"How Much You Wanna Pay?"

I love to barter!  I have never done so in my life but now I love it.  I had my first experience tonite in what is typically called a "Fake" market in China, where you can buy anything from a Rolox watch to a pair of Oakey sunglasses.  You are also expected to negotiate anything you buy.  I was worried it would be a negative experience but it was anything but.  I had some coaching from my buddy for the first encounter and after that I couldn't wait for a chance to do it again.  The part that surprised me and that was really cool, is that most of the shopkeepers seem to be totally invigorated by the negotiation.  They truly don't just want to sell you something, they actually want to interact with you.  I tell you it was a beautiful thing. Kind of like a mutually agreed upon dance.  It takes place in a positive spirit with the intended outcome being a sale that both parties are happy with.  Everyone has a calculator in their hands and they type in the price which they don't expect you to pay, and then when you laugh at that it's "how much you wanna pay?"  It I think it actually works!!  As my buddy explained, if they let you walk away you can be assured that your price was too low and that they were not going to make any money.  And yet they would rather make a few RMB (15 cents) than let the sale slide, so they will haggle like mad to get you up to what they need.  It was so much fun!
I bought a few things for my grandchildren, with my only regret being that I din't have more time to shop and barter.  I think I'm gonna come back  :) 

No workout today....coming home tomorrow!!

"The propensity to truck, barter and exchange one thing for another is common to all men, and to be found in no other race of animals."---Adam Smith

Love
Peter

"If I Were The King of The World"

Tell you what I'd do.
I'd throw away the cars, and the bars, and the war.
Make sweet love to you.

I would also make some jobs illegal.
Like the Walmart greeter!
Or the elevator button pusher!  They got a guy here's who's only job is to anticipate your arrival at the elevator and have it ready and waiting for you....oh and he also says "herro sir"....and "yoo walcome sir".  I want to invite the guy for a beer to give him a break from this dehumanizing job, but that's just not gonna fly...or is that "fry".  So I try to look every one of them in the eye, and express a sincere thank you.  That's all I can do cause I aint the king of the world...yet!

Weights today...45 mins.

"If you die in an elevator, be sure to push the Up button."---Sam Levinson

love

peter

"If You Ever"

If you ever happen to be in Shanghai China on a wednesday evening?
And If you ever had a long day at the office?
And if you ever had to go hungry since breakfast cause you found lunch revolting?
And if you ever happen to have spent an hour in a taxi back to your hotel?
And if you ever needed to do your weights but just couldn't muster the energy?
And if you ever finally had a familiar, although mediocre meal at a Chinese/German restaurant.

And if you ever didn't feel like writing a blog after such a day, cause you think that you may be able to sleep after 3 tall dark German bers?

Then just tell the world to fuck off because...."those who matter don't mind, and those who mind don't matter"

God I feel so immensely grateful for healthy, nourishing, convenient food.  I am so freakin lucky.  I don't want to seem arrogant but the food I was offered at lunch time today I would have thrown in the garbage.....well actually I did!! Which makes me even more grateful that I have never had to go hungry in my life.

I love you all so much!  Please take a moment to look in your refrigerator and give a little prayer of thanks.

5 kms treadmill,  30 mins

"Red meat is not bad for you.  Now blue-green meat, that’s bad for you!"---Tommy Smothers

Love
Peter

"At The Golden Pheasant Restaurant"

Lots of opportunities to try new things.

This was for eating!



I didn't despite lots of encouragement.

This was for squatting which I might have tried if I had felt the need.

I actually went to bed quite hungry.  Apparently it was traditionl chinese food from this area and I generally found it shall we say "unappealing".  I couldn't even eat the pigeon although I tried my best to be courteous, and nibble a bit.  The only thing I may have been able to fill up on was the tofu, but it was spicy and so not for me either.  Oh well, I have been eating too much anyway....and breakfast time is almost here!

"No workout today!"

“The Gods cannot help those who do not seize opportunitites."---Chinese Proverb

Love

peter

"HA HA HA"

That's just me laughing at all you guys and girls who are just starting out their mondays...mines over already!
This working for a living sucks though.  I have to pay attention and if my mind ain't wanderin, I don't get any blog ideas.  Sorry!

Weights  45 mins

I always give 100% at work!
13% monday
22% tuesday
26% wednesday
35% thursday
4% friday"---anon

Love
Peter

"Desynchronosis"

I guess that's what I am!  "De-syn-chronosed"  Jet lagged!

The symptons they say are:

Headaches
Fatigue, irregular sleep patterns, insomnia
Disorientation,  grogginess, irritability
Mild depression
Constipation or diarrhea

Other than the fact that my bowels are just fine thank you, I definitely have the rest of them to some degree.

They also say that it takes about one day of adjustment for each time zone crossed.  In my case that would be 12 hours or 12 days, exactly the duration of my visit.  That means I will be totally adjusted by the time I leave for home, at which time I will presumably start all over again?  The common belief also seems to be that travelling east to west is easier than vice-versa but I can't see that meaning much when you have gone exactly half way....after all as I mentioned the other day I went over the top as opposed to east-west, or west-east.  Here's what it looks like up there, by the way.



Anyway, it is now about 4 pm on Sunday afternoon and I am desperately trying to keep myself busy for the next 4 hours or so.  Today is the first day that I have actually felt my energy starting to return and I want to build on that.  I need to get a solid night sleep tonite and if I give in too soon I will be screwed again.  I have a busy week coming up and I need to be sharp to be effective. 

Of course my training has gone all to hell despite my best intentions.  Finally today I got onto the treadmill for about 45 minutes as well as a little time in the pool.  The concurrent problem is the buffet tables at this hotel!  Man is the food good!

I did forget my goggles at home so for todays smile I offer you a picture of my new Chinese ones.  Unfortunately they didn't have much selection.  Actually, I really like this picture.  I look about as goofy as a man get get without doing it on purpose.  Looking at pictures of myself is very, very good for my humility



And thats all I really got. Wish me well staying awake, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

7.3 kms treadmill, 45 mins
swimming, 45 mins

"Oh Lord it's hard to be humble
When you're perfect in every way.
I can't wait to look in the mirror
Cause I get better looking each day."---Mac Davis

"Jet lag is your soul trying to catch up after flying."---Ryan Ross

Love
Peter

"Oh The Humanity"

I'm pretty sure I've used that famous line before but this time I mean it.  There are somewhere over 1.3 billion people in China and about half of them tried to sell me a watch today. 

