Monday, December 15, 2008

Back at work this week. it was not easy to leave the family this morning. Gianna was all warm and cuddled up on my chest before I left. I don't want to miss a second of her. only 6 more hours

Sunday, December 7, 2008




Gianna Mary Burke
7lbs, 11oz
December 1st.

Monday, November 3, 2008

mananged to get out on the bike on saturday for a couple of hours. really nice day for riding, what with the temps and stuff. i need to explore the north side more.

had a good night out with the boys this weekend as well, first to the squirrel cage for some beverages, and then onto double wide for some bbq. it was good to get out with them, not that anything has been holding me back from that, just some how, time seems to be ticking pretty fast these days.

I'm mentally starting to line up spring house projects. with the bulk of the interior work done, and the major landscaping out of the way, i think i'm going to be looking at really starting to "polish" the house. I'd like to do a patio, and eventually some sort of enclosure of the back porch (like folding glass doors or something that we can open up). I'm also pretty set on a wood stove back there as well. Wittus has some nice/modern stuff.

We're going to do a new fence, mostly to keep the nosy neighbors away, and so I can have my fire bowl in the summer nights.

i'm also going to be putting in a new, bigger retaining wall on the back side of the house. i'm thinking about having some steps that come off the back side as well, since it's kinda unusable the way it stands right now.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

quiet in the office today. i get in early as a rule, more to set the course for the day then accomplish any actual work, since most of what i do is on the run, and involves other people in the office.

it's nice though when no-one else is here. the clocks go back next week, which i desperately need to help my body with the sleeping issues. Sunlight is natures alarm clock, and my Dr highly recommends that i stand facing the sun for 20 minutes every morning when I get up. that's fine, but right now, it's still dark out when I do that.

Monday, October 20, 2008

peace and quiet surrounded me. i padded back to the bedroom. Both dogs were curled up on the bed with my wife, the husky's tail tucked over her nose to keep her warm. must be genetic. Casey was warm, curled up under the covers, the baby growing inside her, making her sleepy.

It was frosty out, the first time this year, when i opened the back door. the dogs wandered into the kitchen and out into the yard, and I stepped into the cool air, the sun not yet up, but just starting to turn the sky blue from black.

I love this time of the day. it's quiet, and the house is calm.

Monday, October 6, 2008

observations...

  • the new mazda 6.
  • i have a new pet peeve about wrinkled sweaters. just don't do it.
  • Burberry.
  • christmas trees in Lowes
  • evasiveness

and...disturbing trends in womens footware.
NO: "Gladiators", "Wedges"

MAYBE: "Peep Toes"

YES: "Boots", "Heels"

Thinking about a career as a tile layer. I did my parents entry way this weekend. i think I'm at the point now where i could charge for my skills, although to date i have not had to lay anything as tricky as marble. $250/Day, 1/2 day minimum.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

ok. i get that $700 bazillion dollars is alot of money ($2167 for every person in the US, according to CNN). i get that no-one wants to bail out failed institutions. i get all that. but, people, PEOPLE, i'm trying to re-fi my second mortgage this week, and i'll very pissed if this mucks that up.

thanks

Monday, September 22, 2008

nothing too crazy to report lately. Baby is growing, doing well.

Mostly been trying to wrap up landscaping jobs around the house. I'd say i'm 80% done. going to try and get some shrubs in before it gets too cold, and need to weatherproof some windows.

Work has been trying, with moves across the board, good and bad. enough about that tho.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

On fatherhood.

When I was 20, the notion of being a parent was laughable

When you're 25, the notion of being a parent was scary, but not unrealistic

When I was 30, the notion of being a parent was exciting.

I'll turn 31 before my daughter is born, pretty much the exact age I though i would be when Casey and I would have our first child. It's hard to define when i turned the corner from scary to exciting. I think seeing my friends go first helped, but there was also something deeper inside that just clicked one day, quietly that said "I'm ready" (which is probably a laughable comment as well, since i'll probably be turned on my head with this whole thing). Still, it's a chapter in my life i'm very much looking forward to.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

wow, what a great day to ride. wow.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

thar she blows...



Monday, July 21, 2008

Long Haul Trucker

F/F Surly 4130 Cro Mo
H/S Cane Creek SL2- Silver
BB 105 External BB
Crank- 105 Close-ratio triple 30-40-50, 170mm for spinnin'
F/D & R/D -105 1ospd, long cage
Chain- Whipperman
Bar/Stem- Bontrager Race
Shifters- 105 10spd
Pedals- SPD 323 flip-flop
Wheels- currently Bontrager Race, soon to be custom, Salsa rims w/ XT hubs.
Saddle- Turbo

Casey calls this my dork bike. or dork-y bike, depending on the context. it's HEAVEN to ride. i could seriously see how you could ride 150 miles a day on a bike like this, fully loaded.

It also marks the end to competitive cycling for me, for the next few years, but hopefully, a return to full time commuting.

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Two rides

So, slowly, I've been able tog et back on the bike, now that the main renovations are done in the house, and we're just waiting for the baby in Caseys belly to grow.

I've done more than two rides, but the last two rides, Monday and then yesterday, were of note.

