Fireman and bikes

Remember that picture of Helen's bike in our stairway from last month?   We learned a lesson about storing bikes in stairwells.     Last weekend I did a long 30 mile bike ride to a Jazz festival (Helen was at on call at the hospital).  When I came back at dusk, I discovered that Helen’s bike had moved itself from the top of the stairs to the bottom, wedging itself snugly against the door.   I couldn’t even get a finger thru the door.   The downstairs neighbors are out of town.  The back door has a different lock and the landlord, who was in Florida, said that key is lost.   I was stumped, so I called Helen, who had an idea, expertly illustrated here:

Her idea was to buy a 30 foot ladder, to climb up to our porch, which had an open door.    But all the 30 foot ladder stores were closed.   So using her best damsel in distress voice, she called up the fire department, who have lots of lovely ladders about 5 blocks away.   Within an hour, their biggest fire truck lumbers up the street (thats the red thing on the lower left above)  and 5 fully dressed firemen get out.

Biggest fireman:    Got a drivers license to prove you live here?

Smallest Bruce:  Ah, hmmm, no.  (I had a Minnesota license).

2nd fireman, also big:  We would look pretty bad if we helped a crook break into a house.

Non-crook Bruce:  I have proof inside.

3rd fireman, bigger than the first one, who used to be the biggest:  Ok, will hold you to that.

The 4th fireman, truly the biggest, slings a monster ladder on the house, disappears into the darkness, then comes out a minute later holding Helen’s bike with 2 fingers. 

I show them the one thing that proves I live there (a utility bill), thanked them profusely, promised them cookies, and off then went.

Other than this instance, Helen’s bike is a usually a well behaved member of the household, safely transporting here to and from work, as seen here:

But 2 weeks ago, we had another bike incident.   We biked 10 miles out to graduate the latest round of Neurology Residences.  Helen spoiled a kitten with a chunk of steak:

Biking home, we stopped partway up a long hill to rest.  Helen discovered that highway railings are not designed for sitting on (too thin), and suddenly disappeared into the bushes.   After confirming nothing was broken, I did what any true gentleman would do:  I took her picture.

She did get a scrape on the leg, but otherwise was ok.

Zach made his big move to NJ this week.   He rented a big U-Hall and packed everything he could fit into it:  a car, a motorcycle, a tool chest, a queen sized bed, nightstands, dressers, a 62” TV, a 5 piece stereo system, a bunch of other garage equipment and tools:

 

And behind that he had a trailer with a 2nd car! He stayed with Nick at Oberlin for a day, and Nick helped him saran wrap the trailer car for better protection:

After getting to NJ, he stored his stuff in a storage locker, including both cars (they are works in progress), then found an apartment.   Should be moving into it this week.

In other not-so-important-shoe-news, I bought some new tennis shoes.   I tried sharing them with Helen:

 

But she like her boots better:

 

Helen’s parents came for a visit.  This is a picture of them looking at a picture of them just after got married: 

 

On my bike ride yesterday, I found this tree, still under construction by Authorized Personal Only:

 

I’ll let the reader determine who the tree building Authorized Personal should be. 

Mom and Dad, Helen made me pose for this rose picture for you guys:

 

One last photo, another Helen at sunset:

 

In a week I’m off to Rochester for a week.   Then we have a few trips to the lake planed.   Then a conference in Indianapolis then the summer is over!

Bruce