Freedom! For the Moment...

 Today I was able to get the last of my 60 hours of work in.   That is correct!  60 hours!  I have been working non stop every day since Saturday!  And I finally finished the tail end 4 hours today to cap every thing off to exactly 60 hours!   Nice....

So what did I do with my new found time.  Well... It rained this morning.   And it has been threatening to rain all week, with cool temps.  So Chalking is out. 

Here Bessy... Free Greens!

But there was a brief break in the weather this afternoon and I decided to go for a bike ride in the country. 

She looks tempted...

Cheryl was still chained to her computer on her project, so I could not go to the Kewash Trail or Iowa City.   Instead, I just chose to ride on the gravel roads around Wellman.  How difficult  could it be?  

I miss the animals.  Mostly the horses and cows along the road.  I often stop by and give them a sample of the "greener grass on the other side of the fence"  just to make friends.    The horses seemed to remember me better than the cows.   I think there is a joke in there somewhere....  I'll let you figure that one out. 

There were no dogs or cats on this trip   Good thing as I had no dog treats and I certainly do not need any more cats in our entourage.   I do miss Max, Casper, Fluff, and Davis though.   These are all cats and dogs who have moved on to the Happy Hunting grounds in the sky over the years. Hard to believe it has been 11 years since I firs make friends with the neighbor's pets.

New gravel is ANGRY!

While enjoying my bike ride,  I was rudely reminded why I gave up riding my bike on the gravel roads of Wellmen so long ago.   I encountered a Major Malfunction! 

Like Marbles..

Apparently, the new gravel tends to rattle the bike to the pint of breaking.   At first I figured the new bike would be able to handle it.  But alas, I was mistaken. 

The gear changer must have rattled to the breaking point and eventually swung into the spokes.   That caused it to bend and warp until the chain derailed.   This all happened as I stopped to allow a car to pass!   I could not find any missing parts or broken fasteners, so I was stuck with a bike that would not work at the furthest point in the ride.  I had to walk the bike back approximately 2 miles back!

While handling the chain and damaged parts, my hands turned a fine shade of black.  I managed to soil everything I touched after that.. My phone/camera, my hand bars, my leg, my arm, my face!  And whatever I have been lubricating the chain with, it does not come off with a little sand or grass.   This stuff was like some protein based grease!  It took GOJO to finally get it to lift off my skin.  

So, instead of a relaxing tour of the country, I got to participate in a epic bike failure.   I would like to think My anxiety was silenced after that ride. But instead, it only moved it to where I worry about some other part.  Namely: the broken bike!

Oh!  I should mention that we are heading to Cincinnati Ohio tomorrow.  Perhaps that is why I was so anxious.  More on that later.   I will give you a hint in that Cheryl and her running addiction is behind it.    But that will be for another day.

In the mean time.   Thanks for stopping in!   Rain is predicted for the entire weekend, and the project I have been working on should finally end by Sunday.  I may have to actually score at the Hotel... If that is possible.   I do like Money.. And if I can squeeze n a few hours on Saturday  while in Ohio, I may just take the opportunity.   For the Children!  Of Course!   And the project!  Because... I'm a team player and would never think of my own self interest when it comes to milking the education field for every dime I can.   No sir!