Before: My Wife sent this pic from the thrift store last July, said "it's $35 and has the pretty thingy's where the tubes come together like on your red bike" (That's my Paramount). "Do you want me to buy it?"

"Hell Yea!" I answered.

After: My new gravel/x-bike. Mostly built it out of parts I had laying around from donor bikes & spare parts except for the seat & tires. Only kept the handlebars, crank & front derailleur (I don't have a Shimano bottom pull FD on hand, and the shifter seems to work with the Suntour derailleur. Most importantly it's fun to ride.