Grumps can suck it, it's Friday!

[bigbill]

Headed to Bloomington for a long weekend visit with our oldest son/middle kid at IU. Might have to watch Breaking Away and throw a few Italian words around town later tonight in honor of Dave Stoller...

The GIRL (a niece we raised) just graduated from IU with her degree in education. Quite a long strange trip since being a high school dropout. We got her post dropout and tough loved her was through school. The BOY is killing it at Annapolis.

[donevwil]

Been facing quite a few issues or complexities in my life the last many months, but was able to ride with my wife last Sunday for the first time in over half a year. GOD that was wonderful. We both rode to work yesterday (bike to work day here) and met on the way home for a beer and Cuban sandwich at our favorite brewery.

Still a lot of stuff going on, but I had no thought of posting to the Grumps thread yesterday for the first time in a long time. That alone is a blessing. Suck it negativity!

[Drew]

Headed to Bloomington for a long weekend visit with our oldest son/middle kid at IU. Might have to watch Breaking Away and throw a few Italian words around town later tonight in honor of Dave Stoller...

Leave the frame pump at home, eh?

Cinzano....

[ldamelio]

Great weekend coming up - entire nuclear family together which is rare and by definition a high point of the year. Details:

My oldest son is turning 33 today - we're celebrating his birthday. He's a fine man and I couldn't be prouder.
My middle son is graduating his Masters Program (Columbia). Ceremonies are on Tuesday and a spectacular dinner in the city planned. I couldn't be prouder of him, too.
My daughter, the world traveler, who lives and works in Alaska as an environmental biologist, is home. In between moving from Anchorage to Juneau, she's gone diving in Hawaii and the Philippines. Her spirit and chutzpah make me smile every time I think of her.

Tomorrow we're celebrating all this with extended family and some close friends. Backyard shindig with lots of top notch food and drink, including traditional family recipes in homage to some of the beloved departed including my dad.

The weather is going to be good for the first time in two weeks. In between the celebrating, I'm going to squeeze in a few rides on my new saffron lugged steel beauty.

On the sine curve of life, this is a peak that I'm going to savor.

[Britishbane]

Lou, what more could one want? Have fun.

[ldamelio]

Matt - thanks. You have a perfect family too - enjoy every moment while they're young. I missed that part for career (not by choice). My only significant regret in life.
It's been a while - we should get out for a ride.

[bigbill]

Spending several hours in Flagstaff tomorrow with Garro while we build up my new MTB. He was out of town when my frame was finished at Dark Matter so it was sent here. I've got the bars, stem, post, saddle, and pedals here, Steve has the group and wheels. It will all come together tomorrow.

[burgess1108]

Love reading some of the posts here, mine pales in comparison, but landed a role that I'd been pursuing; great company, a large step up in title and responsibility, and the kicker that you'll all appreciate, it's a 10 minute straight shot by bike from my house. I need to actually buy a commuter and map out a longer route for some additional miles.

[ides1056]

I have decided the next thirty years won't be like the last thirty, and went to a psychologist yesterday who I am convinced will help.

So hallelujah.

[Tom]

The sun came out. I'm going to knock off and go for a ride in about 45 minutes. I'm going to work at midnight tonight for a couple of hours but that's just a hiccup because I'm going to get up tomorrow go for another ride and then play in the dirt for the rest of the day, weeding and planting. I'm going to go to a lovely dinner with Karen and then get up Sunday, go for a ride, play in the dirt and finally cook a nice dinner on the grill. No idea what, for Karen and my parents in law. Finally, as it might be actually warm on Sunday, sit on the porch, drink a beer, wave, smile and say hi to my neighbors as they walk their pooches.

[bigbill]

I have decided the next thirty years won't be like the last thirty, and went to a psychologist yesterday who I am convinced will help.

So hallelujah.

Me too, started about 10 days ago.

[davids]

Lots to be grateful for today, but these guys have just jumped to the front of my line:

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[Rich Beaudoin]

My youngest is graduating high school tonight and next stop is Cal Poly for Aeronautical Engineering.
Feel like this is the end of an era in parenting life and the start of a new one.1D05DC70-D5B4-4BE5-87C0-0F7B02CF11FB.jpg

[Matthew Strongin]

Congrats! That seems like a lifetime away with my boy, but I know it goes fast. Enjoy the night!

[rwsaunders]

Mrs. RW attended a local Audubon Society meeting 15 years or so ago and she was inspired to shelve some of her old gardening ways and take a fresh look at her approach to creating a more natural habitat for plants, insects and birds. Fast forward to today and she received this designation for her work in our yard and needless to say, it will be displayed in a prominent location.

Audubon's Certified Backyard Habitat Program

[bigbill]

Feel like this is the end of an era in parenting life and the start of a new one.

Mine graduated last year and headed off to Annapolis. I went from Daily parenting to seeing him 5-6 times a year. He's doing a midshipman cruise on a guided missile cruiser out of Mayport, FL right now. It's been a big adjustment.

[davids]

Mrs. RW attended a local Audubon Society meeting 15 years or so ago and she was inspired to shelve some of her old gardening ways and take a fresh look at her approach to creating a more natural habitat for plants, insects and birds. Fast forward to today and she received this designation for her work in our yard and needless to say, it will be displayed in a prominent location.

Nice! My wife got connected to the Million Pollinator project, and it's definitely shaping the plantings we're creating in our yard. I'm now noticing the different bee species that our different plants attract. It's pretty damn cool to see these critical critters as something other than things to avoid getting stung by!

[bigbill]

Got a nice bonus at work. I'm using some of it to sponsor some kids in a summer STEM program in the previous town where I lived. The high school my son attended has a YUGE socioeconomic span, smart kids with parents without the means to enroll them. The school was good for my son, he's in a good place, time to pay back.

Of course I'll buy bike stuff too. Now that I've got the Coconino 29r and certain of the wheelbase, I'll buy a hitch rack. Maybe some of those MTB baggy shorts that the cool kids wear.

[summilux]

I posted this pic across the hall in the NBA 2018-19 thread but I just had to repost it here because it’s still making me happy and yes I’m gonna work the proud poppa thing.

Happenstance gave my daughter the chance to hoist the NBA championship trophy. She was in Toronto the day that the Raptors had their fan rally, working at St. Michael’s Hospital. Sadly, there was a shooting and a stabbing but thankfully there were no fatalities. St. Mike’s is only a few blocks away from the celebration and the kid was part of the trauma team that worked on one of the stabbing victims. She’s only a clinical clerk so her role was small, pretty much watching and handing stuff to others. Even in downtown Toronto, violence is not really common so the kid was excited, in a professional surgical way, for the opportunity.

This Monday, the Raptors PR team came to the hospital to thank the medical staff. They got a pizza lunch and a photo op. They each got a T-shirt and hat as well. Sadly, the swag is going to the boyfriend. Chapeau to the Raptors for doing this.

[j44ke]

Gay Pride weekend in NYC and the city is packed. Supposedly 4 million people projected to attend the parade. We are 1/2 block from 5th Ave and so 1.5 blocks from 7th, so our street will be shut down hard (as in lots of security, no through traffic, no parked cars at either end, etc.) but we aren't going to be here so ... actually kind of a shame we are not going to be here since it is the 50th anniversary of Stonewall and the mood is already 100% celebratory. Even if we probably would not watch the parade for long (so loud! those kids, does your mother know you are wearing that? oh that is your mother?) we'd be here absorbing the atmosphere and remembering people we knew and know who helped make all this possible with hard work, activism and bravery.