Thread Drift

[Duck on Wheels]

Yesterday--We had 12 people here, including us, to eat fresh Dungeness crab, steamer clams, salad, asparagus, mashed potatoes. We got four more inches of snow overnight, total in the last week about 16-17 inches, in a city whose government apparently is quite proud of its strategy not to clean the streets. Chris had to go pick up his 89 year old dad and 88 year old stepmom and 80-some year old auntie (he has a four wheel drive pick up truck). Then he had to go to a local big parking lot to pick up his brother, wife, mother in law, and three kids because they couldn't drive their van down our uncleared streets.

Just before he had to leave for the first trip, he dropped a can of Pepsi (NOT diet), and it exploded all over our pantry. :eek::eek::eek: YEE-ha! The pantry is where our bike stuff, cleaning stuff, boxes of garbage bags, and various other miscellany lives. The bathtub is full of the bike panniers, backpacks, hiking boots, and whatever else got splooshed with sticky soda, waiting to be rinsed. I am thinking of just emptying them of all their contents and then just stepping on into the shower and taking a shower with them all. On the theory that I'm gonna get wet anyway...:p:p

We had a great time, though. I made cheddar scones and gorgonzola scones and Dutch cookies. Our friend Neal made apple and lemon and pecan pies. We got our third, or maybe it's our fourth, oven mitt from my husband's aunt, for Christmas--I love her, although I don't use oven mitts much. Actually, I really like everyone in his family. Was glad to host our pie-baking friend as well, who is going through a very bad divorce and would have been alone at Christmas for the first time in 20 years. Glad he was with us instead.

Neither of Chris' presents arrived in time because of the snow, so we haven't done any present exchange yet.

I was snoozing on the couch by 8:30 pm and finally staggered off to bed before 9:30, which I never do.

It's thawing! Hurray.

Happy holidays, you all.

Here's a transport idea for those uncleared streets: Put a snowmobile chain on your back wheel and a ski up front, as demonstrated in this video taken on a ski path on the snowy side of town here (scroll down, the video is fairly low on the page).
http://www.adressa.no/tv/?id=8682&autoplay=1&category=Nyheter&page=0

[salsabike]

Now THAT is cool, Duck. Love it. And that whole side of the family is Norwegian so they're quite intrepid. I can hear my father in law laughing now.

[Biciclista]

I am enjoying hearing the various christmas day stories!

[LBTC]

Ahhhhhhhhhhh, I could have slept in sooooooooooo late.....

Christmas morning, after a late night visit in Kelowna on Christmas Eve, started at 8 a.m..... Our friend C and her sister couldn't get back to their mom's for the holiday, so they were coming over and spent the whole day with us. And, besides, DH was still wrapping presents for me!

I was glad I managed to get the dressing made the day before, and got it going in slowcooker fairly early.

We opened our stockings together, then I made our special egg breakfast, then we opened gifts. With four of us, taking turns and checking out what everyone got, it took a LONG time. A few hours later our friends C and P came over for a drink and a visit, then left in time to feed the 12 they had for dinner! We were supposed to have 3 more join us for dinner, but they called to say they were sick (poor kids!!), so it was just us four and I was not stressed at all. Yes, dinner for seven stresses me!

The turkey was perfect, the brussel sprouts the best ever, and the dressing was perfect. Even the crustless pumpkin pie turned out better than it has before. Very nice.

Then we all went over to visit C and P and their guests. We left there after 10 p.m. and were up again this morning at 8. I am really ready for an early night and a sleep in. Anytime now. In fact, I think I'm about to have a nap.....

Happy holidays!
~T~

[Biciclista]

Dinner for 7 stresses me too. Good thing Raleighdon almost always is doing the lion's share of the cooking.

You didn't mention the snow. You had a white christmas, right?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I think DH and I had the quietest most peaceful Christmas I can ever remember....no kids around, no traveling, no guests, no xmas dinner. :eek: It was very low key but pleasant. A few presents, a long walk together, calling the children, eating chocolates, watching movies in bed with kitties purring.... :)

[LBTC]

Yes, we have SNOW! Lots of it! It is snowing now, and we are expecting another 30 centimeters tonight. We usually get at least some snow every year, but this is way more than usual! It's very white!

[crazycanuck]

We're still in enzed & are now thinking about our trip back to Perth. We're pondering the idea of driving to Coober Pedy, South Australia. Should you be bored, have a look on a map where it is..

Let's just say there's not a single petrol station, road house etc for 500km between Port Augusta & Coober Pedy. Why are we thinking of going there you ask?
1-Why not
2-The houses are underground because it's normally over 40C in the summer
3-It's not a place everyone drives to on thier way back home..

The weather here in enzed has been quite nice!

[Pax]

Oooh CC, sounds like an adventure, have fun!

[Selkie]

I think DH and I had the quietest most peaceful Christmas I can ever remember....no kids around, no traveling, no guests, no xmas dinner. :eek: It was very low key but pleasant. A few presents, a long walk together, calling the children, eating chocolates, watching movies in bed with kitties purring.... :)

Ruby must have behaved herself. Maybe the solstice temporarily zeroed out her evil powers.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Ruby must have behaved herself. Maybe the solstice temporarily zeroed out her evil powers.

She's been keeping occupied trying to learn the Uto-Aztecan language.

[Selkie]

She's been keeping occupied trying to learn the Uto-Aztecan language.

Thank God for that!

[Biciclista]

I don't know, it's kind of scary, what's she going to do with that, start a spy network?

[redrhodie]

Does she already know Navajo?

[Xrayted]

So we got our share of snow here in PDX over the past 2 weeks. I think we must have ended up with over a foot, easily. Not normally a problem for the two of us since I'm from PA and Kit is from WI. The big thing was all of the people who know nothing about driving in this stuff and the fact that they still haven't plowed at all. Nothing. Our poor Subaru did great though. We never missed a day of work or were even late. :cool: The ruts in the ice that have been created are horrendous though. We keep checking the bottom of the car when we park to make sure all the parts are still there. :o

Woke up today and realized it stayed warmer all night (35+) and it rained the whole time. Most of the snow is gone. I have no idea how the roads are but I'm suspecting flooding. Since they never plowed, the storm grates are covered with a foot of hard packed ice and the water can't go anywhere.

Couldn't find a snow shovel to buy anywhere, all sold out. And yet... I have not see any evidence of anyone actually using a shovel on anything. They haven't even attempted to dig out. They have no idea or don't care. :confused: We kept our stuff cleaned off anyway. That's what I get though for moving here to get away from the snow and leave my shovels and snowblower behind in PA. :p

Major extremes of people that I work with. One guy lives 65miles away and made it to work everyday and early to boot. One guy who lives 2 miles away and didn't make it in once. Never even called on most days. When we called him to see what was up, he just answered "what, you expect me to come in?" :eek: I've had a coworker with a bad cold try to take the streetcar in, ended up walking the last 2+miles in on snowshoes cuz a bus got stuck across the tracks in front of them. She looked like hell so I left her stay at the clinic where it would be quiet that day and I rode the aerial tram up to the trauma hospital and helped out. One guy who walked 6+miles in to do a 16hr shift and then slept overnight in our fluoro room and worked the next day and then walked back home. (no car, only a motorcycle and bicycles)

We have one of the best mass transit setups anywhere in America and most of us choose to use it, but not plowing created a massive problem. I'm shocked how bad they let it get here in Portland and basically did nothing. Didn't even try to get trucks from outside. :mad: Shameful.

[Selkie]

X -- I thought it was bad here in DC. Not plowing? Do they lack the equipment?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Does she already know Navajo?

No, but Ruby does know a little German. She likes to read archaic German books featuring children's fables.

Pohaha, an English foundling raised by the Pueblo people, is teaching Ruby to speak Uto-Aztecan. The amazingly independent Pohaha is wintering here with us during her spiritual pilgrimage around the world by foot, motorized canoe, and on penny-farthing bicycle. The unexpected ice storm, however, threw a monkey wrench into her winter travel plans.
Ruby is trying to get Pohaha to show her how to make a long bow and arrows from natural materials found in the woods here. It's good to see Ruby interested in creative handcrafts. But Pohaha insists that Ruby learn to converse a little in the native language first. Being completely in awe of the wildly self-sufficient raven haired Pohaha, Ruby is following direction for a change.
8298

[Selkie]

Jaysus, Bleeker, don't let them have weapons!

Pohaha has got a Cher vibe going on that I can relate to......

[redrhodie]

Girls will be girls. It's nice to see them getting along so well.

[Biciclista]

mickchick,
They never did plow the only road that handles an entire 10 square mile section of Seattle called Beacon Hill. And in a week we had more than a foot of snow, which started to seriously melt finally the day after Christmas.

the city complained about how much all the sand and chemicals cost and only plowed the main highways and arterials (not in my neighborhood) this part of the country is woefully unprepared for temps below freezing.

Pohaha looks lovely traipsing through the cacti!

[salsabike]

Jaysus, Bleeker, don't let them have weapons!


EXACTLY. It's all a plot.

Love the "Jaysus", mickchick (I grew up in a VERY Irish Catholic town. Albany NY---baby Boston, complete with Democratic machine).

[Zen]

That Ruby is shrewd and cunning.
Handicrafts my eye, you'd better watch your back!

[crazycanuck]

Hmm..will Pohaha teach Ruby how to ride a horse? I can see a lassoo in Ruby's future :eek:

[Selkie]

Do Ruby and Po have any male friends whom they could order around?

I wonder if they have any influence on the weather?

It's amazing, local govts not taking care of the roads. I understand that things are tight, but this is a serious safety issue. All it's going to take is a lawsuit, from someone who gets hurt due to the unsafe conditions.

[Pax]

Love the "Jaysus", mickchick (I grew up in a VERY Irish Catholic town. Albany NY---baby Boston, complete with Democratic machine).


Ditto that. I'm Boston Irish Catholic (born on the Cape but all the family is from Southie). :D

[Selkie]

I'm second-generation Irish/American, which explains a lot. :p

[salsabike]

The four major ethnic groups in my home town are Irish, Italian, Jewish and Black. I miss that mix no end, out here in the Pacific NW. I like the mix out here too, but it's not as...something, for me. I miss New York ethnic. I just do.

My two best friends from back there, who are still my two best friends: Kathleen Anne, and Susie Caroline. First crush in junior high: Kevin Delehanty. Another friend, who is black, is an actress and has done a number of one-woman shows about growing up there. In the first one, she bursts into a Hebrew chant, to illustrate how many Jewish friends she had. It was very funny. It was a cool ethnic mix to grow up with.

Albany County had the longest running county political machine in the country, longer-lived than Chicago, even. It was a really interesting place to grow up.

