October 4, 2014

This is the second Saturday I have woken up in the early, early morning hours in panic of the alarm clock, only to realize that I get to sleep in. and what a relief that is.   Ethan had spent the night nearby at a friend’s house, and I heard him set down his bike  walking into the back yard with the ‘clank' of the gate door.   It was time to be up.  After only a cup of coffee, he and I made plans to ride bikes down to the farmer’s market.  I was thrilled to be back into biking season again.  He wanted to ride around as I perused the stands…I found one which had original labels from the fruit grower’s association here (this area used to be filled with pear orchards until a blight killed almost all the orchards in 1967).  The Indian food stand also dazzled me (as it always does) and Raj made me promise to come earlier next time to get some of the flavors that instantly sell out.  I also spoke to a sweet man from the Watsonville area, where the kids and I biked many years ago when we toured down the California coast.  I spoke to him about the time he spent on the road.  Poor guy…working so hard on the weekends and then construction during the week.  He later (upon our return) gave Ethan 4 free pomegranates.   

Onto the bike trail and then heading home to grab my card (which I intentionally left at home so as to avoid buying stuff) and Maggie’s bike since we needed to get a new tube put in.  I JUST.ABOUT.DIED biking uphill (and walking the bike up the super-steep hills – are you crazy?  This isn’t the Tour de France).  Once the palpitations were manageable again, I felt great.  Off to the Bike Shop!  It wasn’t really about saving the $7 it would cost for them to change the tire…I wanted to learn.  When I first got the Trek (14 years ago??), I had tubes, but I never learned how to change them.  I loved it.  It was another grand excuse to get my hands dirty.  Looking forward to hitting Davis tomorrow with the tribe for an adventure.

Back at home, it was time to for homework,  but I started listening to giants pregame  at 1:45 and any ability to write a paper vanished.  I ended up going into the kitchen (music center) where the Mac  is, and helped Ethan with his  Rosetta Stone.   Even with my German, which is damn good, the program refused some of my answers, so I started in my “German accent” and would yell in German (which is, as we all know, terrifying).  Ethan and I kept giggling and he ended up secretly recording me on his iTouch.

Mags got home from her adventure, the game was still on.  I started cooking dinner…the game was still on.    We ate a terrific meal… still listening to game.   After doing dishes, I decided I needed to de-stress, so I wanted to make chocolate chip cookie dough, but I couldn’t find the brown sugar.  Apparently, when I am on edge about the game (still on, btw)  I tend to lost my patience.  After the dough was made and I cleaned up – I sat and stared at the gameday app for the next hour until the Giants FINALLY won the 2^nd game of the series after 6 hours and 23 minutes.  A doubleheader in a single game – not done since the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves in 2005 in a 5 hour 50 minute post season game.  LOVE those Giants!

After, we went to the park with Mabi – Annie was grounded to home since she ran after the cat AGAIN and just sat in the neighbor’s back yard.    We had a lot of fun and I’m looking to spending the day with my tribe in Davis before we head home so I can do HOMEWORK  <sadface>  Grateful there is a break in the series. 

Pictures: The Placerville Farrmer's Market; a rad station wagon I'd love to restore; A small portion of the recording Ethan made of me without my knowledge; the original label I bought today.