Easy As Falling Off A Bike pt 925.

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Wuthering Dormice
(aka Bike)
Part 925
by Angharad

Copyright © 2010 Angharad
All Rights Reserved.
  
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I took Tom and Leon out some drinks–the vegetable garden was looking quite a bit tidier. “Where’s Julie?” asked Leon.

“At the salon,” I answered as I passed him a coffee.

“What, she gettin’ ’er ’air done? She di’n’t say nuffin’ about dat.”

“She’s working at one as a Saturday girl. I suppose she didn’t say anything about that either?”

“Not to me.”

“Oh well, perhaps you had better things to talk about the other night–unless you forgot, of course.”

“Coulda done,” he took his drink and walked over to sit on a garden seat, which looked in need of some TLC. Something for the spring for him to do, if he’s still coming here then.

“She’ll be home by about six.”

“Okay,” he nodded and smiled. Maybe they were an item together–experience for both of them.

The two boys were upstairs reading some of the books I’d got for them which pleased me no end. “Not out helping Leon today?” I asked.

“Nah–they sent us in, an’ it was cold.” Danny looked up from his book.

“Why did they send you in?”

“He was messin’ about,” offered Billy.

“An’ you weren’t?” challenged Danny.

“Sounds to me you were both messing about.”

“Yes, Mummy,” they both chorused quietly. Well, they were boys and boys do mess about–but Tom’s veg garden was his pride and joy, and having Leon to help him has rekindled his interest. I suppose it saves Simon some effort, because I’d have asked him to help otherwise. He’d have said no and offered to pay for a gardener: which completely defeated the whole point of the exercise–for Tom to feel he was helping to provide for the family–and with the family. When the boys are a fraction older, they’ll understand better and I know Tom will love teaching them about gardening.

Back in the garden–“I hope you’re going to do some flowers, too,” I said loudly to no one in particular.

“Aye, ye’ll get some fer yer vases, dahlias an’ roses.”

“Can we have some sweet-peas too, I just love them.”

“Och, they’re an awful fuss, aw thae waterin’ an feedin’.”

“I’ll see to that if you plant them and some sticks for them to grow up.”

“My ma likes sweet-peas,” said Leon, “maybe I could do some for ’er.”

“Och, looks like I’m oot voted–it’s a sair fecht.” Tom shook his head and muttered to himself, but I smiled, I’d got what I wanted and sowed my own seeds–of ideas.

Feminine wiles over, I went in to start lunch. We’d bought a pile of crumpets and after warming them through under the big grill, I placed some thinly sliced cheese over them with a slice of tomato and under the grill they went again. They went down quite well and didn’t take too long to organise or clear up afterwards.

I changed after lunch and when the kids saw me in cycling kit, they all asked to come with me. I told them to behave for an hour and I’d come back for them, and Simon had agreed to see to them changing into suitable attire for my return and their ride.

It was ages since I’d had much of a ride and clicking my shoe cleats into the pedals felt good. I aimed to do a quick ten miler then back to the house to get the kids. Goodness, I was stiff and unfit–and the hills felt much harder and steeper. My average was going to be irrelevant because going out with the others would slow it down to a walking pace. However, if I could encourage them to ride so much the better.

I saw one or two other cyclists about, the real hardened racer types ignore you, but the others nod or wave, occasionally even speak. I made it back to the house having clocked up fifteen very hard miles and my bum remembered what a saddle felt like and preferred amnesia or should that be anaesthesia?

The kids, two boys and three girls, wrapped up warmly and with helmets on greeted my return with lots of enthusiasm and we were soon out along the cycle path. I suspect we were overtaken by a couple of slugs and a snail, but who cares?

We were passed by a few cyclists, all of whom smiled and said something funny or encouraging. Things were going quite well until I had the puncture–back wheel–natch.

I felt something going funny with the handling of the bike and looked down at my rear tyre–it was softening rapidly. I called a halt and as we were slightly too far to walk home, I’d have to do a repair.

After calling the kids to stay close by, I whipped off the wheel, after inverting the bike. Quick release levers facilitate that–then, tyre levers, and so on–I’m sure you all know how to change an inner tube, so I won’t bore you with details. I checked the tyre inside so as not to repeat the puncture–nothing there, and popped in a new tube, refitted the tyre and pumped it up–I had a Carbon dioxide cylinder thing which saves a lot of time and effort. I suppose it took about ten or twelve minutes to fix the puncture and we set off back home–the boys racing ahead, despite my calls to slow down. Thankfully we all arrived home safe and sound.

I tidied all the bikes away and went up to shower, then got myself to ready collect Julie. Trish worked out what I was up to and asked to come as well. Then the two boys wanted to come and so did Livvie; Meems seemed content to stay with Simon–she always was a bit of a Daddy’s girl.

I borrowed Tom’s Mondeo and we set off to collect our missing family member. We were all a bit startled when we got there, she was sporting a black hair colour with red and pink stripes in it instead of her normal light brown hair.

I suspect my impression of a goldfish made her realise I wasn’t particularly in favour of her new look. The kids thought it was wonderful, I was speechless.

“Marge, I thought she was here for experience not a makeover?” I asked the owner.

“Relax, Cathy, once it’s been washed a few times it’ll calm down a bit.”

“It may, I’m not sure I will.”

“She’s a teen for God’s sake, this sort of rebellion is better than snorting coke or even smoking tobacco.”