[sgtiger]

Grrr! Been futzing around with my espresso machine for the last hour because it's not brewing hot enough. I was really hoping it'd be an easy fix of adjusting the boiler pressure. No go. I think my earlier suspicion of the pressure relief valve sticking open may be right. I'm going to have to pull this puppy apart. Wish me luck. When this is all done, y'all can come over for a cappa or something.

Now to go pull out the moka pot.....

[salsabike]

SG? How are you guys?

[Biciclista]

That was just about the same ethnic mix where I grew up in NJ. I miss it sometimes. Our menfolk (Salsa's and mine)
are out riding today a 200k. It's the first day in 2 weeks that i can see the pavement on my street. Raleighdon has been going absolutely stir crazy. Glad to have him out of the house, but of course I'm a little nervous because there are only 8 hours of daylight and the ride will last at least 10 hours.

m

[OakLeaf]

What part of NJ, Mimi?

We had our neighbors over for Christmas Eve, and the topic of New Jersey came up. Our next-door neighbor (the husband) is from northern New Jersey, as is my husband and my dad. It turned out our neighbor across the street is from northern New Jersey as well. She'd been living there about four years, just shortly after we moved in. She started asking my husband about mutual friends/acquaintances...



and it turns out she's FIRST COUSIN to my husband's mother. :eek: They'd sort of lost touch several years ago.

I've had some small-world experiences, but that left us all dumbfounded. We called my mother-in-law then and there and left her flabbergasted too.


... Every place I've lived has been really white-bread except for two years on the border of the rez. But I miss having some kind of ethnic mix, any kind. At least with my mother being half Chinese (and mostly raised in China), my upbringing wasn't completely white bread.

[salsabike]

That was just about the same ethnic mix where I grew up in NJ. I miss it sometimes. Our menfolk (Salsa's and mine)
are out riding today a 200k. It's the first day in 2 weeks that i can see the pavement on my street. Raleighdon has been going absolutely stir crazy. Glad to have him out of the house, but of course I'm a little nervous because there are only 8 hours of daylight and the ride will last at least 10 hours.

m

Ditto. Chris took four tubes with him because of all the expected broken chains/wires therefrom debris.

Biciclista? That chestnut recipe? 325 degrees/20 minutes? 375 degrees? I think it's in the defunct OTA thread.

I am working today.

[Biciclista]

oh sorry. I would say score them and bake at 350 degrees until DONE if you don't want to score them, heat your oven to 425, put them in, then turn it off and check them in the morning..

peel while still hot. If they cool off, just heat them up again.
on the burner, in the microwave (not long, they're little!)

what part of NJ am i from? born in NEWARK, raised in essex county(orange, east orange, newark, nutley, and then spent a few years in Lake Hiawatha before I escaped.

[OakLeaf]

Ha, another one. My dad graduated from Nutley High.

[Biciclista]

what year?
!

[OakLeaf]

not 100% sure, but it would've been around '53.

[Biciclista]

oh, ok, I'm the class of '69 He's a little older than I am.

[Biciclista]

http://inlinethumb50.webshots.com/14897/2221572090054236199S500x500Q85.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2221572090054236199jANely)
Don't these people look happy?

http://inlinethumb36.webshots.com/34595/2497336630054236199S500x500Q85.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2497336630054236199HoaybF)
Anyone know THIS guy? (note, he's standing in slush)

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Happy Birthday DebW !!!! :p :p :p

[Zen]

DebW's birthday?
I've got the perfect cake for the occasion (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5138Upb1LBL._SL500_AA280_.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Chocolate-Cheese-Freeze-Dried-Dessert/dp/B000SJLMXW&usg=__piB3QXQGsi4Jf_f2GxcUdTwz8cE=&h=280&w=280&sz=18&hl=en&start=6&um=1&tbnid=s6xTmFxmvx0CTM:&tbnh=114&tbnw=114&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfreeze%2Bdried%2Bcake%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1B3GGGL_enUS299US300%26sa%3DN);)

[salsabike]

HUMPH. Mr. Slush is in my living room right now. As a matter of fact, he is looking for one of the bike gloves he borrowed from me to do this insane ride, as we speak. So to speak.


http://inlinethumb50.webshots.com/14897/2221572090054236199S500x500Q85.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2221572090054236199jANely)
Don't these people look happy?

http://inlinethumb36.webshots.com/34595/2497336630054236199S500x500Q85.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2497336630054236199HoaybF)
Anyone know THIS guy? (note, he's standing in slush)

[Zen]

Top photo, guy on the left.
Reminds me of
.....................8313

[Biciclista]

is he wearing it in the pictures?

[Biciclista]

Top photo, guy on the left.
Reminds me of
.....................8313

yeah, he's kind of cute but he didn't have mudflaps, very bad for a ride like that.

[salsabike]

"When I'm calling you-hoo-hoo-hoo hoo-hoo-hoo..."

For the rest of you, this is the 200K we were referring to yesterday. Both of our spouses were on this ride and we were a little worried, especially when they got home with body temps of 95. This is in pursuit of the R-12, and they only had a couple more days to do their December 200K. Grrrr.

Mimi, that glove is gone. But I can't get too huffy about it, because originally those were actually HIS gloves, which he gave to me about four years ago and has missed ever since.

Just glad his body temp's back to normal. He also already had a cold before the ride yesterday. Nuts. Coconuts, peanuts, walnuts, any kind of nuts you like--they're just nuts.

By the way, I started training with a triathlon coach this week. Tris are so much shorter than 200Ks. Over before you know it, even. I am having fun.

PS Happy Birthday, Deb. Hope you're tramping around in the winter woods and having fun.

[Pax]

Happy birthday Deb!!

[OakLeaf]

Happy birthday Deb!

[Duck on Wheels]

"When I'm calling you-hoo-hoo-hoo hoo-hoo-hoo..."

...

Næh. I think that's a Monty Python pic. "I'm a lumber jack and I'm ok, I sleep all night and I work all day."

[Duck on Wheels]

Hippy Pappy Bthuth Bthirthdy, Deb!

[DebW]

Thank you all for the birthday wishes. Good try on the cake, Zen, but I don't like chocolate. No tramping around in the snow because I'm in Michigan where the snow has all melted (maybe it melted at home too, but I'm not there to find out).

[Biciclista]

happy birthday Deb!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Reminds me of 8313

His pants are hitched up to his armpits! :rolleyes:

[OakLeaf]

Happy birthday Makbike! And happy New Year to all!

[sgtiger]

I'm looking at dog pics on the local shelter site. Every single one of them makes me want to take them home. Here's a couple of examples of these dear sweet guys:

Chase
http://www.oregonhumane.org/images/sb_animals/72601.jpg

Gill
http://www.oregonhumane.org/images/sb_animals/72040.jpg

BTW there are way too many adds on the PDX craigslist for pets whose owners can't keep them anymore because they're losing their homes and can't find pet friendly rentals. :( I do wonder how many of these are legit or if their humans just got tired of them or something.:mad:

[Zen]

Those two look like they'd get along just fine, take 'em both!

This is the boy I'd love to have-
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=11482704
He's as happy and lively as can be. I hope he finds a home.

[redrhodie]

I adopted someone today! Here's Twiggy! She's still at the shelter until she's spayed. Isn't she incredible? I think she's a mix of Russian Blue and extra terrestrial.

Hopefully she can handle Eddy.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Oh my goodness!- Twiggy is amazing! Who could resist? :p

[Aggie_Ama]

Twiggy is gorgeous!!!

I do not visit the shelters or watch the pet of the week on TV. We cannot handle anymore pets even though my heart could. Maggie's recent $650 vet bill confirmed I can only love and cherish my two girls. :(

[Selkie]

Gill looks like he'd give Fiona, my sassy girl, a run for her money. Too bad we are at the county limit for dogs (only 3 per household!).

[redrhodie]

I wonder if Chase's last owner lived on a bike path? Such nice looking dogs. I hope they find homes soon!

Going to visit Twiggy in a bit. I wish she were home already! I keep looking at the pictures. She's even cuter in person!

[Biciclista]

I adopted someone today! Here's Twiggy! She's still at the shelter until she's spayed. Isn't she incredible? I think she's a mix of Russian Blue and extra terrestrial.

Hopefully she can handle Eddy.

she's beautiful! what eyes~!

I can resist dogs. I just think about the damage my last dog did to our house, and he was adorable and smart too.

[DebTX]

I adopted someone today! Here's Twiggy! She's still at the shelter until she's spayed. Isn't she incredible? I think she's a mix of Russian Blue and extra terrestrial.


Oh my gosh, she's gorgeous, congratulations!

[sgtiger]

Zen - He's been through so much he yet he hasn't lost his spirit. Great little guy. I hope he finds his forever home.

Redrhodie - Twiggy is lovely. That expression on her face reminds me of one of those clock cats.:D

[Fredwina]

http://i437.photobucket.com/albums/qq93/Janalingo/downsized_0103090816.jpg
also did some walking the equestrian path::o
http://i437.photobucket.com/albums/qq93/Janalingo/downsized_0103090915.jpg

[sgtiger]

Fredwina, which vineyard is that? You take such lovely pictures BTW.

[Fredwina]

That's the filippi winery (http://www.josephfilippiwinery.com/)in Rancho Cucamonga

[Zen]

My local NPR station plays old radio shows on Sunday night, sometimes the Jack Benny show. For some reason he always uses Rancho Cucamonga as a punch line.

I just like saying 'Cucamonga'.

[Fredwina]

ah yes, the Anahiem, Azusa and Cucamonga railroad (http://www.tvacres.com/trains_azusa.htm)
we have statue of JB in front of one of the libraries. Plus we have Jack Benny dr (which intersects with Rochester ave)

[Pax]

We're doing our quarterly five hour round trip drive to Trader Joes today. Time to stock up again...those of you who live near one are so lucky! We have a natural food store and a co-op but at $5.85 for a box of cereal it's cheaper to drive to Chicago every few months and stock up.

[tulip]

My local NPR station plays old radio shows on Sunday night, sometimes the Jack Benny show. For some reason he always uses Rancho Cucamonga as a punch line.

I just like saying 'Cucamonga'.

Oh boy, Zen, are you a Big Broadcast fan, too?? I have to have my Johnny Dollar, Dragnet, and Gunsmoke every Sunday night. Jack Benny's pretty good--very funny and spontaneous at times. I even like Our Miss Brooks.

[tulip]

Plus we have Jack Benny dr (which intersects with Rochester ave)

That's funny!

[Crankin]

I have very dim memories of watching Our Miss Brooks when it was actually on TV for real. I was maybe 3 or 4 years old...

