Do It Myself Blog – Glenda Watson Hyatt

While out doing errands yesterday, the brakes on my Orion scooter apparently failed. Coming up our hill only to roll backwards should I stop was not a reassuring feeling. Not wanting his wife out in something with unreliable safety, Darrell decided it was time to take possession of a new scooter that Pam at Scooter City had been holding for me since before our Las Vegas trip.

My new, shiny red scooter was delivered by 11:30am today. Thanks Pam!

Even though I have dreamed of having a red sports car (like who hasn’t!), this morning I was feeling nostalgic about my blue scooter. I soared like an eagle in that one! Can I soar in a red one? It’s as if my scooter colour had become part of my identity.

Discussing it this morning on Twitter, @chilihead offered that I could charge like a bull. With cerebral palsy I oftentimes feel like a bull in a china shop. But a changing bull? I hope not; at least, not too often. Then @MikeG1 offered soaring like a red-tailed hawk. Now that has potential! Do hawks soar like eagles? Hmm, I see I’m in for an identity makeover!

However, when the scooter was delivered and I saw the two rearview mirrors standing there like antennas, my initial thought was a red bumblebee! With two mirrors looking back at me, Carly Simon’s "You’re So Vain" suddenly became an earworm!

Those things made be quickly removed. Or, they may prove useful for mounting the gorilla tripod for my camera.

Sadly, my blue Orion sits in the corner, after years of great and loyal service. She deserves an exciting renewal:

• Someone suggested a "Pimp Your Scooter" contest. The winner would keep the scooter.
• @steven_sanders suggested selling it on ebay.
• My good friend Loree suggested jamming the ‘gas’ and sending it off a bridge/cliff. I hope she didn’t mean in Thelma & Louise style!
• And I’m wondering about some kind of raffle and donating part of the profits to a charity. The winning ticket would receive the scooter.

To be brutally honest, I would like to recover a bit of money from renewing her. Contrary to popular belief, the government doesn’t pay for everything for us. And, although Pam gave me a great deal, I still need to finish paying for the red bumblebee. Please let me know if you have any creative ideas.

I’m looking forward to as many adventures with the red-tailed hawk/red bumblebee as I had with the soaring eagle!