Frustation level- 4.6

Ever since we've been back from our little vacation into the american heartland(where there's a church on every street) we have been living with the Sodhis, in the hope that we will soon get an apartment nearby in the same locality. what was meant to be a night's stay may now strech to 5 days, by the latest reckoning. Two prospective habitats have been scrutinized and shortlisted, but it will be a while before the repairs are done and the apartment is ready to be occupied.

of course, all of us are a bit testy these days, having to live out of a suitcase for close to a month is not a pleasant experience for most people. I'm coping well, and keeping myself as mobile as possible since i realised earlier that if i start taking root too soon, it will be harder when we will have to move elsewhere eventually. I want to keep myself mentally ready to dislodge from anywhere at any time because i think that will be the reality of my situation for a long time to come. On the other hand, Permanency is something of an issue with mom and dad, but it is completely understood when you consider the fact that they've spent 23 years in the same house without having to experience moving pains.

Anyway, the Sodhis have been very welcoming and extremely accomodating. It's really hard to live in a house without having some sort of mark, a trail, or impression that you are there, while you try to be as invisible as possible; and try your best not to impose upon your hosts, who are all out to make you feel as comfortable as possible...

In penance, i have decided not to shave my growing stubble until we get an apartment. For readers who know of my fanatical devotion to the early-morn-after-shower shave, a habit from my Maurya days, this will indicate how rotten i feel about having to live in someone else's bedroom while they sleep on the floor.

OK, but can it roll over and play dead??

So, i've gone ahead and moved all of my stuff to the BETA version of blogger, which is more flexible in terms of web design...tell me if you like the new look!!!

Oh, and did i mention... (No.1)

That Canada is absolutely GORGEOUS during the fall?

I'm serious, because after seeing the bleak-or-boring Michigan and Ohio landscape, The countryside of Ontario was like seeing, say, Latetia Casta, or Gisele Bunchen after a lifetime spent with a large water buffalo for company. The camera was at a loss of resolution and depth when it came to taking pictures of all the colours we experienced. It was a very short incursion into a relatively well-populated area(meaning there was not not a soul for miles around) but the effect was far more indelible. The Weather was less than perfect, but it didn't matter.

i guess the reason i'm gushing maple syrup is because i was with my cousin and my sister-in-law with their very lovable baby boy. It made the experience doubly good, being able to make faces and get incomprehensible utterings in return.

Life in these United States (No.2)

Since when has the humble bicycle become a lifestyle accesory?

When did it evolve from a simple, cheap and clean form of transport to a pastime requiring the posession of several auxillaries and large sums of money?

When was the last time you wanted to do a Paul Newman-on-bicycle routine, only to be deterred by the traffic whizzing at 100 K's around you?

My body was relatively unscathed from the collision that night, but my bike's taken some long-term damage. It's still rideable, but being the perfectionist, i can't bear to see it in anything but top-notch shape. The front wheel has gone out of true, and the front forks are bent, albeit very slightly.

I thought i'd pop over to Village bikes on lakewood ranch, to get things lined up, instead of going all the way south to bikesenjava, where i had $pent 100 dollars to my satisfaction, a few days before the accident. the staff was a curious mix of aussie salesperson, eastern european mechanic and american receptionist. They were so busy, they couldnt take 15 minutes to do a simple wheel alignment for me.

'we're very busy up till wednesday, as you can see' said the aussie bloke, pointing to a handful of bikes. I requested them to give me 15 minutes of their time, explaining how i had no other means of transport, and how handicapped i'd be without the bike, at which the aussie bloke said that they could give me a wednesday appointment.

Dentists give appointments.

I'm quite annoyed at how most of these specialist, 'performance' shops actually perform for thier customers. An illiterate bicycle mechanic from India would put these guys to shame, in terms of efficiency, flexibility and multitasking. Just because you have a clutch of bikes to build, doesn't make you so busy as to deduct 15 minutes from your critical operations and help a potential customer who can bring in more buisness. these guys do have previous undertakings, deadlines and commitments, but going out of the way for a walk-in is what really sets you apart from the crowd. That's what makes your customers prefer you over the others, and bring in the dollars.

I'm not going back there for the wednesday 'appointment' ; that's for sure.

In all, it seems getting things like a new fork will be twice or thrice as expensive as getting a new bike altogether.