Bike shops and mustard seeds

I finally got my bike back from the shop today. It had a broken spoke that put the wheel way out of true so I had to pay $1 for a new spoke and $25 to have it put on. Yeesh. It really has me thinking I need more than just an allen wrench when it comes to bike tools...I could use a bike stand, a wheel truing stand and a spoke wrenchy thing for a start. And maybe a spiral bound book on how to fix your bike. Oh, and a refresher course in bicycle maintenance. You might think that a former bike messenger and commuter would know more about fixing their own bike, but the thing is when you're surrounded by other bike messengers it seems you're always surrounded by people eager to FIX YOUR BIKE FOR YOU and I was always eager to let them. Same with bike shops...I once had a bike shop employee finish building and truing the wheel I wanted to put on my fixed gear bike - I had left it in their DIY repair shop to finish later and it was winter and I guess he was bored - and then actually deliver it to the offices of the bike messenger place I worked for just totally randomly and unexpectedly. "Tell that girl I finished her wheel for her and here it is." So yeah, I barely know how to change my own tires much less fix or build a whole wheel.

I don't think today's bike shop employee appreciated me paying in mostly dimes, not to mention a couple dollars worth of nickels, several dollars of quarters and a bunch of pennies. It was kind of awkward and he was kind of looking at the money like it was dirty and he hated the thought of touching it. It was like that visa debit commercial where everything is running smoothly as people just swipe their card move on and then someone pulls out a checkbook or some cash and totally messes up EVERYBODY else. I don't care, though. I needed my bike back and that's what I had to pay for it with...if they didn't like it they could have given me a discount or something. Actually, if it'd been about four dollars cheaper I would have just waited for them to fix it on Saturday and taken it home on the spot. See? It's their fault for charging $25 in labor for about 15 mins at most of work. And how do they think I feel? I no longer have any laundry money OR bus fare!

I've been obsessed with mustard lately. I wanted to buy some mustard seeds and I found lots of really cheap seeds and many variaties on eBay but I didn't buy any because I needed to get my bike back. Then I found a brand new package of brown mustard seeds in my pantry. I wanted to grow mustard that has very tasty and beautiful leaves as well as great seeds, but I decided for now to just try planting this stuff and see if it sprouts and if it's any good. Mustard is more of a winter crop anyway, so I'm not losing much. Oh, but once I grow lots and lots of mustard seeds I am going to make lots and lots of homemade mustard! Yum!

I also finally had a cilantro seed sprout from the BEST CILANTRO EVAR plants that we got from Baia Nicchia last year. I tried to sprout six of them but so far only got one. I think I'm going to plant some more and then put the pot I plant them in into the fridge wrapped in something that blocks out light and leave it there about a week and THEN put it on my balcony and see how it does.

Anyway, I need to read about 7 books in 10 days and I'm getting close to finishing book 3 which is a very depressing book about our bond with animals AND all the cruel things we do to them, so I better get back to it.