I went to see a historic place  called the Yu Yuan garden and while it indeed has a 400 year old history and some really cool buildings it was in fact just a tourist trap.  I'm proud to say I didn't give anyone any of my money.

The only good thing about all these people is that only some 4 million of them are Catholics.  I guess we won't see many Chinese guys in heaven eh?

This is my driver.  He must be a Buddhist because in a former life he was on Star Trek.  Warp 8 Mr Zulu!

The other good thing about China is that there ain't a Tim Hortons to be found!

So I came back to the hotel and had a cup of tea!  Pretty good actually.

Weights only today.

And  after all. What do I really know about anything compared to this famous philosopher.

"When you know a thing, to hold that you know it; and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it - this is knowledge."---Confucius

"And remember, no matter where you go, there you are."---Confucius

Love
Peter

"A Study in Contradictions"

What do you think of when you think of China as a culture and as a political entity? Personally I think of rank upon rank of goose stepping soldiers and of tanks rolling over students in Tiananmen Square. I think of communism and the subjugation of the individual. I think of unwanted children and billions of unhappy de-motivated people

And Canada? Why, we are of course completely harmless and all about peace joy and harmony, and we certainly don’t need to be afraid? We are about freedom of speech and the rights of the individual. And we’re happy damn it!

Why then?

When I arrive in China for my very first visit are all those preconceived notions thrown for a loop?

The first posted sign that greets you in the arrivals hall at the airport expresses a commitment from the immigration authorities to have you processed within a reasonable time frame and on your way. When you step up for your turn you are met by a smiling young person who finishes with you in about 30 seconds! As you pass by the desk you are encouraged to press any one of 4 little buttons expressing your reaction to the way you were treated….actually little smiley or sad faces as reflect your opinion. If there was a gun to be had anywhere it was very well hidden. (And I’m a foreigner visiting their country)

When I arrive at any port of entry into Canada I am met with a person in a uniform, including a bullet proof vest and carrying a gun! Yes!... at every port of entry you don’t get in without facing a gun and a uniform! Toronto Pearson airport in particular goes to great lengths to hire the unhappiest people they can find, and/or they train them to get that way. As opposed to trying to get you processed asap I am sure that the longer the lines get, the slower they choose to work. All of them, even the women officers strut around with a macho swagger just daring you to look at them the wrong way. They must be badly underpaid. :)  (And I’m a Canadian citizen returning home)

It’s all a big contradiction to me. What are we trying to protect….or hide? Maybe the fact that we’re not as happy or as superior as we would have the world think?

5 kms treadmill

The Statue of Liberty is no longer saying, "Give me your poor, your tired, your huddled masses." She's got a baseball bat and yelling, "You want a piece of me?" Robin Williams

Contradictions do not exist. Whenever you think you are facing a contradiction, check your premises. You will find that one of them is wrong.”---Ayn Rand

love
peter

"WOW"

I don't think I've ever been this tired.  My body refused to shut down last night since it still believed it was daytime.  I tried, and tried, but at about 4:30 am I gave it up and went to find the treadmill.  Right now my circadian rhythm says that it's almost 6 am of the second night in a row with little or no sleep.  I'm just hangin on for a while cause if I go to sleep now I just know I'll be up again by midnite.

But its all okay Roo my precious....stop worrying about me

Have a great night/day!

5 kms treadmill
weights

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired"---anon

Love
Peter

"Shanghaied"

I looked up the origin of that expression and apparently it started on the west coast of the United States some time in the middle of 19th century.  If you were "shanghaied", it meant that someone probably got you drunk, asked you to sign a piece of paper or forged your signature, and then you would eventually wake up out in the Pacific Ocean as part of a ships crew heading to Shanghai.

Well I don't remember getting drunk, and I'm pretty sure I didn't sign anything but somehow I still ended up here this morning....well actually this evening.



But probably with a little better accomodations than a 19th century sailboat

And, unlike those sailors of old I am here of my own free will, and happy to have the opportunity to experience one more new culture. I will actually be here for 12 days, but I can report that the Shanghai Hilton has a 25 meter pool and a full gym. I should be good!

My global travels also reminded me of this old riddle.  Maybe you know it.

A hunter leaves his base camp tracking a bear.  He follows the bear for 5 kms in a southerly direction.  The bear than heads east and he continues to track him for another 5 kms.  Again the bear changes direction and this time heads north.  After another 5 kms the hunter finally catches up to the bear and finds him ransacking the mans own campsite where he shoots the bear dead!  What colour was the bear?

If you don't get it, it may be because of our tendency to think in 2 dimensions.  I'll give you an example of this that made me feel pretty stupid.

If you look at a map you will see that Shanghai is almost exactly half way around the world from Toronto.  Because of this I was really curious to see if the airplane would fly east or west to get there.  Imagine my surprise when the airplane took off almost due north!! 

And there in lies also, the answer to the colour of the bear!

Get it?

No workout today other than 14 hours of jet airplane vibrations.

"If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home."---James Michener

love

peter

"A Message From God?"

Hey! I have a story.  Yup!  another one.  This one's cool.

I was recently talking to an aquaintance about the glories of triathlon and as is usual for me I was expounding on it's virtues.  I stated my belief that most able-bodied people would be able to particiapte to some degree in the sport, and even that there are few people who given the time necessary could not train for and participate in an Ironman.  That being said I am very grateful to count my self in that group, and I try not to take too lightly certain limiting physical factors that some people have been burdened with.  In the case of the person I was talking to, he had suffered serious knee damage as a young man and it caused him pain as a matter of daily life, never mind facing the rigours of endurance fitness training.  We chatted more about potential ways of getting around the problem but in the end we kind of left the discussion open-ended.  I thought that was the end of it.

Yesterday, much to my surprise and delight, I received a note from him telling me that he was planning to participate in his first triathlon next summer!  The "road to damascus" for my friend? (aha! more proof I read the bible).  Yes, their epiphany came while walking to work a few days later.  Passing a store window he seen a poster for the local Terry Fox run, which included a picture of the man many people (myself included) consider Canada's greatest hero.

If I may quote my friend, "It quickly became clear to me that I really have no reasons at all to not do this......only excuses" A message from God?

