Notes from the commute: vintage dustpan

The photo above is from our chaotic laundry nook, which is where I stash my bike gear. This little dust pan was left here by the previous tenants (or maybe the owner?). For no good reason, it reminds me of my grandmother. I don't know if she had one like this, or if it's the colors, or design, or even the 'old'ness of it, but every time I see this goofy remant of someone else's life, I flash back to my own childhood.

Have you ever kept something that belonged to someone who lived in your home before you did?

Notes from the commute: checker cab

I left my house the other day and noticed this guy a few spots down, FOR SALE signs adorning a few windows. I was in a little bit of a hurry, so I figured I would get a photo on my way home. Actually, I had lots of magnanimous plans of cool 'old car' photos to complete a sort of 'series' I started back in college and have slowly built since then.

Well, not 5 hours later, the cab was gone. Whether it sold or simply found a new temporary home, I do not know. Fortunately for y'all, Brian managed to get a picture of it before its disappearing act. Sadly for me, I'll never have the neat images I spent all day musing.

Notes from the Commute: my new ride!

Here's kind of a 'new feature' I thought up this morning. I have, for the first time in ages, a cell phone with camera capabilities. Also, what with our recent move and all, I am now biking to work every day. I see things. Sometimes odd things. And that means I need an excuse to post cell phone pictures on the blog.

Thus, Notes from the Commute. To appear whenever interesting stuff happens. That is to say, irregularly.

Today's note is regarding my 'new' ride.

My new ride came to me courtesy of a gal who goes to my church. She and her husband are pretty involved too; we used to carpool for Bible study, her husband was head of the committee that hired Brian, etc. They are all around cool folks. Made exponentially more cool when I mentioned that I was thinking about getting a bike for running errands, and she offered me her old bike! She was planning to donate it, but hadn't scheduled the pickup yet...and next thing I knew, I was in possession of a 20+ year old, great condition 7-speed mountain bike.

NICE. Bike, I mean. Not picture quality. Sorry about that. Note to self: photos taken in shadows will likely be dark.

After repurposing a few things I already had and making a couple stops at REI for a helmet and panniers, I am close to having a full outfit. I could use a mirror to look behind me, something to tie around my leg so my pants don't get caught in the gears (R.I.P. FAVORITE 8 YEAR OLD EXERCISE PANTS) and I'm thinking about getting one of those blinky sleeve light things, just to look ridiculous.

I also need to get the brakes replaced, but that's not really a big deal, right?

So there's my new ride. I'm stoked about all the fresh air I'm getting. And I can already tell a difference in my recovery time when I get home! But more on that later.