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seven days without news makes one week -- Richard had this to say at 12:24:40 AM on 8/15/2008.
I can't imagine the tens of people who have been in the dark about the goings on here in Seattle because I haven't posted news in a week. Actually I can imagine it, since I log ip addresses. Unless you are one of those crafty people who masks his ip address so you appear to be someone else. In that case, I applaud you and your craftiness.

Now, on to the news. According to my last news item, the in-laws were visiting. They have since left the building. They left on Monday afternoon, well most of them left on Monday afternoon. Kelly left late Saturday night. Dave and I didn't bond too much during the weekdays they were here, but we made up for it on Saturday and Sunday. He and I put in a new front door and added some siding pieces around the back slider. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'll put some pictures up when I get a chance.

To answer Angie's question from the last news item, the barbecue was fun. There were more people at my house than have been in a long time. We had to have the whole event in the car port, since it was raining. And since Marcie was cooking, I didn't have the grill to distract me from mingling.

Kate and I babysat for Molly Wednesday night so Wendy and Floyd could enjoy a night out. I was supposed to babysit for Molly when Kate and her fam was in Victoria, but I preempted that by asking Floyd for help with the little wall in our front yard. The other thing Dave and I did to bond was screen dirt. If I've ever done anything which made me appreciate my white-collar job, it's screen dirt.

Reading back through the news item, it seems disjointed. If you feel the same way, you should print the page, then cut out the sentences and rearrange them as you like. You can send me the final result if you would like, but don't try to contact me using the link in my header; it's broken.
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visit from the in-laws -- Richard had this to say at 8:46:46 AM on 8/7/2008.
Kate's family is in town, sort of. They arrived Saturday evening and then took off Sunday morning for a trip to Mount Saint Helens and Seaside, OR, returning on Monday evening. Wednesday morning, they took off again, this time to Victoria, BC. They will return again some time Thursday evening. Saturday we are hosting a barbecue for Kate's Dad's birthday and since you are reading this you are invited. Contact me if you need directions, but don't use the contact link; it's broken.

I wish I could that I'm leaving out many interesting things I have done since the last time I posted, but that's just not true. I've cleaned up the yard, built a small wall in my front yard, trimmed some branches, just very basic duties that come with owning a house.
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visit from mom -- Richard had this to say at 8:47:15 AM on 7/28/2008.
Mom has been in town for the past week. She was staying with Roger up until Friday, when she came to stay with us. Tuesday we will take her to the airport so she can return to Michigan. Saturday we went to Lowe's and bought items for the house, and Floyd and Wendy came over for a dinner of beef stew. Sunday Roger and Shelly came up for dinner and we went out for pizza. Also Saturday, we went to Lynnwood Honda and I got some advice about my weed whacker, and I was able to put the new head on without any special tools or nonsense. Then I trimmed the edges around the deck and along the back fence.

If you are thinking to yourself that my weekend was much more boring than yours, post a comment about all the fun things you did; I dare you.
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happy anniversary -- Richard had this to say at 8:09:05 AM on 7/25/2008.
Today is Dad and Cindy's anniversary. You may remember Dad and Cindy from previous news items doing such things as taking an Alaskan cruise and living near wildfires. To celebrate this day, I am going to go to work. If you know how to contact Dad and Cindy directly, wish them happy anniversary that way. If not, post a comment here and I will relay the message.
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Ctrl + Backspace -- Richard had this to say at 9:22:27 AM on 7/22/2008.
I pride myself on my knowledge of Excel. Kate asks me questions about Excel that cam up during her day and I answer them. Last night she asked me how to select a range of cells and still be able to view the selected cell. I didn't know the answer and couldn't figure it out even after 5 minutes of playing with Excel. Like most things, a good night's sleep showed me the way: Ctrl + Backspace.

In other news, mom is in town. Perhaps her activities will be first paragraph worthy when she is staying with us and not Roger and Shelly. This weekend we made a dump run and ridded ourselves of .49 tons of garbage. A portion of that was Floyd's. We also finished up some little projects around the house, such as putting up some new trim by the fridge, and replacing the office door which has a Richard Riddle fist size hole in it.

Post a comment if you have been working on or recently finished a project. Don't discuss the project in your comment, though.
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Celebratory fun -- Richard had this to say at 12:49:26 AM on 7/17/2008.
I can only assume that all the loyal readers feel the same as mom: that I waited way too long to discuss what we did for Roger's birthday, or that I didn't mention Floyd's birthday, or whatever she was talking about.