[Zen]

Yours Truly,

Johnny Dollar :D

[Fredwina]

That's funny!

and it's right by the "the adult sports complex (http://www.rcrda.us/index.asp?NID=155)". I always expect to see some one filming a porno there.
Plus, Frank Zappa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaffey_College) went to college here

[Zen]

I always expect to see some one filming a porno there.

Now that's funny :D

[TsPoet]

On our walk today we ran into a nefarious creature that had to be monitored and put in it's place.
Look at Murphy's hackles!
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee139/TsPoet/endofsnow1of1.jpg

I'm thinking of naming my next dog Cucamonga.

[Fredwina]

I'm thinking of naming my next dog Cucamonga.

only if you live in a Sandy Place (http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061126220611AACSJhM):)
I like "light over the mountain" better.
Fredwina, who may move to Alta Loma (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alta_Loma,_Rancho_Cucamonga,_California)

[Zen]

Murphy's really got his back up!

I took Ginger for a hike with me today, she got her back up once or twice as well.
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb14/zencentury/DSC_0165.jpg

Just about everybody out there today had a dog
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb14/zencentury/DSC_0168-1.jpg

[crazycanuck]

Hello!!!!

We just got home from our return road trip from Sydney :) We took 5 days to drive back this time & managed to see some pretty coolio stuff.

I'll slowly catch up on stuff & promise to post some photos soon!

[chicago]

tspoet, that is so funny (the pic).. I love it!:D

and very nice pics Zen... very nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[chicago]

Hi all.. happy new year. I have been busy!! I started attending a CoDA meeting (Codependent's Annonymous) which has been great just in two weeks I've been going. Helping me move along with the break-up which is good. After 8 weeks from the break-up, it was obvious my exbf was not going to call with any kind of follow-up communication. I realized last week that "I" needed some closure... and it was apparent, he wasn't going to give that to me... so I surprised him and showed up at his door on NewYearsDay. I have not talked to him since 11/7 since he left. I cried, I told him what I felt, how I felt, I apologized for what I felt I did wrong in the relationship, I said everything I could not the night he left... cause he left so sudden I had no time for anything, let alone speak. Unfortunatey his mind appears to be made up and he is fine with being out of the relationship... which boggles my mind, but whatever... that's why I'm going to CoDA to learn that I am powerless of what he chooses and to free myself from my guilt that it was all my fault... which I know it was not.

Anyway, it was a good meeting.... and I feel like I got my closure, and I feel so much better... a little more vindicated and maybe a little less humiliated because I felt I deserved to speak too.

So that's all I have to say on that... :D

but I am here to share my pic of me and Lady Marlene at the stables. She is the horse I train on... I just love her!! I have had the most amazing people come into my life the last few months. The people at the barn are just amazing and the people in my CoDA group are just great... I feel so blessed that even though I dont have the exbf, I still have lots of good things in my life... and one being is this fine horse below!! (Dont' look at my hair, I just got done riding for over and hour with her... and both she and I worked very hard!!, hehe)

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l143/pigfinn/IMG_0198.jpg

here she is on the cross ties. Her coat is a little messy here cause she is sweaty from riding and her coat is a little long with winter... but I love her. She looks a little skinny in this pic, it's just the angle... she's not that skinny, but she's not huge either.... although I do like her size and her breed. I think if I buy a horse I will get a Saddlebred just like her :D

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l143/pigfinn/IMG_0197.jpg

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

CC- we look forward to a description of your adventure and some pictures! :)


Great horse photos, Chicago.

[Biciclista]

Chicago, it will get better! Every day without old what's his name, he will fade a little more. Soon you'll wonder what you saw in him in the first place.


And thanks for sharing your horse with us. I remember those days. I remember when I was in my 20's we all wanted the tallest horses we could get(since i rode Arabians, they were never very tall). Then my best buddy and i rented pasture belonging to this 70 year old man. He loved to go to horse auctions and buy ponies. Not tiny ponies, ponies about 12.5-14 hands. He'd get on these ponies and make them walk out like a horse. He explained it was a lot closer to the ground in case he fell. He more than kept up with us on rides. We thought it was silly. But now I can relate to that.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Today a team of guys from the tree surgeon company we hired came and cleaned up our poor giant 60foot 50year old pine that was so devastated in the recent ice storm. I also had them do some healthy pruning and grooming of several other small neglected trees and bushes on our small property while they were here, and remove a large bush that split from the ice storm.

There were so many giant pine branches down and they had to climb all up and through the tree to make precise cuts to clean off giant splintered branch ends and try to encourage some new branches to grow. The many branches down were so big and such a mess lying there for the past several weeks- our poor beautiful tree! It was so depressing to look at in the back yard. :(
We were lucky the tree company could come help us so soon as they did- they've been super busy ever since that ice storm and are booked up all this next year as well with people like us.
4 handsome strong young men were buzzing all over the property like a swarm of bees and climbing our trees like monkeys- it all happened so fast, in like 4 hours! Their massive shredder machine-truck can chip branches (logs really) that are 15" diameter! :eek:
We are so sad to see the formerly full lush pine tree looking so bald, thin, and amputated now, but also glad it was able to be saved somehow, and happy it is all finished now and the huge mess cleared up. It was the best we could do to help the tree rather than just cut it down. They said the big pine would eventually sprout some new smaller branches to fill in the bare spots as time goes on.

[Tuckervill]

That pine tree will fill in so fast you won't even remember what it looked like!

Did they leave you the nice chipped-up wood to use for mulch in the spring?

Instead of buying mulch, we rent a chipper ($100 a weekend) and chip all the branches that have fallen throughout the year. In the meantime, while we stack up the branches, the birdies have a place to nest.

Karen

[Zen]

I had the tree trimmers from the power company make me a bunch of mulch. I never did use it:obut Ginger likes to lay on it:o:o

[Aggie_Ama]

BSG- Thanks for the suggestion of putting water in Maggie's food. The vet suggested it today, when we told him we were already doing that he was pleased we were a step ahead! ;)

[Zen]

I'm considering a remake of another bike. I want something that will take a wider tire (38's?) to go on dirt roads. The Mariposa has (I think) 29's.
Maybe I'll start perusing the pawn shops.

I've been on the Rivendell site too much...

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

BSG- Thanks for the suggestion of putting water in Maggie's food. The vet suggested it today, when we told him we were already doing that he was pleased we were a step ahead! ;)

Oh, I'm so glad!! :p Our cat Pearl, who has had kidney issues for years off and on, started getting bad again a month ago. That's when I just switched all three cats to canned food ONLY, and added plenty of water to it all to sort of force them all to get more water. It seems to have done the trick- Pearl has slowly improved since I did this and is now a lot better than last month. I wanted to avoid giving her sub-cutaneous water injections if at all possible, and the soupy food is working. :p Of course they all complained bitterly but I held firm and eventually they had no choice but to eat the canned mush food instead of the pellets they loved. I have found a few canned brands and flavors they seem to like well enough. I avoid ones with any kind of gluten in the ingredients as I suspect the toxic chinese gluten disaster was what poisoned Pearl in the first place several years ago and damaged her kidneys early on to the point of almost killing her.
Keep us posted on Maggie's progress!


I'm considering a remake of another bike. I want something that will take a wider tire (38's?) to go on dirt roads. The Mariposa has (I think) 29's.
Maybe I'll start perusing the pawn shops.
I've been on the Rivendell site too much...

Just a thought- I used to run 38's with inner Kevlar belts on my Rambouillet because I felt I needed super wide tires to go on dirt and gravel roads. DH suggested 32's, which worked fine for me too. Then we both switched to 28's with Kevlar (flat resistant inner layer) ....and those worked just fine too over fields and rocks and gravel and dirt and potholes. I didn't notice much of a difference except they were not as fat and heavy. Finally, last year we switched 4 of our bikes to 25's with flat resistance inner belts- and hey, I can't believe what kind of rough stuff they go over with no problems ...and no flats!...except...The only flats I've ever had were from long sharp glass shards, and that happened with both wide and thin tires- few tires can withstand a long nasty glass shard or a nail, regardless of width. So all I'm saying is that I myself found that I didn't really need super wide 38's to ride mega-rough surfaces and gravel roads- what I needed was flat resistant tires and the 25's seem just as bulletproof to me as my old 38's were, due to their tough inner belts of flat resistant material.
My DH likes his 700x25 Continental gatorskins....I like my 700x25 Continental 4 Seasons Grand Prix best.....and we both like Pasela Panaracers w/TourGuard (Kevlar) of varying widths. All those ties have inner flat-resistant belts. We put the (more expensive) Continentals on our pleasure bikes and are using up our older wider (and cheaper) Paselas on our errand bikes now. Just more stuff to think about. :)

[Pax]

I'm considering a remake of another bike. I want something that will take a wider tire (38's?) to go on dirt roads. The Mariposa has (I think) 29's.
Maybe I'll start perusing the pawn shops.

I've been on the Rivendell site too much...

If my PT lets me ride this Spring I'm going to see if my Trek 7.5 can handle a switch from 28's to 38's...I need a little less jarring on the commute.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

If my PT lets me ride this Spring I'm going to see if my Trek 7.5 can handle a switch from 28's to 38's...I need a little less jarring on the commute.

That's definitely one nice thing about fat tires....they tend to smooth out bumps which is very important if you have physical issues. :)

By the way, if anyone missed the entire new life that Zen gave to an old lugged Mariposa she picked up, be sure to look at what a wonderful job she did to it:
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=28547
...what a dreamy bike! :D

[Zen]

I think I have 35's on my FX

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Zen, you will also have to find out the limits on the width of tires your Mariposa can take...with fenders. This depends on your brake clearance, your fork and rear clearance. My Rivendell Rambouillet, for instance, was made for wider tires than typical road/racing bikes- and I can put at max some 700x38's on it with no fenders. I believe it will not accommodate any tire wider than 28's with fenders. You'll have to decide whether you want to keep the fenders or ditch them for really wide tires. Even without fenders you'll have to still be sure your brakes and fork etc will fit wider tires.

[divingbiker]

Y'all are being pretty on-topic for a way off topic ongoing conversation thread...:p

[Biciclista]

shh! it's raining in Seattle!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Y'all are being pretty on-topic for a way off topic ongoing conversation thread...:p

Actually, we are being off topic for the topic of this thread...
aiiiiii!!!! Brain hurting!!!!!!!!! :eek:

No, you're right of course- sorry! :p


Mimi- it's freezing rain here right now too. Weirdly, it seems to me that the NW and the NE have been echoing each other's weather this past month, getting ice storms, sunny, or snowstorms often at the same time. strange... But biking has been just about impossible here so far this winter, between ice, wind, heavy snow, frigid temps, and rain. I'm getting cabin fever and eating way too much fattening stuff! I think I'll at least go for a 5 mile walk tomorrow (.....after a hearty breakfast of course). :rolleyes:

[Aggie_Ama]

I wonder if we should be putting more water in Maggie's food? My husband has been putting some but it is not totally soupy. She has to go on a phosphorous binder to try to bring that down. I really don't want to have to do subcu fluids. I think she needs more water.

