Monday, July 10, 2006

Periscope Up

I sense a certain restlessness among the reader(s)ship. I guess when I said “a week or so” people took that literally. Well, many apologies, but Shrink or Fade is not quite done with its summer hiatus yet. And until we start seeing some response to our pledge drive, we may not come back on line at all. Just kidding. But I did want to stop by the office just to report on a few reportable items.

1) Green Acres: I’ve been on the chronic forensic unit for several weeks now. Compared to my previous post, this one is like watching paint dry (or perhaps the more apt analogy would be “watching grass grow”.) I’m not really sure they need me at all. I’m considering volunteering to do some extra work, such as seeing new admissions for my colleagues downstairs. Rule #1 of course is “Volunteer for nothing.” But I find that I’m missing the sturm und drang of the acute unit.
2) Saturday before last I undertook a personal “triathlon”, consisting of 30 mile bike ride with 517, five mile run with 1, and four mile solo ocean paddle out in the bay. Oh, then ice cream—so it was sort of a quadrathlon. It was one heck of a day.
3) On July 4th I was cajoled by five friends into running a 10k race. I had never run 10k before, in one swoop, for any reason, even one time when I was chased by a dog, so I was very proud of myself just for finishing without walking. And, by luck, I beat all five friends (but 272 other people beat me…) Now, I have an unpleasant sensation which I’m told is called “shin splints”. No running for a while.
4) Antique bicycle repairs continue: put on a new chain and new rear sprockets. Rides like new! Well, almost. Yesterday I accomplished a nearly-forgotten life goal of cycling up over the Kancamagus Highway in the White Mountains (20 miles uphill, 20 miles downhill.)
5) After a decade of saving and far too much time shopping, I finally purchased a sailboat. Sandra Lee, a Cape Dory 30 cutter (visible here as Boat #2), is currently on land sixty miles up the coast. There are various logistics involved, but I’m hoping to have her in the water soon and home on her mooring within a couple weeks. The end of chronic boat-shopping leaves a strange vacancy my life (which will, however, soon be more than filled with boat-maintenance.) Also of amusing interest, Sandra Lee’s original name was Emotional Rescue.
6) There have been some other watersheds and sea changes which are not really blog material and are not yet settled out. And for this reason, I hope you will understand that S. or F. will remain on Hiatus Status for a bit longer yet.

Many thanks for your continued patience,

Turbo