Friday night Kate was finishing up VBS so Roger, Shelly and I went out for Greek food and a movie. We saw Hellboy 2: The Golden, which I don't believe was on Kate's list of must-sees this summer anyway. Saturday was Floyd's birthday, and Kate and I spent the day doing home improvements, in honor of Floyd. Sunday was nobody's birthday that I know of, but we went to the Nelson household for birthday cake and dinner. A special thanks to Sue, Floyd's mom, who made both a carrot cake and a jell-o cake, without even knowing those two are my favorite cakes of all time.

I played ultimate frisbee this evening, for the first time in many years. It's good to know I can still run around with college aged kids, helps me feel young. Molly is still doing fine; I held her for the first time on Sunday, and she promptly wet herself.
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happy birthday Roger -- Richard had this to say at 10:09:53 AM on 7/11/2008.
Today is Roger's birthday. I won't say how old he is, but if you know anything about us, you'll be able to figure it out. We will probably hang out or something. Post a comment wishing Roger happy birthday and check back tomorrow to find out what we did to celebrate.
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You say today is your birthday; well it's my birthday too -- Richard had this to say at 8:15:56 AM on 7/7/2008.
Today I am 31. Yesterday we went to Safeco Field and watched the Detroit Tigers win against the Seattle Mariners. I took the train to the stadium from Edmonds, which I'm not sure I recommend. I saw Molly Nelson on Friday and she is still doing well. The Nelson family returned home Saturday afternoon to a full house. Floyd's parents are in town, as were Wendy's sisters.
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Molly Elizabeth Nelson -- Richard had this to say at 11:30:30 AM on 7/3/2008.
Born 6:40 a.m. PDT July 3, 2008. She weighed 8 pounds, 13 ounces. If you want to know more, come visit, but wait until September or so because all the beds will be full until then.
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auto maintenance and a Wendy update -- Richard had this to say at 12:24:28 AM on 7/3/2008.
I started a tune-up on the truck this evening. I plan on doing the whole thing, but I ran out of time. I changed the plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor, as well as the air filter. Next I'll change the oil and make sure the rest of the fluids are where they are supposed to me. You may remember the truck failed an emissions test. You may not remember that if I didn't post it in a news item; I can't remember and I'm too lazy to open a new window and look. Anyway, the tune-up is an effort to make sure the truck passes the emissions test. I think having all 6 six cylinders wired to the distributor is a big first step.

Friday is July 4th. It will be a good day to get up early and drive a parade route placing garbage dumpsters. Good thing the truck is running, isn't it. Maybe I can convince Kate 7:30 really isn't that early.

Wendy and Floyd have been admitted to the hospital and whenever Kate talked to her last her contractions were 3 and a half minutes apart. Who knows; they could be parents right now. Or now. Or...now. If you didn't get a phone call from them saying they were going to the hospital, don't worry, neither did I.

Post a comment about auto maintenance, about my inability to remember my last news item, about how Ron hasn't posted on his site in many days, or about Wendy and Floyd.
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long bus ride -- Richard had this to say at 9:49:29 AM on 6/30/2008.
An accident occurred on the Express Lanes going into downtown Seattle. We are traveling about 10 mph. So I thought: it's a good time for more news. I worked late Thursday retrieving data from Goldmine, so I took off early Friday afternoon. Kate and I took the truck to get an emissions test, a necessary step to renew the license tabs. The truck failed the test, so I guess all the commuting I am doing by bike is being offset by the extra greenhouse gases the truck spews. We dropped the truck off at a shop and they will call today with what they can do and how much it will cost.

Speaking of biking, I bought a wheel truing stand and some spokes and fixed my wheel. I also gave the drivetrain a cleaning and tuning. We'll see how long I can go this time without breaking a spoke.

Also this weekend, Floyd and I built a turnstile for the upcoming vacation bible school at the church. Once it is painted I will post some pictures.
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happy anniversary -- Richard had this to say at 9:10:43 AM on 6/25/2008.
Today is Roger and Shelly's anniversary. You may remember Roger and Shelly from previous news items doing such things as taking us to Greek food and picking us up from the airport. Take a couple minutes to reflect on Roger and Shelly and post a comment wishing them a happy anniversary.
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going home (a beaten man) -- Richard had this to say at 7:46:16 AM on 6/22/2008.
We are waiting at Kate's folks' house to go to the airport. It's amazing how much faster I can get ready if I don't shower. The week went by quickly and slowly at the same time. The last several days was the most driving. We came back from Mt. Pleasant after dinner Friday and went to church Saturday for Gram's ceremony. The ceremony seemed a bit short, but I guess the "real" memorial was back in September. Saturday afternoon was spent at aunt Sue's house swimming and horsing around. No more news until we are safely back in Washington.
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the hot spot -- Richard had this to say at 11:06:27 PM on 6/16/2008.
We've been in Michigan for a couple days now and we have had much fun hanging out with folks we don't normally see. Saturday we went to the wedding in Kalamazoo, which was fun. The reception was downtown Kalamazoo and was also much fun. They served Bell's Oberon, which always goes down so smooth.

