Bowling Cranks Up Again
2007-09-06, 11:40 a.m.

Day 1110 Bowling Cranks Up Again

Ah, yes. September 6 and the new bowling season is upon us. Can�t wait. Gotta look back at the last few years and see what my averages were, but I think they were something like (2004 � 176; 2005 � 195; 2006 � 192) This year I�d love to hit 200 for an average, but I�ll have to either learn to throw my ball a little slower or really dial in the accuracy on the first shot and eliminate silly spare misses. It�s something to shoot for at least.

Did up a nice batch of minestrone soup last night. Veggies it uses include leeks, onion, gaahhlic, carrots, celery, potatoes, zucchini, peas, & tomatoes. Seasoned with a little thyme & bay leaf, then right at the end you throw in about a � cup of pesto. The whole mess floats in about 6 � 8 ups of fat free, less sodium chicken stock (used Swanson�s last night, but the College Inn brand works fine too) Deeeelish. Got some for lunch today too. Add a tablespoon or so of nice crushed red pepper to give it a bit of a kick. That�s a tablespoon of red pepper in MY bowl. You can go get your own.

I have some lovely smoked Habanero to share. Just email me your address and I�ll snail mail you a bit. It�ll rip your head off if you�re not careful. Great in chili. Now I hear there are these Carribe chili�s that are 2x hotter than Habaneros!! Guess what�s going in the garden next year?!?

Managed to get that soup ready to serve a little before 7. Cindy was all, �Well, I guess I�ll eat when I get back � I�ve got to be someplace� I asked when her meeting started. �7:30, but I�ve got to travel� I then asked �How far are you going?�, knowing she was going all of a mile up the road. She sat down and ate with us. Still made her meeting too. She has a habit of simply disappearing upstairs afterwards, but at least she made the meeting. Wish I knew what she was thinking.

The �us� that ate dinner included Zach & Jill. They stopped over to change the oil in Jill�s car. Also found some of the bolts securing the tranny pan were a little loose, evidenced by a little tranny fluid seepage. Don�t know how long it�s been like that, but I�m always suspicious when a car comes back from the shop and you notice weird things like that. Jill�s car was in the shop for a couple of weeks getting repairs made after her little fender bender last month. I wonder if the bolts just worked themselves loose, did the accident jar them loose or was it a revenue enhancement opportunity taken by a cheesy mechanic? There�s no guarantee that the car would return to the opportunistic shop, so why do it at all? They must have just worked loose on their own over time. Engine vibrations, that�s all.

Zach informed me that yes, Cindy was drinking Tuesday night. Working out of a small flask again. I�ll be off bowling tonight, which is actually decent exercise, and I�ll be wondering (a little) if she�s sitting at home, medicating. Not my problem I guess.

Did manage to hit the gym this morning. Ran for a bit, got bored and switched to the recumbent bikes. Cranked out 5 miles in 15 minutes. According to the bike computer, I averaged 23.3 mph, but if you do the math, 5 miles in 0.25 hours comes out to 20mph. I did have a short period of no pedaling when I cinched up the pedal straps, but 30 seconds to a minute delay can�t change the average speed all that much. (5 miles, 14 minutes, 21.5mph)

I got nothing else, so I�ll turn it over to a meme I stole from mnlady1962, who stole it from Art, who stole it from Poolagirl, who stole it from places unknown. Enjoy.

THE MEME!!!

1) How old do you wish you were?
22 again would be nice. Time to undo a certain decision. But that would cost me the boys � can�t have that now. Have to settle for being 48 then.

2) Where were you when 9/11 happened?
Sitting at my desk at work. First heard about it on the radio. By the time the 1st tower fell we were all in conference rooms watching TV. Nothing got accomplished that day and no one cared.

