Another day in the B.S.E.

As I walked home from the pool yesterday, I was thinking again about life in the B.S.E. (Broken Stuff Era).


To back up, I had put the 2 little boys in the double stroller, and with Rayna on her bike, we had traipsed up to the pool to watch Strider at swim practice for a few minutes. And as we came home, I was accompanied by a very loud "SCREEEEEEEEEETCH" all the way.


To back way, way up.... Pete bought me this double stroller as a gift (Mother's Day maybe?) back when Rayna was a baby. He got it 2nd-hand for $50, and it had already had a lot of use. And since that point, the sun visor has broken off the front seat, the front tray has come off, the back sun visor no longer stays up well, and the whole thing is just generally dilapidated. Not to mention the fact that it's so dang heavy, being of an older generation of double strollers.

I've seen people with nice fancy, lighter strollers that actually turn corners and have sun shades, and occasionally think maybe I should get one. But for the last several years we've been sure we're "almost done" needing a double stroller, so I can't bring my frugal/cheap self to buy a new one. So I trudge on, at a 45-degree angle, pushing my heavy, broken one.

A couple of days ago, Colsen in the front seat leaned forward, and broke the seat belt. "No problem," I thought. This is NOT enough to make me get a new one. So, last night when we wanted to go for a walk, I went inside to get a regular belt to use. I picked out one that I had made a few years ago, and never wear, to donate to the cause. It has long fringed ends -- not the most beautiful thing. I tied Colsen in securely, yelled "OK, we'll see you in a little bit!" to my empty house (so I didn't have to lock the doors), and off we went.

At the pool, Colsen insisted on getting out so he could see better, and then wanted to walk for a little bit. By the time we were ready to head home, I realized that the now-untied belt's fringe had gotten all tangled up in the wheel gear. In order to get it out, I had to break off most of the fringe, one at a time, scraping my knuckles repeatedly in the process.


Hot, sweaty and frustrated, I finally loaded Colsen back in and we started home... which is when the "SCREEEEEEEEETCH"-ing noise started, apparently from the remaining fringe threads still stuck in the gear thing. It was a rather irritating walk home.

But the good news is, we're ALMOST DONE needing a double stroller!