Tuesday, April 19, 2011

{Virtual Coffee}



Today's Virtual Coffee is brought to you by Scrabble Apple.I think they only put one "F" in so as to discourage kids from spelling too many naughty words.

If we were meeting for coffee today I would be sticking with decaf because I'm already revved up. It has been such a nutso week between what I have to do and what I want to do and if we were meeting for coffee and you got all spiritual on me about my choice of words I would probably take your head right off.

If we were meeting for coffee today I would tell you that after much running around, we found Riley a new bike. How can you resist a bike with your own name on it?

And I found one for me too.


After going to see what I thought was a dandy "vintage" bike and turned out to be a hunk of scrap metal, I literally had this one delivered to my door (for considerably less than the asking price of the hunk of scrap). And to make it even better, it f-o-l-d-s up into a nice package, small enough to get in my car so I don't have to buy a rack this summer.

It has three speeds (on my 21 speed mountain bike I think I have only ever used 3 - hard, medium and easy), a chain guard, a spring rack on the back and a squishy mega gel seat (essential when you have no butt and an ordinary bike ride turns into a bone crunching event).



It's only bothering me a little bit that I have to put my a** on something somewhat porous that has had someone else's a** on it on a regular basis.

And the Piece de Resistance....a wicker carrying basket to clip on the front which hasn't made it on just yet.

I look like a complete nerd and geek on it and I love it!

If we were meeting for coffee today I would say that the first day after we got our bikes I begged off riding because the winds were so high and the temps so cold. We had white caps on the LAKE near our house.

But we still managed to share some love and peace

and to let loose.

If we were meeting for coffee today we would laugh at the question Riley asked this week that stopped me in my tracks. After prefacing this question with plenty of lead-ins like needing to talk to me about something that has been on his mind for a long time (which tells me he's kind of afraid to ask The Question), he wondered, "Why is it that you can yell at me but I can't yell at you." Hmmmm. That's a dandy question. I have always tried to treat my son with respect, as an equal in as many ways as possible in the house. And as hard as it is being a kid and growing up in 2011, adults have certain stresses that can put us over the top. I don't know of one parent that wouldn't confess to losing it every now and then. And if I'm really honest, I rarely yell at my son but it is usually when he has tuned me out. And the only way I can think of reaching him is sheer volume. Of course when the moment has passed I can think of umpteen ways of reaching him without yelling. So my answer was, in other words, "I'm human".

Now, since we're done here let's trot on over to Amy's Lucky Number 13 for some of those sugar cookies she has made for Easter and see if I can talk her out of those nifty blue shoes she is wearing today.


6 comments:

Sherry said...

I loved Riley's question...and I know that sometimes answers to questions like that are difficult. But being honest and open and creating dialogue with our children makes such a difference...I'm glad that you 2 have that kind of relationship!!

Love the bike...and the gel seat is an absolute MUST...cushy for the tushy!!! xoxox

Cheryl said...

Great bike purchases~!

Are you going to buy and install pink streamers on the handlebars?

I love your answer to Riley. The bond you've developed will last a lifetime. My answer would have been, "Why not?" I know. But then, my son expects that from me.

oreneta said...

Love the bike! LOVE It...

I've been asked similar questions, and will be asked them again, my answer is usually something along the lines of, I love you, I adore you, I am your mother more than your friend, and this is not a democracy.

Depending on age and attitude, I often end that by sticking my tongue out at them.....jejejejeje

thecatalanway said...

Great bike and great basket - I hope you have lots of good rides on it when the weather gets WARMER! Don't worry about the seat - it is probaby breathable and has breathed out as much as it has breathed in.
I like what Oreneta said - it was a good question that Riley asked and in the end the answer must be that 'that's how it is' parents have some extra privileges and it's not a democracy. I don't know how old he is but when he hits adolescence I expect he'll make up for lost time in yelling. I don't have children of my own but am a recent step mother and learning fast.
Virtual vermut on Friday?
Kate x

Kim Mailhot said...

Great bikes !
You will look like a beautiful geek on it.
Can you imagine having asked your Mom or Dad that kind of question ? I would have just gotten "Because !" and maybe a little swat for being too cheeky...
Love that you have a relationship where he can gather his courage and find the right moment to ask things like that. And that you pause long enough to find the "right" answer. Beautiful think, KImmy-poo.

Lis said...

You never fail to make me laugh unexpectedly ... the porous gel seat?

And then you stop me in my tracks ... just this week my girl had a note in her backpack, the yellow "Oops! I made a mistake!" form from school ... she was using a not friendly voice with one of her classmates and immediately I could see and hear the scene unfolding, a classmate frustrating her and the snappy "Do It NOW" kind of retort. I know I get doubly frustrated because I want her to listen to me and hate that getting angry seems to be the only way she will finally listen. Awareness ... it is a powerful thing. (And wow, Riley doesn't yell at you? That says something! Once I put my girl in a timeout and she came up to me, face right into mine and growled "You are wasting my time!" Oh yeah. We all are learning!)

Hope you have some riding weather soon!

xo Lis