Sunday we went to the bride's parents' house for gift opening and more hanging out. After that we came back to the east side of Michigan where Kate hung out with her family more and I travelled to Milford to hang out with Ron and Sarah at a barbeque hosted by Ron's coworker.

Monday we travelled to Clarkston to visit with my grandmother and other family. Uncle Clark and aunt Sue are in town, and it was cool to see them as well. Clark said he and Kirk have been visiting a coffee shop around there every day since he's been in town. Apparently at this coffee shop, called the hot spot, the baristas are scantily clad, but they also have great coffee, apparently. Maybe he didn't say they stop by there every day, but we did discuss the coffee shop.

Tonight we are hanging out back at Kate's folks' house, and then Tuesday we are hanging out more. Post a comment if you also enjoy hanging out.
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happy birthday -- Richard had this to say at 1:57:44 AM on 6/11/2008.
Wednesday is Clay's birthday. You may remember Clay from the previous news item offering to drive somewhere. He turns 16 today. Little does he know that now he can drive his mother will "ask" him to drive Kasey wherever she needs to go. Ask Roger how it feels to be 16 with a younger sibling. Go ahead, I'll wait.

The busy week continued today; I went to Bellevue to train our new clients on CRM. I spent part of the morning before leaving home tidying up some processes, and then three hours on site installing clients and doing the actual training. Wednesday it's back in the office to tie up loose ends before leaving on Friday. I'm not sure what I will do Thursday, but I'm sure it will be billable to someone.

Don't worry, Clark, we have Clarkston already inked in as a stop on our tour of Michigan. So post a comment wishing Clay a happy birthday.
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busy week -- Richard had this to say at 9:25:22 AM on 6/9/2008.
This week is going to be busy. We have much to do and a limited amount of time in which to do it. Kate and I are flying out Thursday night headed back to Michigan for her cousin Julia's wedding. We will take the next week for a whirlwind tour of the state.

Before that time though, many things have to be accomplished. Last week was busy as well, so there was no grass mowing, which is now much needed. I also purchased a pair of loppers for pruning, which is also much needed. As part of our music involvement at church, I compile the guitar music for whomever is playing on Sunday, so that needs to be done for two weeks. At work, this week will be busy, but only through tomorrow. I have working on a big project for several weeks now and although I have learned many things, I will be happy it's over.

In other news, we lost our softball game yesterday. I think the score was 18-9. Also, I broke a spoke on my back wheel, so the bike is on the repair stand, most likely the rest of the week. Post a comment if you want to help alleviate our busyness by mowing our lawn.

For those looking for a Wendy update, she is doing great except she's bummed because her feet are swelling. Three weeks and counting.
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news from the bus -- Richard had this to say at 9:34:32 AM on 6/4/2008.
I haven't been posting lately because I have been scanning things. I bought a scanner for my mom so she can catalog her books. I've been testing it on anything in the house with a UPC. I really don't know how we lived for so long without one.

We went to a baseball game on Sunday, Tigers vs Mariners. The tigers won simply because their pitcher was not able to give up three more runs before the rest of the team got three outs.

This weekend we are headed to Camp Muir. If you are looking for a long, strenuous hike, be at the Lynnwood park and ride at 6 Saturday morning.

Time to get off the bus now.
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Annual review -- Richard had this to say at 9:28:08 AM on 5/28/2008.
One of the benefits of having a blog is the archive of my life. My annual review at work happened yesterday so I looked back through the archive to see what I discussed last year and the previous year.

This year the review was as good as ever and we are all excited to see what the next 12 months hold. I feel over the past year I have really stepped up my involvement in my projects and grown professionally. Last year, I was really just a CRM developer, but since then I have done some SRS work, more Windows services, and installed a garage door. That last one doesn't directly apply to the job, but the blue collar action certainly makes me appreciate my white collar occupation.
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going in early -- Richard had this to say at 8:24:47 AM on 5/23/2008.
I have a demo this morning that I stayed late at the office to work on, and worked on from home, and now am going in early to work on. The good news is I got quite a bit done during my non-standard work time. I expect I will get a considerable amount accomplished before the rest of the crew arrives. Who knows, I may even be fully prepared. The biggest issue with going in early is I am still a slave to the transit schedule. It's not like I can go in a half hour early; I have to take an earlier bus to get on an earlier boat. Fortunately, I don't have to wake up early. I just skipped my workout this morning so I could be out the door faster. Post a comment about a time when you went in early.
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update from the barber shop -- Rich had this to say at 4:36:24 PM on 5/20/2008.
I am waiting to get my hair cut and I already sent some emails, so I figue it's time for more news. I noticed several of the loyal readers are clamoring for an update. I couldn't tell from the comments if the loyal readers want an update about me or Wendy, so I will try to get to both topics.

