Some Days

Well, some days you eat the bear; some days the bear eats you.  Wanna make a guess?

It started out so easy.  I wanted a little trunk to carry on my bike rack – just a little one to hold my bike lock, ID, glasses, garage door opener.  It didn’t seem too much to ask.  But when I went to the bike store, all the bike trunks were way bigger than I wanted.  And more expensive than I wanted, too.

I looked at them and thought (of course), “Well, I’ll just make one for myself.”  As two minutes later my own true love came up and said, “Well, you could sew one of those up, couldn’t you?” 

Of course. 

Many hours later, many seams sewn, unsewn, resewn, unsewn (you get the picture), we have this:

It has, may I say, many lovely features: D-rings on the side so I can create a shoulder strap in case I want to make a quick stop into a store, a little Velcro loop inside to hold the bike lock so it doesn’t shift around, inside pockets to hold little stuff like the cell phone and car door opener.  And the fabric is pretty, too.  Yes?

It was not easy getting here.  Those inside seams are not a thing of beauty like I originally thought they might be.  Still, inside seams, I say, what does it matter, really?  You will notice, however, that zipper, just hanging there on the work table.  It is not a part of the bag – where it would be useful.  This is because I was making this project up as I went along.  I said to myself, “Self, you will figure out how to add the zipper when you get there.”

Seriously.  And just long have I been sewing?  It seemed like a good idea at the time. 

Yes. Well.  I may still figure it out at some point.  But by mid-afternoon yesterday, I had reached another point.  The point where you say, “*&%$!#*!”  (I mean, “Oh, darn.  Enough already.”)

The point where you go to yet another bike store, find a bag that is exactly the size you were looking for, and see that it is on sale. 

If I knew how to add sounds effects, you would hear a thumping sound right now – the sound of my head repeatedly hitting the table. 

Still, my version is prettier (as long as you don’t look at those inside seams).  I haven’t given up exactly, more like taking a time out.

I have friendlier projects on the horizon.

Meanwhile, Cooper would like to share a word:

Hi, again.  I’ve had a pretty exciting week since moving into my new home.  (Mom and Dad say I’m accident prone).  I got my foot stuck in the crate and it hurt and was really upsetting.  Then I got my foot squished under the door.  And I rolled off the deck – which was a five foot drop.  I was fine but Mom said it took five years off her life. 

It’s all good now, though.  The crate and I have made up, I’ve learned not to slide under a door just as it’s being opened, and the deck has netting.

I get to take walks in the park which can be pretty exciting, too – though not always in a fun way.  A few nights ago a little dog (only half my size but really mean) attacked me.  I didn’t like that at all.  It makes me nervous about other dogs in the park – even though I’ve met some other nice ones since then.  Maybe I won’t decide all dogs are bad just because a few are.  That’s what Mom says, anyway, but I’m still thinking on it.  She enrolled me in Puppy Class, and she said I’m going to have lots of fun playing with other puppies.  I have my doubts.

Plus, I have to brag a little.  I have had only one “accident” inside the house – and that was really Mom’s fault because she had shut the deck door. 

I hope you’re having as much fun as me today.  Right now, we’re off for our morning walk.  Each day we go a little farther.  Mom says she’s trying to tire me out.  I have a lot of energy.  She likes it, though, I can tell.