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There is not much that will keep me from riding my bicycle on the weekend. Usually it has to either be severe weather or a family commitment.
Or yard work.
We all should be familiar with my obsession over lawn lines after my recent blog regarding that subject. That obsession extends into the length of grass and not letting it grow beyond three days during the growing season. This time of year is when it rains almost every day in Chicagoland. The temperatures are consistently into the 80 and 90 degree range. Everything grows to jungle proportions. If I don’t mow my lawn every three days, I hear monkeys screeching in my yard. I swear, it’s true.
The bushes in front of my house had grown so much that I practically had to climb on the roof of my two story house to trim them. Grass had grown over the sidewalk, rendering the power edger almost useless, making a shovel the preferred method of taming the overgrowth. A decorative vine next to the garage had ventured inside and was threatening to strangle me in my sleep.
Only it’s evil chuckle as it hovered over my sleeping form saved me, my trusty shears stored in my bed stand at the ready. Today I am still bewildered as to how that nefarious vine slipped past the watchful eye of my faithful Sheltie. Biscuit crumbs next to the door give me a good idea of how that happened. Bribes work especially on Nick the Sheltie.
Five hours of intense yard labor, a necessary safety precaution, is what kept me from my bicycle on Saturday. Soaked with sweat when finished, I retreated safely to the shower and then to the calm of a baseball game as I napped on the couch, an eye open in case the vine reanimated.
Sunday my son turned 16. Escaping forever on my bicycle was the temptation when I awoke yesterday morning. Instead, I reserved my energy for the day ahead. Church. Lunch with the boy and his mother. An adventure in the passenger seat of his mother’s car as the new driver negotiated the busy streets of west Chicagoland (not as bad as it sounds.. but we left his mother to shop while we motored). Fun shopping for baseball jerseys at a new fan apparel store. Nine holes of twilight golf, a fantastic time with a boy who suddenly figured out it’s more fun to golf when relaxed.
No bike. And it’s freaking pouring rain today.
The vine just texted me. Uh oh. Time to buy some Round Up and a squirt gun…..