My pansies have finally starting blooming, makes the house more cheerful since my ruellia and mexican heathers are getting dormant for the winter. Is it spring yet?

[Zen]

Y'all are being pretty on-topic for a way off topic ongoing conversation thread...:p

Pipe down, you!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I wonder if we should be putting more water in Maggie's food? My husband has been putting some but it is not totally soupy. She has to go on a phosphorous binder to try to bring that down. I really don't want to have to do subcu fluids. I think she needs more water.

Maybe add more gradually (to get her used to it) until the canned food is like a thick soup, that's what i do and the 3 cats are all used to it now.

[crazycanuck]

It's another day in paradise & forecast temp is 37C. I hope there's some wind along the river when i ride home!

We will have to break out the jackets on Monday..it's only going to be 28C :rolleyes: :p

[TsPoet]

I wonder if we should be putting more water in Maggie's food? My husband has been putting some but it is not totally soupy. She has to go on a phosphorous binder to try to bring that down. I really don't want to have to do subcu fluids. I think she needs more water.


Believe it or not, Murphy was terrified of water when I first got him! He absolutely would not drink. The vet thought his kidneys were not working and told me I'd have to put him to sleep. Several hundred $ later, it turned out he was just massively dehydrated.
Anyway, a friend of mine taught him to drink on command. She'd stamp her foot, point at the bowl and say "take a drink!", he'd run over, take a drink, and run away. It was an amazing thing to see.
I did that everytime I walked by his water bowl for about a year, it became a fun game for him. 8 years later, he's no longer afraid of water bowls and all is good.
So, you could teach her to drink on command ;)

[Biciclista]

Believe it or not, Murphy was terrified of water when I first got him! He absolutely would not drink. The vet thought his kidneys were not working and told me I'd have to put him to sleep. Several hundred $ later, it turned out he was just massively dehydrated.
Anyway, a friend of mine taught him to drink on command. She'd stamp her foot, point at the bowl and say "take a drink!", he'd run over, take a drink, and run away. It was an amazing thing to see.
I did that everytime I walked by his water bowl for about a year, it became a fun game for him. 8 years later, he's no longer afraid of water bowls and all is good.
So, you could teach her to drink on command ;)
what a strange problem. Would he eat ice cubes?

[Zen]

Zen, you will also have to find out the limits on the width of tires your Mariposa can take...with fenders.

Done that. It will only take 28's with the fenders and I'm keeping the fenders..
These are the tires that are on it now
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb14/zencentury/DSC_0191.jpg

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb14/zencentury/DSC_0192.jpg

And just to keep things off topic, this is what it looked like here today.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb14/zencentury/DSC_0186.jpg

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb14/zencentury/DSC_0182.jpg

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

{{{{{shudder....}}}}}} I remember that ice from a few weeks ago! no power for a couple of days....hundreds of $ of tree damage in our back yard....1/2" if ice on everything.....ACK!!
It's hard to believe we are still just in the beginning of winter- the weather has been so lousy!

So if you get some nice 28's with flat resistant inner belts (like maybe Kevlar for instance), you'll be able to ride that Mariposa over really rough gravel and dirt you know. It's the glass and nails that get you more than the rocks and gravel, at least for me.

[crazycanuck]

I loved the photos Zen! Yes, I understand that winter can be hard & horrible but it's beautiful.

Keep warm & i'll try to keep cool down here..

[TsPoet]

what a strange problem. Would he eat ice cubes?

what a great idea, where were you 8 years ago when I needed you? :rolleyes:
Murphy was ~2 when I got him and was on his way to being put to sleep for a slew of fearful and aggressive behaviors. He'd been terribly abused, had broken bones and was 14 lbs. He's now 20 lbs (and should be 19), he's under 8" at the shoulders. Took me nearly 2 days before I could touch him without being bitten. First walk I took him on, we rounded a corner in the park to find one of those barrel garbage cans - he viciously attacked it. I can't believe he didn't break a tooth on it.
Later that same week, while walking him in the neighborhood, a sprinkler popped up, and he attacked that - Lots of Murphy stories. I absolutely adore him. Eight years down the road and he's infinitely better. I still can't take my eyes off him for fear of what/who he might attack.
This last week, we ran into a snowman on a walk.
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee139/TsPoet/endofsnow1of1.jpg

and last year, we ran into a porcupine
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee139/TsPoet/SadMurphy1.jpg

[TsPoet]

{{{{{shudder....}}}}}} I remember that ice from a few weeks ago! no power for a couple of days....hundreds of $ of tree damage in our back yard....1/2" if ice on everything.....ACK!!
It's hard to believe we are still just in the beginning of winter- the weather has been so lousy!
.

It has been in the single digits around here with constant light snow for the last 3 weeks. It warmed up amazingly today and I've been enjoying being warm.
Until I saw those pictures, now I have a permanent chill. Thanks, Zen!

[Zen]

now I have a permanent chill. Thanks, Zen!


Not a problem ;)

Poor pup!
How did you get those out?
Don't they have barbs on them?

[Pax]

TsPoet - Murphy sounds like a hoot and a half, sorry he had such a rotten start in life, thanks for giving him a good life.

[Aggie_Ama]

We spent last night watching "Armageddon Week" on the History channel. DH asked if the end is so close should we just quit our jobs and just do nothing until it gets here? :p

[OakLeaf]

Wow TSPoet, thanks for giving Murphy a second chance! I don't think most shelters would even allow him to be adopted out, would they? He's a cutie.

Hope those porcupine quills came out without too much trouble. When I was a kid our 105# black Lab got into a porcupine. That was farm country and you wouldn't have a dog anesthetized for a thing like that... even if there was money for a vet visit, which there wasn't. :( My dad held the dog and my uncle held the pliers, or the other way around, I don't remember. :(:(

Zen, hope there wasn't too much damage. Ice sure is beautiful! but it sure can be destructive.


DH asked if the end is so close should we just quit our jobs and just do nothing until it gets here? :p

Honestly, I think maybe you're too young, but back in the day I didn't know a soul who thought they'd live to see the year 2000. Everyone my age thought the world was going to end in the '80s. I was just talking about that with someone else who's about 20 years older than I am, and she said her generation was the same thing. I think maybe that's part of why the Y2K bug got so over-hyped. I don't mean to imply that it wasn't an amazing amount of necessary work for hundreds or maybe thousands of programmers - because obviously it was. But you recall there was a large segment of the population in the summer of '99 who thought the programmers wouldn't get the work done. They planted wheat in their little home gardens, installed hand pumps in their wells, etc. I didn't really connect it up at the time, but I wonder how much of that apocalyptic thinking came from a conviction that the world had already overstayed its welcome.

[Aggie_Ama]

We had a friend stock pile bullets, batteries, gas for his generator and non-perishable food on his ranch. He looked a little silly come 1/1/00.

The Mayan calendar coming to an abrupt end is fascinating but I wonder as we get closers to 12/21/12 will we see an increase in fear that the end is coming and we can't do a thing about it?

Isn't there a cycle of ever so often people thinking the end is near? This is way too much deep pondering for the morning hours!

[redrhodie]

We had a friend stock pile bullets, batteries, gas for his generator and non-perishable food on his ranch. He looked a little silly come 1/1/00.

The Mayan calendar coming to an abrupt end is fascinating but I wonder as we get closers to 12/21/12 will we see an increase in fear that the end is coming and we can't do a thing about it?

Isn't there a cycle of ever so often people thinking the end is near? This is way too much deep pondering for the morning hours!

I've seen so many dooms-days go by, it should be an annual holiday.

[Biciclista]

humans predicting the end of the world are constant proof of the hubris and presumptuousness of humanity. Who do they think they are? Do they ReALLY think God is talking to them ABOVE the other few trillion of us?

[OakLeaf]

humans predicting the end of the world are constant proof of the hubris and presumptuousness of humanity. Who do they think they are? Do they ReALLY think God is talking to them ABOVE the other few trillion of us?

Actually in the 80s, we figured that the humans who were (very realistically) on the path to destroying the world for everyone, were the ones who weren't listening very hard to God, or to whomever.

[Biciclista]

Actually in the 80s, we figured that the humans who were (very realistically) on the path to destroying the world for everyone, were the ones who weren't listening very hard to God, or to whomever.

++++++++ yeah, really.

[TsPoet]

I've seen so many dooms-days go by, it should be an annual holiday.

Oh, and it needs to be in March, to break up the middle of the long holiday-free dry spell we have between New Years and July 4th.
I love it. Only maybe it should only be on leap years to let the doomsday sayers have time to recalibrate

[jobob]

The Mayan calendar coming to an abrupt end is fascinating but I wonder as we get closers to 12/21/12 will we see an increase in fear that the end is coming and we can't do a thing about it?

It would help with retirement planning, at least. :cool:

[Aggie_Ama]

It would help with retirement planning, at least. :cool:

Maybe I should stop contributing to mine and buy more bikes. :p

There were some very smart and slightly odd people on the show that really buy into the idea that our planet will align with the sun and some black hole in the Milky Way, the poles will shift and all chaos would break lose. My mind was doing sommersaults trying to process that! Then of course they had the skeptic saying doomsday has been near so many times so who cares about this one. All quite interesting points of view and I just decided to stay on the fence, too much for me to process.

February 29th should be doomsday, it really is a weird day. :)

[snapdragen]

Oh, and it needs to be in March, to break up the middle of the long holiday-free dry spell we have between New Years and July 4th.

Noooooo! My birthday is in March, I don't want the world to end on my birthday! :eek::D

[five one]

Noooooo! My birthday is in March, I don't want the world to end on my birthday! :eek::D

My BD, too. The day before yours :p. The end of days has to wait. But I have to agree with Aggie Ama, Feb 29th would be a good day (many years hence). I had an creepy ex-BF in high school who was born on Leap Year Day. Maybe that's why he was so weird.

One of the (few) perks I have working for a public school system is all the federal and state holidays. Between New Years and July 4th, we have MLK Day (1/19), President's Day (2/13 & 2/16), Cesar Chavez Day (3/31 - CA only) and Memorial Day (5/25). Wahoo :D

[Zen]

I'm ready to go but I would like to have some notice.

I'd like to be in Hawaii when the time comes.

