time to focus on some repairs...

it is time to focus on some repairs
time to focus on some clean up

my basement looks like a bicycle graveyard

not sure if I have one bicycle in a rideable state

my pink colnago frankenfixie still has a broken frame
my black specialized tri-cross comp has another stripped fixed cup to the non-drive crank arm
my surly karate monkey with front suspension and gears needs a new middle ring
my surly karate monkey rigid single speed needs a new front ring as well... but is still moderately rideable
other frames and wheels liter the space between those bikes in need of minor adjustments and fresh parts

the other frames, wheels, and parts need to be removed from the system
missed the bike swap
considering hosting a bike swap with City Bikes and DCMTB
talking to Eric of Chain Reaction about them hosting a Bike Swap/Bike Drop Off
also considering eBay
bikes are not the only junk that clutters my basement
records, comic books, slot cars, HO scale trains, and other assorted crap from my extended childhood that reaches into the present day

as I type I try to guide my children to clean up their toys
toys are spread all over the toy room
there are five or six empty boxes
trying to get them to put the right toys into the right boxes
so far the Thomas the Train stuff is all that has made it back into the right box
ever five seconds the boys lose focus as they discover a different toy
in the process of cleaning up
things somehow get more messy...
how does this happen?
why are they just like me?

seems they have lost momentum
the legos that just spilled are not being picked up
the legos are being played with
this is all well and good...
cleaning up was my demand before the cushions were taken from the couch to build a fort
the main objective is to have them entertained and occupied
right now that objective is being met
there have been verbal disputes
but WWF style confrontations
maybe the Madonna Music coming from the iPod docking station is calming these young savage beasts
maybe it is just the calm before the storm

the idea of the right place for everything is something that makes complete sense
but is harder to implement than one would think
just as the kids toys get blurred... the star wars figures are stored in the same bins as the knights and vikings
there are bins that hold both snowboard gear and camping gear
all gets spilled out when looking for the other

just as tools need to be hung with tools so that repairs can be done
it makes things more fun if similar toys are stored with similar toys
play-doh needs to be stored with caps on tight and toys cleaned and ready for the next session
hard rock play-doh is no fun for anyone
things need to be stored in logical places
things need to be put away where they belong

that said...
my bicycle graveyard of a basement is also jammed up with snowboards and cross country skis
the gear from last weekend's west virginia trip have yet to be shuffled into the right places

just as I need to "thin the herd" with countless t-shirts, baseball caps, and who knows what else that has long since made it into the rotation
the boys need to have their toys organized and cleaned up
broken toys need to be tossed away
as well as whatever they may seem to have outgrown

oh, sh t
the battles have begun
the shouting
the pushing
stuff is being spilled out instead of being put away
time for me to step in...