Spring, Sweet Spring

I'm up at 6am, after 18 hours of sleep in the last 24 (after being up for a few nights in a row!) with a fresh pot of coffee and pancakes I made for myself. I haven't done this in forever! Normally I would not be functioning at 6am. Porter signed me up for a bike repair/maintenance class, so I'm going to get out away from the house (but not at work!) for a few hours. 

Trader Joes is right on the way home, and thus this last ride home I've brought home flowers, port, some beer, and some snacks for work. It's a danger zone for me. :) 

Spring is right around the corner. Daffodils are out and there are many green shoots coming up. However, this is kind of unusual in that it's been dry and warmish. 50s in the day. It's going to be a horrible drought this summer if we don't get more rain now.

Porter bought a bike for himself a few weeks ago and discovered it was too small. I think this might have been halfway purposeful, though, because it happened to be the perfect size for me and in much better shape than my own bike. So Porter has given it to me, and he has gotten a newish one for himself that is the right size. It is SO exciting to be be biking around as a family. We finally got the car towed away from the driveway and it's kind of peaceful. I cried a little when it left, because of the memories, but I know we made the right decision not to sink a bunch of money into  it. It was actually hard to get even the junkyard interested in it :( I feel optimistic about the biking because we are starting in the winter and have been rained on, cold, etc., and we are still doing it. We have discovered that it's not terribly expensive to rent a car for the weekend (although it's considerably more expensive now that I don't have insurance of my own) and there aren't too many places we go that are too far to bike to. 

The other day I decided to walk away from my bike a bit with the light on so I could see my front light (I'm still so obsessed!). I was shocked. No wonder a guy on the other side of the street said he wanted to smack it off my bike. It is very bright. Bright enough that I realize I need to turn it to the low position when I'm on the pedestrian paths.