The Big Production

On Saturdays, I like to take a bike ride. Last Saturday, I had a fantastic ride. I was zipping along, threw in some extra hills just for fun. The weather was beautiful. It was so good, in fact, that I told Bryan when I got home that I really would like to extend my weekend rides to an hour starting next week.

Instead, Bryan came down with the flu and some of the kids got bad colds. (We've been battling the "plagues" that have been flying around the community, and I'm hoping this last bout was the tail end.) By Saturday, everyone was recovering, but I still thought it best just to take a short ride, especially since it was pretty wet all day.

So, at about 3 in the afternoon, the rain stopped! Thrilled, I decided now was my chance. But first, the baby wanted to eat. So I fed him. Then, I realized that he had had a little explosion that needed changing. No leaks, thank goodness, but still a pretty serious change was in order. Austin didn't mind one bit. Diaper changes mean that he has access to his favorite snack: His toes!


By this time, it was 3:45, and Steffen got up from his nap. I didn't want to leave a recovering Daddy with a feisty two year old, so I figured I'd just take him with me. Hmmm, apparently it's been awhile since we've used the bike trailer. I pulled it out and cleaned it up. Nathan hooked it up for me.

While all this was going on, I asked a child (who shall remain nameless) to pen the dog for me so that I could just leave the gate open while I was gone. The dog was sitting on the side patio at the time. When I realize that nameless child has not penned the dog, I ask Nameless Child #2 to pen the dog, because, by this time, it has started sprinkling again, and I have to find the cover for the trailer so that Steffen doesn't get soaked. Child #2 apparently wishes that we didn't have a dog because the dog is refusing to come when called and is more interested in racing along the fence line with her other dog friends. After many attempts to cajole #1 and #2 into PENNING THE DOG, I had finished with the trailer and decide to do it myself. The dog walked right up to me.

By this time, it was after 4, and I finally got Steffen into a jacket and helmet, and at 4:35, the two of us were ready to go.

Whoa! I'm pretty sure Steffen had rocks (or cinder blocks) in his pockets!! How on earth did that trailer get so heavy? Plus, there was a head wind that seemed to be mainly blowing UPhill. And Steffen wanted to talk the whole way.
Steffen: (unintelligible)
Me: What?
Steffen: (unintelligible, but a little louder)
Me: I can't hear you. The wind is in my ears.
Steffen: What?
And so on. Then, there were the conversations when we were going uphill:
Steffen: Mommy, when you go faster? You can go faster.
Me: I'm trying...to...pedal...

After 1/2 an hour, I was more than ready to pedal back home, and as we turned in the driveway, the sun broke through the clouds.

An hour and a half production for a half hour ride. Was it worth it? You bet.