What a beautiful Fall day - perfect sleeping weather. I slept in this morning then ran a few errands. Had to go to Hudson Trail Outfitters to get a few things for winter biking - the obligatory Balacava (looks like a bank robber mask), headband, new fleece gloves. Then went to Performance and got me a new set of biking shoes. Good sale on all of it - I've turned into a thrifty sort....

Drove to Vienna and went on a really nice 45 mile bike ride out to Hamilton and back. Crowded trail - but a beautiful day nonetheless. Was really nice to see so many people out excersizing, despite how crowded it was. I see alot of the same bikers now - we all say hi and comradrie takes place.

Came home, showered and then joined my parents for dinner at a the new Charlie Chiang's restaurant...the food was quite good, and the atmosphere most exxellent. (gonna start intentionally misspelling things to irk one of my friends who is a true spelling freak)

Came home, nothing but domestic bliss - cleaning, vaccuuming, scrubbing, laundry (gee, what an exciting Saturday night). Tomorrow will prolly be much of the same.

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YAY!..it's Friday. I definately plan on enjoying the weekend. Not much to do - just time to relax, cook, bike, enjoy.

Today was a semi-brutal day, getting things done at a huge ass fast pace. But as a result, the day passed by quickly so I could go on a well deserved bike ride. It was really windy all day - gusts between 20-50mph, so I was expecting that, decided to bike to Leesburg - directly into the wind, so I could be blown home.

It was very dark for some odd reason, and very cold - I knew it was gonna be cold...in the high 40s...but I was almost frozen when I reached Ashburn. Fridays, there are usually fewer bikers on the trail....and since it was dark, and cold...even fewer...I think I saw about 6 during a 1.5 hour ride. Usually when there's hardly anyone around - I entertain myself. I do this anyways...but when there's no one around...I do it vocally. Not like I have Tourette's syndrome or anything....just something to do. On this particular ride..I kept saying a weird phrase I think I heard an Aussie say... "Chuck a Wobblie..." or something like that (it's Australian slang, "strine" for "to throw a temper tantrum"). I kept saying it over and over in my head...with different accents...and in different iterations.

So, on the way back, I'm every now and then yalping out a very loud, highly colorful accented "CHUCK A WOBBLIE!..."....chuck A wobbLIE!....""...........................Chuck a WOBBlie....." so on and so fourth...maybe a few minutes between .... The last time I said "CHUCK A WOBBLIE!...." It happenned at the very LAST second of me passing by this old couple who happenned to be walking (in the dark) on the trail...I did not see them until I was finishing up WOBBLIE!....the old man turned around all freaked out in my headlights scaring the crap out of him....I felt sooo embarrassed.

Came back to my car, frozen...packed stuff away...headed home and had dinner...gee exciting Friday evening - spent the past hour and a half cleaning and lubing my bike. I really need to take a cooking class or something.

For more Aussie slang ("strine"), check this out or even this.

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Was able to finally post a photo album of some of the pictures from the October Bash our family had a week or so ago. Pretty straight forward, just go through each page (I need to give descriptions, et al).

Today was a really rainy day - it rained ALL day. And got cold - really odd, because a few days ago..it was 81 degrees. Swell, this is the kinda thing that will make people get sick (in the middle of flu season).

Work sorta flew by - was really busy. I was debating a bike ride after work, the temperature was about 46 degrees, and still drizzling - the ground was wet from raining all day. I decided to go anyways, I have all the gear for it. Suited up - set out. It was actually a very pleasant ride. I've been paring down my rides based on the adarkness...and safety. Only did about 28 miles tonight - the wet roads cautioned me. Highlight - saw two foxes.

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I'm in the process of uploading/slideshow programming some pictures that I've recently taken, bear with me - it is a laborious process.

In the meantime, I'll post this picture I took a week ago at my brother's house...of my neice playing piano (click on photo for a full size - opens in new window).

Today was a horrific day at work. ABBA was obviously off his meds....Too borish to repeat. The weather finally became November...it got chilly. As saddened I was to see it get cold - I welcomed it. Went on a really dark and cold bike ride - I've pared down my mileage...to less than 40...actually to about 30-32 miles. I cannot speed like I'm used to..in the dark, even with lights...damn deer, animals...the unexpected...then all the intersections that I need to stop at..and wait to pass..the cars are extra assholish...they never acknowlege my presence....because it's dark.

