Fallin' for the season

October 3, 2012

It seems that fall has fallen yet again.

The cucumbers have been harvested, along with the apples,

which may have been turned into apple fritters

or candy apples.  Autumnal seasonal beers abound.

American footballing is in full swing.

Yes, it is a heady time of year indeed!  So heady that I am going to have to retire for the nonce.  Enjoy!

October 5, 2012

A few days have passed since the apple fritters were fresh.  Now there is only one remaining.  Much like the leaves on my fickle, sickly Fireside Apple Tree.  What have you been up to?  Cider brewing, eh?  Sounds good.  I'll be over at 9 to sample it and fall into your garden like a graceless, previously inebriated leaf.

My regular bicycle commuting activities have seemed rather bland lately.  Nothing out of the ordinary.  Pretty bland.  Good.  Not particularly interesting, but good.  That all changed this a.m. as I was on my way to my usual gig at the denture refurbishing clinic.  I came to an intersection

Well-lit version.

while enjoying the smooth sailing afforded me by our fairy city's fair multi-use paths.  Lo and behold, a car pulled up upon the street and blocked my path!?  Egads!  What to do?!  A fairly common conundrum to us bicyclists who choose to peruse the multiple possibilities of the multi-use path.  I went with my usual option - slowing down and altering my route to the rear of the vehicle under the assumption that the motorist's eyes were not focused on me.  After returning to the relative safety of my beloved multi-use path the motorist began honking repeatedly.  I rang my bell cheerfully in reply.  Then I heard her yell, "Hey bro!  Watch out!  I almost hit you!  Fuck!"

Hmmm.  That was one of the nicest, almost confrontational encounters I've ever had with a motorist!   It also left me with several things to ponder.  She almost hit me?  How?  Was she backing up as I was traversing on the backside of her vehicle's ample backside?   I have nervously witnessed vehicles backing up after tardily discovering they were blocking my brightly,

Arrows pointing to lights/lightbeam.  Tail and horns added at the psychically received request of my motoring correspondent from the a.m.

and blinkily, lit way.  It is nice, but probably more dangerous than just staying put. I don't mind waiting or swerving a tad.

If nothing else, it was a good reminder that the road is a dangerous place for critters smaller than the rightful, 4-wheeled travelers of the suburban arterials, as is evinced by this fresh, critterly corpse I beheld shortly after receiving my moderately enthusiastic morning honking.

I also believe that motorists are not generally as likely to see us bicyclers (or pedestrians of the bi- to quad-pedal varieties) in the cooler months.  What with more darkness and fewer bicyclists, the odds are not in our flavour.  You know what is in my flavour?  Free booze!  Yes, I made it to my local grocer's liquor department where I received a free shot of Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey.  Mmmm.  Not bad.  What's that other sample option?

Next thing I knew, I was back home and I noticed that the Old Bastard had an ass pocket that was full, not only of whisky

 (or a girly variant therof), but a baby football and a couple o' CDs.

Imma call that a win, buoys and grills.  Cheers!

Happy weekend, shmoozers!