Nice story eh?  I hope he forgives me for stealing it for my blog.  If you ask politely he may own up, and if not I will respect his confidence.  The only advice I would leave him with is "GAME ON"

No workout today!  It's my Sunday.

"I bet some of you feel sorry for me. Well don't. Having an artificial leg has its advantages. I've broken my right knee many times and it doesn't hurt a bit."---Terry Fox

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.”---Saint Paul

Love
Peter

"Top Ten Reasons To Do An Ironman"

10) Because you "CAN"!  TRY NOT!
9)   Because your Mom would be proud of you!  Even if the bitch threw you off a cliff!
8)   Because it beats the hell out of working for a living!  By a freakin mile.
7)   Because you will get leaner, taller, smarter, and better tanned!  Well better tanned for sure.
6)   Because you will learn a lot of things, about yourself, your relationships, your world, and people in general!
5)   Because you will forget a lot of things, like who harmed you in the past, how depressed you once were, and how the television works!
4)   Because it beats the hell out of drugs (tobacco, alcohol, cocaine, valium etc.) as an option!  Well maybe alcohol would be a tie.
3)   Because you will learn to love all 4 seasons of our climate equally!  Well maybe almost equally!
2)   Because what the hell else are you gonna do with 700 bucks?!  And no, don't even say it, I'm not gonna give it to you instead.

And the number one reason to do an Ironman?

1) Cause your spouse says you "MAY"!  After all, if you were stupid enought to get so attached to her/him then you best live with the decisions she/he makes.

7.5 km run,  38 mins

A happy home is one in which each spouse grants the possibility that the other may be right, though neither believes it."---Don Fraser

“All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That's his.”---Oscar Wilde

love
peter

"The Week in Review"

Two hundred fifty six kilometres on my bike for a total of 8.5 hours riding.
Thirty kilometres running for 2.75 hours.
One and one half hours in the pool.
Two and a half hours in the weight room.

These are actual work out times and you need to add several hours every week for prep time.  For example, a long bike ride takes me about 45 mins to get ready for.  Over time both the riding and running will at least double and the swim time probably quadruple.  Weights will continue to be 2-3 hours per week.  Game on!

A few other odds and ends...

First, does everyone know that Cory's alive!  Yes she is!  I spoke to her twice in the last few days.  Cory, my readers are waiting.

And second, for Ron my dear nephew.
1) Yes my heart rate monitor is waterproof.
2) For hip flexors I tie a strap aroung my ankle and then lift my knees against resistance.
3) I do two sets of 10 right now and will build to 15
4) The main reason for wearing a monitor is to learn your norms, and to keep  your rate low enough on longer workouts or races
5) And I suspect that Lance probably experimented with drugs at some point, but I don't believe it was responsible for his success.  He would have been caught conclusively by now.

And lastly for today.  Do you know how incredibly good it feels to be out riding on a beautiful early fall sunday?  And then how much better yet to turn a planned 70 km ride into 88 just cause I seen a road that looked inviting and decided to take it?  And then to come home and know that if I had to do so, I could head right out and do it all over again?  It's a hard feeling to explain but I would put it this way.  Somehow it makes me feel taller.

88 km ride- 3 hours,5 mins
Weights- 60 mins

"Man was made at the end of the week's work, when God was tired."---Mark Twain

"I have a rock garden.  Last week 3 of them died".---Richard Diran

"A Sunday well-spent brings a week of content."---Anon

Love
Peter

"Resting"

Today, Im gonna rest on my laurels.  After all, Old John said that I did something that reminded him of his Dad....life is good.

Besides, I'm tired.  I worked hard all day due to a senior idiot moment I had a month ago.  Let me just quickly tell you why.

I had left home at around 7 am for a breakfast meeting in London.  Just shortly after I left I got a call asking if I could go to plant here in town instead.  No problem, but since I was now going to be at an office, I decided to stop back home quickly to pick up my computer.  The garage door was still open as I had left it, so I hopped out of my truck outside (left it running) and walked in through the garage.  Half way across the floor I suddenly heard this horrific noise behind me....I turned around just in time to see my truck coming through the other door...the closed one!  It totaled the door, but fortunately only went about 2 feet further....when Claudettes car stopped both the door and my truck. Nice! 

After my run this morning, I spent all day installing a new door.  Now I'm tired and my back is sore.

Run, 15.5 kms, 1 hr, 25 mins

"Thou wilt find rest from vain fancies if thou doest every act in life as though it were thy last."---Aristotle

Love
Peter

"Turn Around and Go Back!"

I have a story...a true story.

Just over a month ago I was out for a short ride and I seen this bright yellow object approaching in the distance. To my failing old eyes it appeared to be a motorcycle.  While still some ways off the motorcycle turned, coincidentally down the same road I was planning on taking.  That was still a km or so away, and so imagine my surprise when I did turn, to still see the bike some ways ahead.  That was my first clue that it was not a motorcycle, and indeed it was actually another cyclist with large yellow saddle bags on both sides of the bike, front and rear.  As I wasn't really out on a "hell bent for leather" ride, I decided I was gonna slow down and chat with the guy.  How cool to discover that the gentleman was from a little town called Rockaway Beach in the state of Oregon, and that he was riding his bike across the continent.  We had a great chat about the ins and outs, the challenges and the joys, the pain and the gain of such an undertaking, and eventually said our goodbyes and I took off.

So back up to speed I got, and probably a minute up the road I thought to myself, "I wonder where he's staying tonite? Maybe I should have asked him if he needed anything".  I actually slowed down and considered going back but wisdom got the better of me.  I got back into a big gear, and away I flew.  I mashed away for another few minutes (the guy was out of sight by now) but the feeling that I just missed something important wouldn't go away.  Again I slowed down and actually did a complete 360 in the road before again shrugging off my impulse, and I took off again.  A minute later and this time I finally turned around and headed back.

What a surprise to the gentleman to see me again, and so in way of explanation to him I just blurted it out.  "Where are you staying tonite?"  Turns out he wasn't staying anywhere.  It was the friday of a long weekend in Canada, and our cyclist was heading into Port Stanley, where he had already found out there were absolutely no hotel vacancies to be had.  He was very tired as he had been averaging over 100 kms/day and on this particular day he had put in over 160!

I invited him to our house for the night and he took about 3 seconds to take up my offer.  So, a quick phone call to Roo to get her blessing (which I got with less hesitation then I did from our cyclist), then I charged home, grabbed my truck and went back and picked him up. 

