I did it. I finally did it.
Sometime at the end of this month I'll be disengaging from the corporate teet. I've been at the end of my rope for a very long time, and finally worked up the courage to leave. Of course, Oilburner is the impetus, and provided some great alternative views.
Oilburner has been unwell for a very long time. He is starting to get better, with more energy, being more active, and having a better attitude. While I haven't said anything about it...yet...Oilburner spent a couple months in Colorado last year at a national recreation area. He really enjoyed the lifestyle, living in the travel trailer. He enjoyed the work and the routine. Which was what he really needed at this stage.
This year, he has found a position with the Army Corp of Engineers in Alaska. Yes. You have read that right. ALASKA!!
I finally see a different life for myself. So I am going for it. While Oilburner is working away, I'm playing. I'm looking to play for about 4 months or so. BBWWWAAAHAHAHHAA
We will be driving the van, loaded with the two Honda CB500's, and pulling the travel trailer...for a jaunt through the lower 48 and settling near Fairbanks, AK for a couple months.
Funny anecdote...you know you are getting old when:
BeemerGirls doctor: calculating the longevity of birth control and mused that by the time this needs to be replaced, I won't need it anymore....
BeemerGirl: uuummm....
Oilburner: let's go to Chik-Fil-A for lunch, maybe the regulars will be there even though it is a weekend.
BeemerGirl: you go to Chik-Fil-A enough that you have regulars? Is that like the old guys hanging outside the general store jawin'?
Oilburner: uuummmm
BeemerGirl: well now all you need to do is make friends with some of them!!
Saturday, April 7, 2018
Monday, February 26, 2018
How to stay positive...
...when you have to wake up at 4:30 (after 3 hours of sleep), be out of the house at 5:30, to get to the airport at 6:30 to catch a flight to NJ at 8:00
...when you are looking for a parking space and get trapped in a one-way lane to exit the parking area (because there are no point of no return signs), causing you to have to completely drive around the airport again to get back
...when the client address takes you to the middle of their campus, not their building
...when you need client approval to get through their security gate and your colleague didn't warn you (and he was the one that set up the meeting)
...when you call for the taxi at the end of the day and he encounters all the same problems as above
...when your taxi driver misses the exit for the airport, and side streets are congested with rush hour traffic. Said setback of 20+ minutes
...when your taxi driver also can't follow signs to your terminal and again delays arrival by another 10+ minutes (Uber driver, so shouldn't be due to length of ride)
...when you have TSA pre-check, and the pre-check lanes are closed
...when you have to enter the same long queue as everyone else, but have a laminated card saying that you don't have to take your shoes off to go through security. Still have to remove the laptop and any electronics larger than a cell phone, though.
...when your flight is delayed by 15 minutes
...when your flight is delayed by another 15 minutes (and yes, this was a day flight, there and back)
...when the plane is freezing, everything feels damp, and you could only sleep before takeoff
...when your parking ticket gets folded in half, the machine is not able to read it and tells you to proceed to a cashier or call support
...when support doesn't answer, and doesn't help
...when you have to signal to the guy behind you to back up, because you certainly can't proceed forward to a cashier
...when you finally make it to a cashier and you have to stretch out of your car because she is too lazy to reach halfway for your card
...when she says the first card won't scan (corporate card)
...when the second card won't scan and the error message is "card is invalid or inserted backwards" (stupid cashier)
...when you can't get through traffic to exit the airport and have to circle the airport again (3 times in 1 day!!)
...when you finally get headed towards home and wonder what is for dinner at 11 pm, since you haven't eaten anything but eggs at 6:00 am
...when you say "fuck it, I'm having McDonald's because I want a chocolate shake"
...when you drive to the McDonald's beyond your house because the one on the way home is in a sketchy neighborhood, and the one closest to home hasn't fixed their broken drive-thru in over 3+ years (order at the final window and wait)
...when you finally get to the "good McDonald's" and order and think all is well
...when you get to the window and they tell you the shake machine has shut itself down, would I like something else or a refund
...when you ask for a refund and provide your card and then ask for a diet coke
...when you are told that they are out of diet coke
...when you finally select Dr Pepper...and get your food, and they have refunded your card and you start to drive away and they yell at you that you haven't paid (even though they had your card and you have a refund!!)
