I think I got 'got'. Twice. In one day. *Ouch*

So I gloated about our lovely weather.. over at Northern Girl's place.. and at Fracas'. Jinx. Noone likes a smartypants, really. Even if they did mention Australia and I just jumped in and went all 'yoo hoo! yes, Australia!, it's lovely here this time of year, come on over'.

So we suffered. 40 degree heat here yesterday. (That's around 110 Farenheit I think.)
God it was hot. Would have traded for some snow and ice in an instant. The poor kids had Touch after school, and we had to turn up because Cait was meeting us there. Alison wasn't keen on going, and I only made her because it was a team sport. I dunked their shirts in water and they put them on wet. And the Landcruiser has kick-arse airconditioning. The Kids Touch (for Zoe) was cancelled, but they went ahead with the Junior games, just as a gusty southerly (ahead of a storm front) blew in. That was insane in itself, with wind gusts of up to 85 kph nearly blowing us off our feet (I'm using the Bureau of Meteorology stats here) but at least the temperature dropped at least 10 degrees in 5 minutes.

I also spruiked about a breakthrough I had with Her Highness over an issue two nights ago. Where I handled something right for a change and she didn't stomp off to bed yelling at me. I was all smugly 'Eureka, I've got it!' I'd made the breakthrough and so now all I had to do was just apply that strategy next time and every time and .. voilà .. instant mother-daughter harmony. Barely 12 hours later we had the arguing and stomping and threats that "You are lucky I even told you I wanted to do that, I could have just gone and done it and you wouldn't have known" over something I decided wasn't necessary or appropriate for her to do today. (In other words I said "No" to something she wanted to do.) You're right Northern Girl. "Slushy". Some days it flows like a river of chocolate. Some days it's ice and snow and blizzard conditions.

~~~~
Did I mention here we have decided to do the NSW Big Ride again next year? Yep, most people we know think that we're craaaazzzy... but before you start casting nasturtiums (*wink*), check out these guys who are riding around America and Mexico with their twin 8 year old sons on a triplet and a single bike. (Warning: if you are hooked enough to start reading their entries, they are up to #148, so you might whittle away a few hours on a vicarious adventure. Don't forget what else it was you were going to do right now!)

Anyway, back to our measly "little" Big Ride, then. Marc decided to pull out of the Touch tournament in NZ so as to spend the time doing family stuff. It may not be long before #1 is not interested in doing stuff like that with us. He is also conscious of how much time he spends away with work. I am proud of him .. it was a shit of a decision to have to make.

(Did I mention that I missed him when he worked away?)

Did I also mention that it was hot yesterday?!! Hot enough to melt! Love this entry in the Sculptures by the Sea exhibition in Sydney in early November.
(I nicked this pic, and cropped it, from Graces' Blog. I didn't think they'd mind!)

Labels: bike riding, daily, doh, karma, teenagers

I won a competition! I've won an entry in the Big Ride.!

I think it depends who I tell as to the reaction.

Told some other tandem riders (on a yahoo groups site), and they are all like 'woo hoo, congratulations'! Told the girls at the netball committee meeting tonight and they just went 'riiiight' in a 'you call that a prize?' kind of way.

I was driving back from Port today when I got the call from Bicycle NSW on my mobile. My immediate thought (after the Oh My God, I won something!) was 'Oh boy, this makes things a bit complicated.. for Marc'. The only reason we hadn't signed up to do it all again (and I have it documented in that journal that he was already ready to sign up for next year at the Finish line) is that he wasn't paying attention to the different dates for next year's ride, and made himself available to be selected in this Australian Mens Over 40s Touch side to play in New Zealand next March. And it clashes.

He already has the clock ticking over making a decision - the Touch people need to know. They already had to make a case for not participating in the "compulsory" 10 day tour associated with it. And he knows I'm not really keen.. because it's a one person thing vs a whole family thing. and I reckon the Big Ride kind of had dibs. And we just bought the triplet so it would be a shame not to use it.. and .... and we now know quite a lot of people who will be on it ... and ra, ra, ra.

I spent the rest of the drive home barely able to wipe the smile from my face BECAUSE I WON SOMETHING - GO ME!... and worrying about being able to claim it.

I told Marc it was Fate.

(So far he has suggested - flippantly - that we go for the first half without him... Cait and Ali on one tandem (hah!).. and Zoe and me on another. One of the Sydney tandem guys suggested that I'd be fine doing it myself - he'd just have some logistical issues involved in taking the girls with him (to NZ) Hah! to that too.


So there you go... Fate. Karma.. whatever.


Now.. about my reality check on the weekend. Let's see if I can be more succinct than I was when I attempted to write about it yesterday. Alison was invited to go shopping with 3 other friends, by a newish friend who was wanting to do something a bit belatedly for her birthday. I finally got to talk to her Nan (who she lives with) about what was happening (wanting to be sure about supervision).. and she asked if it was ok if the girls went to visit Ali's friend's mum in hospital first. I was aware that her mum was in hospital, but to my shame hadn't paid much attention to the circumstances. She has a muscular wasting disease of some sort... needs to be on a ventilator.

Ah gee. No, of course I didn't mind. Aside from the physical ramifications, imagine as a mother being in hospital.. and not knowing your daughter's friends. And all that. Each time I went to speak to Alison about it I got all choked up.

Like I said. Reality check. With a pointy stick.

Labels: bike riding, karma, reality checks