I find I’m often at the right place but at the wrong time without realizing that fact. And it’s usually a direct result of rushing along without being deliberate about what I’m doing.

It used to often play out with me ending up cold on a ride because I didn’t take the time to prepare and like you figured a quick trip in the cold wouldn’t be a problem. But that approach would often fail in the face of unforeseen circumstance that would keep me out longer than anticipated. I still fall into that trap but not nearly as often. I does inspire fuming!

We have a Wegmans here and the Tuscan bread is great. I recently watched a stand up comic talking about having to give up alcohol and then later developing an allergy to yeast and having to give up bread. She said she’s met happy people who stopped drinking alcohol. But she said she’s never met a happy person who gave up bread. I completely understand that. I think I could live on bread.

It’s 15F outside and could use some bread. The roads look dry…

I pretty much suffered the same frustration as you did on your Beemer journey, but a bit different in composition: I needed to replace an ice scraper for Ann’s car (I broke it while frantically de-icing her car some days back, and ended up putting superficial scratches in the paint as a result…yikes), and it seems everybody was sold out of the things for some reason. Grab my phone, open the Lowe’s app, look up scrapers, and discover that hooray, they’ve got a bunch in stock five miles away. I was already running errands on Melody, but I decide to drop off he other stuff I’d already bought at the house, then remount and head for Lowe’s. I get to the designated aisle for the aforementioned scrapers, and find…nothing of the sort. Lots of weed-whackers and such, but no scrapers. I flag down a salesperson to sort things out, showing him the info on the app. He takes out his device to corroborate, and…tells me the info I got was in error. They had nothing, and the “47 in stock” info I got was actually a box of the things that “got lost in transit.” Eventually found what I needed at the hardware store in town (there’s a lesson right there), but I was fuming about going five-plus miles out of my way for nothing.

Mind you, if this happened four months earlier or later, I’d have been totally cool about it, because I wouldn’t have been utterly cold while traveling: temps never got above freezing today, and were mostly in the mid-to-upper 20s. Good thing I had my heated gloves on, and threw on a sweater as a third layer under my riding jacket. Also good that Melody fired up on the first punch of the Start button, inspire of being idle for the past five days. (Yes, keeping the tank close to full absolutely helps.)

And, yes, as usual, I’ve done what I can to keep the bike from getting too grody-looking, but when you only have a driveway and no accompanying garage, it’s not always easy, particularly in Winter, and especially this Winter. (I did get 30 miles in today.)

(Note: Love croissants, but I have a slight preference for the Tuscan bread my local Wegman’s bakes so well. Picked up a loaf today, along with my preferred boxed wine, neither of which I care to run out of when kinda-sorta snowed-in.)

Eventually, I look at the scooter and it has gone from a burnished adventure Vespa to a sad, neglected Vespa and I feel compelled to give it a bath. I’m always amazed at how good it looks afterward, at least in a passing glance. Up close it is evident that many mechanical parts show a lot of wear and tear from years of use. The GTS is a sturdy, durable machine.

Croissants. You can never have enough. My expanding winter mid-section indicates a problem though.

I’ve watched the Emily in Paris series after an earlier suggestion by you David. It was fun but as you say, on the light side.

I’m not ready for Call My Agent. I’m much more interested in Canadian culture so Kim and I have decided to watch the Canadian classic series — Trailer Park Boys. From all reviews, it is a perfect reflection of Canadians and the way they think! I always thought Canadians embraced croissants. I was quite surprised to find out that the real culinary treats in Canada are pepperoni sticks and jalapeno chips!

2) Croissants: Mais oui, voyons donc!

Here’s a few suggestions for TV viewing while enjoying croissants:

a) Emily in Paris, if your desire to indulge in Parisian culture is on the light side, and authenticity is negotiable.

b) Call my Agent, if you really want to immerse yourself for a full-body experience, and you don’t mind subtitles. Oh and one of the angsty stars rides a Vespa, and not a single gun is to be seen. Oh, and monogamy is relative, and affairs aren’t necessarily death knells for relationships, and children that may result, not so much either. Finally, Parisian life is to our lives, like croissants are to sliced sandwich bread.

Well, maybe it wasn’t that bad…. 😉

The heartbreak of disappointment experienced.

It’s an impressive facility. One of them even has a dog wash. It’s a secure, heated room that has a big stainless steel sink big enough for a Great Dane dog, it has a variety of washing nozzles with choices of shampoos and conditioners, a blow dryer. The company is RedLine Car Wash.

It is amazing how a little thing like being out of a donut feels pretty big for a moment. I suppose it’s a reminder that somewhere inside we’re still a child!

I’m ready for spring!

It’s a new day. Who knows what you might accomplish.

I wrote that post hoping to be a little lighter. Everything seems so dark and heavy. I’m no comedian but I do some strange and funny things at times. So I figured I would try a different approach to writing. I’ve toyed with some fictional stories that play in my head while riding, riding stories, but have never written them down or shared them here. Not sure how they would fit in.

It was 9F a short time ago. No wind thankfully. Roads are clear. No. I don’t think so…

I miss them too Robert. Especially early on in the cozy environs of Ken’s Moto Shack. I read last night that perhaps, perhaps the country will achieve herd immunity with COVID19 by the end of the summer and things can actually start being a little more normal. Unless some new mutation of the virus changes that. It would be nice to gather again someday.

Do we ever get to graduate and the lessons are over?? I don’t consider that I’m making the wrong decisions so much as making decisions that have a great cost. But the important part is like you say — meandering along through life!