Wonderling

How to: Backpack Rain Cover from Rain Pants

The other day it was supposed to rain and I was going to ride my bike to work. I have raingear for myself, but until the night before I didn't think about my backpack getting wet (and the clothes/stuff inside getting soaked). So I looked around my house for maybe a large plastic bag to sew into my packpack as a waterproof "lining", but I remembered that I had a pair of army issue rainpants that I would probably never wear again (not comfortable!!). I laid them out and realized that it would be a piece of cake to make a cover for my backpack with them! Here's how I did it:

First I cut the two legs apart in the crotch area (there was a seam there). Kitten help with this step is optional :)

Then I cut the seam along the inside of the leg and, one corner at a time, pinned the elastic waist to the widest part of the pant leg.

Here's one side folded and pinned. To give it a more rounded, backpack shape, sew diagonally. To have square corners sew right along the edge instead.

Once you've sewn both sides and cut off the excess you should have something like this

Here you will want to size the length to your backpack and, keeping in mind that you will need to fold the bottom around the backpack, cut off the excess.

Fold the newly cut edge and pin diagonally as shown. Sew along redlines.

You should end up with this (after cutting off excess)

Depending on the shape of your backpack you can either stop here or sew in some elastic. I choose to sew in elastic. Some other options would be making a pocket for the outside and a strap to go around the backpack for added hold (my pack is oddly shaped, so I also added a strap that snapped)

Now I'm ready for the rain!

Moonbooting

Someone up there does not want me to ride my bike. Wednesday morning my foot was kind of sore, but not even really noticable...just like, "oh...my foot is a little sore" and then I didn't think about it again. So I rode to work and back. That night, after sitting on the couch knitting for about an hour, I got up to feed the kitties and it was like, "oh man, what's up with my foot??" but I figured it was some stupid I'm-getting-older-cramp kind of thing and it would be gone in the morning. Nope. It was even worse. I was certainly not going to ride my bike to work, but I also didn't want to take the bus and have to walk a long distance on the side of my foot (the only way I could walk without intense pain). 

I decided to call the advice RN because what would they do for a foot? I figured she would tell me to wait it out and put some ice on it, but she said I should err on the side of caution and come in since walking was really painful. The Dr. was perplexed. My foot was obviously swollen and something was wrong, but I didn't DO anything to it (that I can think of). He ordered xrays just to be sure it wasn't some tiny little fracture, but in the mean time he wanted me to stay home and do the whole RICE thing (rest ice compression elevation). He also wanted me to wear "a boot". 

So here I am with my "boot" on. No fracture, just a supposed ligament/tendon issue. It's been suggested that I get another boot for my right foot so I can just tell people it's a fashion statement.

Here's the oh-so-fashionable boot....and a freshly laid egg is in there too!

Update!

I thought I would do an update on all of the new stuff I've been trying since it's been a few weeks. 

1. Free Online Samples: I posted a while ago about seeing if getting online samples really worked and if it was really worth it. A few weeks ago I started getting the samples in the mail (it works!), but they were only sample size....which really isn't that great. I also have started to get these magazines like Lillian Vernon and Handsome Rewards; mags for retirees. Most people would be irritated, but I've always liked looking at all the crazy stuff people will buy. 

2. Baking Soda everything! 2 weeks ago I decided to stop using store bought shampoo, conditioner and deodorant and replace them with baking soda and vinegar mixtures. 

For the first week the baking soda deodorant worked great, but once I started riding my bike to work it wasn't enough. I'm going to try this recipe and see if it keeps me "fresh" on biking days. At the very least I can bring it to work and reapply. 

The baking soda shampoo is wonderful. It doesn't strip my hair like regular shampoo, but it still gets it clean. With regular shampoo my hair would be totally limp (it's naturally fine and pretty straight), but it feels like the baking soda shampoo keeps some of the natural oils on my hair, so it's not all lifeless and dry. For the first time in years I can have a "good hair day" without using a pound of product. 

I haven't really used the vinegar rinse. I used it once, but I haven't had a problem with the baking soda drying my hair out yet. 

3. Biking to work. This one is really new. I have only ridden to work twice this week, but I already feel so much better. The first day was really hard. I realized how horribly out of shape I am when I almost didn't make it home without getting off my bike and walking. The great thing about biking though is that you don't really get sore muscles. I thought my legs were going to be too sore to walk the next day, but they were fine! I didn't go to work on wednesday and my neighbor was driving up here this morning for some pre-volunteer stuff so I hitched a ride with him today. 

I'm really looking forward to getting better at biking. Once I have better balance (how do people ride with both hands off the handlebars!?) I think my confidence riding in traffic will be much higher. For now I try to stick to non-trafficy areas. 

Keep your bike safe

My brother sent me this link that gives you tips on how and where to lock your bike up to avoid it being stolen. It's a great site and it has pictures showing you the 'right way' and the 'wrong way'. I like pictures.