Meet Gary

By this time he was 2/3 of the way in about 5 weeks, with another 1600 kms to go. He hoped to arrive in Maine in about another 2 weeks.So Gary had a shower, a couple of beers, the 3 of us shot the breeze for a couple of hours, and off to bed for the night.  In the morning I made him a nice breakfast, we chatted some more and exchanged address and phone information, and after a few bike adjustments he was on his way.  I only wished that he could have stayed with us for a few days, because that way we could have celebrated his 65th birthday with him!!  A truly amazing man....he inspired both Roo and I.

Yesterday the reward came...in the mailbox.  Who says you have to wait for heaven.  I hope Gary does not mind if I share this with you.  If it is too small to read simply click on the photo to get a larger version.  I think it  is worth your while.

To what do I owe such a gift from such an amazing man?  I don't know.  I only know for sure that in my previous life (pre cancer) I would have been much more effective in shrugging off my good samaritan inclination, and I would have been much better off.  I wouldn't be sitting here now with tears in my eyes.  After all, the man drank 2 of my beers and ate 4 of my eggs, not to mention the hot water he used up.  The next time, I'm gonna keep my head down and keep riding.

The moral of my story? Turn around and go back!!  It's never too late!!

Gary my friend. It is Roo and I who owe you!!

Ride, 34kms, 1hr, 5 mins
Run, 7.3kms, 40 mins

"There is an immeasurable distance between late and too late."---Og Mandino

love
peter

"As a Man Thinketh, So Is He"

Yah!  I've been reading the bible again!

Well at least I was reading a book that referenced the bible and that's probably as close as I'm gonna get.  I could never really understand the whole concept of the Holy Book anyway.  How did it come about?  Who decided there should be such a thing and then who started compiling it?  Also, you hear about different versions of it?  Tell me how that can be?  Does one version know a bunch of stuff that other's don't, or do some versions have bad information?  Interesting eh?....Yah...you're right...It's not interesting.  But I had no ideas for my post today, so what was I supposed to do?

Besides, I think it's all a big hoax perpetrated at our expense and to the benefit of others. Want to know my pet theory?  Just don't tell anyone cause I don't want to end up in court.  I think Dr Phil wrote the whole thing, and then told Oprah, and together they started a whole scam to make millions.

But, regardless of who wrote it I suspect there is at least as much wisdom in it as any of the rest of Phils' books, or for that matter any of the other long list of self help stuff on the shelves at Chapters. One of those bits of wisdom is the title of this blog.  The book I am currently reading is titled "What to Say When You Talk to Your Self",  and he references that biblical quote as support for his theory. 

The author (Shad Helmstetter)  professes to have a brand new idea but quite frankly it doesn't sound too novel to me.  After all he referenced the bible as knowing this stuff way back when.  Of course he doesn't know what I know about Phil and Oprah.

Regardless he expounds the idea that we constantly program ourselves by the way we talk to ourselves.  Whenever we repeatedly tell ourselves that we can or that we can not, so shall it be.  I think he's right.

So the next time Roo tells me to stop talking to myself I'm gonna ignore her....oh wait....that's what I do now.

I've been struggling with my swimming attitude and I admit, I've been a bit guilty of the negative self talk that Helmstetter claims will scuttle my hopes..  At times it seems so formidable a challenge because of the technical nature of the sport.  Deep down inside though I believe that I can master it and so I need to start telling myself that.  Try Not!

Here's what it looks like right now, and what it decidedly needs to stop looking like.  Note all the water going in every which direction. I looked at a bunch more pictures that Roo took and while it's frightening to see how bad I look, it also presents such opportunity for improvement.  I'm gonna fix it! Do you think I can?

Swim, 45 mins
Weights, 60 mins

"The reason I talk to myself is that I'm the only one whose answers I accept."---George Carlin

...and this unrelated one, cause it's beautiful...

"Success is achieved when those people that you want to spend time with, want to spend time with you"---Anon

Love
Peter

"Unbagged"

Just like the groceries at the store.  Not only do you no longer get a "bag boy", you don't even get a bag!  What's so funny about that of course, is the pretense that it is in the interest of preserving our environment as opposed to the reality.... that some bright guy figured out that by riding the "green" wave he could save the corporate food giants a whole bunch of money.  Woohoo!  Long live free enterprise!

Anyway, I feel kinda back in the saddle today.  Probably because I had enough rest to get a good workout in.  Ride, run, and I actually got to the weight room for my preliminary test workout.  I already had all the speciifc exercises determined, and so today I started to establish specific weights that I can handle.  Tomorrow or friday I will go through the routine in its' entirety.  Most of it has come from the training recommendations of a man they called "The Grip".  He was once acknowledged by Outside magazine as the worlds fittest man.  Mark Allen won the Hawaii Ironman 6 times after having failed to do so 6 previous times.  He credits weight training with the difference. I suppose I should listen.

Bike 34 kms, 1hr, 5 mins
Run 7.3 kms,  37 mins
Weights, 45 mins

"Exercise is for people who can't handle drugs and alcohol." --- Lily Tomlin

"Everybody wants to know what I'm on. What am I on? I'm on my bike busting my ass six hours a day.
What are you on?"---Lance Armstrong

Love
Peter

"Bagged"

Mentally that is.  The hard parts for me are not the physically painful ones.  My body was hurting today and yet I would happily have gone running for an hour or two.  But I know better than that and so I resisted.  But what I need to do with those times is focus on other stuff, like swimming technique or bringing my weight room plan to completion.

But alas, I am a weak human being and so I will just have to accept that it was a holding pattern day....I don't even feel like blogging.

Enjoy the rest of the day, but do me one favour.  Once you read this, try to find someone you can give a hug to, and then do it...just for me please...so I can feel like I accomplished something today.

Swim  45 mins

"Baseball is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical."---Yogi Berra

...and one cause I liked it...

"He who lives in the single exercise of his mental faculties, however usefully or curiously directed, is equally an imperfect animal with the man who knows only the exercise of muscles."---Francis Wright

 

Love

peter

 

"The Top Ten Ways You Can Tell You're Not a Serious Cyclist"

Number 10:  You wear a pink helmet!

Number 9 :  When a car passing in the opposite direction is driving straight at you, you crowd over and yell obscenities instead of playing chicken!

Number 8:  You steer around flattened skunks instead of squishing through them!

