Fuv

Never underestimate your kids. Here are just a few things topics that bring this to mind this morning:

1. Imagination
Fuv

Fuv is a small monster born in a cactus flower in Arizona. He somehow found and attached himself to Nimue a couple of years ago and now lives in the nook under her bed. He protects her from all the scary monsters that inhabit the dark spaces of the night after bedtime. Quite a handy fella, really.


2. General coveting and nagging about getting new stuff

Nimue writes to Fuv when she wants things -- apparently he communicates with Santa, the Easter Bunny, parents, and anyone else whose arm might be twisted into acquiring coveted objects for her. She has said that she knows Fuv isn't real, but hopes the letter writing might be effective anyway.

In this case, she wants the bike because she had to wait patiently in the bike shop while I picked up my new bike yesterday. Chad very helpfully distracted her by looking at all the different bikes, helmets, catalogs, parts, etc. that were there to be seen.

Please note that Nimue's bike is NOT too small for her; I had to explain that new bikes are only acquired when the old bike is either outgrown or so many components are wearing out due to the sheer number of miles ridden that it actually costs less to just get a new bike than to replace everything.

Shiny new bike is sitting in the garage today because it's Chad's turn to get a weekend ride in. It's supposed to rain tomorrow and Monday, Tuesday I have to help in Nimue's classroom, Wed and Thur are full of work things, Friday is an early dismissal day, Saturday will be full of an organized ride that Nim and I are doing on the tandem. New bike says "Waaaah"!


(still need to get it a decent bag and water bottle cages, but Chad was quite nice last night and found and installed some temporary items)

Note the new bike's resemblance to Chad's...the Specialized Ruby/Roubaix is quite a delightful bike for the long distance hilly riding that I favor :)


3. Adventure prowess
Nimue (with her cousin's "Flat Stanley") at the Black Mountain Backpack Camp We rode mountain bikes in a few miles and camped up on the peak a couple of weeks ago; Nim rode her own bike in up the singletrack.
The following day, she and I rode the tandem all the way up Page Mill, which really does count as one of the "real" hills around here, with 2000+ feet of elevation gain and an extended section with a grade of about 8.5%. That was one of those weird days when the stars all aligned and she did the whole thing without complaining (the almost constant candy bribes helped...)
Next weekend brings the Cinderella Classic century ride, which she and I will do on the tandem; I'm hoping it doesn't rain.


4. Artwork (as always with Nim)
Bat skeleton she made for a school project with her friend Rowan

Anteater drawing made just for fun (Don't ask me why anteaters; I have no idea....)

and of course, Fuv