Last week was extra busy; we had things to do pretty much every evening. Kate had more to do than I did, but I helped her with some things. We went to Kell's on Friday night with Roger, Shelly and Wendy. On Saturday, I hiked Tiger Mountain with some guys from church. The Rainier summit attempt has been postponed until summer 2009, which is cool. That means it's more likely my close friends will go.

Sunday was a church carnival and then softball. We won our one token game of the year. The carnival was to celebrate another year of Sunday school. Many of the things Kate did last week were in preparation for the carnival.

Wendy is still doing well. She and Floyd have finished the major renovations on their house. If the baby shows up early, everyone will have a place to sleep. This was not the case a short time ago. Wendy also had a baby shower on Sunday in Federal Way. Her sisters and nephew came up from Portland for the festivities.

Sorry for no line breaks, stupid lack of understanding of whitespace in xml.
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Wendy update -- Richard had this to say at 7:07:35 PM on 5/9/2008.
The last thing I heard about Wendy was that she was running errands with Floyd. I can't more current than that because I can either surf the web on my phone or talk on it, not both. Maybe by the time you read this the errands will be done and Wendy will be home, making dinner. Or maybe she will be at the Channel Marker enjoying a burger. For the loyal readers who don't Wendy, she and I went to college together and she moved to Seattle the same time I did back in 2000. For more Wendy updates, contact her for her blog address, although she hasn't updated that since it snowed last.
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still no wall, but I am sunburned -- Richard had this to say at 12:28:34 AM on 5/5/2008.
I had a long week of training in Silverdale and I'm glad it's over. My commute is long enough to get to Bainbridge, having to go 45 minutes longer was brutal. The next time I plan to be off site is on Tuesday, when I will work from home. Kate and I purchased an elliptical and it will arrive on Tuesday.

Also this week I will be back on the bike. I didn't ride at all this past week since I had to dress more professionally for the training. Now that the weather is getting warmer the bike riding is much more enjoyable. Saturday the weather was not good. I was going to construct my retaining wall, the project that will not go away. It's not that I don't like working in the rain, it's just I don't want to run the wheelbarrow full of rocks across the lawn when it's wet, lest I form a rut. Saturday night I hung out with Floyd and some guys from church. We had some dinner and then shot some pool. Sunday was Wendy's baby shower at church, so we felt Floyd needed some guy time.

Sunday was also softball, where I forgot to apply sunscreen. My arms and the backs of my legs are red from being in the sun. Reading back through the news item, I noticed it's a little disjointed. Post a comment about what I could have done to make the news item more coherent.
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I guess it's time for more news -- Richard had this to say at 8:24:29 AM on 4/28/2008.
Before the talk of unmentionables gets out of hand.

So no wall this weekend either. Roger came up Saturday and he and I dug out some rocks and assessed the situation better. I will spend the week clearing more rocks out so I can actually build the wall on Saturday. Everyone is invited over to help.

Sunday was softball, where my skill as a relief pitcher was fully realized. I pitched three pitches and the inning was over. We still lost by 10 runs, but my inning was awesome.

That's really all; try to make the news item more interesting without talk of unmentionables.
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more snow -- Richard had this to say at 12:47:36 AM on 4/21/2008.
The retaining wall project this weekend did not occur. Kate and I went to West Seattle to have dinner with Roger and Shelly and watch the Red Wings on TV. We returned home Friday night to 4 inches of snow, very wet snow. Saturday morning I poked around in the backyard enough to determine the wall project was going to have to wait. Perhaps this Saturday I will make it happen.

Instead of building a wall Saturday, I went to Floyd's and helped him remodel his bathroom. He and I hung some drywall and moved a door. We didn't get a lot accomplished, but we had a good time. Sunday I played guitar at church, and then hung out with Kate the rest of the day. I enjoy hanging out with my wife; I should make the decision to do it more often.

Saturday was also Wendy's birthday. In honor of this, we had dinner at the Nelson's and then Roger and Shelly and I went to a movie. Wendy worked on her scrap book all day and I tried to convince Floyd to go snowboarding. He said it wasn't the best present he could think of for his wife and politely declined.

This week will be a good week, but busy. I have a data import to accomplish and a customization specification to write. Post a comment with your thoughts any of the above paragraphs. And don't be afraid to follow the lead of the Clarkston Contingent and post multiple times. Let the comment box be your canvas.
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news from the coffee shop -- Richard had this to say at 9:56:35 AM on 4/16/2008.
So I'm posting today from the coffee shop. I feel bad that the loyal readers have had to look at the same news item for far too many days now. Now you'll be able to re-read this news item for far too many days.

