it's been a Looooong time since i've had to pull an all nighter at work, but this is shaping up to be a good one. new biz, which seems to have new importance these days, as always. both copiers are broken, and so we're double hamstrung with that issue.

Baby G is just amazing. cut her first tooth this week. crawling, just being amazing.

consolidating

so, i've made the decision to sell both the LHT, and the Motobecane. (and an extra wheelset to boot).

I don't ride either, much, and both are so similar it just doesn't make sense. Rather, i'm going to circle wayyyy back around to what i originally intended to do when this whole thing started, and pick up a Soma or a Cross check. something i can cross on, but also tour, if so inclined. I would even be willing to spend more coin, but there is jsut nothing in that $600 frame/fork catagory, and i can't quite make the lead to a $1000+ frame and fork that will get used once a month at best.

quiet this morning. i tired running, but to no avail. i might try again tonight, after i get home. decided to sip my espresso on the back porch as the sun crept through the bushes and trees. peace. stella ambled around, and then plopped on the porch with me for a while. good dog. good dog.

it really was just a perfect weekend, spending time with my wife, baby, friends, family. it was the kind of weekend that makes me feel so grateful for everything i have, so happy.

new pains of late have me thinking I need to get some activity back in my schedule. my lower back, stomach and ankles are constantly hurting, and i'm waking up with headaches. while I could go to the doc, i'm not that crazy about the service i get anymore, and honestly, i think i just need to loose weight and work out.

Work on the house has tapered, mostly because we're running out of stuff that needs to be done. the wine room is going along ok. i want to have that done by fall, which should be doable. if i can get the final framing done this weekend, that would be stellar.

Gianna is just wonderful. every day it seems she does something new, and she's jsut a pleasure to be around.

that's all for now.

Observations

• one car family
• sunscreen
• lighting
• soups
• cycling
• satisfaction
• becoming close to debt free

wanted to get one in under the 1 post/month deadline (and the last post was rather weak).

Anywho, have managed to get back onto the bike a bit now that it's lighter, later which is nice. i really miss riding, and hope this is the long, slow crawl out of the fitness hole i'm in.

Gianna is doing fabulous. She's started on rice cereal, which looks something like runny paste. she seems to like it though, and after a rough night, she's settled into eating it pretty well. she also got the hang of getting spoon fed amazingly fast.

House projects are starting to stack up, inside and out. On the short list:

Finish planting outside/on the slope
Shed
Fence
Paint Siding
Back porch knee-wall
tile back porch
patio
Attic steps

on the long side, we're thinking about adding a master bathroom, which means re-configuring our upstairs, and also possibly adding a room either into the attic, or over the back porch. neither are easy, but, the back porch option does allow for us to possibly make it a "green" renovation, maybe adding solar and a rain collection system.

is anyone actually reading this blog anymore?

Floor is in. Pretty easy, but you have to be a bit more delicate with the boards that i was initially. also going to have to figure out some trim sections that didn't quite go as planned.

Ordered new doors last night from Home depot, Front and Patio. I have to say i'm pretty pumped about them. We ran into an issue with the fornt, in that it was a very odd size, but the HD guy did a really nice job of getting the right thing, and not trying to kill us on something we didn't need.

yes, two posts in one month.

Gianna is doing wonderful, smiles and coo's all the time. and sleeping through the night. :)))

basement is coming along. need to sand the drywall once more, and then should be ready for paint and flooring. i used my better judgement on the tile sections that are going to see heavy foot traffic, and put down a hardy-backer board with about 30 tapcons. should be pretty solid.

I'm also most certainly going to have to pour a new floor in the wine room. it's just too un-level to do anything else. I do plan on using the same method as before, taking up the volume with some quick-crete and then getting close with the topping mix before i use the self leveler, since that stuff is $30/bag, and i'll need like 5 or 6.

I'm also so sick of winter and indoors. want to start working in my garden.

basement is coming along nicely. finished all of the framing in the main section, and was able to run power to one wall, and once i find the right breaker, will run to the outlet under the stairs. I should be ready to pour a floor leveler in the next few weeks, and my father in law is coming down next weekend to help me move some pipes so i can relocate the washer and slop sink.

Still debating on a floor finish. i have the snap-n-go tile samples, and they are pretty nice, but i really want to put a wood-laminate down, it'll jsut look so much nicer. hummmm.

observations:

• Poor health & increased coffee intake
• Fresca
• Sunlight
• My Blackberry
• Cycling season
• Ryobi 18v Cordless system

Cars:
No: Ford Flex, Suzukis

Maybe: Dodge RAM, Mazda 6

Yes: Acura TSX, BMW 3 series

so, i bought a cross bike. it'll be here tuesday. I had bought the Surly with hopes/dreams of doing touring rides, bumbling along country roads for hours on end, maybe stopping in a cafe for a drink, some lunch, etc.

then, i came-to0.

I live in Pittsburgh, and i think the visions i had were somewhere in the Lake District in England.
I also don't see myself being able to take 6 hours for a riding day anytime in the next 5 years.

I can do an hour on the cross bike, and have fun, and be 5 mins from my house. (and do it at night possibly, too).

Should actually be a pretty sweet setup tho. I've got a set of Reynolds Mid-V wheels i'm going to use, and a full 105 10spd group that's actually pretty light. I need a front mech, and a seat/seatpost (and i may use my old beat up flite saddle) but that's pretty much it.

The LHT will be reborn with with some flat bars, the fenders and rack will go back on, and probably a cheapo 9spd group. onward, again!