Settling in for autumn.

Yes, already, even thought the cicadas are in the trees reminding me that summer is still here and the weeds in the garden beckon the same as they might in July. Around the house its about schedules and the start of hockey, piano, PSR, homework and school pictures.

Will is scheduled to move to the two-year-old classroom next week. I don't know what he is going to think about that. If they have a good selection of toys he may not even notice his favorite friends are missing. I am willing to bet that he is going to find all the new faces a little off-putting.

Will is also getting out and seeing the neighborhood from a new perspective, his bike. And brother, he can sign bike with the most enthusiastic little arms while saying "bi". His bike is a tricycle that can be pushed from behind. We ordered it online and dad had to get out his new birthday tools to assemble it. I should inform you that dad received the most extensive collection of wrenches and wratchets and bits and pieces, all kept in a most organized carrying case for his birthday. It's a real man's man gift from his dad. Getting that case out means serious business. Can you imagine how that array of shiny silver metal looks to a kid. Even a neighbourhood boy that happened by during the bike assembly was asking what he could do to help. Yes, it is a sight to behold for any male.

Anyway, dad got that trike assembled and Will got in his first test drive. I took him for a spin around the block a few days later. I noticed the handlebars were a little loose and Will was happily steering left and right while mom kept things running in a smooth forward motion.

Yesterday I decided that we should go for another toot on the trike, but after strapping Will into his seat I spotted the case. Yes, the big serious case. I wondered to myself if I would be able to figure out which wratchet and which do-dad would work to tighten the handlebar. Sure I could, how hard can it be? I unlatched the two heavy-duty latches and opened it up. Apparently the case has an "up" side. I am of the opinion that if one side is marked "up", the other side should be also labeled with a "open other side" warning. Only a woman would think of that though, and this serious case of tools had no female input whatsoever, just on the grounds of stubborn pride alone I'm sure. 271 little pieces of shiny silver cascaded across the garage floor.
Some tinkled when they hit the floor, others made a thud. Will watched the whole thing from his bike, I'm sure understanding that the trip up the street was in jeopardy.

Now, I don't know what your garage floor is like, but ours houses a lot of stuff. Play stuff, cleaning stuff, work stuff, garbage stuff and the other stuff you leave there because you can't decide what kind of stuff it is. Those bits and pieces of serious tools were everywhere amongst the stuff. I spent a lot of time crawling around the millions of little hiding spots looking for anything silver. That was the easy part. The next step was an education in metric vs. imperial measurement and why the heck can't everyone agree to use one mode of measurement and stick with it? It took a good amount of time, but everything was accounted for and returned to its alotted place in the case. I even got that handlebar tightened, and found that chink-chink-chink sound the wratchet makes quite satisfying! Girl power!

So, as Will and I embarked on a lovely morning promenade down our street I could feel proud and enjoy the closing weeks of summer. That was, until I realized that tightening the handlebar was going to put a dent in the peacful aspect of our walk. Instead of a promenade, we were doing more of a swing-your-partner. Everytime Will turned to look at something, the bike would follow. There were many sudden u-turns into the grass. I tried to show Will his front tire and how it connected to the handlebar and to keep it straight, but Will had other ideas. He was going down the road his own way and even though I was holding the big handle at the back, I was not the one in control. (I don't know how religious you are, but I can see a significant analogy between the bike trip and God's relationship with me. I am indeed clutching the handlebars of my life and directing them toward all the places I want to go, yet, to me at least, it feels as though there is a big handle behind me steering me to where I need to go, and interestingly, I always end up in a good place.)

Anyway, I have a feeling this may be the start of a new phase here, as I settle in for autumn.