As if I need this in my life. A blog to maintain! Yech!

Thing is, I’ve got such an awesome life, and not nearly enough time to share it – and more than disappoint all 2 readers of my blog, it disappoints me because I quite enjoy scrolling through my completely subjective account of my kids, their mom, and her awesome husband.

So, as is typical of February, I’ll probably cobble together some or other post here which will launch me into the stratosphere of soon-to-be-expired-but-currently-wonderful-guilt-free living.

Hours later, we’d started the Flag Tag project, aimed simply at freely patriotising (don’t bother looking it up – it’s my own…) one’s web-presence, and voila, a few more hours after that – www.flagtag.co.za was launched. Behold the right hand margin of this site!

South Africans get to choose out of 7 variations of our flag, along with an option to randomize the flag, and being the hospitable bunch we are, we’ve got all other 31 flags available too.

Spread the Feva! Get your Flag Tag now!

I’m a year older. A small get-together on the 14th was in order, and reminded me how fortunate I am to have the circle of friends I do.

I passed the 2300km mark on my bikes odometer, and realised how many fantastic kilometers of scenery I’ve been priviledged to pass.

My Rocking-On Gran is now 90 (and still kicking ass). Similar small gathering, similar appreciation for family.

We (Team Robin Hood: Myself, Garth, Pete F, Pete R, Brian, Diego and Laura) concluded many months of training by “racing” the Coronation Double Century, covering the 205km in 9h41. Our ride time was about 8h30, and considering the heat and wind, and the fact that we all finished, I don’t think any of us care to remember anything but the sheer elation and comradery of having accomplished what was certainly a very far-fetched, pie-in-the-sky goal 4 months ago.

Then, just to round off my riding for the year, I pushed hard doing Die Burger a week or two ago, and surprised myself with a personal best of 3h08 – nearly an hour faster than last year.

Since this was sitting in drafts for the last 2 weeks, I might as well add that we’ve subsequently had work conferences, work functions, work paintball etc etc. and the year finally feels like it’s at an end. I have some career developments going on at White Wall Web/RAMP group, so next year should be interesting. I’ve also been doing a little trail running up Lion’s Head which has been awesome.

Just in case this get’s drafted again, I’m going to post it now!

Last week brought a trip to JHB for some meetings and the Google Maps SA launch (my thoughts here) – a nice change from routine. I’m fairly sure lots of other stuff happened too because it felt crazy, but I’m also sure I can’t remember it. For the last few days we’ve enjoyed hanging out with Trent and Caryn – visiting from UK. Sunday saw our bi-annual SushiFest take place with all the usual gluttony and subsequent sloth, and having recovered sufficiently, I took Tuesday off work to drag Trent around a 50km sightseeing ride. This was appropriately followed by a good lunch and a long swim at Fish Hoek. So summer is definitely working for us.

Work is a never ending adventure – always just finding my feet before being swept into some new problem-worth-fixing. It’s busy, and the commute really depresses me, but I have lot to be thankful for. I’m slowly-slowly finding my brain becoming capable of big thoughts again, and there is a pervading feeling that maybe things are (gradually) getting easier. Let it be so!

Oh. And it’s going to be a long month. A VERY long month. Will be sporting an increasingly alarming Mo’stache in support of Movember. Managed to rope some of the guys at work into it too, so should be a good laugh. I’ve decided to go for the Trucker Mo – a pair of handlebars which I’m sure will contribute to reduced appeal

Edit: After 6000 kindly provided their names, I will happily acknowledge Bruce Sutherland (top 2) and Donald Jackson (bottom) for allowing their pics to arrive in my email uncredited!

Any which way, political, sensical, ethical debates aside, that’s a sweet looking skyline (the stadium is also quite nice). I might even be tempted to buy some insensitively insanely well-priced tickets…

More pictures here.

So, despite the strong and variable wind, my trip computer showed 123km and I’m happy to report a really great ride and reassuring recovery today. It was interesting to note how easily I was able to contemplate this sort of distance after the psychological win of having done 150km last weekend – strange how the mind works (or my mind at any rate…)

Skip back a day, and we were all on the far side of the False Bay. A friend’s 30th inspired us to spend the day in Betty’s Bay, and we-4 enjoyed a visit to the Stony Point penguins, a Potjie fest and chill-out (ta Adrian) and later a wander on the beach – really taking advantage of the great weather we’ve been having. X-Trail is averaging around 5.7l/100 for these sorts of jaunts – a welcome contribution!

To finish the weekend off, we hosted a braai, I went to watch the very exciting F1 and then stayed up unnecessarily late to write this entry. Sleep beckons (but still the photos upload…)

To relax after these occasional jaunts to the beach, Jan and I have been indulging in our Battlestar Galactica addiction, guiltily consuming episode after episode. Since LOST (on pause) this has been a very welcome distraction to the children-inflicted-mess which so often fills our house, and has rekindled many childhood memories of space and Wing Commander games etc. Fun!

I’ve also been warming the saddle to quite an extent – very grateful to Jan for her corresponding child-minding. In a moment of weakness/folly I agreed to cycle as part of a team doing the Coronation Double Century (a 204km “race” in late November). Naturally training is mandatory. I’m planning on doing another race (Die Burger) the following weekend to seed for Argus 2010 – so the fitness is definitely welcome. We knocked off a 150km ride on Sunday, and I’m pleased to report that my ride and subsequent recovery were quite satisfactory. I usually GPS the rides, but considering this one took several hours including coffee stops, my battery died.

Um. Anything I’m forgetting… well, have a look here to enjoy some SA parody music. The very short guy works with me. Trent and Caryn are heading back to SA in November for a jol – looking forward to touring Chappies; my aunt from NZ is heading in to celebrate my Gran’s 90th; we’ve got a mammoth Sushibonanza planned – lots to look forward to! Kids are fantastic, wife is fantastic, life is pretty darn good.

PS: Except for my poor helicopter. Dust is thick. Will DEFINITELY be taking it to our New Year’s adventure at Peet’s se Plek, if not sooner.

In other significant, less tongue-in-cheek news, my mom’s been through the wringer, having been diagnosed with breast cancer late August. All very sudden, and now a mastectomy later, she’s undergoing a 6-month course of chemo, with some radiation planned for dessert. My folks are both coping very admirably with the stresses and pressures it’s added – not least a lot of travelling to and from hospitals, and so far so (mostly) good. Hope to report some more positive news in a few months time, but for now things aren’t going badly.

Naturally we now look forward to her outgrowing her obsession with eating stuff out of dustbins, climbing around inside the dishwasher,  Will probably post some party pics later, but for now a couple of anniversary-weekend photos.

Also of interest, White Wall Web released a home-grown twitter integration app today – twitsume.com (find me at twitsume.com/noelrg) – picking up a steady stream of visitors! Well done guys.

Anyway. Since everyone knows about Twitter. And swine-flu. And police and politics etc, I’m just going to mention how much I enjoy my hooligan children, my rock-solid wife, and the greater family which keeps me grounded in the bigger, more important aspects of life – real, tangible relationship and community.

Work at White Wall Web continues to be a great challenge – frentic and ultra-fluid, but with my objective having been growth,  I can’t say I got short-changed! Bears mentioning that I’m working with an awesome bunch of people – and for all that there have been some comings and goings, I count myself very fortunate to be working with friends all.

In the news: Adin is currently/already relocating to Switzerland, and since we don’t ever seem to connect anymore, “hola”. Congrats too to Al and Tess Gardener, who’re one of those friends who’re about to experience madness with their 4 day old daughter!