What's in the box??

Ok...too many people have been asking that question on their own blogs. Like Trobairitz and Canajun.

And I really like the luck they have had with the contents of theirs. Of course, Trobairitz's contained a little more bling. But hey, farkles and presents are always a great surprise.

So I have to ask you...what is in this box?

PS. I suck at keeping secrets and surprises. Poor Oilburner usually gets his Christmas presents a week early because I am too excited to keep it under wraps. This ain't Oilburner's though...

 

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Giving it a Rethink

Jiminy. I just discovered that it has been three months since I last posted, or even looked at, my blog. I am being terribly remiss and neglectful. Truth is, there hasn't been much riding. And what riding there has been has been more along touring the same ol', same ol' spots. Who wants to read about, much less write about, the same places that I have outlined a time or two in the past?

Life has changed so much. Moving to a new house, Monster moving in (and not nearly as independent as previously advertised), having to deal much more closely with some extended family members that I would personally love to never see again. A change in jobs (my company was purchased by a much larger one in March), and while I LOVE the new company the responsibilities and expectations are much higher. Not a problem if you have the time to learn, unlike me who gets to do it in my spare time as I have a client to service 40+ hours a week.

It all culminates down to motivation and time. Over the last couple months we have ridden a little. We (I) have worked a paying gig as an official Motorcycle Marshal for a bicycle race south of Atlanta, in pouring rain. We had the great pleasure of running around with Mike over at Scooter for Fun. I wish we had more time with him here. I would have loved for him to see our "mountains" and enjoy some of the twisty roads in our area, sans frost heave.

I was recently in New Jersey for a training class. I just missed out on meeting up with Jack the Riepe as I came down with stomach flu. Then picked up a head cold on the way home. I missed out on a beautiful 4 day weekend over Memorial Day. Oilburner and I had planned on a beautiful time on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Unfortunately, I just wanted to ride the sofa and sleep. Crap, crap, crap.

We managed to get on the bikes on Sunday afternoon and tool up to nearby Lake Burton with a lovely marina and grill that makes great hamburgers. So a short jaunt of 200 miles, but bittersweet as we contemplated all that is occurring in life and making a change in our activities that are more in line with what life is calling for right now.

Oilburner had already removed his marshalling accessories. He opted for the wash and wax on Monday while I slept and read. It was the big red machine's turn during the week to be dismantled to remove her accessories, and she was washed and waxed yesterday. Both bikes are clean and polished, getting ready to be shipped to their new owners.

I'm not sure what life will have in store for us for the next little bit. I'm looking at it with some trepidation. Giving up something that brings me so much enjoyment, escape, and pleasure.

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Those Who Can't Do...

...Read

I've been meaning to order some of these for awhile. So I went whole hog and purchased tons. And still I forgot to order one...

One Man Caravan is completely engrossing. A gentleman who rode 'round the world in 1932!

 

Who'd Have Thought...

...Atlanta would see these temps? Yes, that is in Fahrenheit.

This may be trifling to some, and I claim no great surprise either, but this is a big deal here. Schools were closed today due to these temperatures. No rain, no snow, no sleet, nice sun, but cold. Kids here aren't generally equipped, clothing wise, for this. The administrators were also worried that the buses wouldn't start. Valid if you think of diesel engines. As well as a concern of heaters not being able to adequately heat classrooms. Ok. I'll give it to them.

I haven't seen any motorbikes on the road today. The big concern would be from breaking sprinkler pipes laying great sheets of ice across the road. Don't laugh. It is happening. :)

 

For Want of Shelf Paper...

For Want of Shelf Paper, They Ate Out of Tupperware

 

For want of shelf paper, the plates were lost

 

For want of plates, the boxes were lost

 

For want of boxes, the packing was lost

 

For want of packing, the basement was lost

For want of the basement, all household items were lost

 

All for the want of shelf paper, the diners were forced to eat dinner out of Tupperware that was laying around.