“Okay–but if she starts doing that as well, it’ll be her arse that’s got red stripes on it, not her hair.”

“I didn’t realise you were into violence against children.”

“I’m not unless it’s absolutely necessary–if it saves them from using drugs–then I’m in favour.”

“She doesn’t look the sort, and as her mum, you should be able to trust her.”

“I hope so, but I’ll also make clear I’ll tan-fiddle her rump if necessary to make my point.”

“Calm down, Cathy–it’s her hair colour which has changed not her whole moral code which I’m sure you’ve been pumping into her all her life.”

“I think I’d better get pumping some more–and warn her that Simon will be furious.”

“Well you delivered her here looking like a Goth.”

“I was under the impression she had to wear black.”

“Black tee and pants would have done.”

“Okay, point taken–but she thought she’d better look tidy for her first day.”

“She does and she’s worked well, we’ve had her shampooing and cleaning up–I’ve given her twenty pounds for the day, is that okay?”

“Fine with me, and I expect with her too.”

“Yes–she was surprised I paid her anything.”

“And a makeover?”

“Well it went a bit quiet after lunch and I was training an apprentice so Julie was our model.”

“See you next week, Marge,” I collected the children and shoved them back in the car.

“You looked a bit shocked at my hair colour, Mummy,” Julie said with a bit of trepidation.

“A little,” I responded with the understatement of the millennium.

“Don’t you like it?” she sounded still unsure.

“That’s irrelevant now isn’t it? C’mon pizzas for tea.”

The cheering from the back seat was endangering my hearing until I asked them to tone it down. While we waited for the take-aways, Julie asked me, “Are you cross with me?”

“Not really, more with myself. You’ve pushed my boundaries a bit today and I wasn’t prepared for it–that’s all.”

“Do you like it?”

“I don’t think I shall ever like it, but I will get used to it. That’s the best I can do.”

She hugged me and I felt her sob. “I’m sorry, Mummy–I didn’t think it would upset you.”

“C’mon, let’s go home–here kids, help me carry these to the car...”

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Comments

Cute to see simon and Meems together

I suspect she didn't see much of her biological dad so having simon available has to be a real treat for her... (Meems seemed content to stay with Simon—she always was a bit of a Daddy’s girl.)

Hope Cathy is careful with Julie, letting her know that she doesn't really approve is ok but don't even look like you're rejecting her. The kid's emotions are on a hair balance and it doesn't take much to push her over to dispair.

... and great to see Cathy able to take a bike ride with nothing but a flat tire going wrong!

Typical Mother Of A Teenager

jengrl's picture

Cathy is acting like the typical mother of a teenager. I am glad that Julie reacted as she did and not in the usual fit of rebellion that most girls her age do with their mothers. Hopefully, it will keep her from doing something else to push the envelop such as a nose ring or strange tattoo. Julie actually respects Cathy and that is a wonderful thing. I hope it never changes.

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Bike pt 925

I wonder what they'll say to Julie when she gets home?

    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine
    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine

The resurrection of Stella?

Thanks Angharad and Bonzi: a wonderful episode as always, and published much earlier than usual (my time anyway).

I was waiting to hear more about Stella and what happened on her date (assuming that she remembers!) Will there be another? Given that it's pizzas for tea, surely she's made it back into the land of the living? Or perhaps she's been too ashamed to put in an appearance?

Possibly Supine


Bike Archive

"Helping" In the Garden

My grandfather had a story of when as a youth he tried for a job. The boss's observation was that with one boy you got one boy's worth of work done. With two boys you got half a boy of work done and with three boys no work would be done at all.

Perhaps once you exceeded three boys the damage they'd manage to cause would actually be counter productive.

Michelle B

Red and Pink stripes in

Red and Pink stripes in Black hair, hummm, wonder if Cathy can find a bike kit that looks like that and then they can set up their own girls biking team. They could call it 'almost goth'. Jan

It's In the Nature of Teenagers

to push their parents' buttons -- it's one of their ways of establishing their independence -- of showing that they're their own person not a carbon copy of Mummy. (Yes, I'm speaking from experience, eh?) BTW, the Goth thing has been around for more than a few years.

Yours from the Great White North,

Jenny Grier (Mrs.)

x

Yours from the Great White North,

Jenny Grier (Mrs.)

I remember the first

time i had a puncture on my bike, And it certainly took me a lot longer than ten minutes to fix it, No quick release levers for me and as for carbon dioxide cylinders.....Well i don't think they had been invented (it was a loooong time ago!).

The mention of Crumpets (we actually called them pikelets*)bought back memories of Saturday afternoons at my grans sitting there toasting them in front of her fire, With one of those old-fashioned toasting forks.....Simple food, But oh so nice!

Kirri

*http://www.cakebaker.co.uk/crumpets-pikelets-english-muffins.

Zank 'eaven for leetle gurls!

Oooh. Look out!!!
Cathy's got it all to come. The tantrums, the shop-lifting, the bad company, the late nights, you name it!
Hope she (Cathy that is.)can manage.
Well at least her daughter's got Leon to look after her.

Bloody hell, did I actually say that????!!!

Good luck Cathy!
You're gonna need it!
XOXO
Bev.

Beverly Taff.
This is wierd. I haven't changed my password but the site wont dispayl all my thingies at the side like 'Submit Story'!

Julie

Julie may have said yes, but that hair dresser bears the brunt. Still, it is a good lesson for the girl. Just because it sounds good in practice...