20080821

It's just like riding a bike

About once a year i would offer to teach DS1 (12) and DS2 (10) to ride a bike. Truth be told i dreaded the possibility of them saying yes. For one thing they might be able to go farther away from home - like i used to when i was their age, and another i didn't like the possibility of them getting hurt. I was still willing, and i think i didn't let me fear show through in my offers, but i was nervous none-the-less. Each time, though, they turned me down. They never explained it, they just weren't interested in it. Last Friday night something 'clicked'. We were over at a friend's house for a barbecue and swim time in their pool. It was a tad chilly so the swim time didn't last very long and the kids all got dried off and went to go play on the trampoline. At some point i went to go see the kids (the why is not important, besides - i don't remember it now) and there is DS2 riding around the driveway on one of their friend's bikes! I called my beloved over. At first she thought some one was hurt, but then we both just kind of stood there amazed. When we asked him he said he just wanted to ride. Oh kay... then, when his brother saw what he was doing he jumped on another one and started riding. We asked them where/when they decided to start riding a bike and it was then and there! \o/ They take after their dad. ;-) Now their sister wants to learn too! I think i know what is going to be on everyone's birthday and Christmas wish list this year. Including myself. I had loaned my old bike to a friend who has since misplaced it - but that's ok. The crank on the old one was stripped and it weighed a ton. I have gotten my money out of it. Maybe next spring we can all head out on a bike ride somewhere. In a side note, and in addition to yesterday's blog, i've trimmed down two of the other three blogs i had. I dropped my Hiku blog because i have not written anything new in a very long time. The other one was my Carolina Panthers blog. It was sort of redundant as i blog about the Panthers here anyway. I also didn't want either one clamoring for more time than i really had. One thing i am really trying to do is simplify myself so... One last thing, recently there was a "Behind the Scenes: Planet of the Apes" on the Biography channel. I know this may surprise a few people - but i do not actually know much about the older movies. I've seen the newer one, but really don't like the ending. Anyway, i watched some of that show last night. Pretty interesting stuff - well, to me. :) For example, did you know that when they made the first movie they didn't expect a sequel? It was made for $5.8m. When Fox Studios called for a sequel you would think they would use even more money... nope. It was made for around $3m. When they made that movie the writers and Charlton Heston didn't want to do it, so they compromised and in the final scene he blows up the world (in theory) by detonating a nuclear missile. But that didn't stop a third,fourth or fifth movie, or two television series, etc. Verse for today: Proverbs 21 : 1-3, ESV The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will. Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart. To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

3 comments:

2nd Cup of Coffee said...

I love old movie trivia. I like to watch TMC partly because of the introductions to the movies. About the bikes, I'm once again touched at your nurturing side concerning keeping the children close by and safe. That's sweet. But look at this way, your whole family will ride together someday and have a great bonding time. I can just picture a picnic!

Anonymous said...

My daughter was the same way as far as learning to ride. She was 8.Her dad took her to an empty lot 5 minutes before supper. I told him..why not wait till after supper. I went to call them back over to eat--and there she was riding around, all by herself. Makes life simple--I know 2 sets of parents that struggled with this, glad I didn't have to.

Rmpltskn

Amy L Buitendyk said...

Amazing that your children just learned! We always have had the kids on bikes since I can remember. I always feared my children going far away. Lucky for me though right now there far away are parks and schools and they really are not all to far!