Author: gfox (old content)

Parenting Slack

This morning was not a good morning for me and I didn’t feel like I was a good parent. All my parenting skills and patience had flown out the window. I just could not cope with whatever either of my kids threw at me. Maybe it was a lack of sleep, maybe it was a lack of coffee, maybe it was something else.

Thankfully Sox was able to pick up the slack and we made it through the day.

This was frustrating for me. I usually have lots of patience and to lose that on the weekend, was not good. Sox and I usually trade off and this keeps us sane. Today she picked up the slack and we made it through the day.

Actually, it was a pretty fun day. Mattick’s Farm this morning then homemade pizza for dinner. Tonight Sprout is having a campout in the backyard with Sox. I hope tomorrow is better.

Yoshi Frustrating

Below is what greeted me when we came home today after a trip to Mattick’s Farm. Yoshi was a bad dog.

I thought we had blocked him out of everything bad, but I guess we forgot to close the kitchen door. I know he was trying to get at the scambled egg pan, but he sure made a mess of things. The pan was ruined and is now in the garbage, along with the spatula. Thankfully nothing else was wrecked.

The oven door is a mystery. That must have happened when he was getting the pan off the stove. That dog is so frustrating sometimes.

Cellphone Direction

Looks like our cellphone has died. I think it might be time to upgrade and actually get a halfway decent phone. Trouble is I don’t want to spend an arm and a leg.

I’d kind of like a smartphone, but not sure I really need one. I was contemplating getting a family plan with Telus since there have numerous times when a second cell phone would have been handy.

Suddenly it dawned on me that I don’t have to stay on Telus, we could feasibly switch to another carrier. Wow, suddenly the possibilities are endless, and I quickly got overwhelmed.

Rogers/Fido? Bell? Telus? Koodo? Family plan? Smartphone? Simple and cheap phone? Not sure what direction to go in.

Moron Passed

To the moron in the car on the Johson Street bridge tonight:

You were following way to close to the cyclist. That just isn’t safe. I know she was riding slow, and I know she was hugging the right hand side of the lane instead of riding in the center, but that doesn’t mean you have to badger her. Chill out.

To the lady in the Pathfinder-esque vehicle:

Not only were you too close to the cyclist on the bridge, but you looked like you were trying to pass. You were encroaching on my lane! I honked at you, and yet you didn’t slow down and move over. What is wrong with you? Besides, what were you going to do if you had passed them? There was a long line of cars in front of you. See moron #1 above.

Investigate Broken

I should have ridden to work today. I wanted to ride, but as I was on my way out the back door bike in hand, I decided to investigate a strange metal on metal sound I heard on my last ride.

I found the source. It was another broken spoke. If you recall, this happened pretty recently already.

Frustrating. I had a quick shower, got dressed and jumped in the truck. Disappointing.

Slowing Intersection

I don’t know why, but when I am out on the roads, I seem to come across lots of morons.

Yesterday I saw this guy on a scooter running a red light. More than once. He turned right on to the road I was on without slowing down at all. I know he had a red then. He approached another light that was also red (the instersection of Head and Old Esquimalt). Instead of slowing, he turns right, then noticing there is no traffic, pulls a u-turn so that he is on Head, facing Old Esquimalt. He guns it and turns right to get back on to Old Esquimalt. The same a running a red.

Today while riding to work I was moving along at a pretty good clip and some car pulls out of a driveway to get into traffic. Only there isn’t room so they hit the brakes and end up blocking the bike lane. I then have to hit the brakes and weave around them. A little later some truck stops in the bike lane and double parks so he could drop off his wife. I wanted to give him a mean look (oooooh), but he was shielding his eyes with his hand. He knew he was doing something he shouldn’t.

On the way home today I was coming down a hill to an intersection and I had a green light. A cyclist decided to try and zip across the red, and through the traffic, nearly t-boning me.

Finally, as I was climbing a hill on Esquimalt Ave, a red and white taxi blew past me pretty quickly at less than a foot from my shoulder. There was a whole other lane they could have mover over in to, but no, he had to stay in his lane.

After experiences like this, it’s

no wonder more people don’t cycle commute.

Speck Ready

Last night as I was closing up the house before bed I noticed the tank light wasn’t on. I had forgotten to feed the fish.

Right after I turned the light, out the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of movement. A tiny speck was hanging on to the back wall of the tank.

Looking closer I saw it move. It was a very, very tiny crayfish. At least one of the babies has hatched.

I fed the fish then watched as this tiny crayfish tried to blend in with the rocks and other decorations. I guess it was less than 5mm long. Very, very hard to see. I’m curious what happened to the rest of the eggs in the sac. After seeing one crayfish with some eggs, I later saw a second carrying eggs and making a bit of a nest under the rocks.

Curiosity is strong though. I want to move the tank decor to see what is going on underneath, but I also don’t want to disturb them tiny creatures. When they are ready they will make their way out. I’ll have to be careful next time I clean the tank though.

Pretty Waxed

I had my road bike in the shop yesterday to get a broken spoke replaced. They cleaned it up real nice. The wheels were pretty dirty, and the frame had lots of road grime. I love Straight Up Cycles, Gerry is awesome.

I rode the bike to work today. The road bike always feels so sleek and fast. One thing I noticed was the seat seemed extra slippery. It almost feels like it had gotten waxed. Weird. Is this a normal thing for roadies?

Cheaper Steps

See anything interesting about these pictures? Last weekend I was in Lens and Shutter looking at a camera for someone I know. I’ve had my eye on a new Canon 50D for a long time. I saw they had it on sale, for $100 cheaper than anywhere I was looking online. They also included a $75 gift card for their store! Sold. I picked it up on the spot.

First impressions are that I like it, a lot. Definitely a great camera, and quite a few steps up from the 20D I was using. I’m in love, but I need to do lots of reading. There are loads new features that I need to learn. Soon I will break out the manual and start reading, but first, take more pictures.

Anyone want to buy a 20D body?