The strangest thing happened this weekend...

I rode my bike. Twice. For the first times since the first week in May. My mom was right, too - I was smiling so much I think my face is stuck like this forever

Man did it feel good to be out. It's kind of funny, really. This winter I was planning to start racing this summer; this was going to be my best year of riding ever! I was able to ride clear trails in Jan, Feb, and March for the first time. I even got a sponsorship from a local shop. Then I bought a house. Then it started raining and flooding. Then my left leg got blindsided by 600lbs of steel at work.

I was finally able to start (sort of) walking again about two weeks ago and yesterday I decided I could wait no longer. With beautiful weather and some manufactured free time the bike was calling my name! I'm happy to report that my leg actually feels better on a bike than it does when walking.

It feels good to be back!

A couple pics of Arm on Fire:

I'm getting sick of painting.

Brett and I are going completely through our second apartment right now. Sanding, painting, priming, sanding, priming, painting.... If you ever own an apartment building....DO NOT LET YOUR TENANTS PAINT THE DAMN THING!!!! That's the deal with this apartment. Apparently some tenants previous to our purchase 'painted' the place. I use the term 'painted' loosely here. Mopboards two different colors, with brush strokes just stopped like they were too stoned to remember to keep going. Ceilings with a few roller strokes here and there, walls painted almost to the ceiling, but never quite finished... yeah. On the brighter side, I'm getting good at painting, just in time to get sick of it. Looks like my place is going to have to wait until winter to get some paint.

On the brighter side, my foot is doing better. I was able to throw a couple bales of hay today, and I can walk around almost normally. Remember kids, the Positive Mental Octopus is your key to healing quickly! That, and good nutrition. When you eat an orange make sure to not peel all the white stuff off - it's full of Rutin (a part of the Vitamin C Complex) which is excellent for your vascular system.

Well, off to bed. I leave you with this wonderful picture of a the anti-summer in hopes it will help those of us sans air conditioner sleep better tonight....
Good luck on your drive west Pat and Steph!


May compassion be always in your heart, and peace be always on your tongue.

- J