...when you can't back up because the car behind you has already moved forward
...when you have to pull forward, wait for the manager to come get your card again and charge dinner
...when you finally get to walk in the door at 11:30 pm
...when you are getting ready for bed at 12:30 and discover that you foot is BLUE and realize that the "damp" feeling on the plane was actually real and the toilet on the plane was leaking and dyed your sock and foot blue
...sigh...another day in paradise...or so they tell me
...when you are looking for a parking space and get trapped in a one-way lane to exit the parking area (because there are no point of no return signs), causing you to have to completely drive around the airport again to get back
...when the client address takes you to the middle of their campus, not their building
...when you need client approval to get through their security gate and your colleague didn't warn you (and he was the one that set up the meeting)
...when you call for the taxi at the end of the day and he encounters all the same problems as above
...when your taxi driver misses the exit for the airport, and side streets are congested with rush hour traffic. Said setback of 20+ minutes
...when your taxi driver also can't follow signs to your terminal and again delays arrival by another 10+ minutes (Uber driver, so shouldn't be due to length of ride)
...when you have TSA pre-check, and the pre-check lanes are closed
...when you have to enter the same long queue as everyone else, but have a laminated card saying that you don't have to take your shoes off to go through security. Still have to remove the laptop and any electronics larger than a cell phone, though.
...when your flight is delayed by 15 minutes
...when your flight is delayed by another 15 minutes (and yes, this was a day flight, there and back)
...when the plane is freezing, everything feels damp, and you could only sleep before takeoff
...when your parking ticket gets folded in half, the machine is not able to read it and tells you to proceed to a cashier or call support
...when support doesn't answer, and doesn't help
...when you have to signal to the guy behind you to back up, because you certainly can't proceed forward to a cashier
...when you finally make it to a cashier and you have to stretch out of your car because she is too lazy to reach halfway for your card
...when she says the first card won't scan (corporate card)
...when the second card won't scan and the error message is "card is invalid or inserted backwards" (stupid cashier)
...when you can't get through traffic to exit the airport and have to circle the airport again (3 times in 1 day!!)
...when you finally get headed towards home and wonder what is for dinner at 11 pm, since you haven't eaten anything but eggs at 6:00 am
...when you say "fuck it, I'm having McDonald's because I want a chocolate shake"
...when you drive to the McDonald's beyond your house because the one on the way home is in a sketchy neighborhood, and the one closest to home hasn't fixed their broken drive-thru in over 3+ years (order at the final window and wait)
...when you finally get to the "good McDonald's" and order and think all is well
...when you get to the window and they tell you the shake machine has shut itself down, would I like something else or a refund
...when you ask for a refund and provide your card and then ask for a diet coke
...when you are told that they are out of diet coke
...when you finally select Dr Pepper...and get your food, and they have refunded your card and you start to drive away and they yell at you that you haven't paid (even though they had your card and you have a refund!!)
...when you can't back up because the car behind you has already moved forward
...when you have to pull forward, wait for the manager to come get your card again and charge dinner
...when you finally get to walk in the door at 11:30 pm
...when you are getting ready for bed at 12:30 and discover that you foot is BLUE and realize that the "damp" feeling on the plane was actually real and the toilet on the plane was leaking and dyed your sock and foot blue
...sigh...another day in paradise...or so they tell me
Friday, February 16, 2018
Sun and Triggers
I had the briefest glimpse of a beautiful sun this morning. It was reflected in all of the rain drops still clinging to the bare branches. It’s been overcast and rainy for the last week, so this glimpse was much needed. It was brief because I was passing through it from the climate controlled car to the environment controlled office. Also brief because the clouds have started to float back in.
I did take a few moments to enjoy this special occurrence. I slowed my step, closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and luxuriated in the warmth of the sun on my cheeks. (And secretly wishing I was in the hammock.) This moment was perfect. Wish it could be bottled.
Took a deep breath and had the lightest hint of some sweet, floral smell. As they say, smell is strongly linked to memory. This smell triggered some fleeting memory that I could not catch. It smelled like Easter. It was full of frills and pastels and brightly dyed eggs and sugary treats. Ahhh...the smell was jelly beans. The whiff of candied sugar when you first open a bag of jelly beans and the mish-mash of flavors wafts up. I’m not talking cloying and overbearing, just the fleetest of whiffs. Spring is already starting to scamper in.
I did take a few moments to enjoy this special occurrence. I slowed my step, closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and luxuriated in the warmth of the sun on my cheeks. (And secretly wishing I was in the hammock.) This moment was perfect. Wish it could be bottled.
Took a deep breath and had the lightest hint of some sweet, floral smell. As they say, smell is strongly linked to memory. This smell triggered some fleeting memory that I could not catch. It smelled like Easter. It was full of frills and pastels and brightly dyed eggs and sugary treats. Ahhh...the smell was jelly beans. The whiff of candied sugar when you first open a bag of jelly beans and the mish-mash of flavors wafts up. I’m not talking cloying and overbearing, just the fleetest of whiffs. Spring is already starting to scamper in.
