Victoria's Island

Saturday Night

It is Saturday night here in O-Town. We're taking it nice and slow. Perfect way to wind down from our productive day. Typically I like to catch a few extra zzz's on Saturday morning. But not today.

Marc was going on the Cyclelogik ride so I decided I might as well get up and ride early. Very smart decision considering the weather we've had today. Marc left for the CL ride just before 7:30 and I followed quickly after him. I rode to the Gatineau Park to get in some hill climbing and some VO2Max intervals. Pretty good ride. A hard work-out. Lots of climbing. Some descending (funny though it never seems to balance out with the climbing). A solid set of intervals. Bumped into my pal and we set plans for a fine Sunday night supper. I almost stayed dry.... Got caught in an a ridiculous downpour right around Magicomo Mountain. I was soaked. It got really dark as well. But I can handle the rain. Luckily it was very warm so the rain wasn't such a big deal. One bonus of the soggy weather was a pretty much empty Gatineau Park. I saw four other cyclists and probably only six cars. This is a record for a Saturday in July! Anyway, excellent ride. I really enjoy this ride. I can pretty much ride the bicycle paths all the way to the Gatineau Park and then I get to ride in a beautiful environment. Nothing like being surrounded by trees to calm the mind and soul.

We went out for a great lunch at our favorite lunch spot: Centrepointe Cafe. The best part of the lunch that Rocco and Joe whip up is the soup. It is home made and fresh daily. Today was curried carrot. Perfect side dish for my tasty wrap. Then it was errand time. Stop in at the shop to pick up some essentials: chamois cream and Hammer bars. We hung out and caught up with the guys and gal.

To round out our errands we did the deli tour. First stop was the Bank St. Sausage shop for some fresh sausage. Our freezer is now stocked with spicy Italian, hot chorizo and ginger/coriander sausages. Mmm, there are going to be some good meals on our table! To round out the delis, we stopped at the perogi store on Baxter Rd. Wow - what a place. So many perogis! I picked up one package of chicken perogis. Think these will make the perfect addition to my lunch.

We totally crashed this afternoon and did nothing. While Marc napped I chilled out with the newspaper and some chocolate mint tea. I love my new newspaper subscription. Can't wait for the Sunday NY Times! I whipped up some new carb/protein bars today: 1.5 cups of rolled oats, 1 cup of ground almonds, a generous dash of cinnamon, one egg, 1.5 cups of skim milk; mix well; drop into an 8 x 8 pan lined with parchment paper; bake for 40 minutes at 350; oatmeal concotion cool; slice into bars; eat or wrap in plastic wrap and freeze. These are pretty tasty - there is no added sugar so they are not sweet (could add some agave). With the egg, milk and ground almonds I think there is a good dose of protein in these bars. I tasted one - nice and chewy (not crumbly) - sort of cake like. I migh whip up another batch tomorrow - thinking of adding mashed banana and some peanut butter... Also wondering what they would be like with some canned pumpkin, cinnamon and raisins.... Any suggestions?

Not much planned for Sunday. Fun on the 'cross bike is on deck for the morning. Planning a solid two hour trail ride chased with some skill work in the park. Just what I need right now. Looking forward to supper at the New Mee Feung - craving the mango salad.

Oh, one sure sign it is summer: on Friday I saw a guy walking down the street here in Barrhaven - he was carrying a 12 pack of Fresca! Oh Fresca - how I love it. Subtle lemon lime flavor. One of my summer memories is my mom in her bikini stretched out on the back deck with some magazines and a bottle of Fresca (sorry mom!).

Okay, on that note I better go. Don't want to write anything else that will get me in trouble...

Friday Action

Wow, what a whirlwind week this has been. We got home from vacation on Monday and it has been non-stop go ever since. Thank goodness our vacation had a nice easy pace to it. I've been out every night this week. Crazy. But good crazy. Nice way to be really.

I've really just been taking the time to catch up with friends I haven't seen in forever. Perfect to just sit and chat and talk about everything and nothing. Last night I hooked up with a pal of mine and we went down to the Byward Market. What a night. Perfect weather. Smooth feeling to the people out walking around enjoying the clean air and music. We wandered around for a bit and then stocked up on the essentials: tea, bath soap and black licorice. Then it was off to Takahara for sushi. Mmm, it was so good. I hadn't been out for sushi in so long so it was a definite treat. Then we wandered some more. Listened to some music, people watched and just had a pretty good night. Not a bad way to spend a Thursday evening.

