D'oh!

Many years ago I took a communications class that taught me something I have never forgotten. You can often learn more about a person from the questions they ask you than from the responses they give to your questions. The reason is that answers are a response to a specific stimulus; the questions they ask are self-generated glimpses into the way they are thinking.

So, if you ask a person "How are you today?" and their answer is "Great!" the only thing you can really tell is that they heard your question and that they are currently either feeling "great" or that they are disinclined to complain to you about how their day is going.

On the other hand, when I am chatting with someone and they ask me how my mom is, it tells me that they either do not know me very well or do not care for me enough to have remembered when I told them that my mother was killed in a traffic accident nearly thirty years ago.

I bring-up this whole psychobabble mess because of a recent conversation that I had in a shoppe here in the area. I was in the next town down the Thames from my home, (the ancient and royal borough of) Kingston Upon Thames. My bicycle needed some repair work and new tires so I had walked it down to Kingston to have it serviced at a bike shop that was open late on Friday afternoons.

Normally, I would have taken it to the bike shoppe in the next village south of me, Paul Cycles in Long Ditton. I love this shoppe! It reminds me of the bike shop my Uncle Gene used to run in Waite Park, Minnesota when I was a kid. The shoppe is a confusion of bikes in all colors, sizes and styles, crammed into a converted villa on a side street. Paul always greets me with surprise and asks how I am, how is Saga, how is my trip going.

Paul has built this relationship with me over the past year because he has serviced my bicycles since I was first lent one by my friends in Molesey. He told me the first time that I had it serviced that investing in a good newer bike would be a better investment if I was going to be using the bike extensively than putting a lot of money into the upkeep of the old bike I was lent. (The "loaner" bike was a good bike, but not up to constant and extensive use. I do not herein mean to cast aspersions on the bike, the loan of the bike, or the friends who lent it to me! It was a wonderful gesture and I was and am extremely grateful to my friends for their kind gesture.)

The point is that every time my trip got extended and I ended-up in Paul's shoppe for more parts, accessories or service, he showed his interest by asking "How long this time?" or "Why are you not just moved here?" He showed me thereby that he at least was interested enough in me as a client and a person to remember that I was here on what was supposed to be a short trip that kept being extended. The only reason I would not have taken my bike to Paul this time is that Paul always takes the first three weeks of the year off to go to visit his family in Thailand. If I could have waited, I would have, but I needed my bike serviced. I shredded my tire on Christmas week.

This brings me back to the point of my story. In the shoppe in Kingston, (we'll withhold the name of the shoppe to protect it…) I was asked a question that was so dumb that it showed that they were more interested in my wallet than in me. That's fine! They're there, after all to make money, but a little interest in the customer is, perhaps, a good thing, guys!

The question came about as I was adding things to my basket while they were mounting my new tires and tubes on the bike. Apart from the tires and tubes, I wanted to get a set of tire irons and a spare tube (so I could change my own flat the next time I had one), I also mentioned that I needed a bottle of Bike wash because my bike gets really caked with mud and goop as I am riding the tow path along the Thames. He said that he rode the tow path himself and we chatted briefly about the trials and tribulations of riding around the area.

When I picked-up a bottle of chain lube (they had two, neither was a brand I with which I was familiar) and asked for his opinion of them. As I stood there, the water still dripping off my rain suit, the larger drops hitting the window audibly, the recent conversation of the mud in the streets still echoing in the building, the fice-litre bottle of bike wash for mud and road grime clearly visible in my basket, he asked me one of those questions that show he was not really a party to any of these things. At least, he wasn’t mentally a part of it!

"What conditions do you normally ride in?" he asked in a completely serious manner.

I cocked my head to the side.

"Do you normally ride in wet or dry conditions?" He continued, seeing my confusion.

I looked over my shoulder at the rain outside the window, the water dripping off my hair onto the floor. With complete incredulity I responded "I live in Thames Ditton. I ride in Surrey! It's Winter!"

"Oh! Right." He said realizing (I hope) how stupid a question it was. He then added, sheepishly, "You'll want this one for wet and muddy conditions."

To be fair, I have a strange accent. He may have assumed that I had come all the way to the United Kingdom, to London, and found my way to Kingston to then find his shoppe, buy bicycle tires for my bike at twice what they would have cost me in the US just to head back to the states immediately. Or perhaps he was just not paying attention. Either way, it was an interesting conversation.

I hope wherever you are today, you have interesting conversations with those around you!

Don Bergquist - 10 January 2007 - Thames Ditton, Surrey, UK

Busy Day!

It's about 05:50 and I've just gotten home to The Villa after first walking my friend, Elaine's, dog back in Tolworth. After that I rode over to Thames Ditton and let Saga out to run around in the yard for a while.

I'm waiting for the coffee to brew am writing this while waiting for it.

We're under some big, pendulous, looming deadlines and I have been working pretty long hours. I am looking forward to the weekend already! Oh, well… perhaps things will go just perfectly today at the office and the day will fly by!

Ah! I hear Saga entering through the kitchen… I had best go check on the coffee, eat breakfast, and get into the office.

