There are limits

We discovered on the weekend that there are some cycling tracks which start in downtown Indianapolis. It has taken us two years to find these – and it was the first time on our bikes that we have found the canal which runs right thru downtown. So we had an excellent ride and in a week or so are going further afield. Maybe even Ohio or Kentucky.

We picked up our new bikes a couple of weeks ago. I brought them home on the bike rack which can be attached to my car. The man explained that I almost had it right but that I had the rack on upside down. With this fixed the bikes felt really secure so we will give it a test by driving a hundred miles or do. 

Our old German bikes were very heavy and were ‘boys’ bikes with the high crossbars. When you add saddlebags to this obstacle it was impossible for me to get my leg over the seat and I occasionally fell over getting on and off. 

So we bought much lighter ‘step thru’ bikes which are a doddle to use and to ride.

Cate is now walking 13 miles each Saturday and Sunday in preparation for Ecuador in July.

I have put back on all the weight I lost when I was in hospital so I have started cycling and am also on the exercise bike some days.

I have given up Coca Cola and fries but have not been able to give up coffee or chocolate. 

There are limits.

What was she doing?

There was a story in the Huffington post  about a man who extracts women’s teeth with pliers while he is having sex with them.

I thought that would definitely be in Indianapolis – in fact I thought it was one of my neighbors -but it turns out that he is a Kiwi – and is facing eleven charges for the same sort of thing – but he sometimes uses a screwdriver.

“In testimony played to Wellington District Court today, one of Hansen’s alleged victims claimed he held her down in a car while removing six of her bottom teeth with a pair of pliers and throwing them out the window.”

He threw them out the window. He doesn’t even want the teeth. He apparently likes gummy women.

WTF was she doing while he pulled out six teeth with pliers?

Now this is very weird behavior even by our standards here. He is one of those guys that I would just love to talk to about what makes him tick.

There are many people I would like to talk to. They include the man who decided that that signs to Indianapolis International Airport should read ‘Indpls Int’l Airport’.

Indpls? Where did he get that from?

Why not Indy? Everyone uses that – even the government.

Or if it is too big to fit on a sign why not say ‘Airport’. There is only one. What would he do with Mississippi?

Or the man who deigned the parking meters in Leichardt in Sydney. The LSD panel can barely be read in daytime and is just a black screen at night. At night you would see people striking matches or using a cigarette lighter to try to read the screen. 

Indianapolis is hosting an international cricket tournament.

The Indy Parks Department has confirmed that the Pepsi ICC Americas Division1-T20 Championship will be held on 3-9 May. (See - ‘Indy’)

The teams doing battle will be Canada, Bermuda, Suriname and the USA. The two top teams will go to the 2016 T20 tournament.

I have not seen any cricket for a while and just may pop out to see this spectacle. The thought of two heavyweights like Bermuda and Suriname battling it out sends chills down my spine.

The others were just wimps

Lake Wolfgang

Today we had a fountain installed. Cate has always wanted a fountain and we finally bought one. The cost of running electricity to it is twice what the fountain cost because Javier and Joe have to dig holes under paths. I am sure it will be worth it and that the birds will love it.

It does splash water at an alarming rate so when it is on I will have to stand next to it with a bucket of water - but this is the least I can do to allow Cate to hear the tinkle of water.

Austrian clobber

When I tried on one of my Australian suits for the ANZAC day ceremony I found that it was much too small. I think I am a bit larger than I was. So I wore my Austrian clobber. I bought this for a New Year’s Eve knees up in Lake Wolfgang in 2012. This fitted but does look a bit weird outside Austria.  Most people at the ceremony were too polite to comment and probably put it down to eccentricity.

At the ANZAC ceremony I asked the man who had been here 25 years why the roads were so bad. He said it was mainly corruption. The bids are given in exchange for kickbacks and the road builders used inferior stuff (probably black popcorn) to ensure that the road lasted for a few month before disintegrating. Sounds about right.

I have bought and planted some new Holly bushes to replace those that have popped their clogs. I had a hand in the demise of one because I accidentally sprayed it with Roundup. Don’t ask. The others were just wimps.

Now I have to try to patch my lawn. Last year I put Weed ‘N Feed on the lawn and this killed all the broad leaf weeds. Unfortunately the lawn was mainly weeds so there are many gaping holes -  which makes the lawn a bugger to mow. So I have grass seed and topsoil and much fortitude. Along with a Jura coffee machine and ‘Café Espresso’ blend from Fresh Market this is all I need.