Back to Biking

At work I get a yearly bus pass for the small price of 30-something dollars a month that's automatically taken out of my paycheck. I decided today that I'm not going to renew my annual pass so that I have no choice but to bike to work.

Here's what influenced my decision:

1.This morning my brother sent me a link to the 2008 Bike Commute Challenge where businesses all around the Portland Metro area compete to see who can bike the most days to work in September. You can even form teams within a business to compete as well as challenging individuals to a "commute-off".

2. I ate half a pint of ice cream last night in bed.

3. I spent a decent chunk of money on a perfectly wonderful bike that I rarely use

4. everyone else I know bikes to work (peer pressure!)

I'm happy with my decision. A bit scared that I will have no other option in getting to work, but I think this is the only way that I will buckle down and do it.

Someone also pointed out to me that with the 300+ dollars a year I'll be saving I can spend 200.00 on fun bike attire and still save 100.00! haha, I wont spend that much on "attire", but I am going to get my bike some fenders and myself a nice breathable set of rain gear.

Fix your bike for free!

I recently bought a bike to replace the 1990's mountain bike I'd been riding very occasionally. I found that the new bike had some break issues, so I did what I always do and "fixed" it myself. The next 3 times I rode my bike to work and back I almost died of exhaustion. I thought I was just really out of shape, but I found that the brake I adjusted was now always "on". This would explain why I had to pedal while going down hill!

Bike repair can be costly and it isn't always quick. For those who use their bikes as their primary mode of transportation taking their bike into the already busy shop can mean days on the bus (no!) or just not getting around.

So to help me fix my break issue and for those who might just want to try fixing the small stuff on their bikes themselves there's The Bicycle Tutor. Not only does it show you bike repair, it does it with videos!

I was caught unawares!

I'm sure most of you have seen this by now, but I still find it amazing. I honestly thought this was a joke when my co-worker sent it to me. I thought they had put two different shots in, just to mess with you.

Just not my day

Saturday I finally got out to Molalla to buy the blue panasonic bike that was calling to me. Sunday I bought lights and reflectors and I am now officially ready to join the masses of bikers in Portland. I have to admit, riding the bike was a bit scary at first. It was a lot wobblier than the horrid mountain bike I was riding and the wheels are larger so turning tight corners (which I am not good at as it is!) is a bit harder. But, the ride is much easier and the gears actually shift when you want them to!

So with my exciting weekend behind me this is how my day has gone so far:

This morning I was ready early and had plenty of time to catch the early bus to work. Unfortunately, the early bus never came. It was swallowed into a black hole somewhere, hopefully with no passengers on it. I had wanted to get to work early to leave earlier, but it wasn't going to happen today.

Once I got to work I sat down, turned on my computer and.....black screen with a cursor flashing. hum. I decided it was time for coffee. I figured out that the boot order had been changed and the computer was trying to boot from the CD drive. While explaining this to the IT guy he discovered that my OS was out of date. 2 hours later I was upgraded and running smoothly. 10 minutes later I was staring back at the black screen with that blinking curser mocking me.

I had to move to a different computer where I am not able to freely roam the web, so this will be my posting for the day. I know it's lame and not exciting, but it's all I've got.

Leaping into the weekend

It's leap day. It's friday. I'm excited.

Here are a few things that are making me even more excited...or just making me laugh, which makes me temporarily forget I am at work. :)

ARTY TREATS

These pieces of marzipan artwork are the creations of Eugene and Louise Bakery in Belgium. They also have the cutest wrappers for their chocolate bars and a link (coming soon) called 'cupcake heaven'. I'm inspired and craving sweets now! via craft.

STAY UNDER THE SEA

Istanbul will open this 7-story underwater hotel in 2010 and might change the whole meaning of "sleeping with the fishes"! via trend insights

SKYWALKER

As if those ridiculous tall bikes that everyone rides in Portland's Alberta neighborhood weren't bad enough, someone had to go and make these things. Seriously, why? I'm sure it will only be a matter of time before cars are dodging un-helmeted bikers on these monstrosities. via gizmodo

It's absolutely stunning outside today. I'm looking out the window practically drooling. I feel like I'm back in school again and it's the last week before summer break, just bursting to get outside. But, alas, I'm here at my desk trying to sneak peeks at fun internet fodder. I'm doing a lousy job of it. I think the sun has got me distracted. That and I'm on a quest to find a new bike.

The quest has definitely bolstered my knowledge of bikes. I've found that I need a bike that is no higher than 30in (my inseam is a tad over 31"), and has aluminum rims (steel rims cause the breaks to slip when they're wet and living in Portland...they're gonna get wet, a lot). I also learned that older bikes only have 10 gears and newer ones will have 12. I should be able to get everything I want in a lightweight bike for under 200.00.

Now that I'm done with my bike blabber, here are a couple neat things I did spy on the net today

This is exactly what I need under my desk!! Then I could skip the crowded gym after work. via trendinsights

HANDY VODKA

Apartment Therapy posted a blog entry on the many uses of vodka around the house. I had no idea that all my bathroom needed was a drink!