Sunday, June 18, 2017
First Ride with the CB500X
How does time pass so quickly?!? I've been meaning to update you on the new Honda in the stable.
Yes, I did come home to find the lovely tan Honda CB500XA in the stable. As I hadn't test sat on it, I was afraid the fit wouldn't be right. I'm not one to purchase things sight unseen. I also don't care to purchase bikes unridden, but very few new bikes are serviced and available for test riding. That seems to only be the domain of Harley Davidson and BMW. We had read many reviews that said this bike was very comfortable for tall riders in the 6 foot range. So I was optimistic.
Oilburner had a difficult time finding the bike. Dealers in the area said they were in stock, but not "in stock" to look at. They could get them from the warehouse with a deposit. He called around and located a dealer that said they had one. When he arrived, the salesman he talked to was not available, and the one he was working with said the bike wasn't there. Confusion abounds. After some searching it was uncovered that the parts department had taken the bike and was using it as their display! As you have seen from previous pics they had a mannequin with riding clothes, gloves, helmet, boots completed decked out. So...that is how I got the bike. Many people had been looking for it and inquiring about it, but the salesmen didn't know where it was. (Even the owner of that pretty GS700 from a few posts ago and called about that bike before buying the GS.)
Then comes the haggling. Now I am hearing this all second hand and am amazed at the dickering that Oilburner did. The price tag on the bike was NOT what the advertised price was on Cycle Trader. The salesman tried to get around it by saying it wasn't the same bike, until they checked VINs. No disputing it. Oilburner had them knocking $1700 off the bike in one fell swoop. The Cycle Trader ad also mentioned a $100 gear credit. Again, they hemmed and hawed, but gave in and gave it to him. Wow. Just wow.
The story just gets so exciting! Makes her look that much more attractive.
All this time I'm asking Oilburner if he intends to purchase one, or if he will be content with his XR650L. He assured me that his 650 was great, he wasn't interested and it was paid for. Yeah, those assurances didn't last long. He rode mine 1 mile to unload it and get into in the stable and he was smitten. Or course, I didn't know that at the time. As we are talking about it more on Friday, I'm commenting that it is for the best that he keeps his XR650L as there would be no way that the dealership would possibly honor the same price for a second one.
I was wrong. Apparently, he had already ordered one that had to be brought in from Alabama. And they gave him the same price. The only difference was that his didn't have ABS and mine did. Hmmm...
Meet Oilburners bike...
Yes, I did come home to find the lovely tan Honda CB500XA in the stable. As I hadn't test sat on it, I was afraid the fit wouldn't be right. I'm not one to purchase things sight unseen. I also don't care to purchase bikes unridden, but very few new bikes are serviced and available for test riding. That seems to only be the domain of Harley Davidson and BMW. We had read many reviews that said this bike was very comfortable for tall riders in the 6 foot range. So I was optimistic.
Oilburner had a difficult time finding the bike. Dealers in the area said they were in stock, but not "in stock" to look at. They could get them from the warehouse with a deposit. He called around and located a dealer that said they had one. When he arrived, the salesman he talked to was not available, and the one he was working with said the bike wasn't there. Confusion abounds. After some searching it was uncovered that the parts department had taken the bike and was using it as their display! As you have seen from previous pics they had a mannequin with riding clothes, gloves, helmet, boots completed decked out. So...that is how I got the bike. Many people had been looking for it and inquiring about it, but the salesmen didn't know where it was. (Even the owner of that pretty GS700 from a few posts ago and called about that bike before buying the GS.)
Then comes the haggling. Now I am hearing this all second hand and am amazed at the dickering that Oilburner did. The price tag on the bike was NOT what the advertised price was on Cycle Trader. The salesman tried to get around it by saying it wasn't the same bike, until they checked VINs. No disputing it. Oilburner had them knocking $1700 off the bike in one fell swoop. The Cycle Trader ad also mentioned a $100 gear credit. Again, they hemmed and hawed, but gave in and gave it to him. Wow. Just wow.
The story just gets so exciting! Makes her look that much more attractive.
All this time I'm asking Oilburner if he intends to purchase one, or if he will be content with his XR650L. He assured me that his 650 was great, he wasn't interested and it was paid for. Yeah, those assurances didn't last long. He rode mine 1 mile to unload it and get into in the stable and he was smitten. Or course, I didn't know that at the time. As we are talking about it more on Friday, I'm commenting that it is for the best that he keeps his XR650L as there would be no way that the dealership would possibly honor the same price for a second one.
I was wrong. Apparently, he had already ordered one that had to be brought in from Alabama. And they gave him the same price. The only difference was that his didn't have ABS and mine did. Hmmm...
Meet Oilburners bike...
