Bike Tire Aneurysm

I am an avid bike commuter. I love riding my bike to work.  It is something I got used to while living in the Netherlands and I am now found on my bike come sun, rain, wind, cold (anything but ice or a snow storm).  I even commuted by bike through both my pregnancies.  This mode of commuting has many benefits.  I get exercise, I get time to think (or to take a mental break), in my current location it is faster than any other mode of transportation, and it is pretty well free. Thus I was saddened when today on my morning commute my rear tire had an aneurysm.  

It was very dramatic.  

Suddenly I felt like I was riding over a very bumpy surface and it became very hard to steer.  Puzzled I pulled over and noticed a large black bump on my back tire.  At first I thought something was stuck there, but on closer inspection I could see that the inner tube had ballooned out of a big rip in the tire. 

Then the inner tube exploded - loudly - and proceeded to bleed green goo all over the place (green goo plugs up small punctures but was no match for an aneurysm). 

Two police officers saw it and swore they had never seen anything like that before.  Ah my poor injured bike!

But at least I can add another benefit to my mode of commuting.  It is exciting (and entertaining for police officers).  This is of course annoying, but let’s face it cars get flats too (among other mechanical difficulties), and public transit is subject to delays more than my bike is.  So my focus now is getting my bike back on the road ASAP.

A laugh/cry moment

Scenario: I am trying to dress my two children for bed. The eldest is ready, but the baby needs some cream for his diaper rash.  I leave the baby for 2 seconds (safely on the floor) to find the cream.  When I return he is standing by the sofa (clear across the room) in a puddle.

Me: Where did that water come from?

Eldest: I think it is pee

Me: Oh … (running to get a towel)

Eldest: Mommy, he’s playing in it!!

A laugh/cry parenting moment

Year in review 2011

I hope 2011 has treated you well.  For me, this year flew by!  One minute it was January and the next here I am writing our “year in review”.  

Part of a gingerbread village we helped build at our co-op

This was a year of “firsts” for our boys.  The youngest had many firsts, most notably his first tooth, his first steps and his first birthday!  Though I still consider him my baby, he has grown from an angelic newborn to a joyful and tenacious toddler whose smile could melt the heart of any Scrooge.  The eldest is officially a “big boy, and this year we watched with great pride as he went to his first day of school and sang in his first winter concert. He has grown into a thoughtful and caring boy, whose capacity for compassion routinely impresses me.  For hubby and I watching our boys grow continues to be a source of great personal joy.  Everyday we marvel at them and are grateful to have such wonderful kids.

Professionally, this year brought great success to hubby who, after much tenacity, was able to land not one, but two, relatively stable jobs (given the current global job situation).  The first gave him much needed experience in a new field, but had less than ideal hours and a long commute.  The second is much more convenient, closer to home, and also closer to his interests.  For me this year brought professional introspection, metaphorically mirroring world events like the uprisings of the “Arab spring”, the changes in the political climate our country and the “occupy” movement, which all opened dialogue about the suitability of the status quo (or at least some aspects of it). Next year will bring a change in my work life in one form or another.  Like most people, I may not get the chance to choose which job comes next – in truth choosing may be very difficult. Nevertheless, I enjoyed exploring both known and previously unknown options in greater depth. I am grateful for that luxury.

In addition to personal and professional adventures at home, this year also brought travel: a conference in Europe, enjoying nature “up north” and visiting relatives “down south”.  At home we remain very happy living in our downtown co-op.  We love being close to the center of things and we love the strength and diversity of the community.  This was strikingly clear at the winter concert held at our son’s school.  There we joined with parents of every colour and religion in a shared joy and pride for our kids.  There we also learned about some of the school’s wonderful programs, including a guitar club, a yoga club and cultural clubs that teach the kids about how children live in other parts of the world. These programs are free for everyone, and it was clear from the presenters that kids from all backgrounds take advantage of these opportunities and are learning and growing as a result.

Happy holidays and all the best for 2012!

An evening on the Amador Causeway

The weather was perfect the evening we walked along the Amador Causeway with the boys.  The sun had just set and a warm breeze was blowing off the Pacific.  Lights from dozens of boats waiting to enter the Panama Canal twinkled out on the water and in the distance tree cloaked islands formed a backdrop to the sparkling sea.  

View from Punta Culebra, Amador Causway by day, Photo: D. Buehler

When I lived in Panama, I lived very close to this causeway and I would come often.  Leaving this place (as well as some places in the mountains) made moving from Panama to pursue research in Europe difficult (some 8 years ago). 

But we were on the Causeway on this perfect evening to show our boys one of the places we love.  The baby looked at the lights on the water in awe before snuggling down in his carrier for a cozy nap.  My eldest pushed his scooter with increasing agility along the pavement asking a million questions. 

Then, quite subtly as if floating on the warm humid air, hundreds of fireflies started to twinkle their lights. It was a lovely evening that clearly transmitted our love for this small piece of Panama.