Pegboard!

Forever. That is how long i have wanted a pegboard tool board. Yes, yes, yes i keep most of the tools in a tool chest. Doesn't matter one jot. I still want - and now have - a pegboard tool hanger system. Getting pegboard in the UK isn't easy: this was mail order. Still, with a wee bit of the saw, the drill and the screwdriver, i have a perfectly servicable pegboard now. Bliss!



It looks a little like a polka albino monolith from 2001: a space odyssey, but it makes me happy.

I am running up a massive debt of intended posts, i am also so far behind on personal comms it wouldn't surprise me if people disown me. Gah! every 5 minutes seems to have 10 minutes worth of tasks vying for attention. I'll get there, but this suffocating, drowning sensation is driving me nuts.

Onwards...

Self affirming delusions.

It is my suspicion that most people live their lives buoyed by a degree of self affirming delusion. How could it not be so? Take, well, me for example. I think of myself as a constructive part of a family, a friend, a bike rider (and occasionally a racer), an aspiring epicurean and somone who puts a fair amount of effort into my work.

An objective outsider might question if any of these facets were realistic given the way the last few weeks have transpired. Am i maintaining my opinion of myself with delusion? After all, there has been no real affirmitive activity. Most often, a generally well adjusted adult will be able to maintain their 'adequacy' even in the face of low levels of supportive input. However, over time, surely it must take its toll?

Is this the reason for the generalised ennui it is hard to ignore in society? On a personal level, there is no hiding my occasional bouts of grumpiness of late, which I am certain are related to the lack of upkeep of the things i believe are the pillars of my personality. However, there has not been any time for all of that: i am more than happy to be focussed on other great and good things at the moment and although I would not say my belief is impregnable, it is most likely that this is a temporary situation.



Why type all this? The other day i finished the things i wanted to do with enough time to escape for a last minute local ride. I plucked the Maul from the rack as (rather unbelievably) i hadnt ridden the bike in the UK. Despite the appaling conditions, i wanted to savor the outcome of Sean and my efforts at creating a truly unique and rewarding tool. Needless to say, it was tantamount to abuse to put such a machine to work in the slop, goop and muck. But it fed my soul. It will keep me afloat for another couple of weeks until things calm down. Or... maybe they wont calm down. Maybe i will need to adapt.

Reagrdless, dont forget to try and spend just a little time doing the things you love to do. With a little nurturing, i will keep on charging. So will you.

Mohandas Gandhi

Amongst many, many thought provoking and profound comments Gandhi made, this one appeals to me greatly:

'You must be the change you wish to see in the world.'

Yup.

Alastair Humphrey's microadventures.

So, every now and then i catch up with what the prolific Mr Humphrey's has been up to... i was happy to see he has been up the Cuillin ridge and pleasantly surprised that this micro adventure was shared with Alex Glasgow - a friend i don't see enough of.

Mountain Microadventure: Climbing the Cuillin Ridge from Alastair Humphreys on Vimeo.

The Cuillin ridge is a piece of this earth i have great respect and love for. And the riding round there ain't bad either.

Good work...

Future includes.

Virginia Mountain Bike Trail from Scott Wootten on Vimeo.

When moustaches go critical.

Thursday was one such day. You know it is coming, as you chew a sandwich an errant moustache hair makes its way between your incisors and makes for an unpleasant tugging sensation. Or you may wake up with a saliva soaked pelt on you lip. Either way, it is a sign that the manly display you take such pride in needs some love...

It is true that when you have packed all your facial hair preening products and accessories sometimes this task takes a back seat....but all too soon, things go critical. You can't eat, speak, cope with any breeze in to your face without follicular invasion of the mouth.

It may be Mo'vember, but you need to keep things tidy.



Anyway, been juggling a lot of stuff. There are one or two projects on the go, but infancy, nay concept stage. The most interesting is linking a set of new style xt levers to an old set of either Saint or xt calipers. I am undecided as to whether Goodridge, or Shimano will provide the hose via either Saint high pressure hose, or SM90 xtr hose and also what bore of hose insert i'll use. We'll see....it needs a bit of tinkering. Part of me is loathe to break up the Saint brake set i have cos i might try and find a new home for them, but it would be fun to try.

Chipps popped by as well...a surprise visit that was very welcome indeed. We don't see enough of each other at the mo', a situation that i'm sure will improve. I haven't managed to get down to the valley this year....which just goes to show: the speeding-up-of-just-about-everything takes a firmer grip. Good to see good people.

We also need to repatriate the cat at some point. The P-phone has been holidaying with my mum and dad...she always seems so serene and calm after a time with them...we'll need to work out what we will allow her access to while she aquants herself with the new territory...hopefully it won't lead to bother for her.

And you know, i might try and ride a bike soon. Talking of which, the story of the new 6 mile commute is kinda chewing on me at the moment....why do people become fangs-bared-maniacs as soon as they get in their metal/wheeled boxes?

And last -but far, far from least - our baby girl is one on wednesday. One. what an immense, mind-boggling, entertaining, rewarding, consuming year it has been, It has gone by in the blink of an eye, so much has changed, so many charged events. Bonkers. Here's to year two.

It's been ages, right?...

...since i updated the blog....feels like it at least. Every day has been played out at one hundred miles per hour. Maybe more. I am so far behind on things like e-mails i may collapse yahoo's server. However, the fruits of the labour are worth the backlog.



This is the new kitchen. We are fortunate that Daisy has *very* helpful and caring grandparents. The list of things they have all done for us over the last few weeks (let alone years!) is long indeed. A big, big thank you for all the hard work. For instance, my dad took a week from work to come through and help me rip out the old kitchen (that had a mouse colony in it...oh, the smell.....oh....) and build a new one, whilst re-wiring and re-plumbing all the new stuff in. I have learned over the years a small percentage of his knowledge in terms of this sort of project and there is always more to learn...its *great* fun, if hard work, especially over the last 12 hours where things have been at an 'almost done' stage. This might give some idea of where we started...



So, a few colour charts, a little more wiring, some plaster finishing and painting and we can move on to the next room...
I'm sore and tired, tasks like breaking down the old marble work surfaces was really heavy work, but i'm stoked with the results.