Wednesday, September 15, 2010

my new bike & co.

I apologize to all my faithful readers for my unexplained absence. I have been busy writing and developing classes. I barely have time to wipe down the stove and wash pots, never mind dust and vacuum. I did buy a new bicycle to get out of my screen and out into the wind. I told my sons, I will put a basket on it. They said, Don't be ridiculous. My sisters said, Oh, put a basket on it! My daughter said, Oh, a basket! Ever cute.
image source

I didn't notice until Katja reminded me but my new bike looks an awful lot like the old burgundy hand-me-down bike that used to be Helen Haavisto's on which we learned to write a two-wheeler. That was when I was in grade one; the bike was a ladies' style circa 1950s. We were too small to sit on it, so we learned to ride it standing up. Good that our driveway had a bit of a slope, as that's how we got going. We got quite adept at one sitting on the seat, and the other sister peddling. Eventually, our legs grew so we could sit in the seat.

One corner of my head is in a swirl of vampires, witches, and haunted houses. That's what you get for making up a class on the supernatural. I could post a lot of interesting things about vampires & co. except I have to get out of the screen. In another corner of my mind, Finnish men sit laughing in humour. That's what you get for writing an article with your sisters about Finnish men for the fall edition of the New World Finn. What is a Finnish man, anyway?

Then, there's a shelf in the back of my mind busy with books stuffed with lessons on grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and rhetorics. How to make the desire for writing come alive for others? That is the question.

Louhi visits, so too does Scheherazade. Someone might think: what a combination.

I will try to be more regular and get back to posting; now I must go to yoga. To still my mind.

3 comments:

marja-leena said...

Oh, glad to know you are well and busy! Sounds like a lot of fascinating potential future blog posts here. Take care.

Merche Pallarés said...

Yes, very glad to see that you're still alive and kicking! I was beginning to get worried as I mention in my last comment. I would really be sorry if you stopped writing. You're my umbilical cord with Canada!!!
Great idea to have a bike, I'm also thinking of getting one. It's great exercise.
I'll be away from my blog for a few weeks as I'm going to the Basque country to see my family, then to Burgos to visit the "Atapuerca" archeological site and afterwards to Madrid.
Read you soon. Hugs, M.

northshorewoman said...

Hello ML and MP,

Nice to hear from you! I am so behind I haven't even done my taxes yet which were due the end of April. Oh dear.

ML I am sure you have been busy with all the joys that summer brings to the west coast.

MP, your upcoming trip sounds interesting. I am sure there are so many fascinating places in Spain to explore.

enjoy your days and blogging!