Apr 20 - another flat !

I had a flat without riding ... a "motel flat" or "garage flat" ... they're all the same.

So ... I took the tire and tube off and found that the rim strip had traveled, no better way to describe it, off of the spoke holes and caused this particular flat. So -- one ride, four flats. Two of the flats were tiny pinholes that I might even try patching, this is getting so ridiculous.

This morning I did more bike maintenance. I cleaned up the Lynskey that I haven't ridden in a couple of weeks and checked the tires for cuts. Both tires, the Schwalbe Ultremos, have significant cuts. They are probably still useable, but obviously I'm taking a chance.

I also mounted the 11-34 cassette on the newly built, by me, White Industries / Mavic Open Pro wheel. That cassette seems to shift ok even without a change of chain, so I'm going to give it and the wheel a "go" today. That is assuming that I'm not riding into thunderstorms, which is the prediction.

Speaking of which, we did have them all around us yesterday with lots of lightning but very little rain. Sharon and Kirby joined us for dinner at the Tiki and we sat inside the covered area, rather than getting our butts wet. We were supposed to go boating with them this weekend and I'll make a call on that later today / early tomorrow as to whether it looks ok.

New credit cards came in the mail yesterday, replacements for the FIA Card Services Visa cards that have been taken over by BofA. I haven't used those in a couple of years, since I started using the BofA account and Visa card. I've kept them "in reserve" because "they" say that you shouldn't cancel your oldest credit cards / give up that line of credit. In fact, I haven't used them since they FIA took over the Wachovia cards that were replacements for the First Union cards that were replacements for the CoreStates cards :).

So ... I called BofA to have them a) consolidate the credit lines and b) cancel the cards. Well, no. If I want to do that they have to do a credit check etc. etc. What ? says I ? you're already at risk for the total, I already have the total credit line, all I'm asking you to do is change account numbers, sort of. No, she said, they have "Federal Rules" that they have to follow for increases in credit. But I'm not increasing credit, I already have it ... I wasn't getting anywhere. In fact, all they would be able to do is move something like 2/3 over to the old BofA account and even that could only happen with the credit check. "Can I do anything else to help you today" ... "No, you haven't been any help" ... I hung up. It was all very pleasant, since I didn't really need any of this anyway, it was a matter of principle.

This morning I went online and saw the new credit cards, alongside the old credit cards, showing up on my BofA online access. I authorized them and set them up in Quicken. Perhaps I'll re-fight the battle another day, just for the fun of it. Perhaps I'll visit my local BofA office and talk to a physical person ... just for the fun of it. Where's that windmill to tilt at when you need it ?!?!

I filed most of the papers that were trailing around on the floor up here in the loft and caught up in my shredding. Our return to Canada is looming.

Speaking of which, I setup a couple of appointments -- Gundian (urologist) who wanted to see me before the summer, another routine checkup. The nurse was quite accommodating and gave me something in the afternoon that I'm going in to see Keller ... whose nurse is also accommodating and will be faxing me the lab results so that I can preview them before my appointment with Keller -- GP -- annual physical although it's been more like 21 months. Keller and I agreed last time in that I wasn't the excitable type and would save my questions until I came in. Normally she won't share lab results until she's face-to-face with you.

... and, I called Xplornet, who is naturally running behind on getting out its work orders. They'd promised by the 15th and now are promising within 24-48 hours. I'll call back on Tuesday. I want this rolling before we head north. I know that it will take some time to actually get Satent out to our place and want to get Bonnie's setup going at the same time.

Jason returned my call and we talked about his plans to be up north, so we'll likely see them the week of May 7th. Kim is going to run the Sudbury marathon the weekend after, so they'll be there.

I think that's about it. Phone calls, filing, banking, nothing too strenuous ! I did some reading, had a snooze ... you get the idea.

Onward ...