Number 7:  You slow down and look both ways before you fire straight through stop signs and red lights!

Number 6:  You listen to the Mamas and the Papas while you ride, and sing along with California Dreamin!

Number 5:  You don't wear a multicolored shirt with a pouch on the back and covered with corporate logos!

Number 4:  You wave at all cops and all farmers pulling manure spreaders!

Number 3:  You don't try to jump the railroad tracks....and yes I've seen it done...both wheels, both tracks!

Number 2:  You leave your bike in the garage instead of beside your bed

....and the Number 1 way you can tell you're not a serious cyclist....

 You stop and get off your bike, rather than pee down your leg and into your shoe!

100 km ride---3hrs, 20 mins

"Converting calories into gas, a bicycle gets the equivalent of three thousand miles per gallon."---Bill Strickland

"Get a bicycle. You will not regret it if you live."---Mark Twain,

Love
peter

"This is the Day the Lord Has Made"

I seem to remember a line something like that from my youth with the catholics.  I don't  remember whether it was part of one of the voodoo rituals, or part of a hymn or whatever, but for some reason it has stuck with me.  Regardless of whether you call him (her/it),  God or Lord or Creator, or Providence, or Gitchi Manitou, I'm pretty sure there's one of them out there somewhere, and this day he made especially for me.

How can I tell?

Well let me tell you!  I woke up this morning in the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in (it's in my bedroom), beside the only woman I've ever loved (she still turns me on), went for a nice run around the block (some people can't do that), then spent most of the day with my little brother Terry (who I hate to admit has better technical aptitude than me) doing stuff I really like (working with my hands), went to visit my son Jon for 5 mins (turned into 45) and then headed back home to that same bed with my sweetheart in it.

"This is the day the lord has made"

Terry and I were working on this....a home for his motorcycle.

Old John came by for a while as well, but he didn't do dick all, so he couldn't be in the picture.  And any mistakes I made were because he was constantly distracting me.  But he did give me a few hundred peg board hooks so we're good John!

And if there is still any doubt in your mind as to whether this day was made for me I give you this.  The 401 was under construction on my way home, and the traffic was backed up for at least 10 kms......going the other way!!

7 km run---35 mins

"Personally, I don't choose any particular religion or symbol, or group of words or teachings to define me.  That's between me and the most high, you know, my higher self, the creator"---Erykah Badu

....I really love this one, and it's especially for you Old John...

"The Creator has not given you a longing to do that which you have no ability to do".---Orison Swett Marde

Love
Peter

"Triathlon Day"

Up at dawns crack and out the door.  First a nice little 30 km ride in perfect temperatures and practically no wind.  Then off the bike for a jog around the block...7 kms and a bit.  Then a road trip to London to purchase a new heart rate monitor,

ain't it pretty,

back home for leftover spaghetti, and then off to the pool to see if I would be able to float any better.  Lastly, a 5 minute weight room instruction from old Roo, and I pretty well have my strength training plan in place.

Yes....I will clean it up and put it in a nice spread sheet.

The bike ride was great! (really great)!  The run a little tough but I survived (worrying about my achilles again).  The swim was just a bit discouraging ( got my hopes up too quickly). The weights a reminder of the part I don't like (but Im gonna do it anyway).

The whole day was a forewarning of just how tough it will be to do an Ironman, but it also somehow reminded me that I can do it....patience, patience, patience....and consistency and discipline, and confidence, and hard work.

Roo and I capped off the day with dinner for two at Braxtons....no kids, no grandchildren.

Bike.....60 mins
Run......40 mins
Swim...40 mins

“If we are facing in the right direction, all we have to do is keep on walking."---anon

"You must first have a lot of patience to learn to have patience."---Stanislaw Lec

Love

Peter

"All Work and No Play"

I had to drive to Brampton this morning and while I got back at a reasonable time I had no energy for anything, except for cooking up a big pot of spaghetti.  By the way, here's a diet tip that I learned from Roo.  Instead of pasta sauce use salsa for your noodles.  It tastes great, has far fewer calories and almost no fat, and the real kicker is that you don't have heartburn for the rest of the day and most of the night....of course I use extra mild salsa...

And that's about all the wisdom I have for today.  Lack of exercise also seems to result in lack of inspiration for me.  I think that working for a living is simply bad for my physical, mental and spiritual health.

Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it.”---Buddha

“Work is the refuge of people who have nothing better to do”---Oscar Wilde

love
peter

"The Great Equalizer"

In the water buoyancy is everything.  You will know of course that things float or sink based on their weight, compared to the weight of the water they displace.  So big things with lots of air space float, and smaller denser things tend to sink. That's why the old girls at the pool with a few extra chins, porous old bones, and other extra buoyant material would never be able to drown even if they tried.  I happpen to have very dense bones and not very much trapped air in other forms, and as such I sink lilke a rock.  That reality, combined with a lack of athletic ability handicaps me in a serious way when to moving through the water.

So I started this DVD based program called "easy freestyle" from a company called Total Immersion.  The whole program is focused on relaxing in the water, getting streamlined, and getting the most forward motion out of the least amount of exertion.  It starts you right back at the basics and I think it is gonna help me.  Never having had any kind of formal swim coaching I think it will be good to start from scratch.  I am cautiously optimistic but we will see how it goes.  I think it is gonna challenge me mentally as I try to figure it out, but since I know my swimming weakness is not due to strength or fitness limitations, in my head is where the answers lie.  Stay tuned.

In order to challenge myself I do wish to tell you the specific goal I have in mind for the swim training, and perhaps racing portion of Ironman.  In my earlier life (10 years ago) I could swim fairly endlessly at a 20 min/km pace in my speedo.  In preperation for 2009 that had deteriorated to about 23-24 minutes.  I could still do 20 min k's in my wetsuit (in the pool) and in actual fact my Ironman time was just slightly slower than that (1hour 23mins total).  My goal?  I want to get back to the 20 mins in the pool(speedo time), and if I can do that, I believe I can get my overall Ironman time down to 1 hour, 10 mins.  I think I can do it!  Stay tuned.

The swimmin pool at the Y, or rather the mens change room at the Y, gave me my chuckle of the day yesterday as well, and I wish to share it with you.  Actually it was more than a chuckle.  I was laughing my bare ass off  along with a few other naked old gofers.  Here's the scene.