[Aggie_Ama]

Would you like them to send you a letter? Kind of a like a bill? "The end of the world will be due on XX/XX/XX.":p

[Zen]

I dunno...
If it looks like a bill I might delay opening it and if it looks like Publishers clearing House I'd probably throw it away :o

[OakLeaf]

If you delayed opening it, would they have to give you two more final notices before the end of the world?

[Aggie_Ama]

Is there a late fee for ignoring it? Do you get a cancellation notice, one of those ugly stickers my old electric company stuck on the apartment doors? Or is it like around here when they are evicting, they send the sheriff who plasters the notice on the door with duct tape? How will I be notified the end of the world is coming, I would like to be prepared.

[Pax]

I'm ready to go but I would like to have some notice.

I'd like to be in Hawaii when the time comes.
Excellent idea!!





If you delayed opening it, would they have to give you two more final notices before the end of the world?
I laughed loud enough at that that my co-worker is staring at me. :p

[crazycanuck]

Let's have a vote on when we want the world to end..

What (besides biking) would you like to be doing when the world ended? Paying an overdue bill by chance?


I know this may be rude & ignorant but i'll post this anyways..I don't feel sorry for the family of these two folks who did something really really stupid at the Fox Glacier in NZ today...THERE ARE SIGNS UP FOR A REASON!!!! AGHGHGH....http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10551061&pnum=2


My cousin died in 89 when he climbed over the barrier at the Athabasca Falls in Alberta...

[Fredwina]

CC,
Nah, but they were just being human:(
besides these guys (http://www.darwinawards.com/)need something to write about;)

[Aggie_Ama]

I read about another person being attacked by a panda at the Beijing zoo because they crawled in the enclosure to retrieve a toy. Stupid people never learn. They look cute but hello they are wild bears. :rolleyes: I am a HUGE panda fan but I wouldn't hop in to hug one or pet one or anything one.

[Fredwina]

Nothing makes your evening like a good earthquake!:p
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/shakemap/sc/shake/10370141/
maybe this is better:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ0K_DC9rUg

[Tuckervill]

I was at the bank yesterday and the teller said, as she wrote the date...it's Elvis' birthday! I, of course, was aware of it, having lived 15 years in Memphis, AND my dad and Elvis were born a week apart in the same year. We talked about the day he died (August 16, 1977--I remember it well because my best friend's mother was so upset and wanted to go straight to Memphis! And 5 years later my eldest son was born on that date.)

How weird that there are some things that are so trivial, yet you never forget them.

Karen

[Zen]

Elvis really used to make me swoon (when I was about 6 years old)

I still love him even if he did get fat :o

[Biciclista]

Elvis never did anything for me. I was a Beatles fan. George was my favorite.

[Aggie_Ama]

Elvis was very handsome, IMO. We have some portraits of my Pawpaw when he was a young marine, black hair, darker skin. I still cannot believe how handsome he was, maybe that is why I think Elvis was so handsome. My dad was adopted by my grandparents because with his black hair and blue eyes he looked like he could be their kid. I used to be jealous I didn't get Dad's black hair or mom's auburn, I have the recessive dark blonde hair. Did get the porcelain skin. :rolleyes:

I love "Kentucky Rain", "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" and inexplicably "In the Ghetto" is one of my favorite Elvis songs.

Fredwina- Did you think it was your notice of the end of the world?

[Pax]

I wasn't a Beatles fan until after they broke up, then I just like John Lennon's music. Never cared for Elvis, he was my dads age...ewwww. Now the Monkees, they were the hot group...Davey Jones was soooo cute!! :p

[Aggie_Ama]

One of the guys I work with I swear looks like Davey Jones. He isn't in the office and only comes here once a year, I snicker everytime thinking of the show. My brother used to record the Monkees on Nick at Night. :p

[TsPoet]

David Bowie = Davey Jones
can't get over that.

[Zen]

8375

Elvis knows karate :cool:

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Ok who put that Elvis head on that little boy body? eeeewww And his head's too big for his body!!

And why does this remind me of that 'other' King?
http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/3503/39446359em3.jpg

agggggghhhhhhh!!!!!!!! :eek::eek::eek:

And Davey Jones looked like a chipmunk.
Those baby face teen idols do 'not' age well....Davey Jones, David Cassidy, Scott Baio, Paul McCartney....they all tend look like gnomes as they age.

[Fredwina]

Elvis was very handsome, IMO. We have some portraits of my Pawpaw when he was a young marine, black hair, darker skin. I still cannot believe how handsome he was, maybe that is why I think Elvis was so handsome. My dad was adopted by my grandparents because with his black hair and blue eyes he looked like he could be their kid. I used to be jealous I didn't get Dad's black hair or mom's auburn, I have the recessive dark blonde hair. Did get the porcelain skin. :rolleyes:

I love "Kentucky Rain", "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" and inexplicably "In the Ghetto" is one of my favorite Elvis songs.

Fredwina- Did you think it was your notice of the end of the world?

No - I think i'm getting to used it. (those big mountains in my pics? The San Andreas fault) I actually rememebered to take cover.
It was only about 4 seconds -a jolt at first and then rumbling
and I almost put Jerry Lee Lewis "whole lotta Shakin..." up. Maybe "The king" is still out there :)
and I did like elvis :o and I actaully like the songs you mentioned, too. But then, my parents are from Memphis.
Anbody for Peanut butter and Bannana sandwhiches?

[TsPoet]

Those baby face teen idols do 'not' age well....Davey Jones, David Cassidy, Scott Baio, Paul McCartney....they all tend look like gnomes as they age.

my fav has always always always been Cary Grant. Even when I was pre-teen, I was in love with that man. When he was in his 80s he was still gorgeous

http://www.bfi.org.uk/education/teaching/screendreams/images/postcards_grant_450.jpg

http://www.memory-lane.org/Rick_Busciglio_CaryGrant.jpg
(don't know who the other guy is)

I was in my 20s before my mom had the nerve to tell me she knew him! she went to school with a stepchild of his and met him several times when she was ~10 years old.

[jobob]

Elvis never did anything for me. I was a Beatles fan. George was my favorite.


Mine too! Lennon & McCartney were geniuses together - greater than the sum of their parts - but out on their own they both faded somewhat. George, however, was brilliant all on his own. And damn cute. All IMHO, of course.

[Pax]

David Bowie = Davey Jones
can't get over that.

Wha?? :confused:

[Aggie_Ama]

Lisa should be put in timeout for posting the king. Maybe that is our notice on the end of the world. Seriously scary.

[Pax]

And Davey Jones looked like a chipmunk.
Those baby face teen idols do 'not' age well....Davey Jones, David Cassidy, Scott Baio, Paul McCartney....they all tend look like gnomes as they age.
Oh I don't know, I think some of them stayed pretty cute.

Davey Jones

http://www.rhino.com/fun/henrydiltz/mar02/1big_mar.jpg

http://www.paradiseartists.com/pages/roster/print/images/davy_jones.jpg


Bobby Sherman

http://www.nndb.com/people/491/000024419/bobby-sherman-4-sized.jpg

http://www.bouldercool.com/sherman.jpg

[Biciclista]

http://graphics.boston.com/resize/bonzai-fba/BANG_Showbiz_Photo/2008/04/20/1208691399_4449/539w.jpg

and some didn't age so well. :confused:
not much makes me feel older than looking at what happened to his face.

[TsPoet]

Wha?? :confused:

David Bowie's real name was David Jones. He had to change is since the Monkeys got popular right before he started recording.

[TsPoet]

No - I think i'm getting to used it. (those big mountains in my pics? The San Andreas fault) I actually rememebered to take cover.
It was only about 4 seconds -a jolt at first and then rumbling
and I almost put Jerry Lee Lewis "whole lotta Shakin..." up. Maybe "The king" is still out there :)
and I did like elvis :o and I actaully like the songs you mentioned, too. But then, my parents are from Memphis.
Anbody for Peanut butter and Bannana sandwhiches?

Think maybe the earthquake was somehow related to the Oakland riots in a weird spiritual way?
(please no one answer, I'm just being snide)

[Crankin]

Did anyone else like Dave of the Dave Clark Five?
I know I'm dating myself. I was in fifth or sixth grade and my mom and I had dueling pictures of Dave vs. Paul Mc. up on the fridge as to who was the cutest...
I liked some of the Monkees songs, but I never was in love with them.
Now, I never know who is singing what.

[Biciclista]

a couple of my girlfriends succumbed to the DC5 after they gave a local concert. i NEVER forgave them. This strikes me as hilarious today; but the height of my emotions on that subject were spectacular!

[Pax]

David Bowie's real name was David Jones. He had to change is since the Monkeys got popular right before he started recording.

Ahhh, I didn't know that. I like "Bowie" better.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Lisa should be put in timeout for posting the king. Maybe that is our notice on the end of the world. Seriously scary.

Sorry. :cool:


a couple of my girlfriends succumbed to the DC5 after they gave a local concert. i NEVER forgave them. This strikes me as hilarious today; but the height of my emotions on that subject were spectacular!

That's funny!- me and my best friend were madly in love with the beatles too, made scrapbooks from cutting up teen fan magazine pix...OMG the memories. My GF loved Ringo, I loved John but I was very depressed that he was married.
Sixth Ave. in Manhattan had little vendor stands all up and down the avenue....dozens and dozens of vendors selling only beatles fan mags, beatle records, and...beatle WIGS!!! Grownups actually walked around in the city seriously wearing cheezy Beatle wigs! I kid you not, that's how crazy it was.
And we thought any girls who liked the DCF were total TRAITORS and had to be INSANE! :D

[five one]

Elvis never did anything for me. I was a Beatles fan. George was my favorite.

Add me to the list! I was sure (at the tender age of 12) that I would grow up and marry George and was devastated when he married Pattie Boyd. I still love watching him in A Hard Day's Night from time to time.

I also had a brief crush on Davy Jones when The Monkees were in their heyday. I think it was partly because he was only 5'3" - perfect for 5'1" me. Facially he hasn't aged too badly for being 63, but his shortness kinda makes him look like a Munchkin. I have to agree with BSG about the rest of the baby-faced teen idols though. Paul McCartney would look much better if he'd stop dying his hair. Who is he trying to kid?

Dave Clark was good looking, but for some reason, I liked Mike Smith better. He died last year of complications resulting from a fall that had left him a paraplegic. Sad.

What about Mark Lindsay of Paul Revere and the Raiders? I saw them in person in 1966 (my first concert ever - talk about dating myself!) back in their light blue velvet, white tights, tricorn hat days. I was screaming my head off in the fourth row :o

Those were the days...

