Anyway, I waited for a bus to take me to the bike shop, where it was found that my bike hadn't been serviced. The chap there had prepared an estimate:
Chain 8.00
block 10.00
B/B 14.00
Pedals 7.00
tyre 8.00
Front wheel 20.00
Brake shoes 6.00
Labour 20.00
-----
93.00
`I could do all that for you,' he says, `but to be honest with you it wouldn't be all that good a bike even when I've done it. A new bike would be about £200 and it would be a much better bike for your money because the technology has improved over time.' I suppose I have to agree with him really. My bike is of March 1997 vintage and has been doing 8 miles or so almost every day, so it's had a good innings, as they say. At least it still works, until such time as I can be brave enough to go back into the shop and spend the money on a new one. Even the tyre was still up this morning, although it might need some more air in before very much longer.
So it was another late day in at work. And, as it turned out, an early day out. I had to take half a day's leave and take T to the doctor because his sniffling hasn't improved and the mucus from his nose now has blood in it (moreover, J was full of a cold again yesterday and didn't feel able to take him herself). The doctor said it wasn't anything to worry about, though, and gave him some more saline nose drops.