This weekend we are building a retaining wall in the backyard to stop soil erosion and maintain good a relationship with our neighbors over the back fence. Before this weekend I am going to learn how to build a retaining wall. My inclination is to go with solid concrete, so we don't have to mess with bricks. Since the wall is between two back yards, I don't think aesthetics should be our driver.

Post a comment about retaining walls, or with any advice you have for me.
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sorry about that last one -- Richard had this to say at 9:27:14 AM on 4/7/2008.
Apparently, my last news item was a bit on the lengthy side. Perhaps I should have devoted fewer paragraphs to filler and more to content, or maybe I should have done fewer fun things. Either way, the previous news item was too long; I get it. This past weekend I hiked around in the snow and practiced hiking on a rope team so I know how to do it should I ever want to summit a mountain. After the hiking, Floyd and I went downton for what I hoped was going to be a cool tour of a Peruvian tanker tender. Alas, it was simply a Peruvian history lesson on the ship with no tour. Sunday was church and putting the finishing touches on the Sunday School rooms. Kate and I hung whiteboards, curtains, and clocks. I borrowed a nail gun and air compressor and installed baseboard. Our friend Jim stopped by to assist; thanks again Jim. Sorry about the lack of line breaks; I am posting from the bus on my HTC Mogul.
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don't look now, it's more news -- Richard had this to say at 12:41:38 AM on 4/2/2008.
This week so far has not been crazy, nor have I been too busy to post a news item; I just didn't. But don't worry, this news item won't just be about how I didn't get around to posting a news item Sunday evening, like I usually do, or Monday evening, like I sometimes do. I guess I usually post a news item on Sunday night because that's when the weekend is over and I have the most to write about. If I don't post on Sunday evening, as was the case this past Sunday, then I generally post on Monday evening, still trying to ride the weekend wave. Since I'm posting on Tuesday evening, I feel that all weekend news is now off-limits and my content must come from Monday and Tuesday only. Or maybe I could write about how I was busy on Sunday night and didn't have time to post. I don't like to go back that far though, this is the Internet after all. You should have to read about an event that happened more than 10 hours ago, or so.

Anyway, this weekend Kate and I worked on a spreadsheet project for Marcie. We didn't get it quite done before our small group on Sunday, after which I felt ill, so Kate had to finish it up by herself. It really was her project; I looked over her shoulder and when I saw her do something the slow way twice, I wrote a macro in Excel so she could double click to make things go faster. I practiced my juggling the rest of the time.

Monday I spent more time trying to convert nvarchar(max) to xml, Sisyphean task if there ever was one.

Today I went to Bellevue with Scott. He rode over on the ferry and we met downtown. After our meeting in Bellevue, we parked at the ferry terminal and wandered the city looking for lunch. We attempted to enter a building, which I thought was locked. By locked I mean I didn't pull the door handle hard enough. A lady showed us the way, by pushing the handicap accessible button and demonstrating how the door opens automatically. I walked in first and went to open the second set of doors, ready to apply my new found knowledge. As I opened the door, the lady pushed the second handicap accessible button, and the door pinned me against the wall. My life didn't flash before my eyes, but I did feel a little like Prometheus, except instead of an eagle, it was a door handle.

Sorry to have wasted this much of your time, but I did manage two Greek mythology references, which isn't too shabby for a Tuesday.
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happy easter, and birthdays -- Richard had this to say at 12:26:35 AM on 3/24/2008.
Today is Easter. Today is also Kate and mom's birthday. We celebrated Easter by going to church and listening to Kate sing with the adult ensemble. Roger and Shelly joined us at church as well. We called mom to wish her a happy birthday and then we had Easter dinner and birthday cake at Floyd and Wendy's.

Saturday Kate went out with some of her girlfriends to a piano bar in Everett. Floyd and I went snowboarding and then hung out with Roger while the girls were doing their thing.

That's really about it; not much else happened. I practiced my unicycle, I broke my SQL Server discovering nvarchar(max) can't be converted to xml, even when using the xmlschema keyword, very standard usual things.
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that's a lot of steps -- Richard had this to say at 12:04:09 AM on 3/17/2008.
Today Floyd and I did the Big Climb, a race up 69 flights of stairs in the tallest building in Seattle, the Columbia Tower. We didn't do it to race anybody, and we didn't raise the recommended $150 per person either; we just did it to say we climbed 1311 steps in one go. My official time was 13 minutes and 52 seconds.

I've been sick lately. Luckily today seems to be the last of it, what with the stair climb and all. I worked from home Wednesday, Thursday and most of Friday. I say most of Friday because I actually made it to the office before the weakness overtook me. I guess it was the flu, but I didn't have any of the nausea, just muscle soreness and a fever. I still have a sinus headache, but I assume that will subside with a good night's sleep.