[TsPoet]

A friend of mine is pregnant, and have a tough time of it. She found a re-usable barf bag - This is just wrong on so many levels!
http://www.morningsicknesshelp.com/red-e-bag.html

And the most concerning part to me is, do they really expect you to walk around all day carrying this bag?
Where do you dispose of your used liners?
And more importantly, what do you do if you need to use the bag and the liner is full???

[Biciclista]

A friend of mine is pregnant, and have a tough time of it. She found a re-usable barf bag - This is just wrong on so many levels!
http://www.morningsicknesshelp.com/red-e-bag.html

And the most concerning part to me is, do they really expect you to walk around all day carrying this bag?
Where do you dispose of your used liners?
And more importantly, what do you do if you need to use the bag and the liner is full???

lalalalalalalalalala (don't want to think about this, sorry)

[Bruno28]

I was at school with Davy Jones' cousin.


I leave for the airport in three hours to go back to Scotland :(

[Biciclista]

when i saw that you posted i was almost positive you were going to say you were related to John Lennon or something.. :(

owell. Scotland's not THAT close to Liverpool

[Aggie_Ama]

TS- I tend to not talk to pregnant people. The ones I know tend to overshare like that post. :p Plus they come in clusters at work, I worry it is contagious or something. j/k

[Duck on Wheels]

when i saw that you posted i was almost positive you were going to say you were related to John Lennon or something.. :(

owell. Scotland's not THAT close to Liverpool

But the Wirral is close to Liverpool. UK-E's bf is from there. So is Daniel Craig. They went to the same school. Craig was known as a wimp because his mother wrote him notes to get him out of playing rugby. UK-E's bf got out of rugby by a different route -- his badminton coach would tell the rugby coach that [UK's bf-to-be] was needed for such and such a badminton competition and therefore must not be injured. Apparently Craig wasn't good enough at some other sport to get out of rugby that way. His old schoolmates think this is funny now that he plays Bond.

[snapdragen]

Think maybe the earthquake was somehow related to the Oakland riots in a weird spiritual way?
(please no one answer, I'm just being snide)

Nah, opposite ends of the state. ;)

[uk elephant]

But the Wirral is close to Liverpool. UK-E's bf is from there. So is Daniel Craig. They went to the same school. Craig was known as a wimp because his mother wrote him notes to get him out of playing rugby. UK-E's bf got out of rugby by a different route -- his badminton coach would tell the rugby coach that [UK's bf-to-be] was needed for such and such a badminton competition and therefore must not be injured. Apparently Craig wasn't good enough at some other sport to get out of rugby that way. His old schoolmates think this is funny now that he plays Bond.

And being from the Wirral he also has some claims to fame relating to the beatles....Apparently McCartney's family live in the same village.

On a different note, this is the view along my new commute to work now that I have moved to Wales....I could get used to this:

[solobiker]

Looks awesome UK. Here in CO we have some pretty amazing sunrises and sunsets with the mountains. Thanks for sharing.

[Zen]

Oh, UKE!
That looks positively idyllic.

I've always wanted to go to the area where "Last of the Summer Wine" was filmed.

[Biciclista]

what a dilemma, found out a cool band is playing at a restaurant really near my house, but it's a vegan restaurant, the kind with fake steak, fake fish and fake cheese. Ew.
I guess we'll go somewhere else.

[Pax]

Come on Mimi, there's some very tasty vegan food out there. One tip I try to follow...never eat "faux" food, things like fake steak never taste like the real thing so I don't bother.

[salsabike]

Mimi, I am going to drag you by force to Carmelita. YES, Seattle's totally gourmet vegetarian restaurant is being mentioned by me AGAIN. Bruno, you too. I don't want to hear about those disgusting chip butties, or buddies, or however it's spelled. We took some friends there for dinner last week, one of whom announced he was a "committed carnivore" and they all raved about the food. You need an adventure in vegetarian dining.

George Harrison.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Mimi, I am going to drag you by force to Carmelita. YES, Seattle's totally gourmet vegetarian restaurant is being mentioned by me AGAIN. Bruno, you too. I don't want to hear about those disgusting chip butties, or buddies, or however it's spelled. We took some friends there for dinner last week, one of whom announced he was a "committed carnivore" and they all raved about the food. You need an adventure in vegetarian dining.


Don't bother Mimi right now- she's busy loading WHOLE ENTIRE CHICKENS into her kitchen counter-top meat grinder! :eek: :eek:

[salsabike]

Ugh. Think I'll go have a veggie sausage.

[Biciclista]

ahem. The chicken is for the cats. THEY are not vegetarians. And I ground up the whole entire chickens YESTERDAY. Today I had awesome Napolitano Pizza.

And I like vegetarian food too, but not FAKE food.
You can make great dishes without meat using beans, cheese, grains and thousands of awesome vegetables.
Yes, take us to Carmelita's and We won't tell D it's a vegetarian place.

[Zen]

ahem. The chicken is for the cats. THEY are not vegetarians. And I ground up the whole entire chickens YESTERDAY.
Phew!
I thought that was some sort of manic reaction to the thought of vegan food :eek:

[salsabike]

:D:p

Zen, you're a funny girl.

[OakLeaf]

I don't understand that fake stuff either. Oh, once every year or two I'll cop to buying a package of "meat"balls to throw into pasta or whatever. But not to, say, order a Gardenburger at Ruby Tuesday's or anything like that. :rolleyes:

That said, we've been a couple of times to this restaurant (http://www.vegetarianhouse.us/) in San Jose run by some religious group. Most of the menu is fake this and that, but it's all hand made and really very good. You just have to be enough of a vegetarian that you're not expecting it to taste too much like the meat/fish product it's supposed to mimic.

[Pax]

I don't understand that fake stuff either. Oh, once every year or two I'll cop to buying a package of "meat"balls to throw into pasta or whatever. But not to, say, order a Gardenburger at Ruby Tuesday's or anything like that. :rolleyes:

That said, we've been a couple of times to this restaurant (http://www.vegetarianhouse.us/) in San Jose run by some religious group. Most of the menu is fake this and that, but it's all hand made and really very good. You just have to be enough of a vegetarian that you're not expecting it to taste too much like the meat/fish product it's supposed to mimic.
A friend of mine is a veg as are her husband and children, her husband requires "faux" food so she's gotten quite adept at making it...she shared some of her best fake roast beef with me recently and I just couldn't get it down, it just gagged me. I stick with lots of veggies, beans, potatoes, good breads, etc.

[Biciclista]

..she shared some of her best fake roast beef with me recently and I just couldn't get it down, it just gagged me. I stick with lots of veggies, beans, potatoes, good breads, etc.

exactly.
well, Raleighdon and 15 other crazies are off doing another 200k. it's 40 degrees out and rain is expected for most of the day.

[salsabike]

Yeah. My particular crazy is with them on that 200K. Whoof. I just don't think I'm ever going to want to do the randonneuring thing.

I plan to work on weaving a little, go to a Contemporary Quilt Art Association meeting, and do a bike workout. Although I would LOVE to just go back to bed.

[Crankin]

Lisa, I wasn't really a traitor! I always loved the Beatles (all of them), but the feud between my mom and I with DC and Paul was just a fun thing. I had one of those Beatles' wigs! I have a picture of my 2 yr. old cousin wearing it with a very wild look in his eyes and me looking like I had just been dancing to "I Wanna Hold Your Hand."
My best friend went to the Beatles concert at Shea Stadium. I was so pissed her parents didn't invite me!

[Biciclista]

http://www.mimitabby.com/mtorch.jpg

I didn't need a Beatle wig, I just cut my hair!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Robyn, I want to SEE that beatles wig picture!
Mimi- that is SO CUTE!!! Hey is that a Gibson archtop you are playing?? (!!)
Here's George on a Gibson flattop:
http://www.kevchino.com/graffix/bandphotos/george_harrison_bp.jpg

On another subject altogether-
I always tell my DH about snowshoe outings I plan to go on, and there is one planned tomorrow since we are supposed to get between 4-8" of new snow tonight. :D He *never* wants to go on the snowshoe outings with me, even though there are extra snowshoes for him in the basement.
This morning he totally SHOCKED me by saying he wanted to go shopping for proper boots today so he could go shoeing with our group from the Land Conservancy tomorrow. :eek: I was so thrilled and delighted!
So today we went and he found some perfect boots for the purpose, also got some good gaiters. This is going to be so fun tomorrow!!

Tonight we are going to a fund raising dinner for our local Humane Society at a very nice local restaurant. We go every year- the food is great, and it's a very worthy cause. Lots of our friends from the village go, and we wind up sitting at the big tables with various people. Everyone squeezes in somehow, and a good time is had by all. :p

[Biciclista]

Lisa, no that's no Gibson. It's a really obscure brand, it was my father's guitar.

[Fredwina]

look who I met at the library today:
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/2090110SantaAna/100_0168.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/2090110SantaAna/100_0167.jpg
just a bit windy:
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/2090110SantaAna/100_0170.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/2090110SantaAna/100_0173.jpg
in case you wanted to know what a Santa Ana Felt like
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/2090110SantaAna/th_100_0171.jpg (http://s122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/2090110SantaAna/?action=view&current=100_0171.flv)
starting the walk:
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/2090110SantaAna/100_0148.jpg
Jack and Carolyn bringing up the rear:
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/2090110SantaAna/100_0162.jpg

[Biciclista]

you RODE in that wind and then they SMILED as they were riding in that wind?? wow.
and who was the guy below Jack Benny?

[Fredwina]

I walked -still not supposed to ride.
They moved the ride start to get more in the shadow of the mountains(almost no wind here at home vs 40mph gust by the mall)
The other statue is Will Shakespeare :)

[Pax]

Fredwina - LOVE that sunshine and blue sky...we had another round of ice today. :(

[Zen]

And she sent on to us...:mad:

[crazycanuck]

I saw a snake slither quickly ahead of me on the bike path this morning...I didn't stop to take a look to find out what type..;)

Another hot day here..38C! We're in for some cooler temps mon-wed this week though..ahhhhh..

[TsPoet]

I saw a snake slither quickly ahead of me on the bike path this morning...I didn't stop to take a look to find out what type..;)

Another hot day here..38C! We're in for some cooler temps mon-wed this week though..ahhhhh..

I have a habit of reading the notes, then who/where they are from.
Considering it's 30-ish and overcast and we've had record snowfall the last 3 weeks, seeing a post about a snake made me do a double take.
I've been walking the dogs on a trail I refer to as "rattlesnake central" for the last month - no rattlesnakes in sight. In the spring and summer, I've seen as many as 7 rattlers on a 1.5 mile loop. That's when I stop going there until winter.

[crazycanuck]

I don't mind snakes..from afar!! Australia has some of the most lethal snakes & am fully aware that they're not things to take lightly. I'd rather not have to venture to the hospital to be given anti-venom meds..

