Car Attack!

No, not an accident on my bicycle!

This weekend was mostly good, with a teeny bad part of this morning.

We decided to give the car its first Oregon bath before packing things up to go play D&D. Before now, the car would sometimes decide not to start. Usually, we were in a hurry to get home or in otherwise bad moods or something, and would get home and fail to look for a cause as to why the poor car had misbehaved.

Well, the heroic Caprice needed a jump from the Camaro that morning.

Then, it got some further tender loving care as we used our brand new sponges bought just for car-loving worked up some suds all on it. It got a nice scrub-down. Tire cleaner too!

Then we realized that the gauge was reading a low charge. Jamie found not only the wire connecting to the battery loose this time, but also the connection to the alternator itself. Now the car is all the way happy, yay!

I am not particularly thrilled with the way the globe is shaping up. The two sections are taped together now, and it is decisively not sphere-shaped. Jamie assures me it will turn out just fine, but for now I skipped it to work on a more fun project. Suffice to say that one is complete in one evening. I have pictures, but it's a surprise! Soon, you shall see my handiwork, until then, sit in suspenseful suspense.

I created an Etsy account. I have nothing to sell yet, but Jamie thinks I should list my crafty things for sale on there. All hail FrogBeads, soon to be Etsy millionaire.

We tried Alton Brown's method of making beef jerky, where he uses furnace filters and a box fan instead of a  store-bought dehydrator. That way there is no heat to partially cook the jerky as its drying out. We ran into some trouble with this method. We had 4 filters, so three with meat and a fourth to cover the top layer. I personally think the meats were laid out too thick, contributing to lower airflow. There were some larger pieces instead of Alton's thin strips. Also, our jerky STUCK to the filters. Badly. I spent at least half an hour de-fuzzing the jerky. Because of the lower air flow than we expected, the jerky furthest out wasn't completely dried, and was sort of springy. Closer to the fan there was almost great jerky. Now we know for next time. I want to try again, Jamie is all for buying another dehydrator- it does seem to do the job faster, and Jamie loves jerky a lot.

And lastly, this morning's ickiness. I named this post car attack not only for the black car insisting on some attention, but I'm pretty sure a car is the ultimate reason to blame for my second flat bicycle tire. I swear, I checked the inside and outside of the tire thoroughly when I got the first one, however, I did not use the cotton ball trick mentioned on bikeforums.net. This is where you would use a cotton ball, notorious for getting caught on even the tiniest snags to make sure that the offending sharp was indeed gone from the tire. This way you wouldn't put a new tube in only to have it also punctured.

Well.... I put a new tube in only to have it also punctured. This time when I was searching, there was a plainly stabby teensy tiny wire sticking out. I had to get my tweezers to pull it out. It's 2/16 of an inch, if you're interested to know how small something has to be to put me in a bad mood for a Monday morning. (I also learned yet ANOTHER discrepancy between states- Oregon wants you to throw on your warning lights and open your door to mirror any bus you meet going the other way. In Florida this was a very bad no-no. I personally don't like having to open my door and getting cold, not to mention it feels unsafe to do it. I was not happy to learn that this morning.) Anyway, I think the wire came from a blown up car tire. Now the original tube is back on the bike and the replacement tube is patched and waiting in the wings.

OH! And my bus (ok so its not a car) hates me too. This morning I'm driving along, waiting for the heaters to wake up and do their job, when I get to around the 4th bus stop, and my gauge suddenly switches to the Voltmeter at just above 9. Not only did I get a heart attack because that was supposed to be reading fuel, but  I'm quickly loosing power. I call it in and the bus shop asks me to see if I can make the school. So I turn everything except outside lights off. Apparently the transmission is very much electric, because in a minute or so it shows a big fat filled-in digital zero instead of a happy 5, and lights up the ecomonic red button and big red Check Trans indicator. I am then driving along with even slower acceleration. I'm closing the door practically on student's heels to shut off the flashing lights and only pulling the parking brake- there is no shifting to neutral, because I'm afraid it wouldn't come out again even if it went in. We do make it to school, but it was a quieter ride than usual, with only a couple calls to "turn on the heat!" I also putter into the bus shop and find out that the transmission will do nothing but putter forward, so instead of parking I pull around front again and a mechanic takes over.

However, the day is not lost forever to the deepest depths of Monday hatred! Sunday was Boss' Day. One of our office ladies brought donuts. I had 3 chocolate frosted chocolate cake ones with Halloween sprinkles.

Then I felt better.

Of Ladybugs and Tires...

Monday was rainy and dreary ( I drove), but Tuesday morning was a great morning.

This was actually Oct 3, but yesterday was just like this picture.

It was cool but not cold, with a gorgeous sky and neat orange light. I got to wake up an hour later than usual due to a scheduled late start for schools. In addition to all that, I had company on my commute!

This little guy on my streamers made me think of my twin, of course. I was hoping the whole time that he wouldn't fall off and be lost miles from home. I was very happy when I got to work and there he was, still hanging on for dear life.

I drove my route, then came back to find him still there, probably scared stiff. He made it all the way back home too, where I lifted him off and onto a leaf. Now he has a crazy adventure story to tell all his ladybug pals.

