Fretting, Cycling & Chores (12th October 2009)
Towards the end of my parents’ holiday I really started to feel their absence.
Much Ado About A Puncture
Was thinking of going for a cycle ride. Decided to do so but started worrying about what to wear, where to go and so on. Eventually went down to dad’s workshop to get my bike.
- Dad had mentioned I had a puncture and the tyres were looking a bit perished.
- Rear tyre was deflated and bicycle was stood upside down on some cloth, as I recalled dad telling me.
- I investigated their current state:
- After inflating the tyre I could hear the puncture was still present.
- Front tyre is 26″×1.95″.
- Rear tyre is 26″×1.75″
- Both have looked a bit perished for quite a while.
- Should I do yet another puncture repair?
- How long would that take? It was gone 1pm and I had yet to make lunch!
- Should I go to the cycle shop in Fleet and buy a new inner tube?
- Where would I park?
- I haven’t done any parallel parking since I passed my test several years ago!
- What are the parking locations and restrictions at the moment?
- Should I get new tyres as well?
- How does one dispose of old tyres and inner tubes?
- The sky was a beautiful Summer blue.
- A few white fluffy clouds slowly sauntered across it, like grazing sheep.
- It was a perfect day to go cycling, which added to my frustration at being so indecisive.
The above kept looping round and round in my head. I was feeling quite overwhelmed. Considered calling my parents (who are on holiday until Tudesday 13th October 2009) for their advice. But this seemed like such a trivial issue. I’ve repaired a few punctures by myself in recent times but buying new tyres has always been done with them.
When they are here I often ask them about these things, as a quick sense check. This gives me a feeling of security and confidence. As I don’t have any close friends, my parents and my sister are the only people who can help me in this way. It’s one of the many reasons they are so valuable to me.
Eventually I decided to leave it and make lunch.
There was a beautiful blue sky, with white fluffy clouds. Felt sad to be missing it due to my indecisive confusion.
Clothes Washing
- Needed to do 2 half loads so the dark colours were separate from light colours.
- Had run out of Vanish Stain Remover; forgot about this when I went shopping with Zoe!
- Should I call parents? Over such a small thing?
- Decided to give up and wrote these notes on paper.
- Checked my e-mails.
- Wrote up my washing machine instructions from the text Mum sent me onto the fridge notepad.
Long-Awaited Delivery
- Dad had been waiting for a new welding set all week.
- Delivery arrived at about 2:15pm.
- Now I had some good news to call my parents about.
- Faffing turned out for the best as I was home to receive this long-awaited machine!
- The vegetables for my lunch were cooking so I decided to eat before calling at about 3:30pm.
- Felt a great deal of relief that it had worked out so well.
Called My Parents
- Their support and guidance has always been of great comfort to me
- Started the wash at 3:45pm.
Walk It Off
- At about 4:15pm I headed outside with the intention of a leisurely stroll.
- Whilst walking past my car I decided to go for a drive instead. Completely unplanned!
- Drove into Fleet and confirmed the Cycle Kingdom shop was still there and looked open.
- Circled around the block looking for a parking space.
- There are lots of restrictions and parts are for permit-holding resident’s only.
- Eventually headed down a side road and parked outside a house, at the end of a bay.
- Ambled down the road, taking in the sky.
- Realise I was now having a walk and savouring the sky after all!
- Shop assistant was quiet and rather unassertive.
- Bought a pair of new inner tubes.
- Bought a pair of new 26″×1.95′ off-road tyres.
- We had some confusion about the sequence of events for using my Solo card.
- Had to sign a little piece of paper for their records.
- Total price was £36. Ouch!
- I expect they’ll last me for years, though.
- After reaching my car, saw the receipt says “Free parking at rear”. Not sure how to reach that, though.
Phone Archived
Using the terrible PC software for my phone, I saved all 170 sent messages and 32 received messages. It was nearing its limit, IIRC.
Now I have a performant and spacious phone again. Yay!