Grumpy bum?

This week, it has been like the mid-point of one of my ribs is majorly twinging - yesterday at work, I went to take a big, deep breath, to celebrate the end of the week, the joy of being alive, and whimpered in pain :(
Special mention must go to the makers of Pureau who have made a water worth buying-reverse osmosis creates a water that quite literally has nothing in it! Just check the side of the box-the percentages are always so miniscule as to be neglected/ignored! If you do not know what I mean, have a look at the side of the next commercial water you get, and see how that actual 'flavour' of the water is often from the particular combination of chemicals in there ... The taste is so empty, reminding me of rain water from my past, clean, effortless, echoing the tang of the tank that it had been sitting in ...
As for my visit to New Farm Park, it was reminiscent of my previous visits, but it just seems that it is now used differently? Down the Merthyr Street end are playing fields, particularly for soccer, but there is even a little canteen there now! Moving towards the river, there are still extensive rose gardens-although I am unsure of the varieties :( Still, an opportunity to further explore, hey? Then there are the rotundas, which still seem to be used for weddings, parties, anything. After that, there is a kind of dip down to the river, with the banks being really quite beautiful to picnic upon, looking out across the river, watching boats drift by, ferries commuting passengers along ... Oh, one special area that really seems to have been enhanced is the 'Dragon's playground' (I think it is called?), which is a great area for children to play in/on. There are swings, ropes, areas to explore-last time I went there, children had to drag me away, I was having that much fun! Of course, the Park backs on to what is considered Brisbane's premier arts' area, the Powerhouse - although, to be fair, it is only one of several premier districts in Brisbane ...
As for this week, I rode to work twice, taking about an hour each way, which was really quite amazingly good :) However, the 1st time I did it, I really, really suffered low blood sugar afterwards, and so was a bit 'grumpy' at customers ... Which reminds me, I had asked young Chris some time ago (2 weeks?) what he would change about me-this being part of my trying to understand what others perceive me as-and he replied that my instinctive agressive response to situations was confronting/worrying ... Anyway, there are a lot of customers who are totally 'Where is my refund???' and some of them were starting to be a bit aggressive to us-to the point where Wendy actually got so upset on Wednesday that she had to go home! grr Hmm, and my refund is still not come :( However, did get a letter from Centrelink saying that after 'careful consideration' they have decided to garnish my ITRR :o I mean, I knew they would, but WTF? What were the reasoning(s) behind this 'consideration' - more importantly, why could those reasons not be enunciated to me???
My efforts to elicit a SLX-01 seems to have come to nought - both Yellow Jersey and Velo were offered the exact specs of what was required, both said they would get back to me, neither has :( However, I did see some other possibilities, such as the cute NeilPryde designed frames and the ones from Canyon, which the Pharma-Lotto boys were recently riding in the TdF. One of the really, really great things about the Canyon bikes is that they have 660mm ST frames ... OMFG!!! So, might explore a bit further on that one ... Damn, yes, why not? They are a German manufacturer, who do not have retail outlets, providing all goods by post-which may make choosing/experiencing the frames a bit difficult? But they do have a rather good sizing/positioning evaluator on their site, so may have to do more measurements? Maybe I should just order the bike/frame + componentry I want, but through the post? Or, order the frame, and let OlE make it up for me???
Anyway, let us see what is to come for this next week ...

This week, what happened?

Today I went and spent some money on my bike - replacement Sigma 1606 computer (only need the head unit, but not able to buy separately, so bought the whole unit. Again) and tyres (Specialized 'Nimbus'), which I then proceeded to swop over with the Vredestein Scarabs, which were a bit threadbare, shall we say?
Received a text from Moira saying 'Chat tonite' but am completely ambiguous as to whether that means that she is to appear on my doorstep, and we will talk? Or, she will going flying past, and will chat by Messenger tonight? Sux to be me, hey? Am so uncertain about this r/ship stuff ... But, did come up with an interesting thought:

Relationships are like gardens. You spend all this time preparing the bed, building the soil up, turning/refreshing, making it (you) as healthy and attractive as possible. But you do not then just throw seeds in and walk away. You nuture the new growth, watering, fertilising, clearing away opportunistic weeds, stimulating/guiding the growth, then reap the rewards ...