Today was cold at 31 degrees. I overdressed, but I was pretty comfortable anyway. I wore my thin girl's jeans, with those new soft flowered pajama pants underneath. I wore my ribbed green turtleneck shirt over my Danskin tank top. I love the way the fabric of the tank top hugs my middle and seems to keep it warm or cool. I wore my green striped knee socks and boots. I also had my windbreaker and the white hat under my helmet. The hat was really just to keep my ears warm, and I think if my head was more uncovered, I'd have been perfect. As it was, I unzipped my windbreaker right after starting, and tugged my turtleneck down looser. I started off with just my striped gloves, then due to chill I added the pink over them. My fingers felt colder somehow that way, so I rolled those back off. It was weird.

After driving the bus (twice- I got to hang around for quite a while wasting time and then take one really cute 3-year-old home), I got back to the shop to find my front tire flat! Actually, the mechanic saw it as I was rolling the bike out and having trouble with my kickstand again. It had come loose and was trying to dump my bike sideways when I was trying to shut the door behind me.

Instead, we rolled the bike back inside, and my bus-turned-bike mechanic fiddled with that annoying bolt. It took a minute to find the correct size allen wrench (8mm) because there is a tiny burr inside the hex. A hammer fixed that promptly. Kickstand tight, he then proceeded to add air to my tires after I checked and did not find anything sharp. I rode home in a great mood even though I was hungry.

The bus aide and I discussed restaurants on our drive, and he recommended a Wubba's brownie after I said that Casey's has awesome pie. So then of course I was not only hungry but craving brownies. Jamie completely indulged my request for lunch and we went to Wubba's with the puppies. Grunt and Jack waited patiently in the cool car while we ate. The waiter brought me this HUGE brownie that I would share with two other people. Instead, I had a take-home box with puppy treats (half a cheeseburger patty plus corn fritter and fries) and one for a brownie.

My front tire was flat when we got back home, so I drove to work. After my route, I drove to Walmart and got a $5 tube. Yay for cheap fixes! I did my first actual flat tire fix, which was easy being the front wheel with a quick release skewer. I was fumble-fingered, so it took longer than needed, plus I was in no particular rush. I needed a sensitive cheek to actually locate the air leaking out from an invisible hole. I still couldn't actually find it, even knowing where it was, so I dunked the tube section in the doggie pool. Bubbles!

I didn't find the cause, but there is a puncture hole on the tire tread opposite the tube stem. It doesn't show on the inside at all. Maybe it was one of those goathead thorns I was warned about at the bike shop? Could also have been a tiny glass piece, there are enough places that I called the county to ask for street sweepers. They haven't come yet.

In any case, new tube in, old tube patched with rubber cement stuck on my fingers, and voila! Good as new. Bike servicing is much easier than for a car! And cheaper. Next time I won't even have to buy a new tube, hopefully, if I did the patch right.

I received a call from a school today too. I go in for an interview 8am Friday (haha, no school that day for grades). I had asked about a paraprofessional position that I might be able to do in between morning and afternoon routes. Its actually at the same school I service, which is nice, and right down the road from the bus shop. If I get the job it will mean a larger steady check, rather than the uncertainty of substituting on random routes with the odd trip thrown in. Trips pay much better, but with them coming in sporadic bursts, I feel its more beneficial to me and Jamie to have a predictable income. My regular route is very short, which is not acceptable by itself as a career to pay bills with. I still feel slightly guilty that if I accept the job, I won't be able to help out at a moment's notice. Oh well.

What a great week so far.

Fire! drills

As the title suggests, today I assisted with bus evacuation drills at another school. I explained regular bus rules, emergency exits and safety equipment, what to do if I'm incapacitated (they got a kick out of my demonstration of throwing my radio microphone out the window- THUD), and how to evacuate. The other buses had two classes, but I only had one class of 40 students to talk to. One chaperone was very nice and came by with a 1 minute warning, which was just at the point I was about done. I yelled "fire!" and they all promptly got off. I had the last girl checking seats as she came up and she grabbed the first aid kit. The counts from the guy at the door and the one at the site 100 feet away were matching. Yay, we got everybody except your poor dead bus driver. Have a good day!

Another awesome part of today is that I will be filling in for an elementary route before my high school. More money is good.

And lastly, this weekend brought gifts! T got lots of clothes from a friend of hers, and we went through them last night. I get snow pants! Also a few cute and warm sweaters, and several shirts, some even long-sleeved. I really thought a white one with tiny flowers all over was cute, until we found matching pants- they are a pajama or long underwear set. I can't guarantee the shirt won't be worn a lot as a regular shirt- I thought it was adorable. Several items are labeled maternity, but other than two sleeveless shirts with darts below the empire waistline (just below bust), I wouldn't have been able to tell. T says they just get to charge lots of extra money when it says "maternity" on it. A load through the wash just to be sure, and I'll have pictures soon!

Friday Eve!

