Pen Tests

We have a collection of espresso cups called Pen Tests. The espresso machine is the only tool in my kitchen I know how to use, which isn’t to say that I have a great many kitchen tools. I am not what those of a previous era might have dubbed an “accomplished woman.” I boil water competently. What more is there? The kitchen is where the espresso machine lives along side its friend the bean grinder and its other friends the espresso cups. I have more espresso cups than dinner plates. Big blue scribbles decorate this afternoon’s choice, picked mostly at random from the cupboard where the espresso cups live. Frothy tannish foam sticks to the inside. I begin to feel smarter, a little.

Big blue scribbles.

I did the group ride this morning. I’m a fall group ride kind of girl. When the days get a little shorter and I get a little lazier, I roll on out and see what everyone has been up to. Turns out, not all that much. Someone gets faster, someone else gets a little slower, and one dude just keeps getting fatter. There’s a new bike here, a new wheelset there. The same guys ride the front. And at the back? Sandbaggers, party of five, your table is ready. I was cozied up to the October sandbagger table, shooting the breeze, checking the scenery. Nice weather back here, pass the chips and salsa, can I get a another drink? Waiter, there’s a fly in my soup.

It was a small sort of group ride today. It seems there may have been a secret ride. But since I lost my secret decoder ring, I wouldn’t know anything about that. Meanwhile, the fall transfer season is in full swing. Did you hear the news? All the cool people are riding for the red team next season. But only if they didn’t get invited to join the exclusive new team, where the really cool people are. They’re going to get cool bikes to match their cool new kits. A veritable epicenter of cool.

Then there’s the press releases. I’m going climbing after this, so I have to go easy (Watch out for that overpass, it’s a doosey). Last week, I did my best time up the climb. (One wonders if he measured it from the same spot.) I can’t go hard, because my socks are too white (so distracting), my shorts are too tight (sounds like a personal problem), my chain is too loose (are you sure it’s your chain?), my bottom bracket is unthreading (that really sounds like a personal problem), I’m choking on my gu (real excuse, used by an honest to gosh category 1 racer), uh, sorry, gotta take this call (for best results, use this one when about to get dropped by a girl, she’ll never guess). Use as directed, limit one per customer, please. Void where prohibited.

Me? I’m just sitting here pedaling.

On the way home, I rode by the beach to see what was doing. I won’t keep you in suspense. It was flat. So I sang a little song, and pedaled onward. Rubber ducky, you’re the one, you make bath time lots of fun…

Can I get one of those in carbon fiber?

Last week there was a swirly off the coast, and it made us some waves. So generous. When we went out on Thursday, I got totally cleaned up when the first big set rolled through. Spin cycle, my favorite. Thank you, I’ll have another. Uh, wait, I didn’t mean it. Yes, friends, set means more than one. So, there’s always more where that came from. The trick is to keep breathing.

And while I’m on the subject of water, if anyone can tell me how to get tar out of my hair, I’d be most grateful.

Big blue scribbles.