Beginning the bicycle commute Monday

Oh boy, oh boy, I'm nervous about it. But I'm really going to do it.

My commute is five miles one way. My beloved old bike (which had been sitting in the basement untouched for twenty some years) has been checked--the friendly people over at the Hub said that it is in really good shape, although I might want to think about someday replacing those steel wheels with aluminum ones. It has been tuned up/overhauled and is sitting in the garage waiting for the big day, which at this point I plan to be Monday. I have new brakes, lights, back rack, fenders, panniers, helmet, bungee cords, lock, pump, spare innertube, tire spanner and other tools and map of bike routes in the twin cities.

The thing I'm most nervous about is dealing with a flat. They showed me how to swap the innertube out at the Hub bike shop. I'm just going to hold my breath and hope I don't get one for awhile. I'll have to figure out what to wear for wet weather gear (the fenders will help. I hope). There is a shower at the office building if I arrive really mucked up. I figure I can wrap my bags in plastic garbage bags to keep them dry while the snow is still melting. And heck, if it's pouring outside, I can bail and take my bike on the light rail.

I've found the Paul Dorn website about bicycle commuting, and it has been very helpful (although he lives in San Francisco and so doesn't have nearly as many weather issues). Edited to add: I've just set up a syndicated feed for his blog, bikecommutetips.

Tell me this is going to work. Aaagh. Any advice/encouragement for the brand new baby bicycle commuter? Yes, friends list, I am actually asking for advice. *twitches*

The Wild Swans discussed in LiveJournal book club

Here's my Brazen Shameless Hussy moment: bookworms_inc is going to be discussing The Wild Swans for the month of March. Join the community and have it read by March 15, and the second half of the month people will discuss it. See entry here. I'm happy to answer any questions people may have.

Critics and Harry Potter. Again.

Very interesting post from Prof. John Granger (http://hogwartsprofessor.com, syndicated at hogwartspro) here about Harold Bloom's (and other literary critics, e.g. A.S. Byatt's) continual rants against the Harry Potter books. Granger gamely attempts to answer the question of why Harold Bloom waxes so wroth on this particular subject and finds it rather uphill work. You may remember my addressing this topic earlier when Order of the Phoenix came out (And now let the sneering begin. . .) I've read a couple of Professor Granger's books, and although I tend to disagree with his conclusion that almost everything in the HP books essentially boils down to Christianity, he has certainly made some intriguing and original observations, and I have particularly appreciated his insight into the alchemical references in the books. (David Lenander, I keep meaning to point you toward his books; I think you would be particularly intrigued by his thoughtful discussion comparing Rowling to the Inklings).

Edited to add: Hmm. That syndicated feed doesn't seem to be updating properly.

Logistics

Saw this over at bikepirates. If these people can bike commute, there is certainly hope for me. ANYONE can bike commute.

Joy in fresh bread

In response to my earlier request, kalmn had offered to lend us her breadmaker, but then my sister-in-law in Seattle decided she didn't want hers, and so would send it to us to keep. I had told Delia, my little kitchen helper (she is so much more interested in cooking than Fiona) that if she liked she could take on the job of providing bread for the family, and so Delia has been beside herself with excitement, waiting for that breadmaker to arrive.

I came home from work today to discover Delia literally shrieking with joy, and bounding around the kitchen as if she were on a pogo stick. The breadmaker had arrived! (Rob said she screamed for ten minutes straight and his ears are still ringing.) She now has her first loaf rising in the machine, and I can look forward to fresh baked bread tomorrow.

Thanks, Erika!

Fiona is on her way to Mexico. She is joining a mission trip from my sisters' church; they will be helping out in a Mexican orphanage for a week.