One creature I will stop for though is a bobtail lizard. They are really cute & NOT dangerous...

Rattlers..yikes! Would your dog try & go after one???

Speaking of creatures..We had a huntsman in our house on Friday night so I put it in a towel & threw it outside. I never thought anything of it & thought it had disappeared for good. (Ian is arachnaphobic)
Anywho..Ian told me that he used the vehicle late friday night to get some nibblies & all of a sudden a large spider appeared on the winscreen..:eek: He jumped out of the vehicle in a panic & it's a good thing no one was on the road :eek: He was so frightened of this spider that he purchased a can of fly spray(on top of the nibblies) at the petrol station & doused the vehicle..A few minutes later a rather groggy spider wandered off..

Poor spider!!!

[Biciclista]

how big was the spider? :eek:

[crazycanuck]

Mimi-it was a Huntsman I believe..

I have to ask..if i'm doing short rides to & from uni(about 20km return) plus errands etc..what type of cycling pants can I wear? I wish i could find the thread about this question...

[Duck on Wheels]

Like this? (warning: do not follow link if you're an aracnophobe)
http://members.iinet.net.au/~pterren/Spider_Dads_hand.JPG

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I have to ask..if i'm doing short rides to & from uni(about 20km return) plus errands etc..what type of cycling pants can I wear? I wish i could find the thread about this question...

Hmmm....20 km is about 12.5 miles...
If you are getting off your bike and walking around a couple of times during that ride for errands, you might not have to wear official cycling pants at all. Could be just some comfy sweat pants or something would do it. I usually don't wear padded bottoms for rides under 8 miles or so. I might avoid jeans though- the seams are particularly aggressive on jeans. Try it out.
Keep in mind that the vast majority of people all over the world who ride bikes for transportation, commuting, and errands never wear padded shorts at all- just their regular clothing. Could be you get a little sore the first time and maybe not so bad after a few more short rides like that. Depends on whether your saddle is comfortable too.

[Crankin]

Lisa, I will have to find that picture. It's not on line, so I will have to show it to you in person next time.
How was your dinner?
We are going snow shoeing today, also. But it doesn't seem like we got as much snow as predicted. Maybe 3-4 inches. I want to go x country skiing, but I know Steve will complain. I will do that tomorrow.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

How was your dinner?
We are going snow shoeing today, also. But it doesn't seem like we got as much snow as predicted. Maybe 3-4 inches. I want to go x country skiing, but I know Steve will complain. I will do that tomorrow.

The humane socitey benefit dinner was FUN- lots of good townsfolk all crowded together happily while it snowed like the dickens outside :D

We got about 6" of beautiful fluffy fresh snow last night! Added to the already old 4" on the ground from before- Brian and I are off to the snowshoe trek in about 30 minutes. :D Will check in later.

[bmccasland]

Yesterday I lived in the tropics, was sunny, warm, in the upper 70's. Sometime during the night the north wind starting blowing. Today it's grey, windy, in the low 50's.

TODAY I'm supposed to go to a picnic in a park, in a Renaissance costume. Fortunately I have a warm costume, but I'm also supposed to sit there and work on embroidery or lace. My hands will seriously object. I DO have some fingerless wool gloves somewhere.... oooh that might work. TE brainstorming to the rescue again. ;)

[crazycanuck]

Allo?

Beth, how did your picnic go?

I'm *sighing* a bit today..I just handed in my resignation letter. I'm happy :Dbut just a bit nervous too

[bmccasland]

Allo?

Beth, how did your picnic go?

I'm *sighing* a bit today..I just handed in my resignation letter. I'm happy :Dbut just a bit nervous too

One word - chilly. Stayed all wrapped up in my wooly cloak, and wished I remembered my wool hat with fox trim. Was too cold to do hand work. The fighters were happy, they didn't work up a sweat. And we attracted attention from other park visitors, which was the point. The only bad thing was that I dropped my hand made mug and it shattered on the side walk. :mad: Had to drink my coffee out of the little tiny cup on the top of the thermos.

CC - you quit your job??? :confused:

[Biciclista]

Hey we had a family picnic sunday night in the dark! (we had a light) my son lit a fire in the outdoor BBQ and we sat around the fire and visited and roasted hotdogs and unfortunately stale marshmallows. (Accompanied by 3 wonderful salads and later pie)
ps due to it being January there were no yellow jackets and no mosquitoes.
CC good luck on your new venture.

[TsPoet]

Allo?

I'm *sighing* a bit today..I just handed in my resignation letter. I'm happy :Dbut just a bit nervous too

CC,
Also so your post on the Dear So and So thread, but missing the background info! What's up, terribly unhappy with old job? sounds like you needed a new schedule.
I envy you, wish I had the nerve to "quit". Last year TE was hiring in their shipping dept. I can't tell you how close I came to applying for the job! I claim the only thing that kept me from it was the health insurance lapse, I'm type 1 and can't go without health insurance. The truth, though, is I'm too much of a coward. So, good for you, and Good luck to you!

[crazycanuck]

Bmc-photos? I'd love to do historical/period costume work..

Ah, some background info on my job would help hey...

I've not left my present job yet. I just have to give at least 5 weeks notice!

I wanted to stay with my present company part time whilst at uni & discussed this with my manager a while back. Well, in the meantime quite a few other admin staff at a couple of our offices left...:rolleyes: So..after i'd accepted the uni spot..bad news came along and was told our director wanted someone full time to serve all three offices each day. THis is because two of our present admin folks are now busier etc etc. I don't know what's going to happen to thier jobs once our company moves all of it's staff into the a new building later this year...

Tis a good thing i'm leaving!

I just checked the Perth forecast for the rest of the week...40C on friday!!! :eek:

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

CC- It's good to be following your dream and improving yourself through more education....good for you!

Ok it is COLD here! The daytime HIGH temps over the next four days: 14F, 12F 12F, 13F..... :eek: :eek: :eek: Don't even talk about nighttime lows.
Just too damn cold, but I'm going to go out right now and do a 4 mile walk anyway- I'm becoming a blob from lack of exercise. It's currently 3F degrees, with wind chill factor of -13F. I'm going to need all the wool in my arsenal. :cool:

[Biciclista]

rode to work today. it was cold, but not even freezing. lucky us!

[jobob]

Every now and then I check out Mimi's blog to see her latest work.

Aside from her Obama portrait, this one is my current favorite:

http://mimitabby.blogspot.com/2008/12/rainy-pass-summit.html


I think it captures the peace and solitude of cycling beautifully!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Every now and then I check out Mimi's blog to see her latest work.

Aside from her Obama portrait, this one is my current favorite:

http://mimitabby.blogspot.com/2008/12/rainy-pass-summit.html


I think it captures the peace and solitude of cycling beautifully!


Oh my gosh you're right, that one is just exquisite!


Well I had to cut my walk to 3 miles instead of 4 this morning- it was just too damn cold with the wind added. My lungs and eyeballs were starting to freeze. Good news was that my good layered clothes kept the rest of me nice and warm! And the monster gloves my DH got me for xmas worked just great with my alpaca glove liners tucked inside. No cold fingers or toes! :D

[Biciclista]

That painting is of one of my heroes. Her name is Marilyn, and if she isn't 70, she's close to that. She's done a lot of incredibly difficult rides, and nasty weather doesn't even slow her down.

how cold WAS it Lisa?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

That painting is of one of my heroes. Her name is Marilyn, and if she isn't 70, she's close to that. She's done a lot of incredibly difficult rides, and nasty weather doesn't even slow her down.

how cold WAS it Lisa?


There is a woman group ride leader near here just like that too- she's about 70 but looks 60 and can out ride most others but just chooses not to. ;)

Cold? by the time i got out there it was about 5F with wind chill of -12. I would have been fine if there had been no wind, but that made it brutal. I did get 3 miles in though, with at least 300 steps of downhill jogging, which meets my personal goal for weightbearing/impact exercise for the next few days. My hip joints got a good walking workout too. :p

[Biciclista]

:eek::eek::eek: windchill!!! :eek::eek::eek:

I'm all for the blankets and hot chocolate and heated houses!

[Aggie_Ama]

And the monster gloves my DH got me for xmas worked just great with my alpaca glove liners tucked inside. No cold fingers or toes! :D

I am quite enamored (sp?) with my Alpaca wool beenie/skull cap I got for Christmas last year. Every time I wear it I have a strange longing to buy an alpaca, learn to spin and then knit. I would like an Alpaca anyway, they are cute. I guess for practical purposes I could probably just learn to knit and get the yarn huh?

Mimi- I love the painting!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I put a few pix up of the snowshoe trek we did last week, in the snowshoe thread, if anyone wants to see:
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=12727&page=9
It was fun! :p
Way too cold now to go out much at all. Gotta wait it out with my hot cereal and hot cocoa....

[crazycanuck]

It's freaking hot out!!! 41 C!!!

[Aggie_Ama]

CC- Thanks to Cyclingnews I know that 41C is over 100F. After 50+ days of over 100 last summer in Tejas I feel for you. Get some ice water or better yet a cool pool. Do you have AC?

[chicago]

for all the warm weathered friends...

this is from my display in my car yesterday:eek:

[Aggie_Ama]

I feel like a weenie. It is 40 here today, I didn't want to walk across the street to one deli and do not have a car. Luckily my co-worker lent me hers to go to a different (better deli). I am not genetically rigged for sub-40.

[tulip]

I did not get above 22F today, and I'm in Virginia. Tonight, it's supposed to be 8F. Minnesota, I would understand. But not Virginia!

[Fredwina]

Aggie,
I', super wimpy
Its 80 F
remind me of this in August when I'm complaining about riding in 110 temps:o

[Aggie_Ama]

I whine all summer about wanting to move somewhere with real seasons, then on our random cold snaps I whine about the cold. A few months ago I realized I will never be happy with the weather because as a control freak I want it to be on demand. Like today, I would love a good warm 80-ish day with a good old Texas thunderstorm. But no, the lord has given me cloudy, grey and barely 40 which I did not want or order.