I hope that wherever you are today, you have a great day!

Don Bergquist - 09 January 2007 - Thames Ditton, Surrey, UK

Happy Birthday to my cousin, Joan

Down Time

Perhaps the best thing about your weekend plans fall through at the last minute is it leaves you with nothing to do for the weekend but lie in bed and do nothing. The attraction of this is not as obvious as it may be if you know that I have been suffering with a cold for the last week.

Riding to and fro during the cold and rainy weather over the preceding week allowed weakened my immune deferences so that I was more prone to catch the cold that has been going around the office (and the village for that matter) and so, when exposed, I caught it on New Year's Eve. I have been suffering through it with the help of cold medicine and Olbas Oil.

This weekend I was supposed to be going into Central London for a weekend of sightseeing and pub crawling with a friend who came into town. Unfortunately, for him, luckily for me, he had a cold while flying over and ended-up with an inner-ear infection. So, he opted out of the weekend in favor of a future weekend. I took the opportunity to spend the weekend in bed, getting over the cold.

Good move, I am feeling much better this morning and am ready to face the week with vim, vigor! Of course, I am facing a lot of work under tight deadlines this week, so it will be a good think I rested-up this weekend!

I hope that wherever you did this weekend, it has prepared you for a great week ahead!

Don Bergquist - 08 January 2007 - Thames Ditton, Surrey, UK

No Entry Today

I've been spending the weekend in bed. This is something I have needed!

I hope wherever you are this weekend, you have the opportunity to spend the time on yourself!

Don Bergquist - 07 January 2007 - Thames Ditton, Surrey, UK

Happy Birthday to my aunt, Elaine

Yule Blog: Epiphany

For those of you who have commented to me via email and in person on the pseudo-religious bent that my blog seems to have taken, it is not a big deal.

A couple years ago, I was working from home when a colleague of mine called me at home and asked me a question that had been asked by a local radio station as part of their holiday trivia contest.

"'Quick: Why Twelve Days of Christmas?'" she asked the moment I had answered and identified myself.

Without pause for thought, I responded: "It's twelve days from Christmas to Epiphany."

"What?" She asked perplexed.

"Sorry." I explained. "It's just my Catholic upbringing. The Feast of Epiphany is a holiday commemorating the arrival of the Magi in Bethlehem. It marks the ending of the Christmas Season on the Catholic calendar. At least, that is how I remember it from my Catechism classes."

"Don," she protested. "I was brought-up Catholic. I don't remember this stuff!"

"Er, Uh! Good head for trivia." I responded.

So, there it is; this, being the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas, It is time to take down the tree at The Villa and to put away all the green and gold. The Yule Blog ends today. The normal blog returns tomorrow.

I hope you have enjoyed following my adventures of the first Christmas I have spent abroad. If so, drop me a line or post a comment and let me know. If not…

Wherever you are today, I hope you're having an excellent day!

Don Bergquist - 06 January 2007 - Thames Ditton, Surrey, UK

Epiphany

Yule Blog: Feast of St. Talida

At least it is an interesting cold! Most colds start in the head and migrate to the chest, start in the chest and migrate to the head, or start simultaneously in both areas and just stay put. The cold that is going around seems to be into bungee jumping. It keeps bouncing back and forth and just never seems to go away!

There are a number of people at the office that have the same cold. I guess I must have weakened my system with all the bicycle riding in the cold, wind and rain. (It can't possibly be all the partying over the holidays, now could it! Alcohol kills germs!) I succumbed to the cold either on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. A friend said I sounded a bit horse at the New Year's Eve party, but I assumed that was because I had second-handed about a pack of cigarettes that evening!

It is strange, most of the time I feel just fine. But periodically, a fit of coughing comes over me. Then I get to feeling fine again. Sometimes I take a cough lozenge other times, it just goes away. Then later, the sniffles and congestion come back! It is a truly strange cold. I guess I should really spend some time in bed and try and get over it, but who has the time?

I how wherever you are today you're feeling well!

Don Bergquist - 05 January 2007 - Thames Ditton, Surrey, UK

Yule Blog: Feast of St. Elizabeth

The days are flying by! Have you ever heard someone say that the older you get the faster the days go? Well, I think it is definitely true! Every day seems to go just a little bit faster. Every day seems to be just a little bit busier. Everybody I meet seems to be a little more rushed.

The winds have returned. According to the weather last night, the storm system that dropped Denver to its knees about a week ago has finally hit us here in London. The main affect has been the wind, but there was a fair bit of rain as the storm front passed. Yesterday at lunch I noticed that the tables on the dock on the river-front of Ye Olde Swann were up to their seats in water. The flood surge passed quickly and the top of the dock is dry again.

I am getting quite the workout riding anywhere these days, however, as it seems gale force winds are blowing into my face regardless of where I am riding and in which direction! It is a special treat to ride with Saga's trailer which acts like a sail! Oh well, it is sure to be an exciting time whenever one takes to the roads in London!

I hope wherever you are today, the wind is at your back and you're pedaling towards home!

