Fun With Tools

I bought a stationary bike yesterday. Wal-Mart had one under $100 and just so happens I'd come into a couple extra bucks. Daddy was feeling generous so he let me borrow his truck to bring it home in. The guy in the store assured me that the things were a breeze to put together. Silly me. I believed him.

*sigh*

LOL

Actually, you know, it wouldn't have been all that hard. Frustrating, sure, but not all that difficult. I'm handy with tools, given proper instruction. Unfortunately, doesn't matter how proficient one is with tools if all the parts necessary for construction aren't in the box. Argh!

After much shouting, some flying wrenches and a few errant washers I could see the homestretch. It was erect and starting to resemble a bicycle. It's as I'm installing the handle bars, though, that the problems started. The axle rod isn't fitting right, the nylen nut won't screw on completely and the handles are sliding every which way. Disassembled the handles and re-read instructions. Okay, I forgot to install some washers. No biggy. Reassemble with the washers. Still doesn't fit right. Growl at instruction manual again, throw it down in disgust and give up.

By that time it was nearly nine, the devil pup was pacing and giving me cow eyes, my back was hurting and I was exhausted. (I hadn't slept well Saturday night. Will get to that in a second.) So I gave up and sprawled on the couch to finish drooling over Joaquin in Signs. (I'd popped the DVD in earlier.) It wasn't until I went to bed and was drifting off to sleep that I realized what the problem was. I was missing the cap covers that fit over the nylen nut and hold the bars in place! I remembered finding one because I wondered at the time what the devil the thing was. So I'm missing one. Will have to call the company and request they send me another.

So at the moment, I have a partially assembled stationary bike sitting in my dining room.

But anyway, prior to all that drama, the rest of the weekend was rather bland. Spent my free Friday afternoon at home with the Devil Pup washing clothes, listening to Keith Urban and munching on 100 calorie Cheetos. Gave Devil Pup a bath Friday night (can you say greased pig?) which was fun. She hates baths.

Saturday I worked three hours which is always a pleasure. Not. Had one patron come in who, thankfully, had already had someone pull what he needed the day before. After I got off work I had some fun. Went to Aspen Bay (a candle/gift shop) and shopped a little bit. Got three tapers I needed for the candelabra in the living room, spied several things I'd LOVE to take home and treated myself to one of the Willow People. Don't know if ya'll have seen those or not but it's a line of little carved wood people and all have some sort of meaning/message/symbolizm. The one I bought is titled "Love of Learning" and she's hugging a book. Felt appropriate!

Then I went to Hallmark. Have a ton of birthdays coming up this month so I needed to stock up on some cards. Spent more time looking at the stuff than I did the cards. lol

Drove through town intent on going to eat Chinese but the parking lot was full. So I went the opposite direction to the Deli I like and it was full. I mean, it's a quarter to two! Why're all those people still eating? LOL So went on to Wal-Mart instead and just picked up something there after I got the few things I'd needed. Not exactly what I wanted but...*shrugs*

Once home, I inhaled my lunch because by this time I'm starving. The Devil Pup wanted me to share, but...sorry, hun. Mama's hungry. And then I terrorized the poor baby with the vacuum. lol She hates that thing but the carpet was starting to resemble the forest floor with all the leaves and pine needles she and I track in all the time. And while I was at it, I cleaned the dining room, cleared the table from all the junk I'd spread on it, finished washing clothes (including the DP's blanky which was RANK. lol), cleaned up the kitchen, intended on starting in my bedroom but was give out by then. Which was fine because by that time, I was ready to eat supper and veg on the couch.

Had an extremely sweet note from Pa-Paw in the mail. Made me cry. I still tear up just thinking about it. It's nice to be reminded now and then that you are loved and appreciated. Even though I still don't see that anything I did was that big a deal but it was apparently very important to him. I suppose that's all that counts.

And then the storm hit. Raging winds, torrential rain. My dad called to make certain I had all my flashlights, radio, etc. handy as they'd already lost power by then. Fortunately, I never lost power. Flickered once (enough to knock all the clocks out!) and that was it. The Devil Pup was scared though, so I brought her crate into my room when we got ready to go to bed. I don't know if it was the fact that she was in the room with me or the pounding rain outside but I could not sleep. I tossed and turned and sighed and flopped and flipped. Couldn't go to sleep. Couldn't get up either because if I did, she'd wake up. So I lay there and indulged my imagination. Let's just say that if things ever progress beyond friendly hugs and stilted conversation, I've got our wedding all planned out. LOL

Oy! I'm a loon.

Yesterday was actually pretty good, though. I think writing that story really did help because I wasn't quite so obsessive. I didn't analyze every word or gesture. (Much.) Most importantly, I was able to pay attention to the sermon and actually get something out of it. Of course, I had prayed a lot about that prior to going to church. That's one of my biggest concerns. That I've become so intent on the man that I'm forgetting why I'm there. And the Father is by far much more important than any man. Okay, and so I did enjoy a little thrill when he hugged me and we were literally cheek to cheek. But I'm still a silly girl, after all. LOL

After lunch Mama and I made the trip for the bike and stopped at Granny and Pa-Paw's house on the way back for a visit. He's doing extremely well. He goes to the doctor today for his post op exam. He says he's feeling much better. He seemed good. Still has a couple of weeks to go before he gets the catheter out. But it's all good.

So that was that and Monday came far too soon.