Save the Cheerleader, Save the World!

Last Sunday one of the local TV stations was doing a "Heroes" marathon. We had seen previews for this show. But, missed the first episode. Later, I regretted missing it because Orson Scott Card gave it high marks. Ailsa and I got hooked watching it on Sunday and thanks to the wonder of "YouTube.com" we were able to find most of the episodes that we had missed. We now wait with bated breath for our next installment. We especially like Masi Oka as Hiro (get it?). But, I think that's the point.

Andwyrden

Ailsa is working on a four part story (4 novelettes) with a playing card motiff (probably won't be a big hit among the most conservative factions of LDS culture.) She is a little more than half way through. The first part is available here.

We think we may plan to self publish this work. I have done a lot of editing on the first one. She is wrapping up work on the second one for me to start on. It has been fun to do.

Let Them Eat Bread

Lenore and I have a sort of ongoing struggle about main dishes and desserts. She subscribes to the Hyacinth Bucket school of entertaining: lots of watercress sandwiches and dainty fruit desserts.

I would rather have meat (preferably beef or ham or pork ribs. If the lowly chicken is to be served it needs the KFC treatment, no low-fat skinless, boneless all white meat presentation.) and for dessert, chocolate needs to be front and center at least 90% of the time. The Smiths typically opt for a Blueberry Buckle or Apple Tart.

But, I will reveal a small problem with their tastes. Say you have a chocolate pie and a blueberry pie available for dessert. The masses will fight over the chocolate pie and the fruit pie will be neglected. Lenore cites this as reason not to buy chocolate. Go figure.

Sunrise, Sunset

I'm in the cycling season wind-down funk. The shortening daylight makes it ever harder to fit a ride in either in the morning or after work. At this time of year I actually do better in the evening. I rode last Saturday at the normal morning time because Grandma and Grandpa were in town. I felt like lead and only managed slightly under 19 MPH average. I've often wondered if the change in seasons and temperatures affects me more than it affects other people. I think it contributes to the fact that I'm faster in June, July, August and even into September, and then start slowing after that, even if I'm still riding fairly often.

I think there is a facet of Meteorology that I would find fascinating, that having to do with the shifting daylight patterns and seasons throughout the year. I started riding regularly on 19 April this year. On that day the sunrise was at 6:43am. The temperatures were still quite cool. The earliest sunrise was around 15 June. And, 21 August found the sun rising at about the same time in the morning as it was on 19 April. But, the early morning temperatures in August were lots nicer than April because of the lingering radiant heat from summer.

With the nicer conditions in the evening now, I could still be riding after work on some days. I may need to get a light though because it gets dark rather early.

Some totals so far from this year's riding:
From 28 June through 5 August in 16 solo rides, I averaged 20.08 MPH over 442.54 miles.
I climbed about 51,000 feet of altitude (which is really nothing because I avoid hills religiously.)
I burned about 133,000 calories riding. That's 886 Twinkies or 83 pounds worth.
Even with a very marked slow down in the colder months, I will probably easily finish the year having ridden every third day on average.

All I Want for Christmas......

Laney lost one of her front teeth some time ago. The other one has been bothering her the last couple of days. She has been nursing it and we had to break out the "Numzit" type cream that we bought in Italy. (I didn't remember buying this. I'm guessing it was in Cremona.) Last night when Lenore put her to bed it was really loose. In the morning it was gone. Thankfully, we found it in her bed. Not that it would be any big deal if she swallowed it in her sleep. It would probably freak her out though.