The Little Things That Excite Me

Remember hearing Julie Andrews sing "Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens, Brown paper packages tied up with strings, these are a few of my favorite things..."

Sometimes it's the small things in life that you give you the greatest satisfaction. For instance, a couple weeks ago, my ex-boyfriend had his bike stolen. I loaded up his daughter's bike (she doesn't come here to visit any more) and brought it to him. He was pleased, and I knew that when he got another bike, he'd still have hers around so that they could go riding together.

But, I had been riding her bike with SaurKid (if you recall, I taught him how to ride recently). What to do?

I'm a thrifty shopper. I fail to see the need to buy something new if a used one will do. So, I kept my eyes open. Two days ago, I happened by a house with a sign up: "Bikes for Sale!" The guy's hobby is used bikes. He buys them in big lots, tinkers with them to get them in working order, then resells them. If a bike is missing a part, he undoubtedly has a good substitute.

I stopped, and we fell to talking. I didn't like what he had, and told him I was looking for something a little nicer. That's when he told me about a bike that was still awaiting new tires, which was why it hadn't been put out. It's an excellent brand-name bike that sells (when new) for $300-$400. It had been taken horrible care of and there were scratches and gouges all over the frame. I was a little reluctant, but he assured me that it was a deal at $65. He put on the new tires, and urged me to hop on and try it.

It rode like a dream! But I was still concerned about the way it looked. I asked if he knew anyone that did custom paint jobs on bikes. "Yeah," he said, "for a couple hundred bucks! If you are willing to spend that, I'd recommend you get a new bike." He had a good point. "Look," he said. "Go to the local drugstore. They have nail polish in all colors, with a built-in brush. Touch up the paint yourself. You'll be surprised!"

So, I bought the bike (I had done my homework and knew that it was a good one). I took it home, and set out in search of nail polish that would match it. I found some on the first try, and took a little time yesterday to dab it everywhere it was needed.

It worked like a charm! The bike still looks obviously used, but the polish was a perfect match. It doesn't even look like the same bike! I also had to buy a kickstand for it, and I need a couple handlebars (the current ones are pretty worn). Altogether, I will have spent a total of about $80 for a bike worth a minimum of $300. Not a bad deal, huh?

And here I spent the entire post talking about something which has probably put every one of you to sleep.

Which illustrates my point. It's the little things that excite me.