Back in the saddle

Sunset over Lake Dardanelle
taken by Robert Herron

Three weeks ago Owner's husband was hit by a truck while he was riding his bike.  Thankfully, he didn't suffer any major injuries, and he has mended, but the event gave me great pause about riding my bike on the road. 

Last week a friend of mine invited to me to ride with him.  He is an accomplished cyclist, and I, on the other hand, am not.  I was pleased that he asked me to join him, but I must admit my acceptance was not without some trepidation owing to Owner's husband's experience.  We survived the ride without incident save my near expiration while climbing a very steep and seemingly unrelenting hill, no, a mountainside.  Cruising back to our beginning point,  we were graced with a view of a most audacious sun regaled in shocking pinks and brilliant orange.   We pedaled on and watched our sustaining star sliding off the horizon pushing it's last rays across the lake and mountains like paint on a canvas.  It was a perfect way to end the day.  Since that ride, I am happy to report, I have been back in the saddle.  I wanted to get riding back into my routine, and now I have. 

Part of my daily routine has always included coffee.  Some might call me devoted to coffee.  To quote a dear friend, "Coffee is a commitment."  So true.  I have morning coffee, mid-morning coffee, after lunch coffee, mid afternoon coffee, getting ready to leave work coffee.  I love coffee.  That said, once I leave the house, I rarely finish a cup of coffee.  Usually, I get one or two nice, hot swigs and promptly forget where I set my cup down.  It goes something like this:  Pour cup of coffee, set cup down; forget where cup is; cuss; find cup later, unwittingly take drink of cold coffee, cuss again, pour coffee out, fill cup up again.  Repeat.  (I have a similar routine for car keys and wallet).  The point is this:  coffee has always been part of my routine and unless something drastic happens to change that, it always will be.  So imagine my surprise when I first arrived at The Frame Shop & Gallery and discovered there was no coffee maker.  I let it slide for a while thinking I could make do with something else.  I drink water anyway, but I tried iced tea, fancy vitamin water.  Really?  As if over-priced water or iced tea could begin to fill coffee's shoes!  Eventually, I couldn't continue the charade.  I couldn't continue lying to myself.  Who was I kidding?  It wasn't working.  Saturday, I put an end to my coffee infedility, and I brought in my own coffee pot.  After all, coffee is a commitment.  I might not have my entire routine down yet, but I am getting there a pedal and a cup at a time.