This weekend is looking pretty good. I know it is supposed to rain on Saturday. No big deal. That is what umbrellas are for! One thing I'm really looking forward to this weekend is: the newspaper! I missed reading the Globe and Mail while we were away. So it will be nice to have the Saturday paper in my hot little hands. I ended up subscribing to the Saturday Globe and the Sunday NY Times. I really enjoy reading both of these newspapers so a subscription seemed to make sense. So you can pretty much be sure of what I'll be doing on Saturday and Sunday - newspapers, tea, backyard.

Discovered that there are some pretty good free concerts this weekend as part of the Bluesfest action. Thornley, one of our favorite bands is playing on Sunday night. Problem is the show starts quite late (midnight...). On Monday one of my new faves is playing: Serena Ryder. I will definitely be going to listen to her. I love her voice. Also playing on Sunday are Broken Social Scene. This is one of the best bands out there.

Not much else really. Still trying to get unpacked from our trip and put the house back together. All in due time. There is no rush really. I'm pretty confident that Better Homes and Gardens magazine won't be showing up at our place anytime soon for a photo shoot!

Okay, I best be off. Maybe I'll write more later. Have a great weekend. Make sure you get out and enjoy the outdoors. Before you know it, you know what will be here!

Good news - found out when the Watchmen are playing - 5:30. So assuming the weather holds out - we'll be there to catch this fine Canadian act. Loudlove is playing at 1:30 (I think) - this is a great local band - I have tickets to see them play at Bluesfest on Thursday.

Okay, signing off. We've got an episode of Top Chef Masters to watch. This is an okay show. It isn't Top Chef but it satiates the food porn television for the summer! We are enjoying watching The Next Food Network Star. Yep, life does revolve around bikes, food, tea, and newspapers.

Daily Life

Ah, well back to the routine again today. Nothing like the same old to remind you of the great time had while away. This is where I'm at right now. I have to say that the break/vacation we had was great. It wasn't one of these crazy vacations where we did lots of stuff. Rather it was the complete opposite. We both simply had time to sit and catch our breath.

I was able to get in lots of quality time on the bike. Many hours were spent climbing the hills of the Beauce region. I was able to read two books (Remembering the Bones and Bright Shiny Morning). Best of all, there were moments of complete  relaxation. Perfect. We had planned to go to Quebec City but the days kind of ran away from us. No problem. Quebec City isn't going anywhere.

So now what? Well, back into the groove of day-to-day life here. Definitely nice to see Mr. Murphy. I get the feeling he missed us as he seems to be attached to both of us. Nothing like waking up to the sound of a purring cat!

The rest of the summer looks pretty darn good. More training. Some more bike racing. I'm sure many afternoons to sit out and simply relax. Just what is needed. Especially since for us the fall and winter a super busy with cyclo-cross racing and travel.

We do have tickets to go to the Hope Beach Volleyball thing this weekend. The Watchmen are playing (one of our favorite bands). This band had broken up a few years ago but I guess they are back together. Only problem with the concert is we don't know what time The Watchmen are playing... Have to play it by ear.

Really, that is it. I've been watching dribs and drabs of the Tour de France. It is early days right now. Real action won't start until the mountains. I am pleased that we get such decent coverage with OLN but I must say that I'm a bit tired of hearing the word "Lance". Sigh. Oh well, no matter my opinions on this guy, the one thing he has done is increase the visibility of the sport and raise millions for cancer research.

Okay, best be off. Thanks for the comments and emails about Marc's race. What an awesome way to round out our vacation.

Red and White

I'm simply going to let the photos do the talking for you today. Needless to say Sunday was a pretty special day. I'm so proud of Marc and his team mates. Great riding. Couldn't be happier.

Getting ready to roll. Team Ride with Rendall flashing the colors.

Drilling it. Marc and Sanchez were away for most of the race. Marc attacked him with two laps to go...

And soloed in for the win!!!

Post-race waiting for the podium.

Looking pretty darn fine in red and white. Nothing feels better than that top step.

Post-race interview.

Rob, Marc and Francis. Some pretty big grins! What a ride.

Talking to Glen (the Rendall in Ride with Rendall).