 

Brief Interlude

RichardM...thank you for the push. Moving took (is taking) much, much, much longer than expected. And it is quite disheartening. We had to cut it off at some point in order to chaperone Moose to a conference.

We worked our butts off to get everything out of the house so our friend/neighbor could move in. If we hadn't had that hanging over our heads we would have taken our time and felt less pressure. But it is what it is. We managed to empty the "house", but there are still remnants in the garage that will have to be dealt with next week.

DefCon is a nice break. Though this too shall end and back to the grindstone we will be dealing with paint, carpet, more moving of his mother, of our stuff out of the basement and into our living area. Sigh. I refuse to think about it.

I had hoped to share pictures, but since we are still in the middle of moving I haven't had time to give you teasers. Here are a couple of walk through images that might tide you over for a little while.

 

Our first day (and overnight) provided us with beautiful patterns coming through the leaded, beveled glass front door windows, and the deer frolicking in the back yard about 30 feet away from where we sat.

This room has since become packed with items that are not meant to be here. You will have to imagine it is really meant for other purposes...the extra wide doorway capable of allowing, say motorcycles with attached saddlebags, to pass right through...

What is terribly depressing is that my entire previous household manages to fit into one room in the basement, with room to spare. Sitting in the emptiness that is upstairs, waiting for carpet, makes me feel the massiveness of this new house. I do not intend on filling it. I'm liking empty space...

But we do have a little slice of home set up in another room in the basement. Oilburner is finally getting his movie/theater room.

 

It's Official

We have way too much shit. (Sorry Grandpa, but that is the best word for it. Crap just does do this junk justice.)

We've managed to pack up about half of the kitchen, most of the bookshelves in the living room (devoid of books, but fragiles remain for packing), and most of the spare room. Remaining: master bedroom, closet (ugh), office, and garage (oh my goodness, I don't even want to think about that!!)

The bad part is that I really want to downsize, I just don't want to spend the time and energy to go through the stuff now as that is precisely what we don't have: time. So it is all getting boxed up and moved to the new place. Oiburner and I have made a pact that as we unpack we will purge.

I just think of Sonja and Roland and friends D&T going through their items three or four times, winnowing down the "important" items and taking only what is necessary. I want a simpler life. I need a simpler life in order to face the changes coming up.

My Mother In Law is no longer capable of living on her own. After some changes of mind on her part, she kinda sprang it on us that she wanted to move in with us. (Yes we had offered, but she was pretty adamant at one time that she wasn't going to accept.) The sudden reversal of decision and subsequent edict to go out and buy a new house had us spinning. Yeah, MIL could live in our house, but then she wouldn't be able to bring any of her stuff.

Her primary requirements were bed (king size), baby grand piano, and grandfather clock. I understand all these things. But they won't fit in our current house. We really struggled with an idea of finally building that garage we wanted, turning the current garage into living space, and calling it good. However, that wouldn't happen in the truncated time table we had to work in. MIL had made up her mind and didn't understand what was taking so long.

So we canceled all vacation plans and set in earnest to looking for houses that would fit all of our requirements. That was not a fun process, especially as Oilburner was traveling in another state for much of it. In between, we also flew to CA to help clean up her house in order to put it on the market. Again...mind made up, it has to be done NOW!

Then the struggles began to include, "So now I get to bring all my furniture" instead of just the three most important items. Yeah... that is a daily, ongoing struggle that will only end when the furniture truck arrives and we put our feet down as to what makes it past the hallowed doors...and what doesn't. I'm not looking forward to this...

As for the moto content...wait till you see the man cave... We close this Friday, I'll post pictures then.

Update: 90% of the master closet is packed (which is also the linen closet), the office closet is empty of various and sundry motorcycle and all other manner of clothing, and the bookshelves in the office are starting to show some bare patches. Wonder if we actually will complete this disaster by Friday???