Carons Birthday

Yesterday was Caron's birthday which gives me my annual headache trying to find something to give her as a birthday present. I think I have clubbed it for another year, bought her a set of motorcycle lesssons since she can't ride at the moment and if we are going to be contemplating doing a tour through europe in 2009 she is going to have to learn. Not exactly the most romantic of presents but I think she will enjoy it.

The day wasn't especially romantic since she went to work for the majority of the day which would have left me kicking my heels at home so I organised a ride with jason out to northern farm which turned into a major expedition and one that jason didn't complete. The woes.

Started riding at 05:30 and met everyone at a low level bridge. All in all there were 4 guys and one girl going for the ride out to Northern Farm and back. Little did I know that it was actually going to be right through Northern Farm, a big loop around the back and then all the way back. We were just about to get to Northern Farm when we realised that no one had brought their tickets to get in, how daft. Fortunately jasons house was quite close so took a detour and appropriated his ticket for everyone. Finally arrived home at 12:30 having done close to 90km on a mountain bike which is a very fair days ride. Jason, the woes, as I mentioned didn't complete the ride because on the way back he got a puncture for which I lent him my one and only spare tube which he then promptly punctured as well and since we happened to be very close to his house, retired in a huff. This left 4 in the group and before we knew it, another one had dropped out taking the short route home leaving only three. Two guys and the girl, andrea who is quite a toughie. She's not particularly fast but she just seems to go and go forever. It was an absolutely fantastic ride and I made an important discovery which the rest confirmed, the more expensive your bike, the more trouble you have with it. Unfortunately the amount of trouble is inversely proportional to the weight of the bike, jason's new (second hand) bike cost just short of 20k and weighs less than my road bike notwithstanding that it is a full suspension bike. Quite amazing.

Got home and recovered in front of the TV where, for a change, the south african teams were actually doing respectably well. Caron got home at 15:30 and promptly scuppered my plans for a dinner out so we stayed at home, glued to the TV and munching woolies sandwiches. Pretty sad but we were both so tired.

Caron got up at 05:00 and left for work while I actually managed to sleep in until 06:30 which means I must have been really tired from yesterdays ride. Spent the morning tidying the house up and reading. Finally finished "Why I am not a Christian" by Bertrand Russel which, while a bit tricky to understand in places, I found to be excellent. I find it remarkable that the majority of the world has not caught up to the views which he expressed almost 100 years ago. He must have been an exceptional person.

Went off to Clare's (Tim and Emers daughter) second birthday to see just how bad life with children can get. Imagine 20 children between the ages of 2 and 5 and you get the picture. Caron went back to work before reappearing just before my entire family descended on us. My mother cousin, William, is out from Holland with his wife Nita. I thoroughly enjoyed having them over, we clearly think the same way with regards to some topics like religion but differ markedly on others like copyright and patents which led to a very interesting discussion and the whole topic is slowly starting to crystalise in my mind. More on that another time. William complimented me on my choice of books to lend my father (The God Delusion) much to the chagrin of pretty much the entire rest of the family. Anyway, it was a great evening and one which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Had my first bike whoopsy, forgot to put my reading glasses in the pannier and drove off with them on the back seat. About a kilometre down the road there was this taxi which kept on hooting at someone, me it turned out. Eventually he got out of his taxi, picked up my now flattened glasses and handed them back to me before driving off. An expensive little forget this turned out to be at R3500 for a new set of lenses and frames. Ouch!