One down.....

I have a short list of things to do this year. I brewed a nice porter, that's number one. I have been wanting to brew more this year, so I already have another beer planned. A ale with peat smoked malt and aged with bourbon soaked oak chips. Sort of a nod at Scotch Wiskey. I may try an IPA or a wheat beer next, then maybe a Octoberfest or schwartzbier. We shall see.

Number 2 on my list is to finish the bike build I started last year. I have had some problems with parts, but I think I have everything now i just need to assemble. I hope to have it done this weekend. All I really need to do is take off the old brake levers, put on the new, run cables for the brakes, and wrap and shelac the bars. I really hope to be riding this bike soon.

The number 3 item is building a bow. I was into this a few years ago, before I got into cycling. I was just starting to get a good feel for things when I stopped. I have a maple board that will be almost perfect. It may not work as a self bow, so i may back it with some hemp twine. It will be a 72" neolithic European/Eastern Woodland type bow. The first bow I made was out of a red oak board. The same style and length, worked pretty good. It was 56 pounds at 28" of draw, but the grain wasn't perfect and it blew on me one day and almost took off my right ear. With the hemp backing that wont happen. I'm not sure when I'll start on this, but I have really been iching to start. I have been dreaming about building this bow. I should be able to crank it out over a weekend or two, but there are so many things to do.

Wow! A year already?

It has nearly been a year since I had a wonderful person come into my life. She is the main reason I have not posted much. Things change so quickly and the little things can impact your life so much. It seems like just Yesterday tat the picture was taken, now she is just a couple of weeks shy of one year. It has been an interesting trip with many a sleepless night, many a dirty diaper, new teeth, and giggles along the way. I love every minute! I don't get much bike time anymore and I can't brew like I want, but I wouldn't change it for anything. I have a very blessed life. I have a wife that truly loves me and two wonderful daughters. What more could you ask for?

Been busy......very, very busy

Well, let's see... Since my last post my second daughter was born and life has not been the same. Today the wife and little Addy went to visit Grandma, so I have the house to myself. It's quiet. I don't like it. Oh, well. What can you do? I intalled a headset on an old Mercian Vintecore. Not as hard as I thought it would be, but a tad tricky. I had to make a headset press. A length of all thread, some washers, and nuts was all I really needed. All for under 4 bucks at the local hardware store. I will have some pics up soon. Now if I could only get the old bottom bracket loose.

Tomorrow we may get some nasty weather, so I may get snowed in. Hopefully after Britt and Addy make it home. I may work on another project, a bow. As in archery equipment. I started that a few years ago, but then took up cycling. I want to make a hemp backed short bow out of a piece of maple I have lying around.

The next project is brewing up some beer, maybe a dark ale or a pale ale, haven't made up my mind yet. That may have to wait until things warm up a bit. Hmmm, that seems to cover the three Bs. more later

Over My Head?

The short answer, yes. This was going to be a blog about my new hobby of brewing, but more pressing things have come up. Things that make brewing a batch of a Belgian inspired Dark Strong Ale without a recipe and just from reading a book, Brew Like a Monk, by Stan Hieronymus(and by the way this is only my second attempt)seem like sitting in the shallow end of the pool.
I am going to meet someone who will forever change my life in a couple of days. I will be meeting my daughter, my second child. I can't wait. It's a scary thing having a new life to care for, but I want to see who she is. I want to know that little person that has been kicking me in the back early in the morning. I want to see that personality develop and blossom. I want to count her toes, and fingers, and kiss her cheeks. I look forward to first smiles and the first time she laughs. Her first steps and first words(Oren you cannot contribute this time). It's going to be tough, the late night feedings and diaper changes. The colds and sniffles and tummy troubles(which can be explosive, Miranda taught me that). I can't wait to see what she looks like. Will she have red hair like her mom? Will it be wavy like mine? Will she have freckles? Will she have a nose like mine, or her mom's? Oh, I am in deep, deep water. I can swim though. I can tread. If I have to, I can hold my breath. I am over my head....isn't it wonderful?

Perspective

Each day is a gift. We can become distracted and forget that. The petty things in life like bills, traffic, and all the stupid things we think are important. Something has happened today that has put things in perspective for me. I'm ok, my family is ok, but a friend is not. In a blink of an eye it can all be gone. Cherish the truly important things and don't sweat the stuff that's not.

Review

OK, I don't thing I have done a book review yet, but I just finished Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn. It was her first novel and it was dark and very disturbing. This book caught me from the first page and I had trouble putting it down. This book is a little outside of my normal reading material, as I usually read science fiction. I have no regrets about picking up this book. I will warn you, if you are a little bit squeamish, don't read this book.

Moments

I don't remember what she was wearing the first time I saw her, but I do remember her smile. The way it lights up a room like sunshine. I knew then that she was special. Never in my wildest dreams would I ever think that things would happen the way they did.