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Given the state of things the last year, raise your hand if you sometimes feel like you have no control over any of it? I raised my hand. But, when I think about it, I guess I’ve always been prone to feeling out of control, well, not in a bad way, though I certainly have had my moments!

Having control makes me feel less stress. This is why I “plan,” make lists, alphabetize my CDs, and vacuum a lot. Well, I like a neat house, but I truly believe that cleaning gives me a sense of control, even if that control is only over the vacuum cleaner, the dishwasher, and the spray nozzle on the bottle of Windex.

Anyway, you all know how much I looked forward to Nathan getting his license. Unfortunately, since I don’t have a job, I can’t afford to buy his own car. So, I was left with a dilemma – continue to drive Nathan to school at 6:45 in the morning or just let him take the car until 2:30pm each day.

I decided on the latter, even though it left me feeling a tad stranded. It also meant I lost a bit of control over my day. And, it had me frequently experiencing “phantom vehicle pains” when I thought, “I’ll just take the car and go….” Ouch!

Since I had nowhere to go most days of the week, my choice seemed to be the right one and would let Iz and I sleep until 7am. But today was one of those days when I really wanted to drive Nathan to school, because I needed to return some clothes I bought for Iz, return Iz’s DVDs, and pick up ingredients to make a pasta salad for Nathan’s hockey banquet tonight. (They are having salads and desserts for dinner; whatever happened to the greasy pizza? Hmmm, must be those damn budget cuts!)

Last night, Nathan said, “I’m taking the car tomorrow, right?” I told Nathan I had a few things I wanted to do during the day, so I said, “I’ll drive you to school.” He gave me the “What?!” look and said, “But, I’ll be back by 2:30, and you can go then. Is that okay?” I thought about it and said, “I’d rather drive you, so…”

Before I finished my sentence, Nathan said, “Give me a list, and I’ll go shopping on the way home.” Somehow I sensed that driving to school on his own was more than just about transportation. It was about being Mr. Independent.

I said, “Hey, I know. I’ll take my mountain bike to the store and to return the DVDs. I don’t need to take her clothes back tomorrow.” For some reason, Nathan didn’t like this, because he said, “No, Mom. I’ll go shopping for you. I have to go to my Dad’s to get my hockey stuff, but I’ll be home by 2:30.” Again, I told him not to worry, because I’d do my necessary errands on my bike.

He said, “No, Mom!" Nathan seemed irked that I would have to bike around town or was it a touch of guilt? I said, “Look, Nathan. I biked 30 to 40 miles a day last Summer. Biking downtown will be fun in comparison!” Nathan said, “Okay.” And, was this the first time a parent was insisting that the child take the car while the parent would take the bike?!

I then secretly wondered if Nathan didn’t want me biking around town for fear that I’d become like one of the locals who biked everywhere with a “Starve OPEC” sign strapped onto his back while he stopped every now and then to pick up deposit cans by the side of the road. He was a town selectman, and his picture was definitely next to quirky in the dictionary. Fittingly, this man, Frank, is the brother of the woman who lives behind me with the roaming animals; I doubt if Frank’s ever even had a driver’s license!

After I went for a 5 mile walk this morning, I began to prepare for my trip. I took my “car” out of the garage. Its tires needed to be pumped up.



Then, I opened the trunk. I checked to make sure it was empty. And, I put my money inside.



At this point, I was getting a bit excited about the trip. I had always cycled for the purpose of enjoyable exercise, yet now I was viewing this excursion as a mission, albeit a creative one. One of my friends told me that I was born at the wrong time and in the wrong place, and I swear I was beginning to feel like it was 1942, gas rationing had effected car use, and this bike was the only way to get around.

At 1pm, I hopped on my bike and began to ride to the grocery store. It was only 3 miles away, but today it felt like a million since in my 22 years of living in this area, I had never biked to the grocery store. As I zipped down the hill, I said to myself, “Wow, this is kind of exciting.

When I was almost to the store about 15 minutes later, I thought, “Who needs a car when you’ve got a bike?” Okay, if it had been 25 degrees out and snowing, there’s no way I would have been on my bike. At one point, I saw a man approaching on a bike on the other side of the street. I said to myself, “If this is Frank, I’m going to start laughing.”

It wasn’t Frank, but I laughed anyway, because I was beginning to feel like Frank. If I had the time, why not bike? It’s great exercise, and it made my carbon footprint a size 10 instead of a size 11! Though, pigs will fly before I pick up deposit cans by the side of the road; okay, I might consider this when my unemployment ends and even McDonald’s rejects me as an employee.

After I shopped, I unloaded all my purchases on the conveyor belt. (By the way, bicycle shopping is not for those days when you have to buy a gallon of milk or a turkey; well, unless you get a bigger trunk like panniers!) As the cashier scanned my items, I began to pack them all in a plastic bag.

After I paid, the cashier looked at my packed bag and thanked me. Not thinking and so missing human interaction, I said, “You’re welcome. You see, they all have to fit in my backpack, because I biked here.” She looked at me, took about 20 seconds to smile, and then she said, “Oh,” which almost sounded like "Ew." And, I knew exactly what she was thinking; “Frank’s finally gone and gotten himself a bride!”

As I walked away, I reached into my sweatshirt to find my keys. Oh, my bike has no keys I remembered; it just requires my legs to start it! I went outside, loaded my groceries in the trunk, and I couldn’t help but feel like I was missing something. Was it a windshield, doors, airbags, and a radio perhaps?!

I climbed on my bike, exited the parking lot, and I headed toward the video store. My Hello Kitty backpack was growling under the weight; I know I didn’t buy a gallon of milk or a turkey, but it sure felt like it. But, hey, what doesn’t rupture your disc makes your back stronger!

I took a left off of Park Street and climbed a small hill. Ironically, I went by my mailman, Mike, for the third time. By the way, when you’re unemployed, you get to know the mailman, the UPS man, and the trash collector all on a first-name basis.

I had passed Mike when I was out walking, I passed him when I left on my bike, and as I rode by him again, he said, “It’s all uphill from here.” Thanks for the encouragement, Mike! I shot back, “I think I’m getting as much exercise as you today,” and he laughed.

Did I ever tell you how much I like living in a small town where the mailman even knows my dog’s name? There is one glitch. I do so hope that no one thinks I’m married to Frank and have “Starve OPEC” tattooed on my bottom.

After I dropped Iz’s DVDs off, I headed home. I had another steep hill to climb. Ironically, it took me right by Frank’s house, and, no, just because I know where Frank lives doesn’t mean I’m married to him or even thinking about dating him!

When I got home, I pulled my "car" into the garage and unloaded my trunk from my back. I thought, “This was more challenging than one of my bike-a-marathons.” I didn’t ride very far, and I didn’t go very fast.

In the end, this trip was really just an exercise in "Necessity is the mother of invention" or "Mom needs to get something done so she better invent a way to do it!" If there was one thing unemployment had done for me so far, it was make me think more creatively than I ever had before. So, anyone know how to make shoes out of used Sephora gift cards?! ♥