No conflict allowed

Helen and I are about to come into conflict.

She needs the car every workday, and on Friday night. She would like to have it Tuesday evening, too, but I get it then. I drop her off at ukulele, and she bums a ride home off a friend. I get it after supper Wednesday and Thursday as well.

I am about to start needing wheels on Saturday morning. This is trouble, as Helen has gigs then more often than not.

Somebody it going to lose out.

Won't be a problem soon, as yesterday we ordered a new second car. It is such a new model that dealers didn't even have demos until after Xmas. We took one for a spin, let the idea sit for a couple of days and yesterday called the dealership.

Sounds like ours will be off the boat at the end of January.

I'll still be mister bike-to-work. The car will be a backup for really lousy weather, and also a conflict avoidance device. It means we can always do our separate activities with ease.

Likely I'll be driving the new one, as it is incredibly tiny. Helen hauls around violins, guitars, bags of sheet music, stools, ukuleles and accordions. She often also has friends to haul around and their gear as well.

My gear consists of a gym bag with a white suit in it, and I have no friends. None I need to drive around much anyway.

So the deposit is in, the salesman is excited, and our car is in the pipeline.

Vroom....vroom...

He's back....

I'm home.

I ran over the holiday...almost as much as I wanted to. The goal for was 6km per day with Friday's off, until I was back at work or back training.

That works out to 11 running days. That many days at 6km each was a total goal of 66km.

I actually did 51.42km. Not bad.

Didn't even bike one inch.

We got home yesterday. As it was Thursday, and a Jiu-Jitsu night I resumed my training. Only a few folks showed up. Besides the instructor there were 4 White Belts and 4 Blues. If we'd done the next class in the cycle it would have screwed most of the other ten White Belts. Instead, the instructor took us into slightly-more-advanced land. It was really fun, and good training, and much better for the Blue Belts than an ordinary night would have been.

Now it's morning, and a beautiful day. My weight is up 5.5 pounds from before the holiday started, but I'm content with that. Whenever I return to normal after gourging for a while, the first few pounds drop off really fast. I'll plug away on the rest later. Today is a big puffy chair day. My only exercise will be watching TV and playing video games.

I hope I don't sprain a thumb.

Aftermath

Christmas has happened.

I was the first one up, which is my norm. Did NOT run, just so I'd be here for the big unwrapping. I'd have felt bad if they'd all have had to wait for my return. Bad Christmas form.

After all that, it was over to mom's care home to be with her, and my sister and Al. Helen played a bit on her newest weird instrument. It was all lovely, and just a little sad.

Back to Oliver and Jen's for turkey cooked on the BBQ. Eight of us chowed well and fully.

Now the kids are quietly playing with loot. Helen is gently making music. Jen is resting in a corner. I am blogging.

My kilometer goal is only 9 down. Pretty sure I'll attack it early tomorrow, even though my belly is in no condition for activity.

I wouldn't even mind if it started to snow.

So who locks a university?

Today, so far, is not what I expected or wanted.

Off on my run in the morning dark. Hit the University grounds just as something internal hit me. No warning, then suddenly a desparate desire to have a little sit down on a porcelain chair, if you know what I mean. The kind where one dare not take a step, then it subsides a bit, a quick waddle, then have to freeze again....repeat many times.

All the usual always-open University doors were locked, it being both Saturday and Dec. 24th. After a bit I gave up on that. Luckily nature lightened her gut grip somewhat, and I ran on to the nearest Starbucks.

I must say that it felt very relaxing for me there, and there had been no poo-tastrophie.

From the Starbucks I felt like walking, and it was pleasant to do so. I felt like saying to the people I passed, "Look at me, walking like a normal person."

Hard at it

I am having a fab Christmastime so far. I know that for most folks it doesn't start until this weekend, but that just makes it better for me.

Helen and I have been in a ton of stores. Anything we like the other buys and adds to the gift pile.

Been eating like Santa himself. Meat on sticks, Neopolitan Pizza, and we discovered Taco Tuesday. Can one overdose on sushi?

My last bike ride was Friday. Today is Wednesday, and the only sweat I've broken was a single, solitary early morning run two days ago.

Today we go out with Oliver and Jen and their three young'uns. That will be workout free, and include another big pile of yummies.

My official pre-season weight was 178, and I have no reason to fear that will drop any.

Shopping

Christmas has gotten easier for me over the years. This is a good thing, as I am the world's worst gift shopper.

On my side of the family, the only gifts we get are for my sister and her husband. The rule there is we get each other thrift store gifts , with a maximum $5 value, and gags are fine. My lovely and talented shopper wife, Helen, has handled this to perfection.

On her side of the family, we get something for her brother and his wife, and we chip in for the three kids' gifts. That takes care of the kids, and the two adults are always quite happy getting gift certificate kind of things. Again, my wife organizes all this.

There is only one person I need to get gifts for, and that is Helen. She is one of those near-Christmas-birthday people, so I need two for her.

One is taken care of already, thank goodness. That leaves one gift to find in the coming week. Sounds easy to you? Not to me.

I can wander an entire mega-mall and come away empty handed. My wife can walk into any tiny shop of any kind and find the perfect thing for anyone. I am jealous of her gift at gifts.

Anyhow, I am optimistic. Surely there is something somewhere.

The danger is I'll walk right by with a stunned look in my eyes.

20110-2012

2011 is definitely winding down.

ISKF Karate ended for me three weeks ago. JKA Karate wound up last Saturday. My last Jiu-Jitsu class of the year was last night, and today is my last bike ride to work.

I haven't been running, and that will start soon to keep me active in lieu of all my usual stuff.

What can I look forward to in 2012, activity-wise?

Back on my bike, of course. In a few months I can start my final work year. That will be cool. As each day passes, I will not be working that date ever again.

In Jiu-Jitsu, I'll be progressing to the more advanced class soon. I am also look ahead at my Blue Belt exam. Passing that will gain me access to 3 more classes per week. Around here, the Blue Belts are the big shots.

I'll continue to train in Karate. The National Championship is being held at BCIT in the middle of March, and I'm going to go watch. Sakurai Sensei will be back once or twice, and there's a chance of a huge big shot instructor coming around April. I'd rather have another Sakurai Seminar, but what can you do?

I'll run when it fits in. Likely this will turn into once per weeks through the school year. In the summer it will be more.

When we visit Victoria in the summer, I'm off to train at the Victoria Judo Club. It's convenient, and I've wanted to try it for a long time. There is also a swell Karate club on alternating nights at UVic that I'm welcome at.

Should be a good year.