Tag: chips

Nashbar Townie Basket

On By Michel McDonaldIn Bike1 Comment

Last week I bought this product for my bicycle from nashbar.com for carrying my groceries.  I got the rack for my birthday from Chips cousin and her girlfriend so all I needed was the bag.

The bag I got is called a Townie Basket and it’s small enough to carry a bag of groceries so I don’t have to keep wrapping the bags around my handlebars.  The more specific grocery I wanted to use this for was for the 2 gallons of milk I always buy because it’s cheaper to buy 2 gallons than 1 at $3.69.

So I got the bag today and put it on immediately which only took maybe a minute to figure out how it goes on.  I went to Albertson’s right away and got my 2 gallons of milk along with some other things that I needed which I ended up having to carry in my grocery bag on the handlebars… I’m gonna need another one for the other side lol.

The only problem is that with 2 heavy gallons of milk it was sagging outward.  I was petrified that they would fall out as soon as I hit a bump in the road or a pot hole, not paying attention to the road and watching the milk instead might make me accidentally hit a pot hole or a CAR lol.

Well, here are the pictures of the bag.  The first one is of the bag folded up on the rack, the 2nd one is the bag open and the 3rd one is of it with its handy dandy rain coat or as I like to call it, it’s shower cap.

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Ok, now to fix the problem with this bag sagging outward I had to think about how I was going to do this.  I remembered the metal with the holes I used to make it so the rack was secure on the bike so I grabbed the roll of that stuff and held it up then bent the top of it over then I held it on the clamp in the tool shed and cut off a piece, then I cut a 2nd piece.  Then I went back over to the patio table and started drilling holes in the hard plastic in the bag so I could screw these things in place and then I put it on the bike rack.  Viola, it doesn’t sag anymore so I don’t have to worry about anything falling out lol.  Well, for now anyway.

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It’s a really dark picture but you can see that it’s not black, it’s the silver or gray thing on the right.  Not only does it stay on the rack but because I used the pliers to curl it over the rack bar I know nobody will be able to steal it lol.  It’s too much trouble to be able to steal now.  I mean because it’s only on with bungee at the bottom in the 2nd rack hole then with the 2 metal pieces (the black one on the left) so it’s very easy to steal but not anymore.

So if I have any other problems I’m going to have to put a hole on the outside of the bag into the plastic and put a hook there so I can hook a bungee on the outside then hook the other side of the bungee cord to the other side of the rack to make damn sure nothing falls out.

Edit: While I was watching Stargate SG-1 today I was thinking of how I could make this even more secure to the rack, not so that it doesn’t make my milk fall out but secure as in security.  How do I keep people from trying to steal it?  Bracket it to the rack.  See, there are these straps at the bottom that you are supposed to put the rack through, the metal sticks that get screwed to the wheel part of the frame, those are supposed to go through these straps and you would think that those would be velcro so that just in case your rack doesn’t allow you to put them through, then you could just undo them with the velcro.  So I came up with something a little more permanent.

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This picture is taken from the inside of the wheel, as you can see the spokes on the right and left side.  I bracketed the bag to the rack so it would never be easy to separate.  Well, I mean it would if I was trying to but a thief couldn’t easily do it and the guards at the grocery store know me and my bike so they would know if someone was trying to take something off my bike anyway.  But this would definitely slow them down lol.

And to top it all off, I put an eye hook in the outside of the bag, you can see in the first 2 pictures, there is a little silver rectangle, that is the logo of the company I bought it from.  Well, I screwed the eye hook just below that logo so that I could easily attach a bungee cord to it then the other end of the bungee could attach to the other side of the rack.  This way everything will stay inside the bag and not fall out.  The neon yellow shower cap will be able to protect it with the bungee cord in place so that isn’t an issue.

Hunger Pangs

On By Michel McDonaldIn Diet, FoodLeave a comment

Yesterday and today were Chips days off so I didn’t ride the bike the entire weekend.  I thought my body was getting used to the new diet or the new portions, in fact it was doing pretty good.  So I was a little confused today when I had my slim fast shake at 11:45am, I was really getting hungry.  But then at 1:45pm the hunger pangs came back with a vengeance.

For the last couple of weeks that I’ve been on the slim fast and measuring my portions my hunger pangs haven’t been bothering me so I don’t know why today.

I decided that I couldn’t wait until 6pm to eat so I just ate an energy bar, a Tiger’s Milk bar.  But then Darrin said hey let’s go to the store and get some steak for dinner to BBQ.  So we went and even got some salad stuff and a can of beans because what’s a BBQ without beans and salad?

Unfortunately he couldn’t wait for 6pm since he didn’t even eat any lunch so we ate at 3pm lol.  Which was ok for my stomach I guess but then when 6pm came around I started getting hungry again grrrr.  And now, it’s just turning 11pm and guess what?

