i got up this morning and went running. much better performance than monday, that's because i drank plenty of fluids before i went to bed, and drank some more when i woke up. also, the weather was very nice, warm (70's) but with a strong cool breeze. i completed my 3 miles, stopping to walk only once going up a steep hill. i ran into this girl i saw on monday, we smiled to each other in recognition as we ran by one another. i believe i've found my new incentive to run.
after a shower, i motorcycled to nanor to pick up the photos from the three disposable cameras i had sent in for development last week. one of the cameras turned out to be my sister's, the other two were mine, including the one from 1986. the 1986 photos were mostly my family members, like a snapshot in time from the past. i then went to the house to inspect last night's first day of construction work. i was very happy with the results and progress, it's almost like magic, i wake up in the morning and viola! some work has been done at the place! new ceilings in the foyer, hallway, and small bedroom, and also a new partition was created to shorten the walk-in closet so i could have a coat closet in the foyer. my father arrived later and we spent some time taking down anything else we could so the construction workers wouldn't have to do it.
2pm i left the place to meet amanda garnier down by city hall to check out the farmer's market. what i thought would be a bigger bonanza of cheap fresh produce and fruits turned out to be nothing more than a handful of tents selling less-than-inspiring vegetables. a better alternative to getting produce on the cheap is to come back on a friday or saturday and buy from haymarket. never one to leave a place empty handed though, i sampled some homemade raspberry ice tea for $1. pretty good, tastes just like a snapple.
amanda and i hung out in boston for the rest of the day, until i had to go back to cambridge. we watched people rehearsing for an outdoor concert, then we wandered around faneuil hall, stopping at crate & barrel to see what i might need to buy for the condo. we cut through the financial district, where i caught a glimpse of the old screen house office (nostalgia) then walked to park street, where we parted ways.
i got back to the house, but not before buying a case of coke from cvs (expensive, $5), for the workers. i had half a case of pepsi in the fridge yesterday, and they drank all of it. i figured it's the least i can do for those guys, get them some free beverage for all their hard work. just trying to be hospitable in my new place, even if it's currently an unliveable mess! they got there at 5:30pm, i was lounging out on the deck on my back reading the latest issue of newsweek on insomnia. i waited around a bit this time, i wanted to see them perform their construction magic. while zuka went out to get supplies, two of his guys inadvertedly ripped down the walls in the master bedroom. when zuka came back, he was furious. i didn't mind, replacing the drywall panels isn't too much work, besides, it was cool to see the room stripped of its walls, all the support beams of the house exposed, like seeing somebody's skeleton. joel oliveira also stopped by for a quick visit when he passed by the place and got me on my cellphone. after joel left, i said good bye to the workers and motorcycled home.
this is kind of off topic, and i don't want to brag, but my motorcycle skills have really improved now that i've been doing a lot of riding (no more t passes). something i didn't do before but i do now is make turns with at least one of my legs outstretched, in case i should suddenly have to come to a quick stop, i won't topple over on the bike because i'll be supporting myself with my legs. it sounds kind of stupid and rudimentary, but these are things about motorcycle riding you sort of figure out as you go. i now feel very safe on the motorcycle. when i was first starting out, i'd always be a little afraid because i wasn't sure what i was doing.