Benny came into our room in tears this morning. His (my) wristwatch alarm hadn't woken him up at 6.30 as planned. (Yesterday he ignored it.) The PLAN (in his head) was that he would get up and would go to the park and ride his bike before school like we had been.

It was 7.30...and the clock was definitely ticking towards the school launch...Chores to be done...breakfast to be eaten...clothes...shoes...Guinea Pig to be fed etc etc. I explained the harsh realities to him. ‘I have to work today...then I fly out tonight and will be gone all day tomorrow...and Friday it looks like a big storm might be here.' The lower lip was picking up dust bunnies off the floor...the water-works...the overwhelming feeling of DESPAIR! ....'So...we had better do it NOW..Get dressed!' Zoooooom!

Katie and Benny hit the ground running...Tim heard the commotion and set a new record for getting dressed. We were out the door after the usual treasure hunt...shoes...coats...helmets. Tim had his first ‘bike to the park' morning. As with the other two I walked along holding his shoulder as he pedalled down the footpath. "Let me go Daddy! I ‘ten' do it on my own!" I let go and he promptly ploughed into a fence. He didn't complain about me holding his shoulder after that.

Benny got a good chance to give his new bike a work out at the park. The gears were great for that little extra ‘umph' at the top of the ramps. (He tried to gut it out without any momentum...and stalled at the top a couple times before he got the hang of it.) Tim was pretty sure he could go wherever Benny went...and found either his muscles or nerve weren't up to the task. Katie spent the morning riding in front of the boys so they had to brake hard and park their bikes and wait for her to get out of the way...

We got back in time for some breakfast...Tim had used up all his reserves...I pushed him up the last hill before home...and he barely had the energy to put his bike away. (Every bit the drama king...the drama lessons sure paid off...thanks Honey!) When it was discussed that it was time to go to school, Tim was certain he was in for another long scooter run, and started in with, "I am sooo Cwanky...sooo vewy Cwanky" (I suppose I had used the phrase of being Cranky when I was using a reason not to do something with the kids...for their own sake!) His Mum settled him down...'I think you have had enough exercise this morning...I will drive you to school.' ....Spontaneous eruptions of rapture..."YAAAAY!" from the peanut gallery.

While Benny and Katie were plotting what to do with their extra 15min of freedom...Tim quietly sided up to his Mum..."Mummy...what is Cwanky mean." (It means you get your own way evidently...)