We needed to break the new bikes in. Mine had 1 mile on the clock. His had 2. :) What better way to break a bike in then ride it like you stole it in the twisties. That's how I broke the last GS in, and it hasn't leaked one drop of oil.
We grabbed Alex and went into the mountains. Had lunch at TWoS and hit the curves hard. Hwy 60, Hwy 180, Richard B Russell. The boys were into the curves, so the only way I was getting pics of the bikes was to stop without them. They eventually found me.
Head on over to Flickr to see more glamour shots. As I said, not many due to the fast paced ride.
Impression: Feels very light, even though only 100 lbs lighter than the 1200GS. Very "flickable". Shorter wheel-base made the twisties fun, after learning when to turn. Never having ridden an inline engine she was very smooth to shift. Learning to care for a chain driven bike with be fun what with lubing and adjusting on a regular basis. Love getting 54+ miles per gallon.
Funny story: As I was not even in the state when Oilburner purchased my bike, obviously the bike is in his name. I thought it only justified that his bike be in my name. HA!
And yes...the XR650L went up on the selling block. More on that next time.
Saturday, May 20, 2017
Remember that Honda XL600R?
A couple weeks ago I shocked the world by disclosing that we were actually reducing the stable by selling the Honda XL600R. Trobairitz had asked if clearing space in the stable meant there might be a backfill… I was pretty emphatic that there wasn’t going to be a replacement. Yeah..hold that thought…
I was in some intense training in NJ Wed and Thurs of this week. I hadn’t looked at my phone all day. When I had a quick break at the end of the day this is what I saw that I had missed…
Of course, I looked at Oilburner’s messages first. The three messages here were foreboding. Then I went to another thread that had about 23 messages waiting to be read in a group chat with good friend Alex. And this is what I saw…
So guess who came home late Thursday night to see her new bike? Guess I’m getting rid of the R1200R sooner than expected.
P.S. She is fun to ride…
I was in some intense training in NJ Wed and Thurs of this week. I hadn’t looked at my phone all day. When I had a quick break at the end of the day this is what I saw that I had missed…
Of course, I looked at Oilburner’s messages first. The three messages here were foreboding. Then I went to another thread that had about 23 messages waiting to be read in a group chat with good friend Alex. And this is what I saw…
So guess who came home late Thursday night to see her new bike? Guess I’m getting rid of the R1200R sooner than expected.
P.S. She is fun to ride…
Thursday, May 4, 2017
Something Followed Me Home
This fun little cutie drove me home the other day. Before we all get our hopes up, no, she isn't here to stay. She belongs to a friend. Oilburner [was] volunteered to install a lowering kit. So we met in between and transferred. Gotta say this F700GS was EXCITING to ride!!! She handled well, great suspension, headlight leaves something to be desired at night, and some fabulous wind sheer at highway speeds.
Friday, April 28, 2017
Back Inside the Jet Engine
Have you ever lived inside a jet engine? We have. In 20-ought-something we had a pipe burst and flood half the house. We lived with 12 high powered fans and two huge, industrial style dehumidifiers in a little house. Baseboards all removed, holes in the drywall, carpet and padding removed. We didn't realize our insurance would have paid for a hotel stay. So we subjected ourselves and our pups to this treatment for days until the house was deemed dry and restoration could begin.
Well...new house, different leak, same jet engine. Late last night we finally located the source of the moldy smell that I had been picking up on. And in a rather disgusting way. Let's just say you don't ever want to see mushrooms growing in your carpet. We've spent today trying to find the company that could help us to remediate and restore. Oilburner spent half the day trying to find the source of the leak, to no avail. Same with the team that was sent out. No clue. No roofline, no spigot, no water pipes. So now we have the carpet partially ripped up, the dehumidifier in the room, and just waiting until they can start pulling the lovely wood paneling down to see the exact extent of the water damage, the extent of the "growth", and determine if we can actually figure out the source of the water. Sigh.
Well...new house, different leak, same jet engine. Late last night we finally located the source of the moldy smell that I had been picking up on. And in a rather disgusting way. Let's just say you don't ever want to see mushrooms growing in your carpet. We've spent today trying to find the company that could help us to remediate and restore. Oilburner spent half the day trying to find the source of the leak, to no avail. Same with the team that was sent out. No clue. No roofline, no spigot, no water pipes. So now we have the carpet partially ripped up, the dehumidifier in the room, and just waiting until they can start pulling the lovely wood paneling down to see the exact extent of the water damage, the extent of the "growth", and determine if we can actually figure out the source of the water. Sigh.
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The darker wood is "wet"
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The darker wood is "wet". It was detectably getting worse throughout the day, and slowly improving with the dehu.
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| The wall had expanded enough to create this huge gap in the moulding. |
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