For the most part I'm a pretty self-sufficient gal, but the last bastions of helplessness for me are gadgets and things that go. I'm lousy with both. Once in college a boyfriend taught me how to change the oil in my car, but I forgot. Later that week. It's a good thing Jim is both a gadget geek and all-around handy man. I wash and fold his underwear, he fixes things; it's a win-win arrangement.Two years ago for an anniversary present, Jim bought me a new road bike online. I was training for a triathlon and had been borrowing a friend's beat-up mountain bike, so I was thrilled with my new ride. Of course, Jim had to assemble it for me. I put together a compact repair kit in a nifty little pouch strapped under my seat, but have never actually had to use it.
I haven't been riding in the last two weeks because Bluebell finally got a flat tire. Yeah, I gave my bike a name. I come from a proud heritage of people who name their wheels; what can I say? My first bike, a graduation present from my dad when I went away to college, was Trusty Rusty (the color of the paint even before it got left out in the snow). But I digress. So after procrastinating for about a week, I went online and found a couple how-to websites with instructions for changing a flat, including one showing how to do it without tools.
After another week of procrastination, I was really starting to miss riding. Sufficiently motivated by the gorgeous weather we've been having and the need for some alone time after spending all day with a teething baby, tonight I finally hauled my bike into the kitchen, grabbed my laptop, repair kit and tools (just in case). My bike doesn't have quick release levers for the wheels, so I had to use a 15mm box wrench, and I used the levers, but only a little. And I did it. All by myself.
3 comments:
I loved this post.
You should join the confessional booth (go see the polka dot witch's blog for "confession tuesday"). What you've written (lately anyway) is terrific confessional stuff.
I love that you got that tire fixed. Good for you!
And, just in case that writer's group (a post or two before) is fertile ground, I think you'd be comfortable...I'm not a lit major, either...it's a good group with good ground rules. :-) Email me if you want to talk more about this stuff sometime: flkr at comcast dot net. I have enormous insecurities about writing. Huge.
Deb, thank you and yes, Fertile Ground is the very one of which I spoke. I finally screwed up my courage and emailed Carolee with my lame little "hi, can I be a part of your cool group?"
You? Insecure about your writing? Wow; who woulda thunk it? That gives me hope, Deb. And I mean that in the most complimentary way, because I love how you write. I'll be emailing you. :)
booyah! i'd just wait for big daddy ace to march in his bad self and take care of it. well, in exchange for a foot massage anyway
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