one grote race!

I did one last CX race on the 8th, the Grote Prijs Shawnee. A great race. Spectators, 4 barriers, 2 run-ups (one off camber), beer, coffee and pizza. The course was a tight one in a park and I would never have imagined that you could get a full on course in it but they did. I finished in the middle of the Bs. Got my work cut out for me.

Anyhow since then lots has been going on. The most momentous for me is that I turned 40 last Saturday. S0 far so good. Got a long ride in with The Perfesser and Patti on Sunday. Unfortunately, John was sick and couldn't come. Otherwise it was a perfect ride. Another Ashland loop with the same folks this weekend would be really nice. Bridget doesn't work tomorrow so I will probably get a slightly longer-than-usual ride in.

Last weekend was also the weekend of the flu at our house. It all started when Nora threw up at 4 in the morning Saturday. This was after playing an Excellent soccer match friday evening. She is a wiz with the ball and a joy to watch on the field. Damn! Her team is made up of "free agents", girls who don't have a regular team so they have only known each other for two weeks. The competition is made up of "traveling" teams that the girls had to try-out for. They have been playing together for a (relatively) long time and as a team are much better than ours. They are also a lot older than Nora and many others on her team. She is in a U12 league and she is 7. Still, on an individual level, Nora is as good or better (or will be) than many of the girls on the other teams. It is really fun to watch her skills develop.

Back to the flu...Bridget then got sick later on Saturday and missed a ride on the MKT she had organised in honor of my Birthday. She and Nora stayed home while Sam and I and about 12 other folks headed out for a 7 mile trail ride. Some of my friends on the ride hadn't ridden a bike for years so I was really honored that they picked my birthday to come out and try it again. With children no less.


Afterward we retired to Shakes for some pizza and beer. Actually only me and Sam and the Wrights (neighbors and some of the nicest folks I have ever met) made it to Shakespeares. Ann B showed up. and we all had a great time. Thought about my sick wife and child the whole time of course.

Monday after going for a ride, I came home and got sick. Fortunately I never threw up but I had a much higher fever than the previous two sickies. Missed work tuesday but was all better by Wednesday. Sam got sick tuesday evening and missed school Wednesday. He went to school yesterday and seems to be just fine. I think we may all be better now.

Planning on going out for a run in about half an hour. a short fast 2 mile run.

out of the closet

Ok...I know. I wasn't going to do this. I am only posting this for public insemination (sic).

The letter in today's Trib finally spells it out.

If a person wants to build a case for same-sex "unions" ([useless parenthetical comment deleted]), it will have to be done without the aid of the Bible.

Of course one could and should just as easily say:

If a person wants to build a case against same-sex "unions", it will have to be done without the aid of the Bible.

Yep, you gotta leave your religion at home when you enter the forum.

hectic around our place

• Bridget's dad had a stroke (he's doing fine)
• Bridget went to KC to be with her parents for the week
• School started for the kids
• Too many late late LATE nights
• Most importantly, just in time for my 40th birthday, I found hair growing from out of my ear.