Well, I gotta take an ambien anyway to get me to sleep, I can’t sleep without it because the BiPap mask keeps me awake so I gotta take a pill to be able to fall asleep with that thing.  The Ambien doesn’t really work without food so I’ll eat a banana, that should work.

I’m out of cereal so tomorrow morning I’m going to just have a slim fast shake.  I wanted to limit myself to 1 shake per day or if I had a very light dinner then just add the shake.  If you haven’t noticed, Slim Fast is expensive lol.  So that’s ok, I can actually have a shake for breakfast and then later tomorrow buy some more Raisin Bran cereal for breakfast the next day.

Too Hot

On By Michel McDonaldIn CyclingLeave a comment

Well, I’ve decided that I’m going to wait until tomorrow to ride the bike.  I took yesterday off because it was Chips day off but now the weather is getting too hot for me to even want to go riding.  I just don’t feel like it anymore.

This is my issue, if it’s too cold I don’t want to go, if it’s too hot I don’t want to go.  Well, in Bakersfield it’s only normal for a month before summer then a month after the heat dies down before winter.  So I don’t have that many options.

This is what I’m thinking.  Since it’s getting hot outside but it’s cooler in the morning then I’m going to start going out at the same time that Darrin leaves for work.  So I’m going to get up at 8am and have something to eat then at 8:30am when he leaves I will leave too.  I know that I’ve said that before and then it never happened but this is how I’m going to do it starting tomorrow.

I really need this exercise and I don’t want to suffer in the process because of the heat.  I don’t think it’s that healthy to exercise when it’s 100+ outside.  That’s why the gym has the A/C going.

When summer does come though I’m going to have to make a real effort to get up earlier in the morning, like at the crack of dawn to leave the house and get it over with.  There is no way that I’m going to be out when it’s 110-120 outside.  No way.

Actually getting out there early in the morning is probably a very good idea no matter what the temperature is.  I’ve heard from trainers that it’s better to do your work out before you go to work early in the morning.  So, perhaps getting out there early is a smart move.  Maybe this will help me lose weight easier.

$5 Footlong? Really?

On By Michel McDonaldIn Food, ScamsLeave a comment

I’ve loved Subway since the first time I ever went there when I was 18 years old when I moved back in with my parents when they moved to Quartz Hill in the Antelope Valley.  We went there all the time and I remember that I always got the same thing.  The Cold Cut Combo.  To this day that’s the only sandwich I ever get.  Sometimes I’ll be different and get a meatball sub or turkey but it’s usually always the Cold Cut Combo.  It tastes good to me.

Recently in the last few months or so I’ve been seeing the commercials for their $5 footlong.  They are competing with Quizno’s because Quizno’s has a good deal too for $5.  So they are just trying to keep or lure their customers away from the competition.  That’s fine and $5 is a good price for a 12″ sub.

We went to Subway for dinner tonight and they had their sign (or window sticker) that says “Any” which implies what?  All?  That’s what it implies to me.  By saying any that means if I want a footlong meatball sub then it’s $5 right?  Wrong.  The definition of “Any” for Subway means that they have a couple footlong sandwiches for $5.  So isn’t that false advertising?

I’m lucky the Cold Cut Combo just so happened to be $5 for the footlong because that’s what I wanted anyway but it would be nice if they had more of a $5 selection.

I think that if a sign says “Any” then everything should be $5 and not just a select few.  There were maybe 5 items on the menu that were $5 footlong.  That’s not a lot of choice.  When we got to the register to pay for our $5 footlongs they asked if we wanted chips and a drink for $2 more each and we were like screw that.  $1 for a drink and $1 for a little .50 cent bag of chips?  Are you joking?  We could go to the store across the street to buy a bag of Chips and soda which we ended up doing.  We bought 2 large bags of Doritos (buy 1 get 1 free) and 2 bottles of sparkling flavored water for .79 cents per bottle.

I like Subway but I don’t agree with this false advertisement.  I think it’s crappy because they lure you with the promise of a $5 footlong then you are stuck paying $7.59 for the sandwich you intended on buying.

Update: We were shopping today for new work clothes for Darrin and we had to go to Walgreens to pick up some things and decided that we would go to Subway for lunch.  I was bitching about their false advertising and so Darrin purposely ordered something that was not $5, Roast Beef.  It says on the menu that it’s like $6.79 or something like that and he asked is that $5 footlong? And the lady said yes.  We got to the register and the total for both sandwiches was $10.

So Subway, I apologize that I made such a quick judgement.  But in my defense if any footlong is $5 you should change all the prices on your menu board to show that any footlong is $5.  Because I would see the prices and immediately not order something because it doesn’t say $5.

