Grumps can suck it, it's Friday!

[robin3mj]

Flying to London tonight.

[bigbill]

Didn't ride yesterday, we had really YUGE! thunderstorms come through and it didn't clear out until after dark. I watched TV and sat in my recliner and ate pancakes with butter and honey. I feel really good today, I must have needed the day off the bike. I've been riding so much this year, around 5300 miles, mostly in 30-34 mile chunks. No regular centuries, a handful of metrics, and a few 50 milers. There isn't a cycling scene around here unless you make one. To get the miles I needed for the National Bike Challenge, I had to ride almost daily. I hit my goal a month early and should be able to relax a little but my body gives me a big WTF when I don't ride. I guess there are worse problems to have.

[Scott G.]

Day off to attend my daughters softball games.

Tomorrow duck season opens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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[Shinomaster]

I seem to have wound up with a really sweet, lovely new girlfriend!

[nahtnoj]

I had a scary, scary week. Amie was taking two medications with MAJOR contraindications. She developed serotonin syndrome. Actually, she has probably had it for months, but many of the symptoms of it are just facts of her daily life as someone with a severe case of Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. So we didn't even start to put any of it together until she started hearing voices. Lots of voices. Constant running conversations in her head with multiple spirits. Some friendly, some not so much. Up all night with cold sweats. Running around the city to "portals" burning sage to trying to get the spirits released back into the netherworld.

Tuesday was the height of it. She was up all night on Tuesday, and was somehow lucid enough to start researching drug interactions. She quit the one medication full stop, and the voices are gone.

For my part, I was giving her some space, but not too much space, to work it out. A part of me thought there was enough of a chance that what was happening was her subconscious minds way of dealing with her severe chronic pain to see what happened. But my parents came down for an Eagles game last night, and if she wasn't better by then, we were all going to take an early long weekend to somewhere that she could be monitored and kept safe while I found the right professionals to treat her.

So my anti-grump is that it didn't come to that, and we're going to go have a nice restful, relaxing weekend in the country.

[rwsaunders]

When you think that you're having a bad day, sometimes you just need to look around and realize that you have it pretty damned good. Leaving the office the other night, I walked past this display in the plaza...old shoes tied to white balloons. No big deal as there's always something taking place in the plaza. Then I saw the photograph of a young lady that I had known a few years back...she was a barista at a Tulley's near our office and her name was Marah Williams.

Marah always joked that since my name could be spelled backwards...Bob...I could officially spell her name backwards and call her Haram. It was a running joke that we shared when I came in the shop. Fast forward one month and I asked a co-worker about Marah as I hadn't seen her for a few weeks. When he shared the news of her passing due to an overdose, it stopped me cold in my tracks.

You then can imagine my surprise yesterday when I saw Marah's photograph in conjunction with the tribute to people who have overdosed. Hug your kids and family tonight and we are thinking about you Marah.

[maunahaole]

I seem to have wound up with a really sweet, lovely new girlfriend!

Pics or it didn't happen.

[maunahaole]

Five days of commuting on the bike this week despite two tropical storm/hurricanes aimed straight at us. Lester will be passing by tomorrow sometime with maybe some rain. The other one just gave us a bit of breeze and a little more rain and overcast than normal. A total non event. BBQ Sunday with the pals. Sooo ready for the long weekend.

[donevwil]

This AM took my mom in to have hearing aids fitted (Phonak, so cycling content right ?). First, convincing an 85 yo woman she really does need hearing aids and it would improve the quality of her life was a long, drawn out challenge for my brother and I (too expensive for her, won't accept charity from her kids). Second, she's been hard of hearing for 10-15 years and as it's gotten worse has learned to, at best, only partially engages in conversations. Very tough and almost depressing place to be for such a social person.

Lunch back at her retirement home provided closure. Life of the dining table, engaged in three conversations simultaneously and a big smile on her face. Back in her room she give's me the biggest hug in years, tears in her eyes, "Why did I wait so long, how can I every repay you and your brother".

You already have, mom.

[bigbill]

These were waiting on me when I got home from work. Found them across the hall, NOS Mavic SSC going on the Serotta. Happy Friday indeed.

[mnoble485]

When you think that you're having a bad day, sometimes you just need to look around and realize that you have it pretty damned good. Leaving the office the other night, I walked past this display in the plaza...old shoes tied to white balloons. No big deal as there's always something taking place in the plaza. Then I saw the photograph of a young lady that I had known a few years back...she was a barista at a Tulley's near our office and her name was Marah Williams.

Marah always joked that since my name could be spelled backwards...Bob...I could officially spell her name backwards and call her Haram. It was a running joke that we shared when I came in the shop. Fast forward one month and I asked a co-worker about Marah as I hadn't seen her for a few weeks. When he shared the news of her passing due to an overdose, it stopped me cold in my tracks.

You then can imagine my surprise yesterday when I saw Marah's photograph in conjunction with the tribute to people who have overdosed. Hug your kids and family tonight and we are thinking about you Marah.

Bob,
Thanks for sharing this. My struggles with addiction lasted many years. There but for fortune go I. I could post every Friday in this thread about the fact that I am alive and in recovery for over 30 years. By all rights, if I had kept going, my shoes could have been in the plaza.

Mike

[davids]

We are less than two weeks into our renovation project. I already have:

• Rational light switches and outlets where there used to be dumbassery;
• An entry hall where there used to be a closet;
• Two clerestory windows where there used to be sliding doors;
• A 10' long kitchen window where there used to be a wall full of ugly;
• The first coat of paint in our loft.

At this rate, the loft & second floor will be done - finished - within two weeks.

[marley]

2 1/2 days at Kingdom Trails on the fat bike - no responsibilities - except to ride all day, eat, drink and burn stuff in the fire pit until we pass out - wake up and repeat

[summilux]

My department started a new undergraduate program focusing on quality and faculty/student interaction. I now have 18 students in my class instead of 200. Holey Moley, I know all of their names!

[nrs5000]

We are going to have record turnout for the annual camp out we organize for my older son's class.

One of the new dads is stepping up to add a cocktail program to the festivities.

Everyone is super stoked for this weekend.

[Shinomaster]

This seriously made me laugh, who does this? The bike looked really nice too.

[sonicw]

This seriously made me laugh, who does this? The bike looked really nice too.

Joke's on them, it's a DeRosa with Shimano

[TMB]

These were waiting on me when I got home from work. Found them across the hall, NOS Mavic SSC going on the Serotta. Happy Friday indeed.

WHOA!!!!

I need to start reading the classifieds.

[rwsaunders]

All 12 boxes labeled A-L have arrived at their destination in Seattle...thank you FedEx. If any of you fine folks see some poor sap in the U-District this Sunday morning unloading a ZipCar full of these boxes, please stop and offer me a drink.

[bigbill]

WHOA!!!!

I need to start reading the classifieds.

I saw a set in Pro's Closet on eBay that were used but pretty nice. I couldn't pass up NOS ones though. When I built up the Serotta the Chorus brakes I put on there are 17 years old and really corroded underneath, especially the rear one. These will look better anyway, all the other parts are black. I'm going to put kool stop pads in them. The OEM pads are rim killers.