“There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million.”
Today looks delightful with a bright morning sun and a blue sky without a single cloud. The breeze is slight, only the top most branches of the tallest pines are blowing. The dogs love this weather. They haven’t even taken their morning naps.
When I was a kid, my bicycle expanded my world. I could pedal my way to the towns on all sides of my town. Once, my brother and I even rode to East Boston. That scared my mother. We thought it was an adventure. My bike lived in the cellar. It took maneuvering to get it out of the cellar and up the concrete stairs beside the tall wall outside the cellar door. I had to lift my bike so it stood on the back wheels, turn it then haul it up the stairs. Getting it back inside was no easier. I rode my bike all seasons. Only snow kept it in the cellar.
Every kid I knew rode a bicycle. None of us started with training wheels. My mother taught me to ride. I remember her holding the back of my seat and running along beside me telling me to keep pedaling. I remember the bike would tilt sideways on its way to the ground because I couldn’t keep my balance, but my mother saved me every time. I still remember when she let go, and I kept going. It was pure joy.
I walked to school and home again. I walked the railroad tracks. On Saturdays I walked to the movie theater. I never minded walking, but I loved my bike more. It was freedom, but I never thought of it that way. It was just my bike.
I remember when I learned to ice skate backwards. It was on the rink the town erected every winter at Recreational Park. At first I sort of jerkily walked backwards looking behind me the whole time. I was afraid of hitting the wall or other skaters, but I was determined. I kept at it until I could glide backwards. It was my skating triumph.
I always did well in school. I loved learning. The only subject I hated was arithmetic. I still hate math of any sort. My advisor in college remarked that he had never seen such a difference between the scores of the English and math portions of the SAT’s. It didn’t surprise me.
Today I have a uke concert. That is it on my dance card until next week. I am almost finished the Stephen King. I have been reading all day and well into the night. I don’t want to be rash, but I was even thinking I might do my laundry.
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April 20, 2023 at 7:29 pm
Just shopping by bike today. We had a public meeting yesterday how to improve bike infrastructure in this crowded town with way too many cars. It’s difficult. It’s quite dangerous for kids to explore their world by bike nowadays. [Funny language: I just tried to find a translation for Arschkarte, literally ass-card, it’s something like ‘draw the short straw’. Kids have the ass-card in this country.]
Mixed weather here, the cherry tree started blooming yesterday but it’s still to cold for bees.
Success and fun for your concert!
April 20, 2023 at 8:45 pm
Birgit,
The concert was at a place called Cape Abilities which has a clientele of adults with down syndrome and other developmental issues. They loved the concert. There was even dancing.
The cape has a bike trail from the bridge to Provincetown. It is quite popular. I used to ride to P-town. The views are spectacular. There are also bike routes along side some of the bigger roads.
I like ass-card. It is so true now for kids. They are short-changed.
April 20, 2023 at 7:47 pm
Hi Kat,
Today was cloudy and warm all day. The was 82°, but currently it’s raining. Not a typical spring thunderstorm, but just a steady rainfall. We’ve needed it as well as my grass.
I remember my father running behind my bike while holding the seat to steady me. After a couple of runs he let go without telling me. I kept yelling don’t let go, but I had already ridden twenty or thirty yards by myself. Eventually, I fell down. I was elated that I could ride the bike by myself without the training wheels. Shortly I figured out how to mount and dismount from the bike gracefully. 🙂
I remember riding my bike to school nearly every day. But, I never learned to ice skate or roller skate backwards.
I never did that well in school, but I managed to get by and graduate. Like you I loved reading but math was my weak subject. I learned just enough math to learn how to fly. Luckily, Texas Instruments brought out the pocket calculator and a pilot circular slide rule, called an E-6B, saved my bacon. 🙂
April 20, 2023 at 9:15 pm
Hi Bob,
It got into the high 50’s today and will be the same tomorrow. This is the time of year when the cape is much chillier than north of us. At least all the forsythias have bloomed making it look like spring.
No one I knew had training wheels. Years back two of my neighbors kids got new bikes. The one without the training wheels learned almost right away. The other one first had the two training wheels then one. It took her quite a while to learn to ride.
I never roller skated backwards. I don’t know why as I could ice skate backwards. Maybe it was the speed of the roller skates. I rode my bike to school when it was warm.
I always did well in school, even in math though it was always a struggle.