it became a huge ordeal for an otherwise ordinary thursday evening, but i bought a bike last night. just a simple, comfort cruiser that i can ride around the neighborhood on or take to some simple, pretty trails around town.

i went riding through my boyfriend's neighborhood tonight since he's at work and won't be home until 1. i've never gone to the end of his street, which has some really pretty houses, and a couple of very disagreeable dogs. which, of course, was the perfect time for the chain to come off the gears, which i got to fix with some kind of spotted shepherd mix barking five feet away from me. mergh.

i've wanted a bike for a least two years now, but probably more like four. when i was in amsterdam for a few days back in may 2004, the days were so long and mild and pretty, and there are so many bicycles lining the canals and streets, i desperately wanted to find somewhere to rent and ride but never did. i got drunk at the heineken brewery instead. at 2:00 in the afternoon.

but no beer and no canals tonight. just a slightly rolling-hilly neighborhood, and a friendly neighbor who said my ass would be sore tomorrow.

i've been driving with my windows down all week. and driving barefoot too, when i can. nothing like kicking my shoes into the passenger floorboard after walking around a stuffy, paperpushing law office all day, tying my hair back in a knot, and driving twenty minutes home with my music up at least halfway as far as it can go.

i'm going to sleep hard tonight. and he will probably snore. a lot.