tumbledry

Father’s Day 2017

It’s 9:21 in the evening, and since it is nearly the longest day of the year, I can look out our open window and see the green grass and tree leaves in the slowly fading twilight. Dads and Grads — my favorite time of the year. The time when the days are longest and summer still feels like all possibility and nothing spent.

Yesterday, Father’s Day, while Mykala made some spectacular savory chickpea stuffing inside wontons, I asked Ess if she wanted to go on a bike ride. Watching her face change is always amazing: she’s never not said “YES!”.

So we went through the usual rigamarole of putting shoes on (make sure they’re on the right feet, Ess!) and picking out which stuffed animal would sit with Ess on the bike. We walked outside and… flat tire. Then something wonderful happened: Ess helped me fix it. Helped me turn the bike upside down, watched me use the tire levers to pull the tire and inner tube. Sat patiently in the car while I looked up the bike shops, found they were closed (5:15 on a Sunday) and listened intently when I gave her the bad news we wouldn’t be biking. But, we looked online and found an inner tube at Target!

We went together, picked it up, and then Ess helped me put it all on — and, after a delectable dinner outside with Mykala, there was still time for a bike ride through a beautiful summer evening, with my daughter.

Brief Notes Nearby