3) What do you do when vending machines steal your money?
Call it a dirty rotten stinking bastard. Rocking it back & forth sometimes helps too. We actually have complaint envelopes on our machines at work. If you get ripped, you can file a complaint and they�ll refund your money. Sucks that you couldn�t have your Frito�s when you were jonesing for them, but at least you�re not out the $.

4) Do you consider yourself kind?
Except to thieving vending machines and marauding woodchucks.

5) If you HAD to get a tattoo, where would it be?
I�d have eyes tattooed to my eyelids (cross-eyed lookin� too). After doing a ton of anesthetics.

6) If you could be fluent in any other language, what would it be?
English.

7) Do you know your neighbors?
Some better than others, but yes.

8) What do you consider a vacation/holiday?
Just getting away from home for more than 3 days.

9) Do you follow your horoscope?
Nah

10) Are you touchy feely?
In general, no. I�m not considered a hugger, I don�t use the friendly kiss as a greeting or farewell. I�ve managed to suppress my feelings for so long I�m not sure how to express anything but the more extreme emotions. Ask my wife.

11) Do you believe that opposites attract?
In magnets, this is good. In people it can become co-dependence.

12) Dream job?
Forest Ranger, or something in the land management arena. Wish I could go back to Zach�s school (SUNY-ESF) and start over.

13) Favorite channel(s)?
Discovery Channel and what ever channel(s) have hockey come October.

(apparently this meme skipped 14 because it is SUCH an unlucky number or something)

15) Favorite place to go on weekends?
Long bike rides anywhere.

16) Showers or Baths?
I usually shower. With the right partner, baths can be fun though. So can showers.

17) Do you paint your nails?
Yes, with an anti-fungal medication.

18) Do you trust people easily?
I used to. Been getting burned lately.

19) What are your phobias?
Failure, not pleasing someone, big, tumultuous change.

20) Do you want kids?
The two I have is plenty. Grandkids someday sure, but guys? Wait till I�m at least 50, mmkay?

21) Do you keep a handwritten journal?
For work purposes, yes.

22) Where would you rather be right now?
Woods, southerntier of NY State.

24) Heavy or light sleeper?
Too freakin light at night, too heavy in the morning.

25) Are you paranoid?
About what? Who�s asking? Why do they want to know?

26) Are you impatient?
When driving? Sure. Try to act like you want to get some place, ok? If you can�t, get behind me.

27) Who can you relate to?
Many of my friends in Al Anon

28) What's your main ringtone on your cell?
Buzzzzzzzz.

29) What were you doing at midnight last night?
Sadly, only sleeping. Again, ask the wife.

30) What did the last text on your mobile phone say?
Incoming? �Hi sexy. Yummy!!�
Outgoing? �U r bad & very tasty too.�

31) Name 3 things you have on you at all times.
Not a damn thing. When I shower, there�s nothing on me but a film of water. That kinda messes with the �At all times� part. So does sleeping.
Otherwise, I�d say cell phone, keys and wallet.

32) How much money do you have on you?
$58 Have to pay for bowling, rent a locker, maybe get dinner. Won�t last long.

33) What is your favorite part of the chicken?
The meat.

34) What's your favorite town/city?
Seattle, Wa.

35) Who got you to start an online journal?
Quitting smoking did. So I should blame Denny Deets. Thanks Denny, best thing I ever did and you made it possible!!

36) What did you have for dinner last night?
Homemade Minestrone soup, triple olive bread.

37) How tall are you barefoot?
5�11.5� (I�m shrinking!!)

38) What do you prefer to drink in the morning?
Coffee.

39) Do you have A.D.D.?
Sure seems like it some days

40) Favorite place to be?
In the woods, in a tree stand, watching the forest go through it�s paces. It�s so cool to watch the animals when they have no clue you�re there. Makes you not mind not getting a deer most times.

ps - Who's the semi-long time reader checking in from the Terxas Legislative Council in Austin? Drop me a line & say hi wouldja? I'm not weirded out or anything, (unless you're going to sic Cordell Walker on me) just curious.

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