The end of a great vacation. Standing on the dock at Lac Poulin.

Canada Day

Just sitting here relaxing. Realized it has been a few days since I last posted. On my ride this morning, I worked out some pretty darn impressive blog posts. Now, well now I'm drawing a blank. I'm trying to remember the great epiphanies and ground breaking thoughts I conjured up while pedaling along. I'm starting to wonder if I really did have these great thoughts or if I'm in la-la land... For my own confidence and sanity, I'll stick with the former...

Here goes nothing. This could be good. Or it could be weak. My sincerest apologies if this little post does turn out to be weak. But don't say I didn't warn you. You can turn back now. Ah, heck stick with me, you and I really never know what is going to happen.

Can I simply say this? I am reading an incredible novel right now. Yes, I know, I admit it. I seem to write daily about the incredible novel I'm reading. But this time I really truly deeply madly mean it. This author is kind of new to me. I had dabbled with his earliest work but found it to a bit of a messed up fantasy. But I'd read some great reviews of his current novel and most importantly had listened to a number of interviews with this dude. It was his attitude and perspective that brought me on board. So impressed, I bought his novel in hardcover. (This is huge for me - I'm cheap and pragmatic.) Without further hype here it is:

Bright Shiny Morning by James Frey.

Yes, that James Frey. Don't judge. Simply read the novel. The use of language, texture, imagery and personalities is woven together in a very tight story. This is one of these novels I am carrying around with me. Into the kitchen while I make my tea. Into bed for an hour or so of pre-bed reading. Basically pretty much everywhere. I really am hooked.

Bright Shiny Morning is so very different from my most recent novels (Still Alice and Remembering the Bones). Perhaps this is why I'm so enthralled by it. Whatever it is, I'm digging it. But please note, this is not to discount my previous reads. This Frey novel is just so far from them that it is refreshing and terrifying. It makes me wonder what else I've missed.

So it is Canada Day. July 1. Big day for us Canadians. Funny until I moved to Ottawa, I didn't really think of or really notice Canada Day. For a long time it simply meant I'd get paid time and a half during my shift at my summer job (Kentucky Fried Chicken in Nipawin, SK.) But when living in the nation's capital, this day takes over. It almost takes on mythical status - up there with New Year's Eve. For weeks people discuss Canada Day and their plans. Like New Year's Eve, this hallowed birthday can either be a boom or bust. For the first time though, I was hit with thoughts about Canada. Precisely how darn lucky I am to be living here. I suppose it is thanks to the media that I realize how fortunate I am. Sure, it would be "cool" to live somewhere else (like Belgium) but really I have it pretty darn fine here in Canada. Case in point, I'm free to have this web site and to basically write whatever I choose. I live in a country where my rights are recognized and I'm encouraged to live my life to the fullest. Being different is not a reason for persecution. Freedom and expression are there for the taking. Where am I going with this? I guess I just want you to take a second to look around you. Remember how fortunate you are. Yes, there may be some bad stuff in your life, but all in all, you and I have it pretty darn fine compared to a lot of people in this world. Happy Canada Day!

The other night, Marc and I watched One Week. Wow, what a movie. In fact a perfect movie to watch on Canada Day. This movie does two things really well: it captures Canada on the screen and it makes you think. What would you do if you knew you had one day left? What about one week? How about one month? Really something to think about. The next question is, if you know how you would spend this last day/week/month - then why aren't you doing it right now? Why are you saving these things for that time? You just never know.

This morning on Canada AM, the program basically showed some of the hosts' favorite interviews from the past year. One stuck out for me. Seamus did an intervie with a really young piano prodigy. I think this little pianist was 8 years old. Anyway, during the interview this little kid said simply pretty profound "You have to try to try".

Try to try.

Wow. This is pretty good advice. From an 8 year old.

Speaking of advice and inspiration, you need to check out Ray Zahab's TED talk. Ray is a pretty darn inspirational guy. He is a professional endurance athlete. Ray has run across the Sahara Dessert. Name an endurance event or record and chances are Ray has competed, won and set the record. Crazy. But what is even more crazy is that 5 years ago, Ray was a sedentary smoker. He had a breakthrough one day and realized life was passing him by. Now at the age of 40 he travels the world competing, raising funds for a number of charities, inspiring kids, and doing motivational speaking. This guy is pure passion. So go to the WWW and download his TED talk. Then go check out his web site. Then buy Running the Sahara. This is a fantastic movie. If these things don't provide you with some motivation and drive, then really, I don't know what will.

