CARLESS DAY

It was no easy task with temperatures in the 90's today, but I did it. I loaded Jacob into the BOB stroller and took off from 9:30am - 2:00pm. Play date, Farmer's Market, swung by a friend's house, then home. We live on top of a ridiculous hill, so coming back home was a b*tch. But during my commute, I saw a house for sale in a neighborhood that I like, and I got a bit of a tan. As I was pushing Jacob and my booty of farmer's market produce down busy streets to get home, I could not help but wonder if the people sitting in their cars did not experience a bit of guilt - like when you pass people on their exercise runs, and you think to yourself, "I should be doing that..."

With the stroller, I am pretty limited on how far I can go from our house. There is no cutesy downtown area for miles. Right below us is the mall, and though they do have Sees Candies and Peets coffee, it's not all that pleasant to walk around. Down the street is a strip mall with Walgreen's and Safeway. Blech. I have not tried grocery shopping yet with the stroller. I am afraid that it will be arduous and therefore very discouraging. So I plan to wait until I acquire a bike, and then we'll tackle grocery shopping. But then I still have that damn hill when I come home...

*Big Sidebar* When I'm driving to the city, I constantly fantasize about a railroad track running straight down the middle of Highway 101, with pedestrian overpasses linking to the platforms. I think about how AMAZING it would be to walk down the hill from our house, past the mall, crossing Freitas Parkway to a walkway that goes into "Terra Linda Station." I even know which stops would be local and which would be express. Terra Linda would naturally be a big express hub. Next express stop is Central San Rafael, then Larkspur, Corte Madera, Mill Valley, Sausalito, then under the bay and pop out to the first San Francisco stop, which I guess would have to be the Embarcadero. It may never happen in Marin, but I can dream.

My birthday is coming up - maybe my big present to myself will be a bike. Which means that Jacob's 18-month birthday present will have to be the iBert. And a toddler-sized helmet. Screw the hill, it will be good for both of us.