Rain.
July was full of it up here. I don’t know if any records were set, but I do know it was near the top for total July rainfall. Also, no 90’s today, which means April was the last time we had 90’s. The local news informed us the other day that since this sort of stuff has been recorded, only in 1920 and 1932 have June and July passed by without a day in the 90’s. To which, I think the most appropriate thing to say is- kinda cool.
Tried to take the kids bike riding this morning. Our driveway is gravel- and the boy is still on training wheels. Unfortunately, the two don’t play well together. So, we go to parks for rides. The girl has a bike with training wheels as well, but prefers her tricycle which means that she goes slowly… really… slowly. Ah well…
So the rack goes on the back, my bike and the boy’s bike go on the back, and the trike goes in front seat. The kids go in the back seat, I go in the driver’s seat and we’re off. Don’t even get off our street and the drizzle is hitting the windshield. Yay. Maybe it will pass over- that’s typically what happens with this stuff. Besides, the weatherman SAID it wouldn’t start until noon, and it wasn’t even 10 yet.
By the time we get to the park, it’s no longer a drizzle, but its not quite rain yet either… drain maybe? Anyway, I unload everything and we keep under the trees. We’re able to get about a half-hour’s worth of riding around. The girl gets about 10 minutes or so before she gives up on the trike. The boy does well, until the end when he starts going down a small…decline. This causes him to temporarily lose control of the bike- but he doesn’t fall! Unfortunately, he atones for that by getting off the bike and shoving it to the ground. He’s upset about something- “Stupid bike.”
Now it’s raining, so homeward bound we are. I pull onto our street, and immediately, the rain lets up. The boy asks why. I’m wondering the same thing at that point. I don’t have answers for myself or him, so that’s what I tell him. By the time we pull down the driveway, the rain is basically done. Naturally. The rest of the day is fairly unremarkable- too wet to go out, too cold to play ball. Good ol’ Dr. Seuss.
Most of the rest of the day is the kids playing amongst themselves. I play on my computer with this stuff and keep an ear on them. They’re at that stage- as long as I can hear them, everything is good. Now I appreciate how silence can be deafening.
They help put together dinner, eat dinner, and cleanup dinner. Although the eating part was just barely. The stir-fry thing isn’t for them, no matter how many things are in there that they like, or they’ve eaten before. They’re awfully picky about presentation. It’ll be nice when they aren’t this picky. Of course, then there will be something else. That’s another thing you realize somewhere between the first step and the first successful potty run, there’s always something else.
From there, it’s a couple of showers, a couple of puzzles, and then bed. The day ends, and tomorrow awaits.