Here is my last little nugget that I stumbled upon yesterday: there is no wish, there is only do.

Catching Up

Sorry I haven't been posting. This no Internet thing can be a problem at times... Truth be told, I haven't really missed having constant access to the Internet. It has been a welcome change to not be staring at my computer monitor. Though I have felt slightly out of touch - particularly with my email! Yes, I got your email, I'll respond as soon as I can.

So there has been some racing action these past few days here in St. Georges de Beauce. Racing for some kicked off on Friday with the national time trial. Ottawa was well represented with lots of riders pulling out a good day on the fast bikes. Congrats to Warren M. for his sixth place finish in the elite men's time trial - awesome ride. The Ride with Rendall crew all put together some excellent rides in the "race of truth". Saturday was the women's national road race. I wish I could tell you all about my race. But really there isn't much to tell. I did not finish. Not sure what happened. I just didn't get it done. No excuses. No reasons. Just not a good day. But this day is now behind me and I'm looking down the road at my real goals and ambitions. Congrats to the Ottawa girls for some super strong rides on Saturday: Cynthia, Nataha, Sophie, and Tricia represnted O-town super well and all deserve a pat on the back for their great rides. Sunday was the men's national road race. Pretty exciting day. A bunch of us spent the day in the feed zone handing up bottles and words of encouragement to the Ride with Rendall boys. What a day! Massive congrats to Aaron Fillion of Ride with Rendall for capturing the elite men's title. Wow. It was an interesting day to be a bike racer/superfan. Lots of lessons learned by everyone on the dynamics of bike racing.

I'd say it was a pretty darn good weekend. I really enjoyed hanging out witht the Ride with Rendall team at the "team house". It was the perfect environment for a weekend of racing. Everyone was in good spirits. Lots of stories and laughs were shared. I did escape a few times with my book. It really helps to be surrounded by friends when in what can be a tense race environment. Thanks to Glen and the Ride with Rendall crew for extending their hospitality to me this past weekend. Now Marc and I have a couple of days with a quiet house until the masters and junior teams arrive for their racing this weekend.

Not much else really going on. I got in an excellent three hour ride this morning. I've got to say that I'm getting pretty comfortable on the hills. It seems like I'm either going up or getting ready to go up. Very hilly around here. Nice change of pace from my regular riding routine.

I'm a bit out of touch of the "news of the day" so I can't comment really on anything that has happened.

I can say this though, I think Frances Itani is my new favorite author. Loving her novel Remembering the Bones. Totally addictive. Read this book. It is so powerful.

Thanks very much for the emails over the past couple of days. These help a lot when things are a bit trying.

Okay, I'm off. Time to read my email and to get caught up with the world. Have a good one.

Chillaxing in Beauce

(I started this post earlier in the day at the house sans Internet...)

Just chilling out here in Lac Poulin. I'm lucky to be able to stay with the Ride with Rendall team in the "team" house. It sure makes the stay here in Beauce so much easier. Can't really beat having a kitchen, a private room, a deck and a view over the water. Very calm and peaceful. The added bonus is not having to step around bikes in a small hotel room.

So it is the day before the road race. Perfect day to just relax and spin the legs out a bit. Marc and I drove the road course yesterday - it looks pretty good. It is a 45 km loop with a few kickers, descents and flat sections. Basically a standard road course.

Drive down yesterday was mostly painless. We did get stuck for an hour on the 20 going through Montreal. Ouch! I started to loose my patience at one point - think it was the small bladder and the empty stomach that took over!

So really that is all that is happening. (I'm sure I'll write more later when I can actually post to this little site.) That is the one thing - we don't have Internet access here at Lac Poulin. This is the only downfall. I suppose in a way it is a good thing. Break the habit from the endless computer watching and actually do something else to relax. (Like read.) Speaking of reading, I've given up on the Short History of Tractors in the Ukraine. I just can't get into it. So now I've got a couple of magazines to keep me busy until I pick up my next novel: Wend (a great outdoor magazine) and the New Yorker summer fiction issue.

Alright, time to go. I want to get out for a spin and open my legs up for tomorrow. Happy Friday.

(Now back in real-time.)

