You Talk About Them Like They’re Squirrels Or Something
That’s a direct quote from Lauran.
I was accusing the boys of taking my stuff. The thing is, they do! They see something they like, they take it to one of their little treasurey hiding places and I only find it later by accident. They especially like to steal the headbands I wear when I spin. They also take little plugs and adaptor cords and such. The thing I was looking for was the little Velcro legband thingy that I use to keep the chainring from eating or soiling my pants when I ride in to work. They’ve taken it before. I suppose it appeals to them because it’s reflective.
Now I am not an especially materialistic person. In our house we have some mixed hand-me-down furniture (and no desire to buy anything like a bedroom suite—pronounced “suit” by the locals), a few computers, televisions, and all the toys anyone would ever need for a lifetime. We have all the normal stuff families need, including two very serviceable automobiles, and even some frills like an old walnut piano I refinished a few years ago. Personally, I have a couple of iPods, the iBook that is my life, a mountain bike, my old road bike, my new road bike, two acoustic guitars, two electric guitars (three if you count the one that my brother has on permanent extended loan-gift), a mandolin, and a bass. So I figure I’ve got it good. (I once heard it said that if you can choose what you’d like to eat for a meal you are among the world’s wealthiest people.)
For a while I’ve said that when I’m 40 in a few years, and begin the long slow decline of life, I would like some nice material goods to enjoy in my remaining days: a really nice bike (but the one I got earlier this year is just awesome—Ultegra 10, carbon, aluminum, 17 pounds!, so maybe this one is already covered?) and a really nice guitar. On this front, I have yet to complete my master materialistic plan. I still want 1 more—a Burns Steer.

This is what Billy Bragg used to play before he moved in to his country estate by the sea. Well, I guess I want 2 more guitars, cuz I also want a really top quality acoustic, with electronics. That’s all, though. Well, except for the inevitable new computers every so often. And cars, the evil necessity. I really don’t like cars except as a way to carry more than I can carry on my bike.