THIS......Is COLD?!

By about mid afternoon yesterday I had the odd sensation that I was missing something.  Around 2.30 pm I realized I had not gotten a call or a text from my lovely wife.  We routinely keep in contact throughout the day.  Everything from the cute, and brief "I miss you, I love you" text's, to the extemporaneous diatribes regarding children's unfamiliarity with common decency.  No, thing's were quiet.
Too quiet.
SO, I thought it prudent to make a "wellness check" phone call.  Turns out, I had nothing to concern myself with, however.  Angi and Elijah had gotten a bug up their bonnet and decided to complete the Holiday decorations and do a little reorganizing!  Now, I am a creature of habit.  I have my little corner of the couch, my end table for my coffee, and my favorite pillow.  I believe the phrase is "set in his ways".  But Angi has been attempting to convince me to rearrange the living room and media room, but I have gently resisted.  So she made the switch for me while I was away.  It was not until I returned home last night did I discover just how much of a change! 
As I and the three elementary kiddo's (they spent the afternoon with me so mom and E could finish their work) turned the corner onto our street we immediately realized that the living room furniture was at the bottom of the lawn near the mailbox.  What an odd place to set up the living room!  It was going to be hard to see the TV from there!
Ah.....ha,ha.
As a general rule around our house, furniture is replaced every couple of years.  We have had this set for almost four.  It had originally been placed in the sitting room at the old house, but as there was no TV in that room it hardly ever got used.  In the last year and a half it has been used...a lot!
Poor thing.  White floral print....it never had a chance!
They moved the sectional into the media room and the new reclining couch into the other room.  Her inspiration was my inability to get comfortable on the new sofa.  I must admit, the way it is placed now allows me to watch TV without craning my neck.  And the best part is, now her and I can sit together!  It has been far to long since we have been able to cuddle while watching a flick!  And her tree design must be mentioned.  A real testament to simplicity and old world elegance.  In our home you will not find tacky, gaudy or multicolored blinking lights reminiscent of the neon signs dotting the back alleys of some risqué "red light" district!  No plasti-form nativity scene, nor cacophony of overbearing ornaments.  No, she did it very tastefully with a splash of silver, burghandy, deep green and umber.  Very beautiful!
Speaking of Holiday Seasons!  I have apparently fallen far from my New England upbringing!  Up there, we know what cold is!  I can remember standing outside in below forty degree weather sporting nothing but a pair of jean and a T-shirt, but last night as we prepared to go to bed I rose from the couch, shed my throw blanket and was keenly aware of just how frigid the house felt.  Quickly determining that it was freezing weather and concerned that in the morning I would discover the children had all turned to popsicles, I realized it was necessary to turn the heat on.  As I went to thermostat I half expected it to read below fifty degrees!
It was 71.
Seventy one!?
LORD!  I have become a bloody wimp!
Well today marks a milestone.  One which accents the multitude of gray hairs on both my head and face.
Elijah has turned eighteen today!
Holy crud!  Where has the time gone! 
Yes, through nostalgic memories of a chubby little boy hobbling to and fro so many Christmases ago, wanting desperately to topple the tree, to his pre teen team up with his younger brother Kaleb in their alter ego's as the "Disatrous Duo"!  The trials and tribulation of his teenage romances into the brooding darkness of the latter half.  Now he stands a hulking 6'2" 240+ pounds (but still with that round baby face)
What now?
Of course, I could not let the day pass without a little humor at his expense.  Oh yes, that's "How I Roll".  As we sat finishing up a movie last night, he announced that it was midnight, and he was now an adult.  Mom offered him a heartfelt "Happy Birthday" I of course pointed out the fact that he was now an adult, I was no longer financially or legally responsible for him and he needed to get out!  I actually was able to maintain a straight face long enough for him to appear slightly concerned and curious as to whether or not I was serious! 
Today, he has the day pretty much for himself.  With a little cash in his pocket he took off for a bit.  I think that's probably the best gift he could have gotten!
ANYWHO!
On to work!  Managed to get one newbie out yesterday!  A 26" dual shock MTB, with front disc brakes and a new set of Hutchinson tires!  SWEET! And as usual, thanks to all for their steady stream of repairs!  Had several looky loo's, but as is the case sometimes, just didn't have what they were looking for.  We do appreciate, however, their assurance that they would continue to follow us to see if we come up with anything!  Did get in a few more goodies yesterday which we will be putting out post haste!  Also, sold one of the new BMX's we put out last week to a fine gentleman expressing the true meaning of Christmas by buying it for one of the kids from his wife's school.  I hope Santa takes note of your generosity sir!  Also, at t minus and ten last night as we were packing it in to head home a gent dropped by.  Now, this is one of the moments I really dread around here.  From time to time we will have someone drop off a bike for a repair, then forget about it.  Or perhaps, they are having a money crunch, or encounter drama in their life or whatever reason, and simply don't come back to pick up their ride.  We hold them here as long as we can, but their does comes a point (we have it posted thirty day's, but in this case it was closer to ninety) where we just have to consider the bike abandoned.  Needing to recover the cost of the materials, we place the bike out for sale.  Thankfully, in seven years, we have only had to do this a handful of times.  We really don't want to take someones ride!  But, as always seems to happen, I put the bike up for sale last Friday and sold it on Saturday.  Even though, over the course of the last three months I talked to the gentleman four times, to which he assured me he'd be in that day, it took him until yesterday to come in.  I gently but sternly informed him it was in fact gone.  Reluctantly, he understood and in the end I worked him a really good deal on  a better bike then he had for less then the cost of the others repairs, so he thankfully departed happy.
So, today, I have more to keep me busy, so I bid you a found adieu!