Woman, mobilize thyself!

I woke this morning to a day I consider a gift. Breezy, sunny, not a hint of humidity and just warm enough. A good day for making pie crust, thin butter cookies and meringues. A good day for ironing, washing the car or hanging laundry on the line. But really, why would I choose to do any of those things when I could ride for miles on my bike?

By 7:30 I had thrown on yesterdays jeans, tied my hair in a ponytail, fueled myself with coffee, egg and toast. I was ready. Luckily before even getting out of the driveway I was onto the fact I had a flat tire. I am still trying to live down driving my vehicle in the snow quite a distance last winter with a flat. Men are incredulous, but women tend to agree, sloshing around in snow one might not catch on... I caught this one before ruining anything too important!

My plan was foiled because I had to wait till 10 for the bike store to open. Further foiled, I had completely forgotten how to put the bike rack on or even which end was up. For sure I thought I could squeeze my bike in the trunk, no go. So I threw the rack in the trunk, drove to the bike store, worked the damsel in distress card and got a bike man to come out to the lot and put the rack on my car. He even patiently showed me how to do it, earning himself a batch of cookies in the near future. Came home, loaded the bike up and out to the bike store I went. Sure enough, I needed a new tube and a lot of air. While loitering around waiting for that to be done I decided I also needed a bright red seat pouch for such things as a camera, cell phone, and as the girl pointed out to me the credit card. That put me over the top. "You know, she told me, then when you ride downtown, you can just carry this little pouch in stores with you and have everything you need." I picked her brain for all the necessity possibilities and now am fully capable of justifying the purchase.

I also very much needed a beautiful honey colored woven basket, made in New England. How can I pretend I live in Paris if I do not have a basket in which to carry my bread? And last but not least (I can hear my family cheering on this one) I got a shiny red helmet. Yes, I have been riding bare headed. I rode my whole life bare headed so this was a biggie for me. However, would I get on a horse bareheaded? Not on your life. Did I survive cancer to spend the rest of my days in a vegetative state? Not from where I sit. By 12:30 I was ready to ride.

Today was a don't mess with me day in the best sense.
On a roll, I thought about other aspects of my life that are feeling stuck:

I couldn't possibly swim, I have not got a suit.
The jars of jam overtaking the dining room? Need labels, no paper.
Need clothes altered, thankfully in, not out.
Two dental implants? Now things are getting tough.
No summer weight breeches, can't ride.
Rapidograph takes 20 minutes to unclog, I don't want to draw anyway.
Kayaking? Kayak has not made it even close to the beach yet.

I went to the art store, got the paper and a new pen, called the dressmaker, got my appointment with the oral surgeon, then went for another bike ride. Tomorrow is another day. I'm thinking breeches and delivering kayak to the beach. Oh, and cookies for the bike man. The jury is out on the swim suit, but like everything else in life, it will happen when the time is right.