Well, I thought it was cute/good, anyway ... And let us be realistic here, I am going to probably be the only one who will read this ... ;)
In other news, I am solidly SICK of all the cleaning that I am doing-has this woman had a brain freeze, and just given up? Has she not heard of annual/periodic cleaning? Certainly am not the most freaky of clean freaks, but the amount of dust is just killing me-swear it is like 6" thick under the bed!!! Actually, it is not, but you get the idea ... Hmm, anyway, am just focussed upon the slow and steady mode-guess that is the advantage of having such a small space? Other than that, and the electric stove, it is disarmingly cute there ...
Gawd, what else have I done this week??? Um, worked, chatted to Moira, went for a drink (or three) with JimE, went to Jan Power's Farmers Markets down near the PowerHouse, and had a trip over to West End for a haircut (got clipper job, but he charged the same as for a 'real' cut!!!), octupii (which seem to have gone well with a lime/garlic/ginger flavouring?), and a wander about, just to see what was happening in the 'old' burb ... Oh, and Sue told me on Tuesday night - Trivia with the boys (but it seems that it started an hour earlier, but crossed lines of communication meant that few were aware. Not that mattered for me, as I was working until 1830, anyway), and then onto Lock n Load for a few, in the midst of an extremely heavy Brisbane rainstorm - that she was not coping, so going away for a month to Europe (e.g. Germany/Spain) ... Oh, and G-Man rang me late on Friday night, and JimE got a bit jealous at how long I was away chatting??? Then went to collect mail at PO Box, called Moira, then walked home via cliffs chatting ... Until the battery suddenly cut out ... :o
Awoke this morning feeling very, very sore :( Back is still twinging sporadically ... is it kidneys? Or a momento of fractured ribs? Does hurt like buggery!!! Oh yeah, took bike out for spin (see tyre anecdote above), came back via New Farm Park, thought to jump over the double speed bumps, as you do-landed and nearly fell off from the pain at the jarring of the clavicle ...

Try again?

Stopped at Fusion Cycles, having seen a recent story in the local paper about them having organised a local derby/criterium race. Seems that sometimes I see someone in their colours too, so I thought to drop in, have a sticky beak around, as it were. Mainly seem to cover Cannondales and Orbeas, not that we hold that against them - actually, they had a BMC SL-01 up the back in the 2nd section, but was 54cm + 105s ... But, for all that, ... Anyway, on way out, just thought to ask re pricing/timing for havinga look at my back disc, as still had not been rectified, and New Farm Bikes refused to touch discs, apparently ... So, next thing I know, $100 later, I have front + back brakes that have had the pads completely replaced - the front had worn down to the metal :o - and both been reseated, although, you would expect that, given that the cables were also replaced ... All I can say is that I seriously hope (+ pray) that this tax $$$ comes through ASAP ... lol
Have made the effort to be proactive, at least via the internet on PoF (Plenty of Fish - wonder if the notion of irony ever occurs to the company about that name???) and have actually got as far as chatting with a girl called Mo ... Seems quite nice - older, almost as tall, seems smart, but scared, so maybe hurt in another life, and is recovering? But then, aren't we all? Going to visit friends in Redcliffe next w/e so I have invited to drop in on way back, so we shall see, we shall see ... There would seem a panopoly of wonderful femmes out there, although in the main, profiles are so mundane and repititve, that I find myself appealing/responding the gems in the rough, as it were. Still, good practice, and all, for better or worse - oh wait, is there a downside to all this?
Fantastic feeling riding about, enjoying the sensation (s) except that every time I go over a bump, it jolts my ribs, causing further agitation and pain! But, I must go back to the training and riding, so plan to ring Velo later today to discuss SLX-01 options!!! The 2nd part of this grand plan is to start (again) my six week build up to the Gold Coast 100, especially as it is fitting in so well with the other plans. Actually, seems that October will be a very, very busy month - WC, GC 100, Lost Domain ... At this stage, there seems to be a spare w/e in there, but that will probably be taken up with moving, hey? We shall see, we shall see ... Anyway, clavicle is sore, and it is difficult to lift things above my head, but it is not the same as my ribs, which are a continuous ache ... But I am missing riding so, so much ...
Hmm ... in other news, got some numbers in Lotto this w/e :) so will have to ascertain what to do with my fantastical winnings ... Seems to be a real wireless lo spot here - sitting behind Powerhouse (hmm, wonder if they have wi-fi I could access?) watching dog park and people going by, on foot, on their bikes, but a rather pleasant Sunday afternoon, by all means ... Oops - almost time to head off to see Coojee play at Jubilee Hotel, if I can ever find it, that is ... ;)

And there we were ...

Wow!!!
WikiLeaks goes OTT with Afghanistani report ;
Washington Post releases report that shows 854 000 people have Top Secret clearance
and here I am worrying about a new pair of shoes???
In other news:

• Discovered turkey pieces $5/kg at Coles, so am cooking some up, in a onion/garlic tomato sauce, and they should be ready in about 30 mins ...
• Lashed out and bought myself some papaw ointment - now lying about in bed (albeit nude), having smeared it all over the sites of the abrasions ...
• Have woken up several mornings in absolute agony from rib fractures, and I now think that maybe the lower floating ribs have been affected? Went to lie down on the wooden floor earlier, but it was just too painful!!!
• Went to Crumpler and added my scintillating critique of the Salary Sacrifice bag that I had bought, then turned around to add a more 'personal' update on the PoF site ...
  
• Survived the week, went on a bit of a spending spree yesterday, but at least I did not get the MacPac bag, tempting though the idea was ... and,
• The party last night for Dusan was really quite pleasant, although I only stayed for about an hour, as the pains were playing up a bit too much ... Did see, and chat with, Adam there
  

So, that is where I am at present, and I hope that all are having a fun filled time too???