a rugs life

Yesterday had the fresh, slightly predatory, feel of winter. We rode in to work with temperatures in the upper 30’s. There was definitely a bite to the air.

Once I was warmed up and my muscles were moving, my lungs savored the cold freshness. And in the seat behind me, singing to herself the entire way, was my happy daughter.

We’re entering true winter now, in our second year as cyclists.

I went to the bike store to buy a $5 front light for my bike and emerged 20 minutes later $74 poorer but $74 safer.

The clerk looked at my helmet and said in a dispairing tone of voice, “how old is this”? Since I couldn’t actually remember WHEN I bought it, I hedged, saying, “oh, a few years”. Then he said, “you know I don’t think they make helmets like this anymore…” Well, one new helmet was put in the shopping cart.

I then learned that my bike would not accomodate the $5 style of front light, but required a $34 front light. This is the type that attaches to the front of one’s helmet and resembles a miner or brain surgeon.

So one $34 front light went into the shopping cart.

The clerk also took a look at my daughter’s child seat, and did a few bangs and pings. Apparently the seat needed some bolts tightened.

And he showed me the coolest thing: it is removeable! When my daughter tips the scales over 40 pounds, the seat can be removed, leaving a handy baggage rack in its place. Very cool. By then, I hope that Rada will be riding a two wheeler, and we’ll be hooking up a device to the back of my bike where she can bike along behind.

The pipes did not freeze, the car ran, no bones were broken.

But the weekend was rife with small, horrible snafus and glitches. The humidifier blew the electrical circuit in the kitchen. We got halfway to a birthday party with no directions, and no way of getting them. We arrived up at a museum 45 minutes before it closed (why this happened is another story).

I kept thinking it is a bad patch, it will get better.

But it did not. Appliances broke, things were misplaced and then lost. A child who had been calm and cheerful suddenly became weepy and glum. Flying insects re-appeared in the pantry. I massacred them.

Sunday evening, when sleep finally came, was joy.

This morning my daughter deliberated at length over who would accompany us to ’school’. The list of candidates included Clifford, Pooh, and Kitty Cat. After much discussion, it was decided that Clifford would go, Pooh would go tomorrow, and Kitty Cat the day after.

All was well until just before leaving. Suddenly Rada changed her mind and took Pooh, saying “Pooh REALLY wants to go today, Clifford will go tomorrow, and Kitty Cat the day after tomorrow”.

So we began to put on our mittens and hats. A few moments later, Rada jumped up, threw Pooh into the kitchen, grabbed Kitty Cat and said “Kitty Cat MUST go today, Pooh will go tomorrow, and Clifford the day after”.

Two seconds went by and she jumped up again, replaced Kitty Cat with Clifford and said, “No, Clifford really must go TODAY”. But after a moment of thought, she changed her mind again and grabbed Kitty Cat.

I’d never seen my daughter so tortured by a decision. I calmly waited while she went through several more cycles of swapping.

Finally she seemed to settle on Kitty Cat, and we went out the door.

Here’s Rada with her fairy wings and wand just before she went out trick or treating. My friends Patricia and Peter, who had dressed for the evening, accompanied her.

Does Rada look like the Statue of liberty to you? There’s something statuesque about her…

And doesn’t Patricia look elegant as a witch? I wish hats like that were in style right now.

I stayed home in civilian attire and had fun giving treats to the goblins who came by.

My daughter and I have been riding the bike every day for what seems like weeks. I can’t remember the last time we took the car.

I’ve been thinking more about what we’ll need in order to keep warm when it gets colder. I devised an excellent helmet hat for my daughter using a knitted cap that was a little too large. When stretched out, it fits over her helmet beautifully. The hat is olive green and makes her look a bit like a GI ‘in the field’. But she likes it and is happy to wear it, which is the most important thing.

For myself, I figured out a layered strategy which will make it possible for me to continue wearing my favorite parka in very cold weather.

So, I think we’re ready.

Not that we’re in any hurry…