Purrs and YIKES!!

 And just like THAT ... another day has slipped by in the blink of an eye.  Mr. Cooper started his day out as usual ... sleeping on the couch.  I know he sleeps well at night because he doesn't wake me up ... but he also sleeps VERY well during the day!

The first order of business is to head outside.  He and Kitters come nose to nose every time, but only for a second.  Kitters throws up a paw and wants to play.  That's not in Cooper's repertoire ... he just ignores her and walks away.

That brings about this.  Pet me .... pet me!  She's put on so much weight now, her legs don't look twice as long as her body.  She looks like a normal kitty.

Followed by this.  I don't think she wants a tummy rub ... maybe just a little ... because next she jumps up and runs for the food bowl.  While my pup isn't food motivated AT ALL, this one definitely is.

And LOTS of purring.   She doesn't continue however, she runs off and hides, which makes me nervous.  If I get up to look for her, she jumps out and runs to the door, for more food.  I'm truly not sure how this is going to work out when I'm gone.

First things first, I took off in my truck to pick up my second bike.  If I take one anywhere, I think it will be this one.  It's easier to ride than a road bike and bigger tires make it more stable for an old gal, though it is heavier.  

Lucky for me, it fit on the bar, thanks to the kid who helped me out with it.  I see I'm going to need a little more getting-in-shape work.  I actually rode it around the driveway when I got home, wobbling like a three year old, but that will get better when I figure out how to switch the gears.  It's just been too long.

When I got back home, lo and behold the filters had been delivered four days early.  I just love it when that happens.  So up the ladder I went, changing out all three.  For all the dust and dirt here, they really were not all that dirty.  Boring pictures, but it's a reminder in my phone of when I changed them last.  No one was hurt in the commission of this objective.

Next on the long list was to drive the van.  I'm determined not to let that battery go south again.  I admit it's a good idea to do this often, if only so I get used to all the buttons and gadgets.  They should make these less difficult for those with fat fingers.  Truly, most all the controls are teeny tiny little buttons on the steering wheel.  You can barely touch one and ZAP ... it takes you where you did not want to go.  

One second you're watching the speedometer and the next you're looking at fuel consumption.  I don't know how many phone calls I've made, but I finally figured out you could yell DISCONNECT and it would turn off.  No telling who I called.  If someone calls me, it's a frantic few moments trying to push the right button so they can hear me.  

It's pretty distracting to have to look down at the steering wheel and figure out which button to push next.  And sometimes it's which two or three to touch. 100% electronics on this baby!!

Yes ... yes I did ... I drove to the fabric shop.  Luckily, I didn't find but a few pieces I needed.  Being as it's a Mennonite shop, they don't carry much of my kind of fabric.  My second favorite shop closed up too, so now it's a 90 minute drive to find anything else.  I just wasn't feeling it on this day.  

Back home, I'm still racking my brain over an electric bike.  Two things ... it will go uphill (a big plus) and its big fat tires make it easier to ride.  On the other hand, they are VERY heavy and I HAVE two perfectly good bikes. All I need is a bike rack ... and so the hunt was on.

My friend has one on her van, where it tilts partway down, giving you the tiniest bit of access, but the door can only be opened maybe 12 inches.  Unfortunately for me, that's not enough.  The inverter on/off switch lives back there and can't be reached.  Same with the battery shutoff.

That means I really need the ever more expensive swing away.  YIKES!!  Can you say $$$$?  I scouted the internet to find most all of them end up with the bikes riding 18" from the back door.  That's hanging out there quite a ways where it can bounce around A LOT, especially when loaded up.

This one seems to be the most suitable for me.  Of course there's also the problem of where exactly is your hitch set on your rig so it's not too CLOSE.  This one will hold two 60 pound bikes (not that I could even LIFT that) and fits electric bikes also, if I so desire at some point in the future.  

I'm still mulling it over.  In the meantime, I'm going to need lots of practice to get back to riding anyway.  It's a good thing I have a big driveway.  No worries .. I have a keychain thing that screams if I fall down and can't get up!!  In the meantime ... it's Sunday and I'll continue to rest up on the couch.