A gentleman cames in from the shower area, arrives at his locker and proceeds to look for the key to his lock.  After frantically searching his person (he was naked) and looking through his towel and his swim trunks, he came to the conclusion that he had either lost the key, or locked it in his locker.  So he puts his trunks back on and heads off to find the maintenance guy.  Some few minutes later he returns with a guy in tow who is carrying a fearsome looking set of bolt cutters.  The gentleman points out the lock in question and the maintneance guy proceeds to snap it in half and toss the parts in the garbage can.  The gentleman says thanks, and proceeds to open  his locker.  I had my back turned by then and so all I heard was, "aaahhh just a minute please", in an attempt to call the maintanance guy back.  "I think I got the wrong locker".  Of course that set up a chorus of groans and laughs from all concerned, including me.  It was priceless.  Apparently his was the adjacent locker.....a locker which innocently displayed a different but similar lock....with you guessed it....the key in the lock!  That's when I started rolling on the floor. 

10 k run today, 52 mins

"Most of us, swimming against the tides of trouble the world knows nothing about, need only a bit of praise and encouragement - and we will make the goal".---Robert Collier

love
peter

"Communication"

I have always said that when the intent of  any message is lost in its delivery, the poor communication is invariably the fault of the person delivering the message.  That is why I take complete responsibility for the fact that yesterdays post went whizzing over the heads of some very intelligent people, including some of my children and siblings alike. Thank god my wife got it, which I suppose proves that she does indeed know me better than anyone.  I set out to create a convincing set of lies about my intentions, and apparently did such a good job of it, that when I delivered the punch line that was supposed to get the laughs, it was for naught.

So let me give you the Coles Notes version, in a much clearer fashion.

The first part of the post described in some detail my new, leisurely, relaxed, approach to my Ironman....life is short and all that.

The punch line was supposed to say, "not a freakin chance in hell" that I'm gonna coast along and have fun.....the fun only comes with challenging ones self. 

So sorry for my poor attempt.  I promise to do better next time.  Mean while.

GAME ON!!!

Todays workout....45 min swim...more on swimming tomorrow.

"Communication is depositing a part of yourself in another person."---anon

....and this one is brilliant I think....

"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place."---George Bernard Shaw

Love
peter

"Second Guessing"

The last few days I have found a little stressful.  I know I just got started and yet already I have this sense of anxiety associated with the need to work out every day.  I had a tough bike ride yesterday, and a horrible run just last friday.  I know I am older than I was last time around and yet I  put myself under prsssure with every workout by comparing myself to 2 years ago, or even 10 years ago.  It just has me wondering whether my attitude is wrong.  What's wrong with just focusing on completeing the race in some kind of control regardless of how long it takes?  I know a guy who does Ironman Canada each and every year, and some times he barely even cycles through the winter.  He is a natural swimmer and so he doesn't do anything there either, and he has a total run/walk mentality when it comes to the marathon. And he does it every year!

So I'm gonna take a little different approach.  My goal next year will be to finish in a reasonbable time....maybe 14 hours or something like that, and to focus completely on enjoying the vacation, and the day itself.  After all life is short, and I don't want to waste it by busting my butt reaching for the proverbial stars.

With that it mind I am also changing my entire training strategy  as of today.  I feel less stressed just thinking about it.  First off I'm gonna scrap the whole weight training idea.  I have been putting off getting started as is, and I know it's simply because I hate the weight room.  That in itself seems to lift a weight off my shoulders  :)

Instead of wasting energy trying to fix a hopeless swim stroke I will accept it as it is.  I think swimming once a week for the duration will be all I need, and I will swim only in my wetsuit....much easier.

I will keep riding as long as the weather permits but I no longer plan on riding on the trainer all winter, staring at the little electronic cyclist on my computrainer screen.  That will play a significant role in maintaining my sanity.

I will of course maintain my regular running as that is the staple part of my health maintenance, but I will forego my spring marathon plans.  I have committed to running the 30k Around the Bay with Roo in March, so I will still do that, but that is the longest run I will do in preperation for Ironman.

I think this approach will just make for a happier life over the next year, and I think I can live with it.

What do you think?

For myself, I think that if you believe any of the above crap, then you don't know me very well!

GAME ON!

Workout today....10.3 km run...51' 50"

"Maturity is achieved when a person accepts life as full of tension."---Joshua L. Liebman

"Stress is not what happens to us.  It is our response to what happens, and response is something we can choose"---Maureen Killoran

Love
Peter

"Feelin Sluggish"

I looked the word up in the dictionary and it says something about indisposed to action or exertion. I thought yup! That's it. But I'm not gonna feel bad about it since it also lists 36 synonyms for the word, and only 6 antonyms. With those kind of odds a fellow's bound to drag his ass now and again.

As the day wore on the feeling didn't pass either, so this will be short. Of course it also happens to be Labour day here in Canada so that's another good reason to do "fuck all". I don't belong to a union but just for today I think I'm gonna adopt their attitude.

To top off all those good reasons, what the hell happened to summer? I was just getting rolling and suddenly the day time high is 16 degrees?(just ever 60 for my american friends! What's up with that? I wore long sleeves and gloves on my bike ride, in a nasty wind.

Even finding quotes for sluggish was a sorry undertaking. Almost exclusively they were related to team sports or the economy. So I just used an old stand by.

Todays workout...75 km bike...2'35"

"Obstacles are those things you see when you take your eyes off the goal"---anon

Love
Peter

"Eight Days a Week"

Every training schdeule I have ever seen, whether it be for triathlon, marathon etc. is based on the seven day week.  I got to wondering why?  Not wondering why that is done, but rather wondering where did the idea of a seven day week come from.  Maybe its something obvious that any idiot should know but I admit I have no idea.  Is it something to do with the  rotation, or the orbit of the the sun or the moon?

Regardless of this mystery I do understand why training programs are created around seven days.  For at least as long as I have been around, the traditional work week has been 5 days with a weekend of 2.  The weekend always allowed for the personal time necressary to fit in longer training sessions, and so it made sense to do them once a week.  It never seemed to work right however for triathlon training as normally you would altenate running and cycling days (the more demanding sports). and then fit in your other stuff (swimming, weights, X-training etc) as appropriate.  The seven day week simply can't be split equally into 2 and as such it is hard to build a nice symmetrical training plan around it. I have always adhered though, since it seems too natural and easy to commit your long rides to saturday and your long runs to wednesday etc.

