By "found" he means "bought"

New wheels
Originally uploaded by average lavender

Friday Liz called me at work and clearly stated it was the day I was going to get a new bike. I stayed pretty skeptical until we started calling around SF bike shops searching for the right one: the Surly Long Haul Trucker. After being referred to three other shops the fourth, San Francisco Cyclery, came through: yes, they had a LHT, size 52 - in fact they had a whole bike and just a frame set. We hurriedly consulted George, jumped up and down, deposited a paycheck and set out. The girl who helped me was confident that the 52 was going to be too big and I believed her but felt growing panic and disappointment because there's no way they'd have any others in stock. Ooooh ye of little faith: they just *happened* to have a 50 hiding in the top row! Now there are plans for new handle bars - either the ones from my old bike (same drop style, just wider) or something a little more classic like the Albatross bars from Rivendell (of course.) I look forward to taking all the stickers off and some day getting a new stem that isn't as clunky and fat as the one it came with. This morning I took a little ride down to Mill Valley and back and it impressed upon me how out of shape I am.

We've also planted the beginning of our tiny potted garden: basil, parsley from Liz, one sun gold tomato plant from one of the women I work with, another sun gold because one just wasn't going to cut it, snap peas because George loves them, and lettuce to somehow inspire us to eat more salads. The tomatoes each have their own big pot and living across the driveway in front of the neighbors house because they get way more sun. Here's hoping it doesn't all die.

Jenne found a bike!

Two birthdays!

Happy birthday, Jenne's mom and George's brother!

Meh

It's true, most of my energy focuses on bagels. My boss is great vat of ideas but takes her sweet time implementing them so I've been trying to be really excited and really pushy about things at work. Next up: homemade organic marshmallow, the gateway to rice crispy treats. Other foods of note recently include some mediocre granola I made for breakfast this morning, the lemon tart slated for this afternoon and the earl gray cupcakes from last week. I went to the extent of using cake flour for them and was really pleased with how they turned out - light, airy, one may even say delicate. The earl gray flavor wasn't overwhelming and they weren't too sugary. The first few I brought home I just dusted with powdered sugar because George is never keen on the buttercream and after he, Yannick and James tried them we (me, Yannick) decided they really needed the buttercream which made them all the silkier.

I have yet to find a replacement for my bike and while I have a Schwinn to tide me over it's a completely different style of riding. Slowly I'm feeling more and more defeated, strangely outcast and sad about my lack of road bike, there's a fantastic freedom in zipping around efficiently and I miss it. Craigslist isn't helping and ebay makes me feel crazy and apparently everyone else in the Bay Area is looking for a 52cm road frame. Soon I may bite the bullet and just buy myself a *new* bike.

Yesterday I finished the back of the sweater I started, today I work on the left and right front. I knit and elephant and a piece of pie.

We're mostly exhausted and stretched just a little too thin. We'll be taking a quick trip to Portland mid-May with Liz and Yannick which can only be fun, exciting, refreshing, and exhausting. Liz and I are looking forward to rollerskating.

bagels and scrapers

jenne's been bageling again. i ate the sunflower one.


i was forced to sharpen the scrapers as payment.


this is james (we went to RISD together). He's TIG welding the stainless steel rail we're building. for a wealthy couple in Tiburon.


that's me using an aircraft grade epoxy to inlay cherry into the stainless steel channel.

we're off to a bar-b-q at yannick's. we'll be a fashionable 2hrs late.