Monday, August 27, 2012

Tandeming the Days Away

Tom and I have spent the summer riding the tandem all around Anchorage.  I started counting miles seriously after we returned from Puerta Vallarta, Mexico.
From June 16 until August 23 we put in over 600 miles.  We had 35 miles prior to our trip to Mexico.
At the moment we are just under 700 miles and if the weather cooperates I hope to top that and head toward 750.

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Laughing at Myself

Earlier today Tom and I went for a ride to the Farmer's Market to pick up fresh veggies.  We filled both of the saddle bags on the tandem to overflowing and I had one sandwich size baggie of snap peas that would not fit.  I put it in the back pocket of my biking jacket which zips on the side and runs across the back.
Tom and I had been snacking on them while we wandered around the market. We stopped to try some wines at the Wine Style booth, which also had some excellent munchies to go along with the wines.  While tasting both we discovered we knew the owners of the catering place, from years ago, back with the boys were ice skating, so stayed to chat for a bit.
I decided I wanted to eat a couple more snap peas before we took off so was trying to get them out of my back pocket, when I felt something.  I thought I was going crazy as I knew that my wallet that I had with me today with my new ID and such was not in that pocket, but I could feel something that felt like my wallet, so I got Tom to check.
I had to take off my jacket and inside the back of the jacket there is a netting that is sewn in two places to divide the pockets, one on either side and the large back pocket.  The netting is loose along the top and caught in it was my wallet that I thought I had lost. 
I checked my jacket at least three times yesterday including turning it upside down and shaking it, but felt nothing. There was my wallet with my DL, military ID, debit card, and my insurance cards.  How I missed it yesterday when I checked the jacket is beyond me, but miss it I did.  The only thing I can think of is the fact that I was so stressed out I did not feel it when I was patting down my jacket. It was caught inside the netting so it did not shake out when I shook the jacket.
I guess the laugh is on me.  Oh well, as I told Tom, at least now the pictures on my IDs look like me. 

Friday, August 24, 2012

Day from the Dark Side

Are you sure this is not Friday the 13th?

I went out for my short ride figuring I would go 5 to 7 miles then come home shower and get ready for lunch with some girl friends. About 3 miles into my ride my phone rings so I stop to answer it.  One friend was calling regarding lunch and did I want to ride with her then go to Riehl Sewing after to use our coupons.  I said sure, I will finish ride, but what time is lunch. She says she will contact friend who is working still and let me know.
I set off to ride more and stop when she texts with time for lunch and time we should head out.  I am debating turning around or going through the park and back home down another street.   I answer text put phone back in pocket and realize my little wallet purse is not there.
I look around on the ground, no wallet.  I jump on bike ride like the wind, and I mean I hauled butt back to where I stopped last time to see if I dropped it there, not there.
So, I ride back to the last stop looking all along the one side of the road, not wallet. I turn around and head back to the first stop checking the other side of the road. No wallet.
I continue back re covering my path, no wallet either way. I recross part of the path I took between phone call and text, head back down the way I started from toward my house, no wallet.
I check the yard and the garage, no wallet. I check in the house, searching my chair, both bathrooms, the kitchen, sewing room, family room, bedroom. I even looked in rooms I had not gone into this morning, dumped my purse, no wallet.
I called and canceled lunch. Then called and canceled my debit card.  The next call was to the bank and to transfer money to a different account that I have a debit card for so I can pay bills, as today I got my retirement pay.  I let them know that no charges should go through on my lost debit card and order a new one, which will take 7 to 10 days.
Next I called the base regarding replacing my military ID and to find out when they are open.  After that I called DMV to see what I need to get a new driver's license.
Once I had all that information I texted Tom and called his classroom, but got no answer.  I need him to get new ID and he was going out after work with friends. The base office closes at 3:30 and I need him. He also biked to school today.
So I called the school secretary and told her what happened and that he must read his text and call me.
I found my passport and birth certificate, drove to the DMV where I had to wait over an hour to get a new DL. It was a zoo, but then it usually is.
While I was there Tom called me, he said he had someone to cover his last class and will be waiting for me to pick him up and to call him when I am on the way.  
With my new DL in hand I drove over to get him and we headed out to the base, which is about 20 minutes from his school.
Once we were there we had to get the form I needed to verify I am not denied base privileges and can get an ID. Then we had to head down the hall to another office to get them to verify it and you must have photo ID for this.
Once I was verified we headed back to first office to wait to be called to get my new militaryID.
Then I drove back to Tom's back to his school to drop DH back at school so he could ride his bike home.
Talk about being stressed out.  I was so stressed I was shaking.  Good thing no one wanted to take my BP today.
It cost me $15 to replace my DL and $5 have a new debit card issued.
There was between $10 and $30 in the wallet, so that is gone, but hey it's only money.
The positive thing is that I got in a good workout.  I rode almost 13 miles. I am ready to call it a day. 

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