The thing is, that it just doesn't make sense for many people any more.  The stores are open every day of the week, the churches are never open, many people work a continental rotation, or other types of shift work and the Internet is 24/7. I am personally blessed with a job that has me constantly checking to see what day it is since I do my work whenever it fits.

So...Im gonna try to build my entire plan around an even number.  I am still undecided whether it will be 8 days or 10 but either way it should be interesting.  The one other thing that seems to be common to most training plans in the idea of taking every 3rd or 4th week as a recovery week.  The experts claim that you need  that to "absorb" the training, and so that you don't break down from overtraining. I'm thinking that a slow steady progression geared specifically to your level and skill, might not be better that cramming for 2 weeks and then slowing down for the next week.  It makes me wonder whether the need for recovery weeks is perhaps driven exclusively by the concept of a seven day rotation.

So thats gonna be my approach.  Over the next few weeks I intend to lay out the entire years schedule including a few races I want to do, and then perhaps I will even post it for you.  Having  more experience now I feel so much more qualified to lay it out in advance.  I will however not be afraid to adjust as needed.  Above all else I have learned to listen to my body when it speaks to me.  I can generally tell the difference between it telling me to "slow down before you hurt yourself you idiot", and "slow down, don't worry, be happy".  Always, always listen to the first guy, and never, ever listen to the second guy.

Speaking of races I am very delighted to tell you that Roo and I are going to be racing together again for the first time in a long time.  She is targeting the Around the Bay Road Race in Hamilton next spring (30kms), and I'm gonna try to keep up with her.  Whatever we do that day we are committed to doing it together.  She has set a stretch target for herself but I believe she can do it....and as I said...I will try not to slow her down.

Old John has suggested that as I move forward with my training that I note my daily workouts here, as he would be interested in seeing just how much time and effort it takes to prepare for Ironman.  Im gonna give it a try since I need to record my efforts somewhere anyway.  My only fear is that people will see how little I really do and the whole superman illusion will disappear.  I also wonder why Old John wants to understand what it takes??.....hmmmm....

I will try to create some kind of a seperate template or link on the blog so as not to clutter this thing up, and such that I can reference it easily without having to scroll through all the posts.  Until then I will make note at the end of each days post.

Workout today----11 km run 59' 33".

"Man was made at the end of the weeks work when god was tired"---Mark twain

Some people ask the secret of our long marriage.  We take time to go to a restaurant two times a week.  A little candlelight, dinner, soft music, and dancing.  She goes tuesdays, I go fridays'---Henny Youngman

"Aint got nuthin but love babe, eight days a week"---Lennon/Mcartney

Love
Peter

"My Life is Charmed"

Or at least that's the way it feels today.  I am thoroughly enjoying the feeling.  The plan is quickly coming together and I can already feel a growing sense of anticipation.

One of the big challenges the last time around was trying to travel for work, and trying to train at the same time.  It added a lot of stress and quite frankly I wanted to do it a little differently this time.  So towards that end, today I shared my Ironman plans with my boss and got a complete, immediate and unmitigated commitment  to support my ambitions.  She is prepared to help me work all travel requirements around my training needs.  You don't know how good this feels!  I love my job, and I was afraid that I may have to give it up for a while.  I would have made the trade-off if I had to, but again, it feels so good to be able to do both.  I am reminded once again, that although the company I work for may not perfect, it is damn ,damn good!  I'm closing in on 27 years with Magna, and I don't think I will ever work for another employer in this particular life.


The other thing that just came together was Roo's part in our adventrure.  While I finally conceded that she was not going to do the race herself (this time around) she has come up with an alternate amazing plan.  If you recall when she did a guest blog for me on TRY NOT she mentioned that when she turned 50 she wanted to do some kind of wilderness retreat.  Today we signed her up for an 8 day Outward Bound session called "Mindfulness in the Mountains"  Very, very exciting.  But what's really special is the location (Mt Assiniboine) which is located on the Alberta/BC border just 600 kms from Penticton.  But if that doesn't prove that the gods are watching over us how about this?  Her session runs from Aug 12-18....and Ironman is on Aug 26th!  It simply could not work our more perfectly.  I will drop her off at her thing while I hang around in some RV park somewhere nearby, and then immediately after she is done we have an easy one day drive to Penticton. A week ahead of the race. Just when we would have planned on arriving anyway!  Unfreakingbelievable!!

To celebrate all  these good things I stopped in to visit my sister Mary and her husband Mike.  It was for me a very rewarding couple of hours and reflecting back I think I know why.  Of course visiting with Mary is always so rewarding cause she truly cares to hear what you have to say, but I must say that I think todays time together was most satisfying for me because of Mike.  Spending time with him reminded me of the blessings I have had in my life long before today. Mike was one of those blessings.  The expression "he would give you the shirt off his back" was written with this man in mind.  When I was still young and aimless Mike loaned me his vehicles when I needed one, bought me beer at the steelworkers hall when I had no money, or better yet poured it for me at the Gronk Hotel, gave me work when I had none, and just generally was kind of a big brother to me.  He doesn't really know I think how I looked up to him.  I still feel the same way.

To top off a wonderful day I was also the recipient of a brand new (new to me) hardwood work bench compliments of brother Terry.  Woohoo!  It is already sitting in its new location in the shop.  Life is good.

"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings"---Eric Hoffer

"Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting."---Elizabeth Bibesco

Love
peter

"Saddle Saga"

or "The battle of the Balls"

 I don't know if you will find this amusing or pathetic or maybe a little of both.  But here is a pictoral description of 18 years of searching for the solution to numb free nuts!

First this.  It came with my first ever real road bike, a Steve Bauer.  The bike cost me $200!  Overall the seat was ok but in hindsight it was only cause at the time I thought a long ride was to Port Stanley and back....about 25K total

But I needed something a little slimmer when I started putting on more miles and so I got this.  Co-incidentally thats when the ball busting, mind numbing, pecker pinching agonies of the perenium began.  Thats the "taint" or the "gooch" for you more sophiscated types.  Also known as the "vanilla stripe" in the ladies....I'll let you figure that one out :)

Then came my Softride bike with this seat.  A very comfortable ride because of the suspension beam but still the hurtin down below did not go away.  As a matter of fact it continued to get worse with more time in the saddle.  For me, and I gather for many triathlon cyclists the problem is two fold.  One is just plain pain.  It freakin hurts enough that you can never really relax and focus on riding.  And then there is the numbness.  That may seem like a good thing in some ways, but believe me ladies, for us testosterone types there is no more disconcerting feeling than being able to reach down there and give the old boy a pinch and not be able to feel it!  Scary like Ozzy Osborne...or Sharon for that matter!

