...Aaaand We’re Back!

categories:

iWeb

I know iWeb is not long for this world, I’ll take every day putting off spending real money for a real content-manager/creation tool. The above flowers are a blend of pale blue and green, which has us wondering if they’re fed ink/paint to make them turn out this way. Edit from the Future: Image long lost, cheap substitute substituted.

Today’s lesson: Motorcycles make HUGE rooster-tails in the rain. Like, to the point where they cover their tail lights. I had no idea. The group-ride headed right into the teeth of a torrential downpour, said utterly without exaggeration. Typical of the midwest, it was subsiding in 10 minutes and over and bluing skies within 30, but the unimaginable consequences of getting drenched... Hearing-aids soaked (still working), phone in damp pocket (last week it fell in the toilet, so this is slightly less disgusting) and trying to walk in saturated 15oz Carhartt jeans with Bohn armor on underneath...you have no idea. Later, at lunch under a scorching sun, I relinquished the “plastic pants” to go back to the still-damp jeans. Could hardly move, and they were still wet in the seat and behind the knees 4 hours later. Also came upon my first ever moto-crash: two riders off the road in the dirt. The first guy went off in the corner, reasons (other than speed) unknown. The 2nd guy lost it dodging #1. 2nd guy netted a broken collar-bone, 1st guy injuries unknown, possibly minor, but needing imaging to be sure. Both left in an ambulance, and a nice neighbor let us park their motorcycles at their farm. (Both still running! Astonishing. Both carburetted too, christ, what is this fancy for the primitive?) MJM’s camping with the ladies, on a river in WI that’s described as being prettier than the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. That’s pretty high praise. I miss her something silly. Weird moment in the ride this morning: before the rain, beautiful weather, cool, coming round a bend, into the wind, I’m about middle of the pack. The cooling wind on my cheeks, and ever-s0-faint smell of hydrocarbons just hinted to me of the moment when my instructor and I scooted into the open door of the plane for our tandem-jump. I thought for sure this would trigger some kind of ferocious panic-attack, but I just had a nice smile thinking of the astounding beauty of the light and how relatively benign the wind was at that point. 10 seconds later, it would become a pack of savage dogs trying to rip my face off, but that moment before, it’s a bit like Gary Oldman in “The Professional”: “I like these calm little moments before the storm. They remind me of Beethoven.”

Daughter’s in Chicago with BFF. She (daughter) took one evening to care for her 2nd cousin, suffering from Parkinson’s and now a broken pelvis or hip. He’s the most amazing, witty guy of all my ex-in-laws, and he’s brought low by this “series of unfortunate events.” There’s simply no justice in the universe. I hope my daughter carries out her intent to make far more frequent trips to Chicago to help her cuz. A long and rambling post, dear reader, compensating for the long failed operation of iWeb. Promises yet again to be a better correspondent. With my thanks and regards.