Oy. What a weekend.
Ever had one of those weekends where every waking hour was filled with an important activity, the accomplishment of which seemed effortless, and at the end of each day you were able to drift into blessed slumber knowing you'd done something worthwhile and truly made the most of each moment?
Yeah, me neither. Not even close.
This past weekend was typical for us, stumbling from one thing to the next, making compromises, substituting "close" for "exact," desperation compounding bad judgment, making quick decisions we're bound to eventually regret...a regular weekend, in other words.
Take our bike ride on Saturday, for example. (Please...take it.) Our rear tire's sidewall suffered the equivalent of the Blue Screen of Death, giving way catastrophically, resulting in a blow-out of epic and irreparable proportions. We thus ended our ride with a four mile trudge in cycling shoes pushing a 10-foot long bike with a hitch in its giddyup reminiscent of Festus Haggen. Ever walked four miles in cycling shoes? There's a good reason they're not called "walking shoes," you know. And to add injury to insult, we were prepared only for a 1 1/2 hour venture in the sun; add another two hours of exposure without adding any sunscreen and...I'll let you do the math. I could go on with how I ended up with the wrong size replacement tire AND tubes, but I won't.
OK, the weekend wasn't a total washout. We did buy a new coffeemaker. We didn't need a new coffeemaker, but that has never stopped us before, and probably never will. We go through coffeemakers like The Donald goes through cans of Aqua Net. This one's a DeLonghi 10-cupper (although they're those sissy 5-oz cups instead of the hearty 6-ouncers we covet), on sale at the local Starbuck's establishmentorium. The young barista was so enthusiastic in her sales pitch -- and so impressed that we had our own grinder ("Is it a burr grinder?" "Why, yes...yes it is!" "Wow!" I was sure she was thinking, "I wish I had friends as cool as these people," while my wife pointed out that what she was really thinking was "I wish my grandparents were as cool as these people, and also helped me with hearty commissions from coffeemaker sales."), we couldn't resist. Besides, this model has the advantage of being smaller than a Mazda Miata (a distinct drawback of our current Cuisinart) and it has a removable water container (another Cuisinart shortcoming).
I'm sure there was some other fascinating stuff ("other" being pretty much the wrong word to use given the rest of this post) that happened over the weekend, but the only thing I can come up with is the fact that I need a nap.
Sounds like a perfect April Fool's Day to me. They say you never really know someone until you've walked 4 miles in their cycling shoes. ;-) That's painful!
Posted by: Gwynne at April 3, 2006 04:11 PMThat's a good question, actually (but I expect nothing less from you!). We did at least have the good sense to be wearing touring shoes, which have recessed cleats instead of the giant external cleats found on racing shoes. You're better off walking barefoot for four miles than trying to stroll anywhere on those things.
I'm surprised you didn't ask the obvious question, though: "what, no cell phone coverage?" That's the first thing our neighbor asked when he found out about it.
Posted by: Eric at April 3, 2006 04:11 PMDang, I hate simultaneous comment/response things. I was replying to Pattie's comment, Gwynne, although I guess that's obvious considering you didn't actually ask a question.
Posted by: Eric at April 3, 2006 04:13 PMNo, no questions, but I did wonder what kind of cycling shoes you were wearing. Mine actually don't have much of a cleat on them. They're meant for touring/walking, but not 4 miles worth, just enough to get you into the nearest pub or whatever. ;-)
Posted by: Gwynne at April 3, 2006 04:23 PMGwynne, we used clipless pedals, so we've got those metal attachments on the sole of the shoe that snap into the pedals. On touring shoes, they're recessed into the sole. But the real problem, as you well know, is that cycling shoes have much stiffer soles than just about any other kind of footwear.
Posted by: Eric at April 3, 2006 04:56 PMPoor you guys! What a day! At least you have a new toy to play with (the coffee maker)... :)
Posted by: Rachel at April 3, 2006 06:04 PMI've started with the RSS feeds to keep up with a few of my more frequently-visited sites. Some blogs do the full post, and some do only the first however much of it.
Not Eric, though. Eric completely re-writes his posts for the RSS feed readers.
For example, this post's alternate body is:
*yawn*
Musta not plugged in that new coffee maker yet, is what I'm guessing.
Posted by: Brian at April 3, 2006 07:15 PMWhat an exciting weekend. So how did you end up with the wrong size replacement tire and tubes?
Posted by: ern at April 3, 2006 08:32 PMRachel, a new coffeemaker covers a multitude of problems. (I think that's in the Bible somewhere. If it's not, it should be. ;-)
Brian, that RSS feed is not a description, it's a warning!
Ern, I'm not going to tell that, to save those responsible the embarrassment. 8-)
Posted by: Eric at April 3, 2006 08:39 PMYou know, we actually bypass the electric coffee maker now...we use a French Press...very elegant, plus no electricity reqd'. Sort of a minimalist approach...I ground the coffee with a rock...;o)
Posted by: Mark at April 3, 2006 08:58 PMWhy even bother with the French Press...just dip the ground coffee like Skoal!
Posted by: Eric at April 3, 2006 10:16 PMDeLonghi 10-cupper
Is that produced by the same guy who made those aluminum cars years ago?
Posted by: Wallace-Midland, Texas at April 3, 2006 10:52 PMOne question: Were yall at Steinmart this weekend? I won't mention which department I think I saw you in, but it just hit me who the cute couple I saw perusing the lingerie section reminded me of...
Posted by: julie at April 4, 2006 06:52 AMJulie, I think you answered your own question when you referred to the cute couple. Now, if you'd seen a cute girl with an obviously outclassed male companion, that might have been us.
In any event, I'd rather walk four miles in cycling shoes than venture into Steinmart (and don't take it personally, Steinmart; that goes for all retail establishments of your ilk).
Besides, I buy all my unmentionables at Mervyn's.
Posted by: Eric at April 4, 2006 08:20 AMWallace again wins the amuseming comment award... at least that's my vote. We were voting right?
The humor factor in his comment has caused me to reconsider leaving the one I cooked up. Talk about outclassed.
Posted by: Jim at April 4, 2006 08:44 AMAw, Jim...don't encourage him! ;-)
Posted by: Eric at April 4, 2006 11:00 AMWhen BSODs invade the real world, you know you're having a bad day.
Posted by: Stephen Shores at April 6, 2006 07:56 AMAin't that the truth!
Posted by: Eric at April 6, 2006 08:44 AMAbout the publisher
Random Abbye photos...
Random Thursday: The Abbreviated Tuesday Political Edition
More rattler than meets the eye
Poop happens. And then disappears.
How the West was Won
Beware of Vampire Dog
Tieing? There's no tieing in gymnastics!
NBC Bungles Web Video
Random Thursday: The Monday Olympics Edition
On Holiday
Random Thursday
Chair Play
Book Review: "The Road"
Education is paramount. Well, next to jet skiing.
Warbirds, Old and New
The Neighborhood:
West Texas Blogs:
[Midland unless otherwise indicated]
Other Texas Blogs:
The Business:
The Church:
The World:
So, now do you hafta buy new cycling shoes, seeing as how your old ones probably got all wonker-jawed?
4 miles? Uphill? All the way? In the snow?
Oops, nah, I see it was in the SUN *grin*.
Posted by: Cowtown Pattie at April 3, 2006 03:24 PM