Fifteen July 17

FREE TIME today. A gift from Mother Nature and of course Emma I will explain AND it will make PERFECT sense by the wrap-up & commercial messages at the end of the show.

So I had this marvy (marvelous) plan when I retired last night with my new book. Looks like a winner btw. Benjamin Franklin by some three-named writer/scholar. It’s upstairs, I am downstairs and I am not going up the stairs just to get the authors name correct. Read the next entry for the full name AND a preliminary book report.

This book was in the library and I do believe it was purchased from my Friend Martha’s estate sale.

Anyway, the plan was for a three (3) hour training ride which should or could have translated to 60-65K or 35-40 miles. I was primed for the longer stamina ride and there to the north skies darkened.

No problem yet. I saw a couple flashes of lightning and concern ratcheted up.

I axed a pedestrian crossing the road about rain & his reply was yes, a 30% chance. Well, my math skills tell me that in such a case there is a 70% chance it WON’T rain.

I rode on Josephine and continued to ponder my pending predicament.

Then it got noticeably colder. OK. COOLER. The temperature dropped and the wind picked up.

Not good signs. Thinking quickly as I usually do, I decided to head for the house. This ride would be reclassified to Wednesday’s 20K fast & hard ride. I am off Wednesday next week so I can do 3 or 4 hours with no scheduling considerations necessary. Only thing(s) that could stop me are weather, a bullet or a drunk driver.

PERISH THE THOUGHT.

Oh I know.

So I got home, dismounted and boom. Thunder. No rain so I hung out in the garage for a spell and began working on a continuing agricultural science project moving & transplanting St Augustine grass trimmings to more bare spots in the yard. I had just finish tucking in the last cutting when ka-BOOM.

Like real close, like right over my head. I mean I ALMOST had instant fertilizer.

It started to rain but not hard and not for long. So I fed the mosquitos in the garage while I was doing a quick power carving session.

When the little flying vampires had had their fill, I came inside to plot the rest of my day. Must report to THD at 3:30 today and scheduled to 12 am but I am going to use some PTO & punch out early. I think 2-3 hours. Sunday 6 pm to 10 so all day to goof off and maybe paint.

The View from Dukes is seeing some work. A number of other projects are getting a little attention as well. Shorebirds, the AGP/nb (2), two (2) red knots, a GWT & a BWT all moving forward slowly.

In the Good News department, Walt’s brother Stew has agreed & is going to provide some high-power aid, direction & guidance with my employment predicament. I am drafting a letter, think ‘white paper’ or 'case study' for to be waiting for him when he returns home & to town next Saturday. One of his areas of expertise is wrongful termination so fasten your seat belt. I know I am.

Yesterday I was getting a few odd items in K-Roget and I noticed on the Manager Special shelf a little box of sugar snap peas. Perfect. I bought them for $0.50, brought them home, IQF perfectly and stowed for future use.

Planning the next jam & conserve batches. Strawberry jam & the double-mint mojito conserve.

The new motto/slogan is 'Taking PBJ to the next level. Bill's Fine Jams & Conserves with North Shore's crunchy coconut peanut butter.'

I am here to TESTIFY, this years peach conserve with NS/CPB is OFF THE CHART & CRAZY delisioso.

Recipes are set and the only thing holding things up are jars. I would like smaller cuter jars the later but only have one. So I am in a bit of a pickle. Sorry.

I mean the mint isn’t going anywhere and I only have a PLAN for getting 2 qts of strawberries.

Other than that, all systems go.

OK.

I think I am out of fuel & material. Enjoying a iced yerba mate herbal tea with jamiaca blossoms sweetened with a few drops of liquid stevia. Simply elegant.

I woke up at 166 and I thought with a hard ride, maybe I might see 160 or 159.9 but maybe next week. I am feeling incredibly good with all this riding, eating hi-qual fuel and rest that I entertained the THOUGHT of asking Jenkins again if I could play ice hockey.

Reporting for work late tomorrow, if it rains on day plans I will do some overdue weight work between wood working, painting and other indoor activity sessions.

Always have a Plan Fans.