Is there anything better than the first post-winter car wash? Yes, of course, there is (my nightly post-dinner glass of wine, for example), but washing off Chicago’s winter grime ranks right up there.
For my birthday I bought myself a shop-vac. Vacuuming the car will never be the same. I can’t believe I spent years feeding quarters into the carwash vacuum and then frantically cleaning the car while an unseen meter ticked down. (Why don’t they at least show you how much time you have left?!)
I also have a new mode of transportion: this bike is both my birthday present from Jarrod and my birthday present to Jarrod (ours are a week apart from one another in April). He wanted me to have a bike so I can go on rides with him and I was generally indifferent-to-opposed to the idea.
But I’m smitten with this vintage Huffy Regatta we found at Play It Again Sports and I now look forward to learning how to bike around the city.
Having to buy and wear a bike helmet, however, is the worst thing that’s ever happened to me, aesthetically.
Project Palermo 
the lid looks great. happy biking!
Love the bike! Also, your helmet is much more attractive than the horrendous-looking new one I bought last week. Can’t they make them a little more flattering?
A shop vac…what a good idea! I try using a little hand held vacuum to clean my car and no. The stock-pile of dog fur is too much for it. I will have to look into this.
As for the bike-it makes up for the helmet, trust me.