy and feeling better everyday so thats the best gift of all really.
I did get the gift of a nose reaming – read: surgery to repair a deviated septum that left me sniffing and off the bike for far too long. That will be remedied come monday the 2nd of Jan.
I got a special care package from my boy Nature. A crazy retro old school Schwinn High Plains frame and some choice parts to replace the late Ubaldmobile. He also hooked me up with some Deore canti’s and some drop bars with some Campy levers. He’s the goods. All the parts supplier I’ll ever need. I’ve decided that it will live again soon as a single speed commuter with drop bars. I have all the parts. All that remains is assembly – and that’s the most fun of all….
Well, almost. I’m hoping the bottom bracket he sent with it is the right size. That and I don’t have a chainring yet as the jury is still out on the gearing I’m going to run. I have this innate fear that I’ll get it all built and then on the 1st hill of the commute I’ll have to get off and walk it since I’ve geared it wrong. Gives me the cold sweats. It would really be an injustice to wrong the bike like that, not to mention bad bike karma.
In addition I took delivery of a Surly Cross Check frame and fork, something that I have been lusting over for many a year. It’s not mine yet – Jason, the super cool guy I’m buying it from – is letting me make payments – but at least I have it in my grimy hands. I can set it on the workbench and look at it whenever I want and imagine the ride….
I have some parts for it, but not all. Most noticeably absent – and probably one of the most expensive to acquire will be the supremo wheelset I want to put on it. As I mentioned before, Nature has volunteered to build it up, so we’ll see what happens. Don’t get to excited though – it won’t be anytime soon. I’m out of funds for the next 4 years, so this is definitely a long term project. If you’re nice maybe another day I’ll show you a picture.
The kids got lots of good toys too, as the kids always do, including some Leapster LMax’s that proved to be almost – if not more – popular with a certain adults (you know who you are) than with the kids.
On a sort of related note, the other day Lyn was engrossed in a deep, philosophical conversation with Julia, the 4 year old, part of which I overheard.
Julia queries, “So, mama, where IS baby Jesus?” Hmmm, uh. Not exactly the most answerable of questions. How will Lyn retort I wonder?
“He’s everywhere – all around,” Lyn replies without much hesitation. Wow. An impressive volley. I think she may have stumped the short one.
There’s a pause while Julia lets this sink in.
She mulls it over then formulates her rebuttal question….”Oh. … Sorta like germs?”
Checkmate.
Happy New Year, y’all.