Hopefully, I'll get this slideshow thing up in a day...just too much to do, too little time (now I have to xmess shop...and finish a few projects)

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Today was election day, was a long ass wait in line to vote - hour and a half. Quite an ordeal - will be interesting to see the outcome.

Got some photos from my trip down to my family's October bash back from the developer, will be posting a few in the next few days - may make a flash slideshow to save on space. Need to decide what I wanna do.

Was a crappy day at work - of all days for the temperature outside to warm up, November 2nd - the air conditioner at work decided to conk out. It was like a sweat shop in there all day. I was glad to put on bike shorts at the end of the day and cool off on a very pleasant 36 mile bike ride (was the 2nd day biking completely in the dark). Saw a bunch of deer, in herds...you can really smell the musk.

Gotta start working on my Xmess shopping and projects - tomorrow will be another day...with a "new" president (rolls my eyes).

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It was good sleeping weather last night - did not want to get out of bed this morn - but it was going to be a long day at work...It was unusually warm again today, especially for November 1st. Work was busy with the combination of a flurry of 2 new contracts and the "boss" being out of the office (we seem to get more done when he is away - not in the office to harrass us all day, we are much more productive when he is absent).

Work flew by - It was dark at 5:30. I was not ready to begin my first ride of the season, completely in the dark (after daylight savings time). But it was very pleasant out - almost warm. I was dreading my bike lamps would lose charge before the endo of a 2 hour ride - they didn't. I was more than releived. I saw many deer on the trail - they are quite bold, especially standing in the middle of the bike trail with that glazed over "what are YOU doing here...you are in MY trail" look. I finally had to "shoo" one of them away. Also saw an opossum on the way back - he was just bewildered...huge ugly thing...rat tail, wrinkled nose, nasty teeth...it hissed at me and then fell sideways in the middle of the bike trail and played dead....what a wuss.

Welp, tomorrow is election day - gonna do my duty and vote.

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HALLOWEEN! What a fun holiday - at least in spirit. Woke up to what I thought was late, realized that I hadn't adjusted the time on my other clocks to compensate for daylight savings time. Didn't matter - it was the weekend, I had a full day planned, but at a relaxing pace.

After coffee and a little to eat, I did a few domestic things like pull up the pepper plants I had (unsuccessfully) growing out back. Out of all three pepper plants, I think they yeilded close to 2 peppers each - different varieties - Bell, jalapeno & thai.

Packed up for my bike ride and hit the road to run errands. I noticed that it was unusually warm - later I found out later that it got up to 81 degrees. I was going to cook my pumpkin soup tonight, so I needed a few things. Went to the asian market, go me some chive blooms, almonds, cream, and a few other thangs - picked me up some capers, sweet black wild rice, gorgonzola and asiago cheese.... I love that grocery store.

Fountain, Marcel Duchamp, 1917 (click on photo to read story behind this famous urinal)

Went on a really nice 46 mile bike ride - did the Vienna to Shirlington, Alexandria - Arlington loop. The most perfect weather. Lots of people were out - so there were little pockets of pedestrian traffic. It was a nice day - I didn't mind. The kind of day that you stop at a park bench, and sprawl out - people watch, suck in the Fall air. Finished up, came back to my car - loaded bike - changed shoes then headed into the community center to use the bathroom. A rather horrific and embarrassing thing happened.

I don't have any pockets on my bike shorts - and the particular bike jersey that I had on didn't have back pockets either - so when I wander around - I have to keep my wallet and keys in hand. But I will use the elastic wasteband of my bike shorts to "hold" the keyfob to my car if I need a hand free......well...I needed a hand free, while visiting the men's room. I was attempting to take the keyring out of my bike short wasteband, and fumbled...my keys fell into the urinal..... Kerplunk.....

GROOOSSSS!!!!NASTY!!!!!...ewe yuck grody!.... I had to quickly fish them out of there - they went all the way into the water (which was fortunately not wee wee), then ran them under water. I was nervous because my car's keyfob car alarm is not waterproof - worried that I'd not be able to get into my car. To make a long story short - I'll never do THAT again - I need some kind of elastic thing to hold my keys, like a clip. Had to spray them with lysol and dry them out when I got home....Grrrr...

Came home and made the most wonderful Pumpkin soup - as promised, the recipe is here. It turned out masterfully - and paired with broiled salmon with dill, and brocolli with a rasberry vinagrette - the meal was perfect.

During dinner - the Trick-or-Treaters came to the door - the whole evening was relaxing. Still cannot believe how dark it gets (early) now.

Sunday night anxiety settles in....

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