Thursday, December 13, 2007

Update before Christmas

It's not that life isn't busy or anything. I do like to post here. I have brothers that actually know what busy means, but I'm not often effective enough to qualify as actually busy. This fall has been filled with productivity and that's not a bad thing. I'll pick up parts tomorrow and clean up the last of the paying work. I can't believe the back log is completely cleared up.

The fall was so gentle and easy to live with as far was weather is concerned. It was very late in November before ice was covering the local livestock dugouts, but when the cold weather came it came hard and it came fast. It's maybe a prairie thing to be so aware of the weather. We spend a lot of time outside so it seems that it's as important as any of the other pressures of life.

It feels luxurious to squander time in writing an update here. Blizzard conditions this morning kept Manon and PU home. PU of course tried her best to attend her conference, but every other sane soul involved had abandoned the cause and then the principal phoned and instructed her to stay put. Delores is such a team player.

Before I snapped a belt on the snow blower I emptied a tank of fuel onto the ground via a breech in the fuel line. Fortunately I was almost finished the job at hand and spent a scant 15 minutes behind the snow scoop. I would bet there are quite a few reading here that couldn't identify a snow scoop if their lives depended on it. :D



I've been solidifying my training goals for the coming couple of months. I intend to make a concerted effort to better my half marathon time with a lot more high intensity work. After my first couple years of running, I determined that if I could break the two hour mark on a half marathon I would tackle a full. So far I have not come close to having to make good on that threat so an idle threat it remains. I've spent quite a bit of my reading time allotment studying the latest habits of some serious distance runners. A good number of my friends from runningmania.com use the coaching services of Mike Booth's company, Endurance Matters. I wish I could feel that affording such luxury could pass muster, but maybe if I mind my manners... Dwayne Sandall got me into the Polar Bear run last year and he's been a thorn in many a side throughout the running community. His account of the run across the lake got me hooked. He coaches for Endurance Matters and the Holiday season party at Natalie and his new home was great fun last week. I didn't get home until 2:00, but life could be worse.

So training is eating away at my thought process in a big way. I went for a massage last weekend in an attempt to address some of the minor aches and pains that come along with the aging process. The young woman was known to me from the time she was a young one in 4H. She's had several years of schooling and practice now and she did not disappoint me in her ability to influence my body in good and short order. I just wish she was closer. Cathrine Dyck has found a work that she's able to shine with. I'll have to cut my desires back and find something locally though. I have an appointment with a woman in St. Pierre on Monday after I see the sea hag that passes for a family physician here. Rate an MD is an informative site. Check my commentary from October for Wassef in St. Pierre for a peek my skill set in fence sitting 101.

The good news is that my neck and upper back are much improved already. Best of all I'm not waking early due to upper back tension. Rest for training recovery is key to advancing much on what I've managed to train for previously so this extra sleep is a step in the right direction. The Christmas baking is another matter all together. PU used my Dad's tried and true whipping of fat and sugar for the traditional short bread this year and life could not be sweeter.

Today I wrote an article for the MHS newsletter about one of our more prominent breeders, Ruth Hanney. The afternoon was spent outside. I might have to cut some wood soon. If this wicked weather keeps up we'll be out of wood in no time. Funny the things you think about while you clear snow. The chickens are not producing. I've changed feed and it's been ground too finely and the birds are not interested in the majority of it as powder. The feed was a good price, but it was really aimed at the hog industry and certainly not layer chickens. Live and learn I suppose. Or is that lose your money learn to lose?

Last weekend I enjoyed a brief but thorough hands on introductory workshop on collimating Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes. Mine is a newtonian, but hey, I learnt to star test from an expert. There are so many more variables with mine, but it's a whole lot more tolerant of error of alignment so it all balances out eventually. I've been toying with the idea of springing for a couple of good eye pieces so I want to ensure the alignment is as good as it can be so my judgement of my current eye pieces is as honest as it can be. Tonight might be a good time to do a field test instead of using the round holiday tree ornament in the basement trick. The wind chill by morning is supposed to be down to -44C. I'd best get cracking. Or maybe just stay close to the fire? "Do not go gently into that good night...."

Tomorrow is the peak of the best of the meteor showers of the year, the Geminid's. Here's a fireball captured on video that's part of the build up.

I was talking to another enthusiast of astronomy this week. He was describing, with all animation settings on high, the details of his plans to put to work a small catalytic heater of recent garage sale thriftiness on his part, under a lawn chair and cover to watch the shower. This was the same guy that talked me into testing our camping strengths at -22C one winter long ago. I'm such a sucker!

If you need a 32T 1" diametrical pitch gear on short notice because you ripped a third of the teeth out of the one in your main spring winder, talk to Roman at motionindustries.com in Winnipeg. He's got that small order thing all figured out.

If you have to know what time it is and I don't mean maybe, this would be your source.

If all goes well, we'll have our Boo home for dinner tomorrow night. She's sure to enjoy a bit of wood cutting!
Cheers all. I hope your holiday season is gearing up to be a good one.

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