But....then I found the solution on the Internet.  What you see here is what is called a split rail saddle.  You can actually adjust the 2 sides in or out to make it fit your butt better.  Didn't work!  Just cost me 250 bucks!!

I would have gone back to one of my former more conventiaonal saddles after this, and just continued to live with the problem as best I could.  Of course through all these trials and tests, I was making endless adjustments to my overall position to try to find the sweet spot, but it never happened.

Then I got my beautiful Q-ROO bike and it came with my first ever triathlon specific saddle.  They had made quite a lot of progress in developing seats specifically for riders in the "aero" or "time trial" position, and indeed it was an improvement.  I don't know if you can see it in the picture but the nose of the saddle is longer, wider and more padded than a conventional road bike saddle

But as I started to crank up the miles in my Ironman journey the same old problems persisted.  After 2 or 3 hours I would be wiggling and squirming and shifting and standing....as opposed to relaxing and cycling.  So off to the store again for the next promise of a better life.  You can't really see it here but the middle of the saddle has a bit of a depression intended to alleviate the pressure off of the nerves and blood vessels in your crotch.  It kinda helped....a wee bit (or is that a wee-wee bit?)....such that this is the saddle that got me through 180 kms in the Okanagan and which I have been using ever since.

But....as I started to crank it back up again this summer the same old frustrations kept haunting me. So.... back to the Internet for solutions.  This time I came up with this.  The entire centre area of the saddel is cut away, so presumably it can't possibly put any pressure where you don't want it.  On top of that it is very nice and squishy and it has these vents in the hole which are supposed to improve air circulation in and around your secret parts.  Wrong!  The sides of the saddle simply caved in under your ass and effectively filled the hole, and despite an intiital feeling of comfort, Dick and the Boys were soon complaining profusely again

But!  One last try maybe eh?  This strange  looking thing was highly touted by the guy who designed it as being the solution for the gentleman who had tried everything without success.  The name of the company is ISM (Ideal Seat Modification) and I thought what the hell!  Roo still has some money in the bank and if I didn't tell her maybe she wouldn't miss another 245 bucks!!!

But guess what?  I think it's working.  The rationale is the same as some of the previous examples in that it is an attempt to eliminate the pressure down the middle of the saddle.  What they have also done here though is to make it wider and cut the front of the seat totally off.  The seat has to be wider to be able to creat a wide enough pressure free zone, and it has to be very ridgid so that it doesn't collapse inwards under your weight

The result is that you kinda feel like you are sitting on the wide side of a 2 X 4. and at first it is feels very uncomfortable.  But guess what?  I never, ever go numb!  Yes I mean never!  Never!  A few weeks ago I did a  167 km community ride in windy conditions and despite hardly ever standing I did not get the horrible sensation even once.  My butt is still adjusting to the extra width but I am very happy to be patient.  I believe my sit bones will adjust over time and I think that after 18 years I finally have a reasonable solution.

I put my previous saddle beside it so that you can see the significant difference in both width and length.  It is so short that the boys are actually riding out front, side by side like twins should be, and in the breeze where they are most content.

So that's it.  Believe it or not that was not a complete chronology.  There were others along the way that I gave away or put on other bikes.  But you get the message.
If this continues to feel good I'm gonna order another one and hide it away for the day they stop making them....don't tell Roo!

"Progress should have stopped when man invented the bicycle".---Elizabeth West

"Four wheels moves the body.  Two wheels moves the soul"---Anon

Love
peter

"The Big Picture"

When they opened registration on monday at 3 pm I was sitting at my computer and ready to go.  I actually had 2 computers in front of me as I heard that it was an effective way to up your odds of getting through.  I did expect to have to make several tries but to my surprise I got in right away, and 5 minutes and $700 later I was committed....or should have been.  The race was full by the end of the day.

I battled for a long time with the decision to commit, primarily because I have been almost completely unable to run for the last 4 months because of a chronic achilles problem.  Just within the last month I finally got into the sports clinic in London and I think I'm on the mend. I'm still very shy, but I am now back to running 10k every second day without too much discomfort.  I just have to be very, very careful.

My swimming has been non existent as its been a busy summer and going to the pool is such a chore when it's beautiful outside.  I have started back there as well but very slowly.  I am trying a self coaching swim program callled Total Immersion, which takes you right back to the basics.  I desperately want to become a better swimmer and I know its all about technique, not fitness.

I have had a fairly active bike summer with several rides over 100k and one longer one of 167.  I just love riding, as all my problems seem to soften up after a couple of hours of the wind in my hair.  I always come back from a ride feeling motivated and kinder than when I left.  I will actually have some "saddle wisdom" to share with you in the next day or so.

I am also determined to add weight training right from the get go this time, and I pretty well have my program planned based on my research. Once I nail it down I will get my resident pro (Roo) to help me do the routine correctly.

Along with the weight training I am also determined to improve my eating habits, and thereby my overall bidy composition.  I need to lose this spare tire once and for all.  Last time around I was still carrying an extra 10-12 pounds which seems to get  heavier with every passing year

Overall I feel very optimistic and can't wait to start hammering.  I must be patient however as this needs to be a long, slow gradual process with the first 6 months being focused on building a strong base. If I try to do too much, too fast I will either get burned out, or injured.

Of course I must also be careful not to deny mother time.  I will be another 3 years older again, and as much as the mind wants to deny it, the sad fact is that the muscles are not as elastic as they used to be, nor do they all twitch when they're supposed to any more. 

I have to end my post by telling you that it was a day of mixed emotions for me.  Roo and I are officially "empty nesters" as of about 6 pm today.  I helped Adrian move his stuff to his new place in London and as much as I'm so very proud of him for heading out on his own, I am gonna miss him very very much.  He was a part of our home for longer than any other of our children and it's gonna take some time to get used to.  Any of you who know Adrian, also know what a cool guy he is, so please wish him luck in his new digs.  Be safe my child!

"We've had bad luck with our kids - they've all grown up."---Christopher Morley

Love

Peter