As life is starting to get busier and busier since the beginning of September, I'm getting more and more anxious about staying on top of things. I've recognized in myself a bit of a control freak - I need to know what we are doing for the ENTIRE week before it starts; I make lists and menus; I get ready for the week the weekend before. I don't think this is abnormal for women. I hope it's not abnormal... it just seems that this summer, my inner organizer has vamped it up quite a bit.

At the beginning of this week, while contemplating a number of things like how my husband and I are going to manage 2 jobs, teaching piano on the side and going to school with only one car, I started brainstorming. Some of the ideas I came up with were taking the bus, carpooling, driving each other to different things. Then, slowly, an idea started to form in my head. What about biking?

At the beginning of July (the day I was heading out to Saskatchewan for my sisters beautiful wedding) my mountain bike was stolen. This was a bike that I had bought for myself about 10 years ago. I had spent a lot (for me) on the bike and it had served me very well. I was really looking forward to a great summer of biking around and getting some exercise. I didn't realize how frustrating it would be to NOT own a bike.

This realization became even more apparent when brainstorming about transportation ideas. If I had a bike, I could easily take it to work (only a 20 minute ride from our apartment). I would save the $74/month it costs to get a bus pass. We would save on gas. We would be more environmentally friendly. I would get the exercise that I was lamenting would go by the wayside once work started up again.

I have a good friend who lent her bike to me for August. I admit that I didn't ride it much in August because I kept it in our apartment (on the third floor) out of fear that it, too, would be stolen. However, when we started thinking about biking to work, I decided that I would try it out.

I rode my bike to work every day this last week. It was really great! It doesn't take long to get there and the route is very residential so I'm not dealing with traffic.

Then, another problem presented itself: I need a bike. I'm going to have to give back my friend's bike soon and then I'll be out of a vehicle. I took Zach's bike in for a tune up, hoping to get it working alright but the $250 fix it cost is not worthwhile. I tried out a couple of brand new bikes, but with Zach starting school and our budget getting tighter, that's not really an option.

Then... I was talking with one of my coworkers and telling her of my woes. Suddenly she says "You need a bike?" I said "Yes." She said "We have 4 in our shed, why don't you just go take one." Take one? I offered to pay if I liked it. She said no. I tried not to get my hopes up. I really was just hoping it would be somewhat like the bike that was stolen. I was mildly surprised to find that the bikes in her shed were in pretty good condition! Now, I know that it's not a $1000+ bike, and I haven't really taken it for a maiden voyage yet, but I'm pretty stoked about my "new" and free bike!