Don Bergquist - 04 January 2007 - Thames Ditton, Surrey, UK

Yule Blog: Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus

So far so good!

Funny how easy it is to keep ones resolutions when one has no choice in the matter. But can it really be called holding to ones resolve when one's actions are impressed upon them? I have put on my ten-miles per day for the New Year!

Of course, most of that has been just getting to and from Elaine's to care for her place and her dog. Oh well. I have been making it into the office at nearly the time I usually would. I've been showing-up at 06:30 instead of 06:00 but still that is not bad.

This morning, I was able to spend a little extra time with Saga as I had live batteries in my mobile and so had an alarm clock. I am now sitting in the lounge at The Villa and am getting this posted before taking off for the office. They are calling for rain this afternoon.

Oh well, it is winter in England, what can I expect. I hope that wherever you are today, nothing can dampen your spirits.

Don Bergquist - 03 January 2007 - Thames Ditton, Surrey, UK

Yule Blog: Feast of St. Basil the Great

Tuesday and it is back to work.

My liver is going to thank me that the party season is over. This will, by needs be short. I have been watching the house and dog of a friend of mine for a few days this weekend and for the first couple weeks of the New Year; I'll be heading over here each evening after feeding and playing a bit with Saga and then doing the same for Daisy.

Each morning, I'll be getting-up early, taking care of Daisy, heading back to The Villa in Thames Ditton, showering and getting ready for work and then heading into the office. I hope to be able to do all this and get into the office around the time I would normally have been in anyway.

Tolworth is just one village over. (From Thames Ditton, I just have to cross Long Ditton and I am in Tolworth.) So really, it just forces me to ride an extra four miles each morning and evening. Which, since it is one of my resolutions anyway to ride my bike more, is not a bad thing.

But as I failed to wake-up because my mobile is dead this morning (the battery ran dead last night some time) and it also serves as my alarm clock, I'd best wrap this up and get back to the office.

I hope wherever you are today, you are starting the New Year off on the right foot!

Don Bergquist - 02 January 2007 - Tolworth, Surrey, UK

Yule Blog: New Year's Day (Feast of St. Mary, Mother of God)

That I was able to watch sunrise at all on the first day of the New Year is not so much a tribute to the party last night as to the fact that I had the will power to leave the party last night! My friends, Lucy and Phil, threw a wonderful party at their home in Molesey last night. The venue and the company were excellent! But then, for a party with my friends, I have come to expect no less!

At 19:30 last night I was sitting at the kitchen counter working on some paperwork I had allowed to stack-up over the holidays. I had a cab reserved for 20:15. The party was to start at 20:00 so I figured that if I left here about fifteen minutes after it started, arrived late by about half-an-hour, I would not be the first one but would be there early enough that if Lucy and Phil needed anything done at the last minute (run for ice, whatever) I was there to help.

Three bottles of red wine sat in the carrier on the counter, three bottles of white sat cooling in the 'fridge and a couple bottles of Champaign (or as they refer to it here: "Fizz") cooling with them. So when the cab arrived nearly half an hour early, I was still doing paperwork and grabbed my coat and headed out with him. I was two blocks from the house when I remembered the mobile phone (which I almost immediately discovered was in my pocket after-all). We were in the street that my friends live in when I remembered the wine! I was empty-handed when I rang the bell at 20:00.

The food was excellent! Lucy arranged for Phil to make a Boeuf Bourguignon. (We kidded Lucy all night about how wonderful the stew was. It is a joke because Lucy admits that she is no cook!) There was also a huge roast turkey and a ham. The trimmings were all there as well! Terry and Angie had helped by making sprouts and mashed potatoes.

There was food and wine a plenty. There were an assortment of beers and there was fizz! At midnight, we all went out the back garden (those of us who fit into the garden) or into the solarium and watched the fireworks being lit off. It was a really good party.

I feel honored to have made such good friends here in London. I really enjoy the time I get to spend with them. But this week and next I am watching a dog for a friend of mine so I called for a cab to collect me at 02:00. (The mini-cab service here is excellent and reasonably priced as compared to the London Black cabs that everyone thinks of when you say "London Taxi" to almost anyone back in the states.) But last night being New Year's Eve and having a bit of a brisk business, I had to wait until nearly 03:00 for the cab to arrive.

I took a short nap to refresh myself, fed Saga, played with her for a while so that she knew I still loved her and was riding to Elaine's in Tolworth to look after Daisy by 06:00.

Around lunchtime, I returned to The Villa to collect Saga and her trailer and ride down to the pub. My gang was to collect at The King's Arms around 14:00. Not surprisingly, it was closer to 15:30 when the party reconvened at the big table between the bar and the radiator. Stories of last night's debauchery were swapped. (Not that there was any debauchery, mind you!)

It has been a long day! Saga and I headed home around 18:00 and I was back in Tolworth an hour later. I'm writing this before I go to bed. It's time for a long winter's nap. What a wonderful way to start the New Year!

I hope wherever you are, your year ended, and the new one began in the company of your friends and family.

Don Bergquist - 01 January 2007 - Tolworth, Surrey, UK

Happy New Year!