Freedom and the Fourth

You know how, when you're making polite, friendly small talk with a cashier or an acquaintance or a person standing in line with you, one tried-and-true topic always seems to be weather? As in "Gee, how about that storm last week?" or "We sure could use some rain!" Well, after last Friday's Derecho (Like that? I swear the Weather Weenies made it up especially for the occasion. Evidently it means "a storm that travels quickly in a straight line"...even though in Spanish it means the direction "right". I don't pretend to be meteorologically-gifted...) and the week-long cleanup that continues even now, conversation around here has been all about "Did your power comer back on yet?" Oh, and then we've been suffocating under a record-breaking heatwave, too, so there's the good old standard "Wow, it sure is H-O-T out there!" (To which I'm tempted to respond, "Yeah, and I'm sooooo over it already, so please don't remind me while I'm inside sucking up the air conditioning.) I know I had a point here somewhere....oh yeah! So, Husband and I decided that we would avoid the worst of the daytime high temperatures by taking a family bike ride before lunchtime on July 4th. It was, in fact, the Inaugural Two-Wheeled TeamWestEnders Excursion--as Riley was deemed big and strong enough to manage a decent-length jaunt at this point.

Like a group of trained professionals (albeit without the lucrative sponsorship--darn!) we checked the tires, helmeted-up, and rolled out, sticking to neighborhood roads and keeping a moderate pace for this test trip. We managed a pleasant, just-strenuous-enough hour-long ride (not counting water breaks) with even the youngest and least mechanically-advantaged of us (that would be Riley again, the only one who doesn't yet own a geared bike) maintaining a steady clip. Of course, Riley also chattered the entire time. ("Hey, honey, go back there and tell your father that story, while I ride up here in front to watch the road and keep us all safe...yeah, that's it!") But the funniest moment came courtesy of Derek, peddling along the side of a wide, deserted street lined with houses. I think I had just passed Riley, who protested not being in first place anymore. I teased that if we were in the Tour de France, he would have "lost the yellow jersey". (Yeah, 'cuz I'm just that much of a nerd to be able to make competitive cycling jokes.) Derek came back with: "If this was a real bike race, those passing minivans would be tossing us snacks!" Even while working out, he continues to think clearly with his bottomless-pit of a stomach...sigh...

Once we had finished sweating (at least in a planned fashion, you couldn't really avoid it if you stepped outside at all) the rest of the Independence Holiday was devoted to relaxing. The boys have resumed their musical pursuits, feverishly collaborating on Songwriting, then racing to the basement to hold periodic Rehearsals when they have something to try out. (We never have to wonder where they are, as Derek's energetic drumming and Riley's amplified singing travel through the floor ever-so-clearly...Memo to Me: investigate affordable soundproofing methods ASAP.) After one such session, Riley sought me out to deliver this report: "Band Practice went okay." Just 'okay'? (Silly me, I had to ask, right?) Therefore he elaborated, "Because I've never had music lessons, I write songs based on how they sound vocally..." (Yes, that's the word he used...) At this point Derek joined us to add his clarification--"And I write them hearing how they'd work with different beats and instruments in my head." So it seems my young musicians have to figure out, like all famous and successful songwriting teams (Rogers and Hammerstein, Elton and Bernie...Jagger and Richards?), how to make the lyrics and melody work together before they're ready to actually record anything. However, Derek's--ahem--"material" at the moment includes lyrics about (I am NOT making this up) Lawn Gnomes. Potential Grammy-winning stuff, I tell ya. And he was so pleased with his ingenuity and cleverness, until Husband, being equal parts helpful and curious, no doubt, uncovered a number of videos on You Tube about...you guessed it. Back to the Drawing Board on that one. (And I won't hang a trophy shelf just yet for all the Music Awards.) Meanwhile, Riley's just as...creative...having penned a catchy little ditty about: a Kraken--the enormous, mythological sea monster. (Yeah, I haven't a clue where they get this stuff...)

That about sums up all the scorching (literally) news around here. Until the heat breaks (fingers crossed for SOON) we'll probably be at the pool, submerged up to our noses, coming out only for icy drinks. Now if they could just have a Support Team meandering around the perimeter, throwing us snacks...