Also today, I rode my unicycle twice around the neighborhood. I haven't done that since the last news item, because I have been sick. Monday my legs may be sore from the stairs, but we'll see. We haven't done a whole lot since the last news item because I was so sick. It's been four days since I slept more than two hours at a time. Post a comment with how long it's been since you slept more than two hours at a time.
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weekend fun -- Richard had this to say at 11:34:50 PM on 3/9/2008.
This past weekend was fun, in case you didn't gather that from the title. Friday evening Kate picked me up downtown from the ferry and we had dinner at Red Robin. Then we went to a high school jazz concert. It was pretty much what I expected from high school singers.

Saturday Kate and I went to the mall in Bellevue, toured Pike Place Market, and had reubens in Queen Anne. Floyd and I rode laps around his neighborhood on our unicycles, probably 1.2 miles in all. Saturday night we headed to West Seattle for dinner with Roger, Shelly, and Eric. After dinner we bowled.

Sunday was church, and then movie watching. After dinner we had small group. While Kate was watching movies I rode around our neighborhood on my unicycle. I hooked up my bike computer to the unicycle and I found out a lap is .54 miles, my average speed was 4.3 miles per hour and my maximum speed was 7.1 miles per hour.

This past week was not a good one, schedule-wise. Even though many things were accomplished, the cost was my free time in the evenings. This week I look forward to getting back on track and back into a routine. Post a comment, why don't ya.
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one last note about the garage door -- Richard had this to say at 10:17:17 AM on 3/6/2008.
Last night Floyd and I tweaked the garage door. When we first installed the thing, it would go up quite jerky. We hypothesized that the spring had too much tension. When we lessened the tension, the door went up much more smoothly. I also ran some cable to my office last night.
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The garage door is installed -- Richard had this to say at 12:08:55 AM on 3/3/2008.
Dave, Roger, Floyd and myself installed the new garage door on Saturday. We started about 8 in the morning by taking down the old door jamb and constructing a new one. Once we had the opening framed well, we followed the instructions in the book as best as we could. The book did not cover the particular variety we had so we had to fudge it in a couple places. At the end of the day though, we had a garage door that was completely operational.

Sunday we worked on little projects, like trimming the new garage door. Kate should be posting on her site pictures of all the things Dave did while he was visiting. Along with the work he did, Dave also gave us good ideas. Working with him boosted my confidence for undertaking home repair and improvement projects. Some time this week, maybe I'll post a gallery of images of the works in progress and completed projects.

Anyway, I'm tired from working for two days and I'll be glad to be back behind a desk tomorrow. Post a comment with reasons why you appreciate being white-collar.
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so, i haven't posted in a while -- Richard had this to say at 9:29:06 AM on 2/28/2008.
Kate's dad is here until Monday, and we have been doing all sorts of fun things. We put a new outlet in the office and he finish all the trim around the house. He also fixed squeaky things in ourf house. If you want the full details, check out Kate's site.

Happy birthday Anna, glad to hear your party went well, sorry we couldn't attend and that we took your dad from you. Maybe next year you should just have the party in Seattle.

The past two days at work have been rough. I am learning new skills and applying them at the same time. Anyway, post a comment about that.
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more about the garage door -- Richard had this to say at 12:10:09 AM on 2/19/2008.
Since everyone ignored most of the previous post and just commented on the installation garage doors, I will devote this entire post to that very subject.

When we first were looking at replacing the garage door some time ago, I spent several hours researching the best way to install a garage door, including which springs to use, what gauge the springs should be, what the tolerances are for the track and the best way to attach the track to the house, what the recommended r-value is for the door itself and how that affects the weight. Of all the things I read, there wasn't one thing where I thought "wow, that's going to be tough." All the big-box home improvement stores have garage door installation guides on their websites and even the door manufacturers have tutorials and tips and tricks. Now I'll be the first to admit that reading about something is no substitute for hard experience, but I'll also be the first to say that a proficiency in one area can provide a competency in another area. I've been going in and out of doors all my life, some that have slid, some that have opened in or out, even some that I've had to use my right hand for. If that sort of broad door opening expertise doesn't mean I can install a garage door with the help of Roger and Floyd, I don't know what does. And by the way, we are planning on performing the installation the weekend of March 16, so if you are in the area, stop by and lend a hand.
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impromptu house projects -- Richard had this to say at 11:58:12 PM on 2/17/2008.
Friday, as Kate was attempting to leave the house to go to work, the garage door broke. More specifically, the steel which connects the door to the house broke. The door was stuck in a half open state, but not movable. She called me and I told her to disengage the electric opener and let the door hang. She didn't feel comfortable trying to put it down, so she left it alone. Floyd and Roger came over Friday night and we got the door off and put up some OSB to cover the opening. Saturday I put some hinges on the OSB and now we have a semi functioning door.