Had a great ride today. Don't know what it was but the hills felt flat and the flats felt like descents. This is two days in a row with this feeling. I'm not complaining - loving every minute of it. Looking forward to racing tomorrow. Should be a good day.

Had an excellent afternoon of simply relaxing at the house. Just the two of us at the house so things were pretty quiet. Spent some quality time with my mags and books. And just because I'm a bit obsessive, I've got my bag packed and numbers pinned for tomorrow. It helps me relax to be so organized.

So I'm reading Remembering the Bones by Frances Itani. Loving it. Wish I'd read Itani sooner. Guess I'm a late adopter. Looking forward to relaxing with this gem this evening.

All the Ride with Rendall guys and gals has good days out on their TT bikes. Definitely not an easy course and the muggy weather doesn't help matters. But all in all, everyone seems pretty content. Congrats for the solid rides. Most impressive. More inspiration that I can take with me into tomorrow's race.

I've been drinking so much water today and eating some extra carbs to get myself stocked up for tomorrow. Not sure if it makes a difference, but hey an excuse to eat some extra bread, pasta, and a few crackers is good for me!

Okay, I'm off. I've got a bunch of emails to check and a number of RSS feeds to get through. Have a great Friday. I hope to check back in with you on Sunday. Send those vibes on Saturday afternoon.

Hot Days

Just a quick note to say we are off to Beauce for a bit for some bike racing and a bit of a break from reality. We're staying in a smooth cottage/house on Lac Poulin. Quiet nights with the only sound being the water swishing against the dock. Great way to relax and stay fresh for the racing action. We decided to stay in Beauce this time rather than driving back and forth between my race and Marc's races.

I'm racing this Saturday. (Send some fast leg vibes at around 1:00.) Marc is racing next Friday in the road race and then Sunday in the criterium. Should be a good week of pedaling, relaxing, sleeping, and eating. We'll have limited internet access so if you don't hear from me that is why.

Hoping to take an afternoon and take a little trip into Quebec City. I'm thinking Simons, crepes, chai latte, and a nice dinner out would be just perfect.

Okay, best be off. Thanks again for the kind words regarding Marc's crash and injuries. Happy to say he is doing much better now. Still has some lingering effects but the good news is he has been given the green light to race! Yay - this makes for two very happy (and dare I say relieved) people.

Enjoy the heat!

Randomness

Brace yourselves, this post could be a bit scattered and seem a little crazy. I admit it. I've got a bunch of stuff swirling in my brain and I feel the urge to get it out.

On my cycle into work this morning I saw the most bizarre and slightly strange thing on the bicycle path. From behind I saw a woman pushing a small stroller and walking a little dog (you know the kind that make a cat look big). So as I rode by I peaked in the stroller to look at the little baby that I assumed was safely strapped inside. Nope. The stroller was empty... Said stroller was for the dog... Yep, in the event the dog got tired! Yeesh, and we wonder why we have an obesity problem if people are willing to push their dogs around in a stroller...

It is hot. Really hot. I'm not a fan of the heat. I like it to be in the low 20s. Not a fan of humidity either. It is really hot in our kitchen. I ran the dishwasher and then stood in front of it while preparing my lunch and breakfast. So now I'm hot. The tea doesn't help....

Marc got some good news from his sports medicine doctor. Head is looking clear. The hamstring is clearing nicely. The shoulder is good to go. He has been given the green light to ride. Yay!

So apparently there is the potential that LCBO employees are going to strike. Hmm. This doesn't affect me. Or so I thought... Until I tried to get to the Loblaws parking lot. The LCBO parking lot was jammed. Really people - you might want to do a little self-evaluation if you're rushing out to the LCBO to stock up.

Bought some new shoes yesterday. Decided it was time to replace my fave green hikers. I lucked out and got a pair of Timberland hikers on sale. Sweet. Funny I didn't realize how "dead" my other shoes were until I started walking around in my new shoes. Yes, I have new shoe love. Also bought some new shorts. Needed some that don't need to be ironed and aren't too casual. The hard thing about buying shorts are my legs. The tanlines are a bit ridiculous. So the length is tricky. Most are either too short so you are greeted with some blinding white flesh and then a rapid switch over to beautiful bronze lower quads and calves... Luckily I found the perfect pair of Merrell shorts (on sale as well!).