Today dawned foggy and cold, but not raining. I rode my bike :)

My clothing: helmet, white beanie, thin long-sleeve AE t-shirt, orange sweater, windbreaker, both kid gloves- stripes over the pink, thin socks, stirrup leggings, thick socks, corduroy pants, sneakers. Oh and my scarf.

I ended up being overdressed. My fingers were sort of chilly, but not numb or hurting. My torso got warm, and like always the windbreaker ended up unzipped. I ended up removing it completely, and the wind chilled my arms only a little. This actually made my hands feel warmer, maybe because I had something to distract my brain from them. My legs were fine, but after I stopped my thighs felt cold and tingly. Feet were awesome, but my sneakers felt confining. I ended up loosening my scarf a lot as my body got hot, but it worked very well when starting out just to keep my chin warm.

I had trouble for the first time with my glasses fogging up. I'm not sure if it's the warmth of my watering eyes making heat near the lenses, or just general temperature shifts that I can't feel. I was careful to breathe downward like usual- which is normal for me anyway. The lenses fogged from the top down, so that's why I thought maybe moisture on my eyelashes, being closer to the lenses and at the top, might have caused it. Much worse and I'll have to figure out a solution, but today they were only bad near the end of the trip.

I saw three deer with great big comical round ears in a yard during my afternoon run. I pointed at them, but my brain-to-tongue connection failed me and I didn't say anything. One girl who was paying attention was happy I pointed them out. The kids on the bus have gotten much less antagonistic now that I'm a regular face, I think. The girls get wildly goofy-giggly, and I can see myself having to remind them to calm down a little as a regular thing. There is a boy that sits up front who liked video games, and he constantly hums various Mario tunes in the afternoons. I happen to like them so I don't mind at all, and sometimes he gets them stuck in my head.

We went grocery shopping at Wal-mart. After this morning, I'm sure I need something better for gloves, and with snow threatening, I definitely want something to be able to play in it. Snowmen, of course! So for around $8 I now have a pair of Faded Glory gloves with 80 grams Thinsulate (70 is for moderate activity or cold conditions, 100 for light activity or very cold conditions). Brown, with some blue stitching. They'll match my bike bag! When I get it made... The gloves are very soft inside without squeezing my fingers like some I tried on. The fingers are slightly too short, but I'm very used to that in gloves and they are maneuverable (in the fat-fingered glove kind of way) enough that I don't notice too much.

Wow and it's later than I thought it was. Tomorrow is Friday, but I don't want to be too sleepy just yet. I have a choice of hot oatmeal or english muffins, or cold cereal for breakfast. I'm thinking oatmeal, yummy.
Goodnight everyone!!

And Today's Too

Well, today is the first day I had to admit defeat and drive the car. Oh I probably could have suffered the commute by bike this morning, but that's just what it would have been: suffering.

I used The Weather Channel for my zip code, like I do all the time, and it called for rain most of the day today. Not surprising at all, but I did ride to work with a few stray sprinkles yesterday, and I know I'm not prepared for cold rain. Actually, Jamie was incredibly sweet and understanding yesterday. Instead of just reminding me that I have a car available to use or offering to drive me, he offered to strap the bike rack to the car and drive me and my (still nameless, people!) bike to work, so I could still ride home. My husband is really awesome. I remember thinking it a little odd that B would choose to tackle the bridge and ride his bike to work when we offered him rides. Now I get it. It's just plain fun. Maybe not always in a "whee, yahoo" sort of way, but riding my bike always makes me feel better, even if I had to fight up the bunny hill with a headwind.

So, the promise of rain sort of freaked me out. I have my nylon windbreaker, but was it waterproof? Where on earth is my big fluffy jacket that declares itself "all-weather?" I think it is currently under the camper mattress acting as padding, but oh well. T promptly solved my windbreaker worries in typical simple fashion- she happens to have waterproofing spray. Brilliant! Simply wash your garment, spray this stuff on and throw it in the dryer to set the spray (and of course dry). The spray is Granger's G-Line Waterproofing, and T had it for when she tried snowboarding once. My windbreaker this morning doesn't feel any different, but I felt better about the me vs. rain match-up.

I got up this morning, changed, put on a baseball hat (to keep glasses mostly free from falling water), stuffed my pink gloves down inside the rubber ones I've acquired from cleaning my bus, put an extra pair of pants, socks, and my water shoes into a garbage bag with my other stuff, and set off.

And promptly turned around.

I should have had a long sleeve layer under my windbreaker. I should have another layer of pants, or at least something to keep them dry. I should probably have shoe protection against the water, and definitely more/better socks. My hands were already cold and starting to hurt a little. Cold sprinkles hit my face. I was already later than I'd like to have been. So I decided this was stupid. Just because I had the spirit and wish to commute in the cold rain, and eventually snow, didn't mean I was actually ready and prepared to do so yet.

I drove, feeling very much too close to the ground because both my bicycle and a school bus sit higher, and resenting the heater which of course was barely warm in the 3 miles it took to get to work. Then I had to figure out where to park! If I wasn't generally unhappy about the whole thing, I'd have laughed. The temperature was only 37 F (only, as in- I know it will get much colder, and I've already ridden in this temperature, why is a little water such a drastic variation?).

...Winter is going to kick my butt.