Also Saturday we went to Lowe's to purchase a new door. We already had a list for Lowe's since Kate's dad is visiting, so why not add one more item to his project list? So we got the door and some sawhorses and some peg board and some trim and 2x4's and some screws and all manner of fun things. Then we went to Floyd's house and got his table saw and his chop saw and his belt sander and his nail gun. Kate's dad will be here for two weeks and we want to make sure he is not bored for one minute. Unfortunately, the garage door will take three weeks to come in, so Dave won't be around for that escapade.

Many people have Monday off. I wish I did, I would like to be at home to help Dave with some of the projects. Post a comment, or don't.
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weekend fun -- Richard had this to say at 9:15:49 AM on 2/11/2008.
I have been itching to go snowboarding, because it has been three weeks since I went last. The problem is there is too much snow. The passes have been closed all the times I have wanted to go. I guess it's not the snow that is the problem; it is the fact that that much snow increases the risk of avalanche to abnormally high levels. As much fun as snowboarding is, getting caught in an avalanche is more not fun.

This weekend Kate and I went shopping. We bought me a new hoodie and she got a 5-quart dutch oven. We also bought me some bike cleaning tools and new lights.

That's really all that's been going on since the last time I posted. I remember saying I would give more reasons to move to Seattle, but since you can't get here on the road, I won't.
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second post from the bus -- Richard had this to say at 9:28:08 AM on 2/7/2008.
As I commute on the bus today, I recall a conversation a had with Ron many microfortnights ago. He called to tell me hiw commuting woes: traffic around Detroit was moving slow and the weather in Michigan in early February wasn't helping.

I told him that on my commute home, I can enjoy a beer. Also on the ferry are dancing girls. If those aren't enough reasons to move to the Seattle area, maybe I can come up with more tomorrow.
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heavy lifting -- Richard had this to say at 12:51:53 AM on 2/6/2008.
Today I helped Floyd lift heavy things. I don't know who they've told about what they are doing, so that's all you get about that.

This weekend we painted the kitchen. It's now the same blue as the wall with the fireplace, I think. In the sunlight all the blues in our house look the same. This weekend we will finish painting the kitchen. Last weekend we didn't do above the cabinets because we ran out of time before going to West Seattle to hang out with Roger and Shelly for the Super Bowl. Also, Shelly now has the flu, so if you've seen her in the past week or so, get a shot.

I had a dentist appointment Monday morning. It's amazing how regular checkups can make my mouth feel better. When we moved to Washington I was unable to eat ribs at the Outback because the barbecue sauce was too acidic for my gingivitis. Now, after a renewed sense of dental hygiene and four regular cleanings, I can have ribs on the barbie at my leisure.

In related news, I'm back on the bike. I had to be to the dentist by 8, but it's too far to walk from the ferry in that amount of time. The bike has been fixed for about two weeks, but with all the snow and plans after work, I never rode it. I also rode the bike today, although I don't think I will tomorrow because we are going to church for the Ash Wednesday service and soup supper.

There are other stories related to biking, but they are too long to write here. Call me for the details.
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Post from the bus -- Richard had this to say at 9:19:55 AM on 1/30/2008.
As you may or may not have guessed, I have been pretty busy lately. The recent business isn't work-related; I've just been doing more fun things than posting news items. For instance, I have begun a new workout regimen. I get up earlier so I can lift the weights. Supposedly, some of the guys at church are planning to summit Mt. Rainier this summer and I want to be ready when the time comes. As the title indicates, I am on the bus right now. Normally I have a crossword puzzle to do, but since I finished all the puzzles in the paper last night, I figured I would let all the loyal readers know how we are doing.
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very busy -- Richard had this to say at 2:29:57 AM on 1/21/2008.
It's funny that the more time I spend in front of a computer, the less likely I am to post a news item. I worked many hours this weekend on a data transformation, all of which were spent sitting on the same exercise ball on which I now sit. You'd think in all that time I would have five minutes to update the site, lest Uncle Clark post a record 3 comments in one news item. More importantly than leaving Uncle Clark hanging, I ignored birthdays. The 19th was Tyler's birthday. I hope it was good, Ty. The 20th was Kelly's birthday. Kate talked to her on the phone and said I would send her a birthday gift. Don't tell it's going to be a cd by Kate Nash.
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no new garage door yet -- Richard had this to say at 12:48:23 AM on 1/7/2008.
I bought a garage door at Home Depot. I thought it came with torsion springs but the door only came with extension springs. The articles I've read about garage doors say that torsion springs will last longer and are easier to maintain, but much more dangerous to install and uninstall. I took the door back to Home Depot after my discovery. I read more about the subject and found that I need at least 9.5 inches above the door to use the low-overhead style lifting mechanism. I only have 5 inches above the door, so I need to do some more calculating.

