Meanwhile, back at the ranch

As for the home front all this time, we have continued working in the yard and biking. Some times one or the other, on easy nights we do both.

On Saturday the mate's sister, Arr, called to ask for help. She and her mate are moving and he's gone on ahead while she closes and sells the house. She had a few things beyond her reach or abilities that needed doing so could he come give her a hand?

It was a lovely sunny day and the Mate's bike was calling him. It's only a 6 hour ride. Off he went. I was unsupervised again! Cool. I stayed home to rep us at a graduation for a young friend and at our chapter meeting. I also worked on the flower gardens and the biking on Saturday.

That afternoon I showered, dressed for riding the real bike and took off for the graduation. It was about 30 miles there and ended up being even further on the return. I traveled through nice, back country roads. Totally enjoyable but really hot outside. I was ok going down the road but if I stopped the leather transmitted the sunshine directly to my heat sensors. Ug.

It was a nice party, outside, cold foods and beverages, nice cake, funny photos of the growing grad, the usual. Got to visit with all my pals from the chapter and give the boy our card and gift (a twenty that said from us to you on the edge of it. Why should I spend money on a card they will throw away when we all know kids want money?). I ate a light lunch and enjoyed the shade and companionship.

The party started breaking up and I got ready to leave. Jumped on the bike and the #$%@# thing wouldn't start! I don't know yet if it is the charging system or the battery. Of course, the guys wanted to push start it, there was plenty of down hill. She wouldn't roll over. I ended up at the bottom of the drive on a dead bike.

Now, our group is ALWAYS prepared for road break downs, so I wasn't in a panic, just in a state of embarrassed disgust. The bike hadn't given me any trouble yet and decided to do it the first time in front of all my friends. I haven't named it yet but it's cruising for a nasty name.

I peeled out of my helmet, gloves and leather, took the sidecover off with my handy travel screwdriver and was ready when one of the nice guys ran down with jumper cables and his bike. We only had to hook them up and it rolled right over. I said my thanks and took the long way home because I was pointed the wrong way and I wanted to charge up the battery, if it was charging. It was a lovely ride but the guage showed I wasn't charging over 10 amps. It's supposed to be 11.5 to 12.

I stopped at a friend's house and honked her out to say hello but wouldn't get off the bike as she didn't have a battery charger. I was on my way shortly, but it was nice to let her know I as thinking of her, better than an email!

I got to the house and put the !*#$%$ bike up next to the house as I couldn't get it backed in the garage over the two by four water block the mate has in the doorway.

When I got inside, fed the dogs and the cats and poured a big iced tea I noticed there was a message from the mate. I called him back. He was planning on coming home the next day. I smiled inside, knowing the bike would be diagnosed and repaired by my live in expert. His fees are consistent but not a hardship. :)

The neighbor girl that was going to help me move my flowers stopped in and we had a long porch talk about life. She apologized for not coming back over for 3 weeks but her mate and son had the bad cold that was going around and then she had a weird problem with her leg and was off her feet for a week and just getting better.

Her mate and my first husband have a lot in common and she was having trouble, as most first mothers do, getting him to take full responsibility for the child while she got some alone time. She could do anything she wanted if she took the boy with her but he would not stay alone with him. Leave your suggestions in the comments, ladies.

I had some suggestions and wished her luck, told her we could move the iris anytime now but not till it would be fun so don't hurry back till she was 100%. She wandered off on her bicycle and I went in to get a light snack and watch some tube before bed.