Some newness, and the heat gun trick

Much as I'm a staid old stick, liking what is tried, true, and familiar, there are times I venture into newness. New phone. New apps, and trying to figure out how they all work together. Changing habits to take advantage. I've discovered Siri is really good about making appointments for me.

That discovery happened leaving work on Friday. You might remember I had some lab tests last week. The doctor's office called as I was getting out of the elevator, digging out my phone to use the card key in the pocket. It's hard to mentally switch up using the phone to open a gate, to talking to someone. No panic, but as soon as I had a time and date, I was out the gate, and wanting to get it recorded before I forgot. I forget easily. (The peanut gallery can stop snickering any time now!)

I'm trying to leverage other apps that might actually help me be organized, and get more use out of the phone. Such a marvelous technology. The trick is using it for something that is actually useful and helpful to me, and not just a high tech way of doing something for the sake of doing it a high tech way. One of my buddies loves to write with a fountain pen on nice paper. I don't quite get that, but there's lots of times an ordinary pen and some paper is all that's needed.

Here's how Saturday started.

No muss, no fuss, no screams of rage, no broken fingernails or anything else. The secret is to get the tire nice and warm. I got it onto the tire just using my hands. That's how to avoid pinch flats.

I did a bit of easy spin, calibrated the brake unit, and did a bit more easy spin. Mainly to warm up the leg and circulate my blood a bit. Nice stretch session after.

Then the last of the back yard winterizing, and a bit of garage cleaning and organization. Last backyard BBQ of the year, doing chicken then rack of lamb. So yummy! Now the BBQ is tucked into the garage. I'll still use it over the winter, just out at the front of the garage so I'm somewhat sheltered from the cold and wind.

I didn't mention there was wine to go with dinner, and a chocolaty dessert. But you guys guessed that, right?

Sunday started early. Some swim coaching, and a bit of a swim myself. Mainly some intervals. Nice.

Then out for a run. We parked in the East Village near the new bridge. We checked it out then started running east. This was 2 new bridges for me, and it's been a very long time since I've run in this area. Very nice. We took our time, running a little slower than usual, chatting. Michelle did a marathon last weekend, and I was putting her through her paces in the pool, so I wasn't fussed about the pace.

It's also the first time using iSmoothRun, and I'm impressed so far. Let's see if I can get some screen shots. She lent me a Spibelt, and I'm pretty impressed with that too. I think I have to buy one, unless someone local has one they don't use anymore and want someone to take it off their hands. He said hopefully. Hello, anyone?

The Google Earth map of our run from the iSmoothrun file.

Here's the pace and cadence graph. Getting cadence will be interesting, I've often suspected my steps have slowed down, and it seems to be true. The average today was 82, and my count several years ago was closer to 88. Let's find out what the numbers really are!

Cagary's newest bridge. There's some formal name for it, but the popular name is "The Skipping Stone". Three guesses why.

My run buddy pointing out some architectural features.

Another view of where we started the run. This used to be a very sketchy area. Very. I probably wouldn't have walked alone there a decade or two ago.

My other run buddy has a problem with her toe. You might have heard about it. My understanding was that a crack in the pavement took her by surprise. This is it.

Coffee and a nice chocolate treat at Bite after. So nice! All in all a lovely morning. Some errands later in the day.

I'm starting to get it together for NaNoWriMo, plotting things out. It goes like this.
Action intro for Dwen and Les.
She meets some other people. Reference to a larger group of friends.
She has unusual dreams.
She has an unusual occurrence in the waste water plant where she works.
She follows up on that occurrence, meets more new people, and discovers a complication with Les.
She explores, and makes further discoveries, with some knocks along the way.
She learns some startling things.
Some of those startling things make huge changes when they become known.

There, does that interest you? Are you intrigued? Do you want to learn more about Les and Dwen and  find out what the unusual occurrence is? I hope so. (Why are you yawning?) If you aren't yawning, and want to do NaNoWriMo, let me know. We can be writing buddies.

I've been playing with the camera in the new phone. I'm impressed. Cats. Need I say more?