Broken Rocker

On By Michel McDonaldIn Diet, Health, WeightLeave a comment

Well it finally happened.  I broke a chair.  Actually it has happened before.  It’s an old chair so leave me alone lol.  This chair that was in Chips moms room that she’s had for a long time, when she passed away we put it in the living room.  It’s not a rocking chair, it’s a regular chair that rocks.  A rocking chair would be all wood, this has fabric and springs etc.

What makes the chair rock are these 2 giant springs that are attached to 2 pieces of wood at the bottom of the chair and the springs are also attached to the chair.  Well, a year ago the springs broke where it’s welded, 1 spring broke and we asked our neighbor Dan who worked in a shop if he would re-weld it for us because that’s what he does.  So he did and then the other spring broke in the same way and so he fixed that too.  Well, it didn’t take long before one of them broke again but we never had him fix it a 2nd time.  The other spring just broke at the weld again so we’re retiring that chair lol.

I’m just too heavy to be able to sit in an old chair and rock it.  If it were a new(ish) chair like a recliner chair then I’m sure it would be a lot better.  This one made so many noises when I would rock in it, like squeaking sounds, you know because the springs needed oil or something.  I’ve sprayed WD-40 on them and they didn’t stop squeaking.  But I’ve sat in recliner chairs at the furniture stores and they never squeaked.

I would love to get a new chair but I just can’t afford it, even a used one.  So, I moved the rocking chair and put a regular chair in its place so now no more rocking hehe.  Oh well.

Corn Dog

On By Michel McDonaldIn PetsLeave a comment

Today flower did the funniest thing.  Since she’s so small she can fit into tight places.  I went into my room to get my drink then I was going to sit in the living room and watch tv and Darrin said hurry look and I see flower laying inside the arm of Chips coat.  I ran to the bedroom and grabbed my camera.

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Lego Batman

On By Michel McDonaldIn Games, PSPLeave a comment

Lego Batman finally came to Game Stop yesterday and was sold today.  I pre-ordered it on May 1st this year and it was supposed to be available on September 2nd but they pushed it back to September 23rd for some reason.  That’s ok. it’s cool.  I got it now.  Although it was kinda depressing that I got it on Chips birthday because I feel that I got a present on his birthday.  Not fair right?  He should be getting the present not me.

Oh well, if you read my previous post he will be getting another present soon.

Chips Birthday

On By Michel McDonaldIn BirthdaysLeave a comment

YAY Today is Chips birthday.  He turns 29 (hehe).  I don’t think he cares about his age but I’m just gonna leave it at 29.  Anybody who knows us knows the truth.  I gave him his present early and now I feel really bad that I did that but he wouldn’t stop shaking the box and it was glass with liquid inside it.  I don’t know if he broke one of them or if it came that way in shipping but one of them is broken.  When it’s your birthday and someone buys you something and says DON’T SHAKE IT!  You don’t shake it dammit.  Listen when you are told lol.  Sheesh.

You know those Galileo thermometers?  It’s like this tube with liquid and inside the liquid are these balls with liquid and each of the balls are a different color and the bottoms of the balls have like these little aluminum tags which have a temperature on them.  When it is cold the balls go up, when it’s hot the balls go down or vice versa I don’t know, and when it’s a nice temperature like in the 80’s 2 balls are up and 2 balls are down at the bottom.  Well, since one of the balls got broken and it had pink liquid inside it, the main tube water has a little pink inside it now instead of clear water and so it doesn’t give an accurate reading.  Instead all the balls are all the way up while the other one has 2 on top and 2 on bottom.  I decided to just keep the broken one in my room for decoration rather than function.

So I really feel bad that I gave it to him early and now he has no presents to open.  When I get some money I’m gonna buy him a lava lamp.  I love lava lamps and I think it would be really cool to look at in the living room near his TV.  This website has them for a reasonable price Cheap DJ Gear.  I don’t know what color I’m going to get him though.  Since they are fairly inexpensive I think I’m going to buy 2 of them because I love lava lamps.  My parents had one when I was a kid and I just loved watching it.  I’m going to have to find out which color he prefers.  The color doesn’t matter to me.  Although I wouldn’t mind red.  I love black but a black lava lamp just doesn’t appeal to me.

Hometown Buffet

On By Michel McDonaldIn FoodLeave a comment

On Sunday when Darrin got out of church we went to HomeTown Buffet and had “dinner” (they don’t have lunch on Sundays, only breakfast and dinner) and when we were standing in line I noticed they have a club.  If you go to http://www.buffet.com/eclub you can sign up and get coupons.  You get a coupon for a free meal (with the purchase of a meal) just for signing up.

Since it’s almost Chips birthday he got 2 coupons.  1 for signing up and 1 for his birthday so we got 3 coupons in total because I signed up too.  I love HomeTown Buffet because their food is so good.  All 3 of our coupons expire on 10/1/08 so we have 2 weeks.  His birthday coupon obviously we’re gonna use on his birthday.