I really should get up and pack. We're supposed to leave for Tahoe in 90 minutes and I haven't even started packing yet.

:bday:

Sounds like a full but fun itinerary. :thumb:

But first I must make some gingerbread porridge.

There is an interesting hair gel scene in the movie 'Something About Mary'. I elected to not post it, but you can look it up if you're interested.

Family forum and all.

"A blessing on your head(s). Mazel tov, mazel tov!"

So have you informed Mrs. datlas regarding the traditional 26th anniversary gift to husbands: a full e-Tap group? No wait a minute. You may not want to know the proper reciprocal gift. Fuggeddaboudit.

And some carmelized pears to go atop.

Yes I can make even a bowl of oatmeal complicated.

Congrats!

Those solutions are kept in different bathrooms, now.

I like how you think but not a good idea with the MOF who prefers austerity.

:roflmao:

Not a real bad idea to get rid of some of that burnable material in California right now. :eek:

Speaking of new groups, I ordered a new Red left brake/shift lever yesterday. I just wasn't happy with the prospect of taking the damn thing to a watch maker (joke alert) to have the broken lever replaced, even though the part is readily available on eBay. I found a good closeout on the single left lever in the right graphics edition for $209 with free shipping and no local tax. Good thing this happened when it did as that graphics edition is obsolete now, and it seems to be rapidly disappearing from the internet. It seems they change the look every couple of years.

I doubt that is much more than I would have had to pay for the part and replacement labor especially if I let the LBS search for the right part. I mean, was the LBS really going to just go on eBay to get the part? Maybe I am just a klutz, but the replacement job looked to be a bear.

What about the warranty you ask. Well the store (both online and brick and mortar) where I originally bought the lever offered to ATTEMPT to process the warranty if I sent the broken part to them. Know what? I just don't have the patience for that.

So do I still come out ahead compared to just having bought the levers from my LBS at whatever awful price they would have charged? Good question. Maybe a little. I wonder how the replacement would have been handled assuming the breakage would have been determined to be under warranty. And that is by no means a given. How would they have gotten me a matching lever from SRAM? Would they have replaced both to make a match? I have no idea. Channeling Scarlet O'Hara I am just not going to think about all that anymore. Previsualizing reinstalling the internal cable run is much more important.

Has she no respect for TRADITION?

So True. I wait for that for many big dollar items from them.

:bday:

:)

26th anniversary is the carbon anniversary.

#allegedly

Wheelsets make great gifts.

I hate involved, complicated cooking. Quick and simple is how I like to roll. Mrs BD is always trying to nudge me towards the fancier stuff. Not interested sweetie! Ain't happening. ;)

This exactly. Part of the problem is that the thought of preparing something never crosses my mind until I'm already quite hungry.

You should check out Mark Bittman's recipes. He used to be with the NYT but left to take on a health advocacy role, especially when it comes to children's diets. He was mostly into minimalist cooking. Every once in a while he would take a base ingredient like chicken breasts or soft shell crabs and provide multiple simple, recipes that used the same cooking process and were surprisingly good. Roasted chicken breasts rolled in herbs. Roasted deviled chicken breasts covered with a mixture of shallots, Dijon mustard and cayenne pepper. And so on. I miss those.

Well gingerbread porridge is just oatmeal with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Sweetened with molasses instead of maple syrup (which is what I use for my usual apple cinnamon oatmeal). It's really not very complicated.

Likewise carmelized pears: sliced pears sautéed in butter, then sprinkled with vanilla sugar and lemon juice. Takes 5 min max and when you're the only one in your household who likes pears, it's a great way to preserve them so that one pear can top 4 days oatmeal (or in a green salad with blue cheese and chopped walnuts, tossed with some fruity vinagrette, or even just oil & vinegar & salt). Simple stuff.

Vanilla sugar: stick a used vanilla bean pod in a jar of sugar and let it sit a few weeks.