The 4th for 1st's

4th of July weekend we took Bob, Marty and doggies over to stay with Gray and Julie in Nevada. It was a weekend of firsts. It was the first time I had Neapolitan ice cream for about 20 years and the first time I had ridden a motorcycle for nearly 20 years- I borrowed Grays trail bike and rode it round on an off road. It was a blast!

But the real firsts belonged to Alexander: Gray took us to the Marine Winter Warfare Base (I call it the Naval Winter Sports Center) where he works as a GP. The visiting officers quarters had a pond beside it specifically for children and grandparents to fish in. It was there that Alexander caught his first fish there (a rainbow trout).

He was really pleased with himself and went onto catch three in all. We had them for dinner.

[For explanation of head bandage see below]



That weekend was also the first time Alexander rode a bike without training wheels (stabilizers). He borrowed his cousin Jacob's, just got on and rode it!

Unfortunately Gray and Julie's driveway is coarse gravel so within 5 minutes he was spurting blood from 3 different parts of his face. However, he was undeterred and managed to ride around in circles on the concrete slab in front of the garage just fine. When we got back I took the training wheels (stabilizers) of his bike and took him to the park. He was off and away instantly.


To me this was a major milestone. He achieved some “right of passage” (as they say here) into independent childhood. Some day he will off and away with friends or to friends on his bike. I won't be there, which makes me feel proud and sad. I can still remember my rides through the woods on Bute to town. That feeling of speed, independance and danger was such a buzz!