This is from one trip up the *driveway*. My Z is not looking forward to leaving the garage tmrw.

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A quiet morning on Mom and Dad’s sofa, they gray haze of the morning still low in the mountains and everyone else still slumbering peacefully elsewhere in the house. Other than the muted clicking of my laptop keyboard, the perpetual, syncopated rhythm of the cuckoo clock brought by my aunt and uncle from Germany before i was born, and the occasional murmur of the refridgerator chilling the leftovers of the last two days' feasting, the house is still silent. From outside, nature’s gentle chatter softly intrudes; a symphony of birds chirping and warbling, the patter of raindrops against the windows and the patio furniture, the mixed gurgle of both the overflowing rain gutters and the stream just beyond the yard and over the hill. In another 34 minutes, at precisely 7:07 AM, the Polson local will lumber north along its tracks in the distant valley below, marking its passing with three short blasts of the air horns as it approaches the only road crossing between here and the next sleepy little town.

It’s been a relaxing weekend thus far, the urgent schedules and demands of regular life slowly forgotten with each passing group laugh, family meal, or idle conversation. Although the rainy skies and mist-covered mountains aren't what Danielle and I were hoping for - and our tank tops, flip-flops and sunscreen are proving mostly useless - our long weekend away from the city has still offered all the quality time, stress relief and family memories we drove 500 miles in search of.

Technorati Tags: vacation, montana, morning

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I parked in the most private spot i could find in one of the nicer garages downtown when i drove it to work thursday. That didn't stop some joker from trying to steal the wheels right out from under it. At least they were interrupted before much progress was made, but i still unknowingly drove home to MT short three lug nuts.

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The rains parted in time for a perfect night around the bonfire with out of town family. This is the stuff i love coming home for.

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Dad's work crew installing a new gate. Admittedly, there is not a lot of work going on in this picture.

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Must be spring, cause all of nature is wandering about in search of a mate. Apparently my shower is a hot place to pick up eight-legged chicks, as it's been a party in there all week.

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Always open to a new reason for a party, today's excuse to quit working at 2.30 is Cinco de Mayo. Our guest of honor introduces himself via my rudimentary and ill-remembered high school spanish.

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The desk of an omnivorous and opportunistic beverage consumer.

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I had a great weekend - and didn't feel old at all. I say “weekend" when it was really a 5-day span, but if your birthday isn't the time for 5-day weekends, when is? I mostly wanted to recap it to thank the people who enjoyed it with me, but also so i could re-read it in 50 years and enjoy warm fuzzy feelings. I mean, provided the internet is still around that long…

Wednesday was, as mentioned, the drinks and dinner featuring friends that appeared throughout the evening, popping up in handfuls like the spawning buildings in grand theft auto when you're driving really fast. I enjoyed it all immensely, and the free birthday milkshake didn't do any harm, either. Sean and Julia hooked me up with some sweet supercross dvd’s, Dan and Jonathan stocked my wine cellar and Travis pre-empted my next visit to the dealership with credit for the parts i already know i'm going to need. ;)

Thursday Clint came over to play GTA, actually, and brought me some sweet wire strippers i totally needed two weeks ago when we installed his car alarm and a chunk of credit at Sears which i'll have no trouble spending. :)

Friday - the actual celebration of the anniversary of an event i don't actually remember - Eric and Miya prepared a stunning feast of bbq and Korean delicacies, which Miya felt the need to justify as being simpler to prepare than a meal of her own Japanese heritage, sparking a good group laugh. They spoiled me with presents, some of which are still enroute from Japan, and we finished with ice cream cake (Eric’s favorite, but i wasn't complaining).

Saturday i did my own thing for a bit, running to storage to deposit skis and winter gear and pick up boating and summer items (is it that time already?) and then met Ian at a shop in Kent for a couple hours of dyno tuning. [gearhead speak] My final run came out at 336 hp / 333 ft/lb torque at 0.95 kg/cm2 (13.51 psi), not my best numbers ever by far but a much safer, more reliable tune than previous and as high as i'm comfortable going until that injector upgrade i have my eye on. [/gearhead speak] Ron’s birthday (his birthday, not mine) poker tourney finished the evening, hanging with nearly all the old JLS crew - Bill, Steve, Chad, Mark, Clint - with Ron hosting, officiating, and graciously letting someone else win the trophy. ;)

Sunday Jason and Christie hosted their first bbq of the season, allowing us all a chance to get a mild sunburn and be shot with plastic bullets in the crossfire of a backyard guerilla assault, for which walmart’s 12-dollar armaments are to blame. We stayed until the sun was nearly gone and went home happy, full of homemade chocolate cake, and covered in more red bumps than a leper with chicken pox.

Monday the birthday cards have continued to roll in (and even a belated Easter card - guess i need to keep my grandparents more informed of my address changes. ;) which i appreciate very much, as well as the sms, email, blog comments, skywriting (not really), and giant sacks of money (i'm expecting them any day now) from my most excellent friends and family on all corners of the globe. (haha - get it? the globe doesn't have corners! ahhh… i kill me.) It’s been a great birthday, i don't feel 28 at all, and i'm actually looking forward to having another one… but not too soon. ;)

Technorati Tags: birthday, dyno, Z, bbq, moveon, net neutrality

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