Oh, dear

Yesterday, Paul went to France. In a car. So he left before dark and got home very late. He was riding with possibly the only person in the western world who routinely drives faster than my mother does, so it was not all that late. But nevertheless.

It was late enough that when I woke him up to take the kids to school he muttered some threats and imprecations and went back to sleep.

Great. You guys know how much I like last minute changes in plan, yes? Particularly when they involve my riding a bicycle through the rain pulling about, oh, 70 pounds of child behind me and I am standing in my pajamas?

However, I did do it. I wish I could say I did it graciously, since I knew he was justifiably tired. But mostly I did it with a certain amount of muttering.

Then Douwe decided he wanted to ride his bike rather than ride in the bicycle cart. He has not been allowed to do this as it is pretty far and, well, if it were only one way that would be one thing. But he then has to ride the bike for the trip back after all day at school, which is another thing entirely.

Still, he is getting older. And it must be said that Douwe is a much more fun person to be around generally if he has had some occasion for strenuous exercise. And we have all been sort of cooped up here lately.

These thoughts were still going through my head as Douwe wheeled his bike out into the street and sat on it and asked if I was coming. *Eh*, I thought, okay kid.

He did sort of get tired at one point fairly near the school. Then he started humming the "Speed Racer" theme song and began threading his way through the imaginary crashes and so on of the Great Mountain Race. Interesting motivation, that.

The trip home was uneventful, but again he did get tired at one point on the way. So I don't think he's ready to ride his bike every day. But still, Paul is going back to school this month, to get his certification to be a physics teacher when he grows up. So it is good to have it as an option I think.

Daan of course now wants to ride his bike, too. He was firmly informed that he could do it when he was six (it was the best I could come up with: "You are too little" is not a good answer and just makes him more determined).

So I have the feeling I am going to be riding my bike rather more in the immediate future.

Good thing Spring is coming.