I Know It's Veteran's Day but I'm gonna whine anyway...because it's Wednesday

This weekly whining may be getting old, but now that I am becoming more alert for things to whine about

they are everywhere


Whine 1 - I've talked before (I think) about wanting a new bike and my run ins with the 'twig man' - our local bike seller and mechanical guru who has 'classic' bicycles all over his front yard (ie patch of dirt in front of his house).

I finally got up my nerve to approach twig man again. I had questioned him once before about his bike prices- but he just kind of muttered, "What do you want to spend?" between spits of the twig he was chewing on which made me realize I never think in terms of how much I can spend.

(probably why I have no money)

Anyhoo, I've been eyeing a green one-

(I guess it had a make or model of something or other, but more importantly the green one would kind of match my new scarf pattern and I could kind of picture myself riding around on it.)

So, twig man breaks off a new piece of branch for our walk and we head over to his 'bicycle testing area' which is an empty parking lot right in the center of town that has been roped off, so people can't drive through it or park in it - yes, I live in a town that does stuff like this

and I am riding back and forth, but feel I need to take this little baby out on the open road so I head out of the 'bicycle testing area' and onto a back street.

Suddenly, I hear a car coming up behind me and for reasons I can't quite remember, I feel I need to get out of this car's way- probably because

1) it was going roughly 10MPH and
2) there was literally no other car for miles

I went up onto the curb.

(and when I say I went up onto the curb I mean I, the bike stayed on the road)

I have no idea what happened, but I couldn't get up over the curb. Aren't you supposed to be able to ride up over a curb? I mean, I know you're thinking of course not, but this was a little, bitty driveway curb that I am fairly certain I have seen 3 year olds tricycling over while I've sat in the bank drive up line.

I started wobbling, I thought, "OH NO this is it. I'm going over." And WHAM - I was on the ground.

I landed with full force on my right knee, elbow and both hands. Here are the thoughts I had in the order in which I had them:

* Holy crap, Cat!

* Holy crap that car is going to stop and check on me, aren't they?
How embarrassing- this is horrible!

* Holy crap where is the car? Oh - it turned before it even got to me.

* Holy crap did anyone see me?

* Holy crap my knee hurts. I don't know if I can get up.

* Holy crap did I rip my jeans?

* OK, I didn't rip my jeans. Thank God. These are the ones that fit me.

* OK, get up, get back on the bike and ride away like nothing happened.

* I want my mommy.




It was kind of like this -----> but without the actual race and the racing equipment and the racers chasing me



The bottom line is that twig man is now fixing up this bike for me- the crash may have done a little bit of damage and I still don't know how much it is going to cost me

(but like I said I don't think about things like this anyway)

Hubby, of course, asked why I wasn't wearing my helmet

(as if I was going to run around with helmet-hair for the rest of the day, for pete's sake)

of course, I don't have a helmet yet because I don't have a working bicycle yet

He said twig man should supply them to bicycle testers and he got kind of a far off look in his eyes when he said this - as if he was picturing a lawsuit payout where we win a collection of 'classic' bicycles and twig man's tasty maples.

I am remembering Sherry Truitt's post about a spill and her later triumph behind the handlebars, so I am hoping the same will be true for me when twig man gets my bike to me- in the meantime my knee still hurts but I am trying to be nonchalant about the whole thing

(hold me)

Whine 2- I'll keep this one short since if you are still awake after my bicycle whine you probably want to get out of here by now.

Hubby blew our chances for any more free food at Chipotles, like forever.

I love Chipotles. I know it's a chain and chain's are bad (usually), but I just can't help it.

(even though they do make this big deal about recycling those little baskets- that we would never throw out anyway and they allow everyone to toss the plastic silverware- what's up with the plastic silverware Chipotles?)

We sometimes go on Tuesday nights and if we get there very late the guy there gives me free food. And I say me because when we walk in, hubby heads to the napkin/condiment bar and gets our supplies

(I swear he is about 2 years away from sitting on a mall bench with two guys named Arthur and Harry and holding my handbag while I shop)

and then he grabs a table

(this is the way- he puts it- grabs a table- although there are usually 3 other people in the place and about 50 empty chairs)

so anyhoo, the guy there always gives me free chips and guac and last week hubby totally blew it because instead of grabbing a table he got in line with me and before the guy had a chance to give us any freebies George said

"what- no freebies?"

and the guy just gave us a blank stare and no guac and chips and then again this week 'no freebies'

which hubby claims is ok because he didn't feel comfortable with the guy giving me free stuff anyway

(as if we were going to owe this guy a very big favor and he would oneday come to collect on our 62 free guac and chips that had accumulated into the exact value of George's dirtbike)

so I am left forking over $3.99 for the guac and chips

(not that I think about such things)

and feeling irked that George couldn't have just grabbed us a table and let me keep on getting my freebies

(like forever)

or until I get sick of bringing home my dirty silverware.

9 comments

Me said...

HA HA!! Sorry about the no freebies! Hubby's!!

*But on a serious side note, that guy SHOULD have let you borrow a helmet in the least. My bestie went through 2 rough years because of a bike accident. She was running late that morning and could not find her helmet. When she wrecked it was a "simple little fall" and it caused 2 years worth of horrible migraines, neck problems and black outs. HELMET!! Stupid little plastic things really do work. Pick out a green one to match your scarf but please wear it! That way we can still enjoy your blog!

3 squares said...

from one whiner to another, thank you! i SO look forward to wednesdays and your posts. a little whining is good for the soul and what separates us from the animals.

p.s. glad to hear your jeans are ok.

M.M.E. said...

At least the car didn't hit you. A bicycler rider in my town got hit by a side mirror a few weeks ago. The car was going so fast it broke the mirror off on the woman's back. Ouch! Oh, that's so bad about the nixed freebies. I always get the men at Lowes to cut my wood for me but it requires my boyfriend to be 5 aisles away since I have to give the 'sparkly eyes' to the worker. Keep up the whining!

Sherry said...

You could have come to my house and borrowed a helmet. Maybe I've had helmet hair for so long I don't notice anymore.

And when we pros fall, we call it "road rash" and wear it with a badge of honor. Actually my husband looked at me and said " no one will mess with you, dear". Just what a girl wants to hear.

So, did you buy it?

Kateri Morton said...

this whine put a magical happy spin on my wednesday morning; perfect. i'm so glad you weren't hurt. and that your jeans are ok. i look forward to the whine a couple of years down the road when you're installed on twig man's property and the proud owner of his collection of vintage bikes, and the chipotle guy comes to call for his 62 free guac favor... what's the guac-to-vintage-bike exchange rate, anyway?

Catherine Ivins said...

Yes, I am getting a helmet this weekend when I pick up the bike- thanks Chrystina! and yes, I bought it Sherry- I gave him a $40.00 deposit, but I'm not exactly clear on what I owe him- he's kind of vague and I think he wants to get as much from me as possible and thinks I will offer more than he would ask- will get that cleared up today! ACK!

Unknown said...

I like Chipotles, too! Unfortunately, we don't have one near us now. AND, I never got freebies!

Of course, "helmet" was the first thing I thought. My husband would have us wear one to the grocery store if he could. Glad you can laugh about your spill and you are okay.

Kendra Zvonik said...

Some of us need a helmet ALL the time ;) hahaha- thanks for the laughs, Cat!

Unni Strand said...

I love your weekly whining!