A cup of tea and the motorcycle diaries

Here's a cup of tea. Because I feel like a post without a picture is sad and univiting.

I apologize for the quietness here on the blog. Not only am I still without my life documenter (I will one day acquire a battery charger!), but my life has been relatively uneventful lately.

Brendon started school again this week, which means that our sweet month without pharmacy school has ended. I have been working like a dog as usual, but I am by no means complaining. I've been working like crazy (a 40 hour work week, whats that?), and down time hasn't been suiting me lately. I should be exhausted but I never can seem to relax, I am always wanting to go go go. It will catch up with me eventually I'm sure, no one can run on 5 hours of sleep a night forever (or can they??), but at the moment I'm loving the hustle and bustle of my little life. The fuller the better.

Other things going on, Brendon has started riding Darth Vader, aka our little motorcycle. Shall we delve into why I am not riding it? Why not! I had all the intentions in the world of being an accomplished motorcycle babe... until I laid that puppy down. On top of me. Oh you didn't know that happened? LETS TALK ABOUT IT. Because for a while I didn't want to. Because it sucked. But I'm okay with it now.

So I embarked on my first commute on the bike. I was heading to work at like... 6am? All started out well. I was coming up to a light that was green and rushed so I would make the left turn. Rushing = bad. Rushing + turning = REAL bad. I went into the turn going way too fast, and did exactly what you shouldn't do, I braked. I turned to wide and hit the gravel in the shoulder and WHOOSH, the bike slid out from under me, fell over, and we slid together for a few feet. As it was all happening I was like DAMNIT DAMNIT DAMNIT I KNOW BETTER WHY AM I A FOOL? I ended up in the shoulder, chillin' with the bike on top of my left leg. But I was okay. I planned on picking the bike up and continuing on. Until I couldn't pick the bike up. That bike weighs 350lbs and I weigh a buck and some change. It weighs over three times as much as I do. I found out the hard way that I cannot lift 350lbs.

So there I was, laying in the shoulder, on an overpass, in the dark, with a bike stuck on me. Luckily someone stopped and helped me lift it up. I got back on it and drove it home. While sliding I had bent the shifter so it was stuck in 3rd. I have no idea how I drove it all the way home in third, but I did. So I get home, wake up Brendon, and then notice that, oh hey, my left boot is ripped up. Oh hey, my pants are ripped. Oh hey, ROAD RASH. I tore my leg up. It was gross. I cleaned it and covered it with band aids and went to work. Brendon fixed the shifter (because he's amazing? he also installed new blinkers, this guy is too good at life). My leg was jacked for a long while. I limped for weeks. My knee, ankle, and foot swelled up like a mother and the bruising was awesome. This was in September. My knee is still tender and has an excellent scar. DON'T EVER RIDE A MOTOR CYCLE WITHOUT PROPER GEAR. Oh my god I cannot imagine what damage would have been inflicted had I not been wearing gear. My ankle would probably have disintegrated.

I've ridden the bike since, but the fact that it is a few hundred pounds heavier than me scares me. So I've admitted defeat, for now. I liked riding it but I think I am just a little too small. So Brendon got his license over the break and he inherited Darth Vader. And he is a natural of course because he is good at everything. He's been riding it to work and school (primo parking!) and he loves it. At first I was nervous and scared (who am I kidding, I still am) but he's smart and he's strong and he can handle it. But if someone so much as thinks about running into him I will be out for blood. WATCH OUT CARS OF AUSTIN, my husband is on the road on a little black bike and he's important.

Maybe I'll get a vespa. Or I'll settle for a new car with good gas mileage and AC.