Sunday 10 April 2011

Bikes and yarn

I came home from work yesterday to find a hole in the side of my bike tyre so this morning Dunk and I popped round to the bike shop. As we stood for a moment in the shop a man with two children asked about getting his son's puncture mended, the shop man told them it would be Wednesday before it could be done, so then they left and I was a little bemused that no one suggested to them they could buy a puncture repair kit and do the job themselves perfectly easily and then the boy could go out biking the same day. Now I realise the shop wants to make money but surely getting someone interested in using their bike and being able to do basic maintenance could mean more for them in terms of long term customers. What is the world coming to, why are people so unable to imagine doing something as everyday as mending a puncture ... why when we were kids we spent many a happy afternoon bending all mum's best spoons getting tyres off our bikes:-) Anyhow we went home and I spent an hour or two messing about with spanners (and tyre levers, to save the cutlery) and getting dirty, and now I have a nice shiny bike with new tyres.
In between the knitting I picked up some shetland roving from BabyLongLegs called 'summer berries' that Tish bought at Ravday. It had been part used, to make dreadlocks I think, but I found it in my stash and I have spun the rest, about 75g into a lovely multi-shaded yarn in deep reds and purples.

4 comments:

  1. You've transformed that yarn and your bike! Talk about magic!!

    Let's hope that little boy gets to discover the joys of repairing his own bike when he's old enough to google it or something like that! Take care
    x

    ReplyDelete
  2. How multi talented you are! DIY is handy in so many aspects of one's life. :-) Says she who managed no knitting yesterday, but did manage to bake bread, make flapjacks, make veggie chilli and a red sauce for those who won't eat vegetables (well, not ones they can see) go to book club, and run around just a little bit. Why do I end the day feeling like I haven't accomplished anything?!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wait a second- you spun the yarn? That is awesome.
    I just got my stroller wheel fixed (it's like a bicycle wheel because we live in the country and the roads are bumpy) and it took all of five minutes. It was funny because I bought the tube and my friend (who owns the shop) said "Do you know how to do this?" I'm so thankful she didn't just let me walk out of the door with it because I had *no* idea. In the end I learned how to fix a tube and got to go on a walk that very same day.

    Yay for your fixed up bike! I hope you're having fun with it!
    Happy Spring,
    Claire

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for stopping by. Thoughts, opinions and suggestions (reading or otherwise) always most welcome.