The past weekend included very little activity, the bulk of which you read about in the last paragraph. I played guitar in church on Sunday and it wasn't my finest performance. I wasn't paying attention at the right times; I misplayed two sections of one song and didn't play one section of another song. I don't think anybody noticed though, which is disheartening in itself.

Kate had to work Saturday, and so did Roger and so did Floyd. Saturday I snaked the drains in the bathroom sinks, tidied up the office and bought new strings for Roger's electric guitar he left at my house. I also tuned the guitar, but I didn't want to put that in the last sentence, lest I'm accused of being a sentence runner-onner.

After that last sentence, I think I'm tired enough to go to bed.
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back to work -- Richard had this to say at 12:07:27 AM on 12/31/2007.
Today was the last day of snowboarding for the weekend. Much snow fell as Roger, Floyd, Clay and I drove up the mountain. The wind was coming from all directions and the lifts were having trouble running because of the wind. The snowboarding was still good though, there was much fresh powder to be thrashed. We are also going snowboarding on Tuesday to celebrate the new year. Clay won't be going, since he will be back in Michigan, so we have an open spot if anyone wants to join us.

Today was the third time I have been snowboarding in four days. That's the most I've snowboarded in recent memory. It was good to see Clay again, and I'm glad he got to snowboard on a real mountain after so much anticipation. As good as it was to have Clay and mom in town, it's good to have an empty house again. With Shelly's parents, brother and girlfriend, Wendy's parents and sisters' family and Clay and mom in town, it always seemed like we were on the go and somebody always had to go somewhere else. After this week, we'll be able to settle back into our routines and get some work done. This weekend's project is a new garage door, and maybe a new front door.

Post a comment if you want to reserve a spot in the x-terra for our outing on Tuesday or if you have any advice about installing a new garage door.
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happy birthday Cindy -- Richard had this to say at 1:04:36 AM on 12/29/2007.
Saturday is Cindy's birthday. I say Saturday because it is Friday right now while I am writing this, but because my timers and loggers use EST, it is now Cindy's birthday. You should post a comment wishing Cindy a happy birthday on this news item, even if you posted a comment wishing Cindy a happy birthday on the last news item.

In other news, family has come and gone from our house and I've been snowboarding twice in the past two days. You can post a comment about that if you would like, but I recommend wishing Cindy a happy birthday instead.
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Christmas - the aftermath -- Richard had this to say at 9:15:25 AM on 12/26/2007.
I hope everyone's Christmas went as well as mine did. Kate and I opened presents from each other, then we opened gifts with Clay and mom. Thanks to everyone who mailed gifts from afar.

Today I am headed back to work for the most productive day all week. Tomorrow Clay and I are going snowboarding, then Friday Clay and I are going snowboarding. Either Saturday or Sunday Clay and I are going snowboarding. Anyone who wants to come along is invited; we leave my house at eight each morning.

Post a comment about your Christmas or about how happy or unhappy you are to be going bak to work today.
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Merry Christmas -- Richard had this to say at 8:42:54 AM on 12/21/2007.
Rather than actually come up with text for this news item, I'm going to use the comments from the previous news item:
Clay says: Happy Christmas
Dad says: Have a great holiday season
momb says: It's only six more days
kelly says: It's only $7 a month
Ron says: can't you do image resizing in ASP?
Uncle Clark says: TO ALL WHO READ THIS STUFF! CLARK AND SUE RIDDLE WISH YA-LL A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A SAFE, HEALTHY AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.
Aunt Nanc says: Wow...

If those thoughts don't sum up the Christmas season for you, post your thoughts as a comment. Or just have a Merry Christmas and don't worry about it.
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happy anniversary -- Richard had this to say at 8:27:15 AM on 12/18/2007.
To Kate and me. Today is our two-year anniversary. We don't have much planned more than a nice dinner at home. We've been quite busy lately and decided the best way to celebrate is with a quiet dinner, rather than trying to coordinate another outing.

I was a little reluctant to post a news item because the commenting has been so great on the last one. Keep it up on this one. You can keep commenting about mobile phones if you like. Oh, and by the way, Kate's phone has GPS as well. I think mine does too but I never need it since I don't get lost.

Also, I posted a new gallery with pictures from my commute. Last Monday we had a breakfast potluck on the ferry; the two pictures you see are of that event.
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post from the ferry -- Richard had this to say at 8:51:45 PM on 12/11/2007.
Along with my new phone, I also got a plan where I can surf the web wherever I want. To prove this, I am posting a news item from the ferry on my way home. Post a comment about how awesome that is.
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