Monday. longest ride of the year for me. used to be that 2+ hours was no thing, but breaking the 2 hours barrier after a year off was a pretty nice thing to do. It was actually a freak of nature that allowed the ride to happen at all. A strong microburst rolled through down town, causing a roof drain on our office to burst sending 1000 gallons of water through the ceiling. we're 1 floor removed from the action, on 19, but it was enough to fill about 2 small dumpsters and several garbage cans and the floor of our server room (not good).

Any, the ride. eerily quiet on the roads, and on the jail-trial, i just pounded it out, trying to spin as much as possible while still move at a clip. felt really good to be on the road bike again, but i think i wil need to tweak both my position (up a bit) and my low gear (down a bit) until i'm in better shape. I actually put a hurt on me getting back home, up the hills. i was by no means "in a pain cave without a flashlight" as a matter of fact, i'd say my pain cave was very well illuminated and apparent. Regardless, hurting felt good and bad all at once, and i have along way to go.

Tuesday. MTB ride in frick. the MTB has been seeing more action lately, since i can dance for an hour in frick and still be home for supper before it gets dark. If you've ever ridden there, you know that many of the trails follow the edge of steep drops, kind of a shale-rockface, not the kind of thing you can ride down (or up). I've often wondered what would happen if i ate it off the edge of one of those. last night, i found out. took a section i ride pretty much every time i go out just a wee bit fast, and could not keep my line, and veered off the trail. No biggie, i'll just plant a foot and bail onto this tree, keeping a hand out to catch my fall. And then i just kept going. I missed the tree i was planning on grabbing onto (it did get my bike, however) and started to slide. I might have hit a dead vertical section for a few feet, as i was certainly airborne, coming to land back on the slop, slid a few more feet, and stopped, upright, standing in the creek below. Wow, that was scary, slo-motion but scary stuff. my shoulder was sore, but didn't feel like it was out of place, and aside from alot of brush burn, seemed to be ok.

I wasn't immediately in the mood to keep riding, but, a guy who i kinda new was actually not far behind me, and came upon my bike in the trail, and looked down to see my scaling the root/shale/mud wall back up. He hung out until i was upright, and we ended up riding for about an hour together, exploring some of the stuff up behind the cemetery. i even rode down a hill i wrecked on a few weeks ago, which was a good confidence boost.

So I think this riding thing is back, for a while at least. No competition, just riding, for fun. (and i have a Surly Long Haul Trucker on the way as well, but that's a different tale)

Tuesday, April 8, 2008


Done, counters in, sink plumbed, done.

Done.

Done! We're DONE. D-O-N-E. Done.. (new couch as well)

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

i'm waiting for the plumbing inspector. i think i've got the wrong job. this guy gets to bang me for $125 for 4 minutes of his time.

Monday, March 24, 2008

so, finally, some kitchen updates...



Before


Before, again

Before, again, again

big hole in the wall


more big holes, down to the studs



framing started on the powder room

drywall, and the bar framed out


dog love

more drywall


finished drywall

tile floor after grout, before sponge

finished floor, and paint!


cabinets, appliances, new living room color, lights, etc

stove & range hood. and dog. (dog was extra)

fingerprints easily....


so, what's left? well, counter tops are 2 weeks out, and they need to re-ship the dishwasher enf panel, but we're close!

Sunday, February 17, 2008

powder room demo is complete, kitchen demo starts next weekend. bought me a shiney new crow-bar.

i've got an appointment with a specialist tomorrow to see why i can't get rid of the cold and headaches i've had since mid December. apparently my CT showed some things my regular Dr. didn't like, or understand.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

it's weird how much something can affect you. Sheldon passed away this week, and is being well documented by the entire web community. I had only one exchange, below with him, but like everyone else, have referred to his site many many many times. having spent the better part of my life in bike shops, i can't tell you the power of having all his information in one place, and what it means to have a connection to a personality like his.

sometimes it's not about luck, but time just expires. farewell.

David Burke to CaptBike

11/9/06


Hi-

We've never met, but i thought I'd send an email and a quick good luck. i read your heath pages, and well, "get better soon" doesn't quite seem to seem appropriate. You've got a fan base in Pittsburgh, PA Lot's of enthusiasts around here refer to your site constantly, and as a self confessed bike geek, i do the same.

Dave Burke

Sheldon Brown to me

11/9/06



Reply


Thanks for your concern. I'm bearing up OK, some days better than
others. I guess I'll just have to play out whatever cards I've been
dealt.

I'll continue updating http://sheldonbrown.com/health as news comes in...

All the best,

Sheldon
--
Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com
Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com
Useful articles about bicycles and cycling
http://sheldonbrown.com

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

this hasn't happened in a while. maybe too much stress, but sleep appears to be elusive for me tonight. i'm not even that anxious about trying to get back to sleep, just can't shut down right now.

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

smoke and bikes

trying out the new smoker today, courtesy of my inlaws. beef ribs. going for a 5 hour smoke. should be nice and tender.

Did a new years ride today as well. went to frick, and spent 90 minutes in the dirt. found/discovered a new trail that was pretty sweet. need to get to some other areas though too.