Bike tinkering complete!

The bike has now been tinkered with, and is new and improved. Here's a list of the adjustments

• New lights added as old bracket had broken
• Brakes adjusted so both rear levers have action, rather than just one (thus removing irritating squeaking)
• Wheels added (as they had to be removed for transport) and tyres pumped
• Gear lever secured (as bolt had been lost)
• Washed and hosed down
• BOX ADDED (very exciting). I've attached some pictures below so you can see. I've used an old recycling box - if my parents need it they can have it back (I'm sure they wont mind that I've drilled a few holes in it) and I'll get a proper box. A really useful box would be good (as they have water-tight lids), but I'm not sure how to make sure the lid doesn't get stolen. I'd need to attach it to the bike with a chain or something. It's attached using an ingenious combination of holes and cable-ties, with another hole drilled to take the light bracket.

I'm back home. The car took a long time to cram, mostly because I decided to bring my bike home. This involved pulling off its wheels (easier said than done, as some of the screws had rusted), and then balancing the frame on the back seat. The chain had to be wrapped up in a plastic bag to stop the seats getting oily, and then wheels were balanced on the middle of the frame. It needs a lot of work doing to it (cleaning, gear lever broken, rust removing, mud guard filing etc), and I'm most likely to do it at home.

The Golem has gone well - we're all rehearsed up now until we begin before the performances in August. I've written out a full score and musical prompt sheet, and must remember to keep practicing this holiday, both so I remember it, and so that I maintain my callouses.

My room in London is now impassable for boxes - it's amazing how much stuff you accumulate over a few years. Today will see a massive unpacking session, and also some bicycle fixing.

In other news, I've put some new pictures up on deviant art

Freecycle

I have recently discovered the wonders of "freecycle". The basic premise is that people have loads of stuff that isn't saleable, but would probably be useful to someone somewhere, so why throw it away? There are loads of local groups, based on yahoo, and all you have to do is post a message offering something, and it gets sent out to the list. The Cambridge one has over 14000 members, and yesterday I picked up a new mattress for my room, to replace the TINY bed I had before. I drove out to a little place called Whaddon, and, using some new £4 bungee cord and Alex's help, rolled it up into a tube, and squeezed it onto the back seat. And so now, I have a double mattress that can be put on the bed-frame that I am assured is somewhere in the vicinity of the house - just to find it!

Plus, since I got a new bike last term, my old bike has been sitting around gathering dust (and rust). It's not really worth anything, so I popped it on freecycle last night, and I've had 10 replies already! Crazy! I'll have to choose someone by apparent-deservedness. Blimey!

New Bike

I have a new bike! I decided that it was finally time to lay my mountain bike of 10 loyal years down. It was too small for me, and was becoming an unnecessary effort to cycle. So, I toddled out to a cycle shop on King's Street (same road as the Bun Shop for those of you that Cambridge), and a helpful chappie sold me a hybrid road bike for £60. It's large enough, easy to cycle, has new brakes, a pannier, and can go much faster, with less effort than my old one. Huzzah! Plus it was a bargain. Am well chuffed.

In other vaguelly bike related news, I cycled up to the lambing shed with Alex tonight (she's doing a crazy midnight 'till 8am shift, yes, they work us vet students hard), and found out that my caeserean section sheep is doing well, as is it's little lamb. Huzzah!