Okay, I've got to go. Up early tomorrow so I can get an early start to the day (in other words - so I can leave work at noon!). Have a good one. Currently watching the F Word - big fan of Gordon Ramsay. (Don't let Hell's Kitchen tarnish your opinion of this guy.)

Quiet Night

Pretty quiet one here this evening. It is just me and Murphy holding down the fort. Marc has gone out to get his hamstring checked out by his sister. (Little known fact - Marc's sister is a physiotherapist. Very handy at times like this.) Yep, yet another side effect of Marc's crash on Tuesday night is a very tender hamstring. We think the his saddle must jammed into his hamstring when he crashed... Crashing is not fun or cool. Sometimes I hear people (who have never crashed) comment on wishing they could have road rash because it is "so cool". Uh uh. Not cool. It hurts. It feels as bad as it looks. So don't wish for it.

Racing action yesterday in Ottawa. It was pretty darn sweet. In fact the whole day was pretty darn good. Had a relaxing start to the day with some chilling out, surfing, television watching and just generally taking it easy. So nice to not have to travel to a race. Made it downtown for the 35th running of the Preston St. crit. Lets just say it was packed down there. It seemed everyone from the Ottawa race community was out plus all the people out to enjoy Italian Festival. It made for an awesome race atmosphere. The racing was pretty darn good as well. Unfortunately our race was done primarily in the rain... This made for some slippery roads and resulted in a rather big crash early on in the race. A good friend of ours and a very popular guy in the racing community went down hard. So send your thoughts out to Craig B. today. Get well soon Craig - we're all thinking of you. To keep things short, I finished third. I'm content with this. I did not have my best day technically on the bike as I was rather tense with the rain. For a complete run-down on the day and a race report, go visit Ottawa Cross.

After my race and sometime spent doing the "bike racer shower" at the car... (The "bike racer shower" involves a bottle of water, a towel and rather vigorous scrubbing. All the while trying to be a bit discreet while standing naked in a parking lot... ) I found Marc and we watched the elite men's race. What a race. The Ride with Rendall team once again dominated and really showed what team work is all about. Nice job guys! Very impressive. I had a great time cheering on the guys and chatting with all the friendly faces as we walked the course. Great way to unwind after the racing. We fnished off the afternoon and evening with a great RWR barbecue. Lots of time to sit around, eat, tell stories and simply relax.

I must admit, this morning did come awfully quickly. I would have liked to have stayed in bed all morning. But for a Monday it has been pretty fine. Nothing spectacular happened. Had a great tlk with my coach and we're putting some plans together for the fall. Sweet times ahead. Decided to beat the heat and did my recovery ride on my 'cross bike. Wise decision as I think I was still suffering some dehydration from racing in Sunday's heat. (I didn't take a drink from my bottle once during the race. It just didn't ever seem like the right time...) Hit up the trails by my place and had a fun time zipping around on the singletrack, sand and pine needles. Funny, I ride at this park pretty much once a week and I always find a new trail or a new route to my favorite sections. I also seem to always be able to scare myself. Lucky to have such solid training grounds close to the house.

Next up on the bike racing calendar is Road Nationals. We are off to Beauce, Quebec this week and I'll be racing on Saturday. Looking foward to doing a long road race and testing out the legs on a few climbs. Sunday will be a fun day - I'll get up early for a long ride and then get myself over to the race course to help out in the feed zone. I'll be passing up water bottles to the Ride with Rendall guys and cheering them on. Should be fun to hang out in the feed zone and catch up with more people I don't get to see very often.

So short week at work this week. But on the flipside, there is lots to be done here before leaving. Food to prepare. Food to buy. Bags to pack. Laundry to do. The big question is: how many books should I bring with me? I just started reading: A Short History of Tractors in the Ukraine. This is not the type of book I would normally choose but my co-worker and a number of other people have suggested it. I'm only about ten pages in, but I'm thoroughly enjoying the novel.

Got to say, one thing I'm really enjoying are our new chairs! Yep, new chairs. We have six chairs in our backyard now. Thanks to our neighbours, Ross and Lori, we inherited their old backyard set. I love these chairs. So much more comfortable than sitting on the back step. Murphy likes them as well. I can only imagine how much Minou would have enjoyed reclining in the sun in these chairs.

Okay, I best be off. In theory I should chip away at my list of "to dos"... But I still have Tuesday and Wednesday...