On Tuesday I drill another two set of bodyparts with very heavy weights. After a while I bake some chocolate chip cookies and take them over to Person T_U's house. He's in mourning over the loss of his only dog who was 14 years old. We have a brief conversation and then I go. Person T_U needs to be alone for a while.
On Wednesday there's a bit of water on the pavement when I start the morning motorcycle commute to work. And the rain comes down a bit heavier by the minute as I get to work. THough it's not a full fledged rain, it's hard enough for me to be very wet by the time that I get to work. And it takes an hour or so at work before my clothes are dry. Later the sun comes out as I head home. I get in a great and heavy session with the weights and spend the rest of the evening celebrating map and satellite image mashup.
On Thursday I update finances and messa round before heading off for the aquarium bicycle ride and mowing the lawn. The delay gave the weather a chance to warm up and the grass to dry out. The day eventually turns bright and sunny and it's a good day to be away from work. I notice that the white lines from the city around my palm tree stump are now just distant memories - what with two rains and two mowings of the lawn since they were painted on. I guess the city will have to take another 6 months to come out and paint more lines and then wait another month for the lines to disappear so that they can repeat the process in an endless loop. But I'll pull out the ax near Christmas and take it out myself if I need to - that should really confuse the city.
On Friday I get out for the loop ride and then visit the eye doctor. We both agree that the time is near when I will need reading glasses, but I refuse to get them until my next visit. On Friday night I'm headed for clubs in West Hollywood. Person T_U will not be coming as he continues to mourn the loss of his longtime companion and doggie. The clubs are kinda slow and boring tonight - barely any acquaintances are present and the music just doesn't quite strike a chord. But I hang around and manage to make it home right near 3 am on Saturday morning.
Saturday is a lazy day. Oh I do the laundry, watch qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix, get out for the aquarium bicycle ride in bright sun, and work on the abdominals, but the rest of the day is pretty lazy. After watching the CART race from Australia I head to a club in Long Bach - Person T_U again declining. Joe is again on the door and he promises to call me later and have dinner sometime this week. A few other acquaintances are present, but it's kind of boring tonight. Though late in the evening I have a conversation with Person Pa_V and he gets my phone number. I'm back home by 2:20 am on Sunday morning.
On Sunday I watch the Brazilian Grand Prix and see Kimi Raikkonnen win the world championship from third place with a great drive (and the two leaders having other problems). The near noon aquarium bicycle ride is very very windy. The wind is so strong and gusty today that one can see cyclists struggle to make speed and to stay out of the Los Angeles river. It's a fun ride despite the wind and me being a bit tired. (Four good rides in four days and two consecutive nights of little sleep make a difference, don't you think?) After cleaning up the roses I drop down for an hour nap. And it takes me quite a while of lying there afterwards to regain consciousness. The rest of Sunday is spent reading.
On Monday I can only get in an abdominal workout. I'm a bit spent. I also note that there are now many paint markings on my lawn near the palm stump. One in white, one in yellow, and one in orange. I note that the orange markings are readable and say "No SCE". I guess somebody from Southern California Edison had to come out and mark that it was okay to dig in this area around the palm stump. Maybe white is the water company and yellow is the gas company. How much you want to bet that they avoid all of the electrical, water, and gas lines, but manage to dig up and mangle my sprinkler lines?
On Tuesday when I get home the stump is gone! Finally after the tree was removed six months earlier. When I go out for an hour walk I start to fade back and realize that this month I am celebrating 25 years of motorcycle riding. With only a few "offs" and scrapes and no broken bones.
The stump is gone on Wednesday evening after work. There is only dirt and wood chips left. Because it is dark I cannot do anything with the affected area, so I get in a good session with the weights (though a bit fewer sets than usual) and go for a long walk.
On Thursday and Friday I get in good sessions with the weights and go walking on Thursday and plant grass in the former palm tree stump area on Friday. Person M_Fl stops by for a short visit after his work is finished and just after I've finished preparing the soil and planting the new grass. Late in the evening on Friday I head for clubs in West Hollywood as many places are having Halloween costume parties tonight.
I go to the two usual clubs and both are a bit slow. The Halloween costumes tonight are disappointing with only three that are super: Xena, Bam Bam (from the Flintsones), and a marionette. These three costumes take the top three prizes of the night. During the evening I run into Joe (who is very drunk but not driving), Person D_B, Person J_J, and a few other acquaintances. I just enjoy the music and the activities and head for home at about 2:20 am on Saturday night. Though I don't know about it until the next day, I just missed this as I'm heading home. I pull into the driveway at 3:10 am, so I missed the accident by a minute or two.
Saturday starts slow with the laundry, but builds momentum as I get in a great ride down to the aquarium and back. On the way towards home I crank along and catch up to a guy on a road bicycle with high pressure tires (as opposed to the mountain bicycle with intermediate pressure tires that I am riding) just as it is time to turn off the Los Angeles river bicycle path and head for home. I follow this with edging the lawn, cleaning up the roses, a shower, and other errands including getting the World Rally Car washed. I notice a few drops of rain just as I am leaving the car wash so I rush on home and put the car in the garage so that it won't get wet. The rest of the day is a bit slow with little activities around the house before another abdominal workout and a long walk. (I've been working the abdominals more lately. Since I've been seeing the acupuncturist I have no lower back pain, discomfort, or twinges at all. And no shoulder tingling. Thus I want to strengthen the abdominals to help in support of the lower back.)I head for sleep near 9:30 pm.
Sunday is a lazy day. I've taken Kava root extract for deep sleep on the previous night and maybe that is still in my system. But I did have an extra great night of sleep. I get out for the aquarium bicycle ride near noon but it's not as energetic as Saturday's ride. Late in the day I go for a long walk to relieve stress and get prepared for sleep.
During Sunday's lazy day I look at my health provider's website and check what preventive care that I need to have done soon as well as taking a health quiz. I realize, when I have to answer yes to 4 out of the 7 questions, that I may be suffering some mild depression. I make a note to re-evaluate between Thanksgiving and Christmas and seek help if needed.
On Monday I struggle through the work day and get in a great session with the weights afterwards. It's just a slow day and I watch some of the Monday night football game for a change of pace. And if Denver wins, then my Detroit Lions will be tied for first place in their division.