[Duck on Wheels]

We had 5F yesterday, which was actually quite nice for hiking. Less slippery roads and as it wasn't windy it didn't feel all that cold. DH and I hiked down to town and back to see a movie. Today was 25, but snowing and blowing up a storm. Walking from work to the gym and from the gym home was a slippery headwind slog through snow drifts, and cold to boot. But hey, the saying here is: There's no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes. I had a couple wool layers under windproof, so I was fine except where the wind blew in around my face. That's not the wind's fault. It's mine for not having a balaclava. Now 40C on the other hand ... there's no way to dress for that! I feel for you CC! Heat is tougher to deal with than cold.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Yeah we had about 10-15F degrees today, but sunny and no wind- it was nice enough for DH and I to hike down into town and have lunch, go to the bank and pharmacy, and then walk back home- about 3 miles total. Had lots of good wool layers on and stayed nice and cozy. We enjoyed it. :p
Walking is one thing, but it is still too cold and icy to bike. I really really miss riding my bike. I haven't been able to ride since around Thanksgiving i think. :(

I am just as guilty as anyone when it comes to complaining about the weather. But I wrote this a while back about an experience I had that gave me pause for thought:

At St. Vincent's hospital in New York City several years ago, my mother was there in critical condition for a long time, and I had been going there over and over on the train for weeks on end. It was March and New York City was having a miserable cold gray rainy day. After my 4 hour trip, I got on the hospital elevator which was crowded with hospital workers and visitors bundled up in winter coats with dripping umbrellas. They were all complaining about how horrible the weather was and what a rotten day it was.
Also in the elevator was a young man dressed like a hospital orderly/maintenance worker. In the midst of everyone's complaining he suddenly said cheerfully "I'm just happy to be able to feel the rain on my face!" Everyone became silent and thoughtful, and ashamed for complaining about the weather. I know they, like me, were thinking about all the people right there in the hospital who would give anything to feel the cold rain on their faces again, and who probably never would again.
The young man got off the elevator at the next floor. I still think of his words, he gave us all a little gift in that elevator.

[bmccasland]

Now 40C on the other hand ... there's no way to dress for that! I feel for you CC! Heat is tougher to deal with than cold.
I have discovered Linen. Thin linen. OK, not see-through. It may not look all crisp after about 10 minutes, but linen is the way to go in hot muggy weather. Oh, and loose. Stacey and Clinton of What-not-to-Wear would probably scream but I was comfortable in my linen "resort wear" clothes that I bought. Have a great shift / sun dress that I'm going to get a friend to help me draft the pattern off of to make another one in a different color. I own more linen clothes now than I have in my entire life.

All this being said. I was greatly disappointed in the linen clothes that I foolishly expected to stay looking pressed for work. Frumpy "resort wear" where wrinkles are part of the style I can live with, but I swear those that wear crisp pressed linen in fashion magazines never sit down.

[crazycanuck]

I don't mind riding in the cooler weather. It's in temps around 38C & no wind that i reconsider. If there's no wind round here..it's horrible! Cycling clothing or not!



It's quite smoggy here today because of some ((#(#(#(# arsonist!!! http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,24924097-5000540,00.html

I had a wonderful walk at the beach after work last night :)

[tulip]

All this being said. I was greatly disappointed in the linen clothes that I foolishly expected to stay looking pressed for work. Frumpy "resort wear" where wrinkles are part of the style I can live with, but I swear those that wear crisp pressed linen in fashion magazines never sit down.

I've had luck with ironing with heavy starch. Also, it works better if you don't have to drive to work because that scrunches up everything. I would keep my (ironed and starched) linen clothes at work and ride my bike in and change.

[Crankin]

My night in Boston was not as horrible as I thought. It was about 19 when we got there and we walked so fast to the restaurant, I was fine. It was about 10 degrees when we left the theatre and with all of my wool, I was fine. As Duck said, there's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes. Right now, there's a thing on the Today show about things to do inside when you're cooped up because of the cold. I wanted to say, "Get out there and do some snow shoeing!" If the sun is out, that's half the battle. Right now it's -2 at 8:30 AM.
But, basically I couldn't take living in endless summer anymore, after 16 years in AZ and 4.5 in Miami. I love the seasons and whenever I start thinking about how the cold is bothering me, I think about 113 degrees. Yes, 40 C. s*cks.
If it's 25 or above, it's good. The thing about where I live, is that the kind of cold we are having now comes in small bunches, not like the midwest, where it comes and stays all winter. Most of the time, it's around 30 here in the winter.

[Aggie_Ama]

It was 73 today in Austin, we hit the mountain bike trail and saw that everyone else was enjoying the beautiful day. We ran into an older gentleman I have seen at the trail before who said "It looks like winter out here but it doesn't feel it". True the decidious (sp?) trees are bare but it felt like spring.

[Biciclista]

just rode 10 miles in the dark in 39 degree weather. That is PLENTY cold for me. brrrrrr that's fahrenheit.

[Zen]

39 is downright tropical.
It's warming up now but as I was coming home from DC on Friday night I watch the thermometer in the car hover around 5.

I'm actually getting used to this.And I have more appreciation than ever for Smartwool :D

[Biciclista]

well, at 5 degrees I would not be riding 22 miles to the opera and back on a bike!! :eek:

[Zen]

You went to the oprah?
Which one?

[crazycanuck]

So, are you guys ready for Mr Obama's inauguration? I guess you ladies in Virginia/DC etc areas are going to encounter some interesting security in the next few days!

Will you still be able to go to work??

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

So, are you guys ready for Mr Obama's inauguration?

Though of course not everyone in the US is pro-Obama, I must say the mood seems hopeful and optimistic here in our little rural town in New York state.
Our local Welsh-style pub on Main St. will open during midday so townsfolk can gather together and watch the event on tv there, and also there will be a big community potluck celebration at the same pub that evening so everyone in town can bring food and continue the sense of community celebration. :)

DH and I look forward to it all!

[Biciclista]

we went to see Bizet's the Pearl Fishers.
And I have contracted some sort of sore throat thing. I could feel it coming on as early as saturday, but ignored it in hopes that it would go away.

Am I ready for the inauguration?
YES

[Bruno28]

Okay - so we are planning to get married in May in Hawaii and naturally are completed unorganised :eek:

Having done some internet research - after deciding Hawaii sounded like a good idea but knowing nothing about the place :rolleyes: it seems a that gigantic resorts are something of the norm. Does anybody know any small hotels/ appartments that will provide good quality accomodation, close to some local restaurants/amenities? we would prefer one of the smaller islands and are open to suggestions about which is the best island. Any advice/views welcome.

I've posted this on the Hawaii thread also in case there is anyone with local knpowledge who doesn't visit TD.

[Selkie]

So, are you guys ready for Mr Obama's inauguration? I guess you ladies in Virginia/DC etc areas are going to encounter some interesting security in the next few days!

Will you still be able to go to work??

No local with sense would head down into the city, unless they lived in DC proper! It'll be madness with the crowds, and the weather here is cold w/a brutal windchill.

No work. We get the day off (I work in the exburbs, although I live 3 miles from the city, so I'll hit some of the "early departing" traffic, heading to Dulles airport on Wednesday am).

[snapdragen]

Pioneer Inn on Maui is right in the town of Lahaina. It's not super fancy, but I enjoyed my stay there.

http://www.pioneerinnmaui.com/

Lots to do on Maui, or there are boat trips to Lanai or Molokai if you like (I love my day trip to Molokai)

[salsabike]

Okay - so we are planning to get married in May in Hawaii




WaHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

[Biciclista]

Okay - so we are planning to get married in May in Hawaii and naturally are completed unorganised :eek:

Having done some internet research - after deciding Hawaii sounded like a good idea but knowing nothing about the place :rolleyes: it seems a that gigantic resorts are something of the norm. Does anybody know any small hotels/ apartments that will provide good quality accomodation, close to some local restaurants/amenities? we would prefer one of the smaller islands and are open to suggestions about which is the best island. Any advice/views welcome.

I've posted this on the Hawaii thread also in case there is anyone with local knowledge who doesn't visit TD.

CONGRATULATIONS!

[crazycanuck]

Coolio Bruno!!!!

We won't be watching the inauguration live....it's on at 1am!!! :(

[kelownagirl]

Okay - so we are planning to get married in May in Hawaii and naturally are completed unorganised :eek:

Having done some internet research - after deciding Hawaii sounded like a good idea but knowing nothing about the place :rolleyes: it seems a that gigantic resorts are something of the norm. Does anybody know any small hotels/ appartments that will provide good quality accomodation, close to some local restaurants/amenities? we would prefer one of the smaller islands and are open to suggestions about which is the best island. Any advice/views welcome.

I've posted this on the Hawaii thread also in case there is anyone with local knpowledge who doesn't visit TD.

Congrats!!!!! Where are you going to live once you're married?

I have stayed at Sugar Beach in Maui several times, near Kihei (sp?). It's a condo on the beach. Has kitchen etc and was relatively reasonable if I remember correctly.

Have fun!!

[OakLeaf]

Congratulations Bruno!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Yes, congratulations to Bruno!!

[Zen]

If they make it to 25 years I'll say congratulations. For now I'll say best of luck.

What- me? Jaded?

[salsabike]

Okay - so we are planning to get married in May in Hawaii and naturally are completed unorganised :eek:




Hey, you need any bridesmaids in hula skirts? I'm sure your PNW buddies could come up with some costumes...it would add a really elegant air to the proceedings.

[Bruno28]

Thanks for the good wishes everyone.

Thanks for your offer salsa - such a connoisseur of good taste. Actually, I am somewhat sartorially challenged and don't have a wedding outfit yet so I may be in touch re a bridal hula skirt.

My friend Angela is on the case re wedding outfits which scares me......she's already talking about spray tans:eek::eek::eek: (you have to read this in the context that Scottish people's natural skin tone is blue.)

Veronica has come up with what looks like a promising location on the Hawaii thread.....but don't give up, our lines remain open.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

My friend Angela is on the case re wedding outfits which scares me......she's already talking about spray tans:eek::eek::eek: (you have to read this in the context that Scottish people's natural skin tone is blue.)

Forget spray tans. Hey, so you've already got the 'something blue' part covered.

(as in something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue")

[Bruno28]

LOL - good point!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

:p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p
:p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p



O!

[Tuckervill]

I'm waiting for my small town high school band to show up on the parade route...I don't believe the major networks are going to show the whole parade, though. Our band is near the end. :( I'm hoping CSPAN stays with it, though!

Karen

[Zen]

Fox is still showing the parade at 5:43

[crazycanuck]

I am watching the inauguration repeat on bbc..I'm awed by the masses of people! Wow!!!

I wanted to watch it live but I really wanted to do a longish ride this morning & had to get up at 415..

[salsabike]

Happy Inauguration Day to us. Hope I stop crying at SOME point.

Oh, Happy Day.

[Tuckervill]

Whatever you want to say about Obama's speech, I think the guy who stole the show and summed it all up for me was the preacher who gave the Benediction. It was lovely, and more poetic than the poet laureate.

And I'm so grateful that even though NO ONE else did, Obama, Biden and their wives stayed for the whole parade, right to the end, and our high school band got to see them there. It's just the right thing to do. I vaguely remember a former president not staying until the end of the parade one time, but I can't remember who it was, now. How disrespectful that was!

Karen