Bike Trouble

I was called into work early. I went in at 11. Though they wanted me in because one of the women who work in the morning got sick, I think they could have lived without me. Other than spurts during the noon and 4 PM rush hours, we were dead for most of the day. I spent a lot of time working on story ideas. I just went in because I really did need the extra hours.

On the other hand, I did get another $5 gift card. I decided to start my grocery shopping early and pick up a few things I needed that were still on sale. I got Nestle's Dark Chocolate Chips for $2.50 and grabbed the Acme's generic shredded wheat for two dollars.

I was about half-way down Kendall when the chain suddenly came off my bike. Again. I couldn't get it back on for the life of me. All I did was make my fingers greasy. I ended up walking it home. My next-door neighbor Richard was mowing the lawn when I came in. He said to leave it and he'd take a look at it.

Spent the next hour and most of the morning working on my fanfiction. Pruitt and Cosgrave are on their way to Yorkalia City to talk to Lord Kurt Holstrom, who has some plans for the Shadow Realm there that require financing. "Sir Johnathan Arnold" - aka Victor - is the head of their guards. Their path through the woods is blocked by a rather convenient log in the road. Betty, dressed as a very pretty baker selling her wares, distracts Pruitt and Cosgrave while Scott and his men take the money intended for Holstrom.

Victor recognizes Betty and pulls her into the woods for a quick chat. He's relaying information on the Shadow Realm to Brittanica, one of the countries they've attacked and tried to strip of magic. His disguise as the feared and hated "Black Knight" keeps him safe for the moment, but Betty's worried. Scott's not happy when he sees said "Black Knight" eyeing the woman he's after, either. He and Victor basically try to out-stare each other before Betty reminds Scott (who is dressed as one of Victor's men) that he has work to do, and Victor that he has to tend to Pruitt (who was drugged by her cakes).

Finished out the night with a quick cucumber-tomato-chicken salad and more Backyardigans. Tyrone, Uniqua, and Pablo go on a trip "To the Center of the Earth" to find Tyrone's lost lucky penny. Uniqua and Pablo keep trying to use their elaborate "inventions" to get the penny back when, as Tyrone points out, simpler methods would really work better. That is, at least, until the penny rolls next to a dinosaur in the Earth's core!

Oh, and Richard called me twice to keep me updated on the progress with my bike. The problem was, indeed, the gears for my back tire. They were shot. I've had this bike since 1998, when I bought it on sale for $80 at Ames. With my vacation coming up and so many other things I need, I really don't have the money to replace it at the moment. Richard borrowed back gears from his brother's bike that he seldom uses for now. I'll check major sales and yard sales and see what I can find.