Yesterday my wife took the bike to a nearby bike shop and fixed the flat. Since the wheels were dry-rotted, she also got a new tire... but only for the flat back wheel.
Everything else was really expensive, so no rack, no saddlebags, and no bike carrier for the car. I'm stuck with my laptop bag until further notice.
BUT! Today I got to work in under 30 minutes, with no significant pain. And then I did it again on the way home!
I'm starting to think a decent bike might be a good investment. It is Christmas time; maybe Goodwill or a pawn shop will have something. Then again, maybe I should leave that for some kid who wants it more.
Biking again tomorrow. We'll see how it goes!