Movement + Air + Home = Life

There's something about cycling down a bike lane with a 5 year old that makes you glad to be alive. Until she starts whining about her legs hurting, or says 'I know!' with such disdain when you warn her of an upcoming crossing, or nearly gets crushed by a car at a tricky junction. Then it's more jarring.

I was happy about it today though - we went to school together on our bikes; her little legs whizzing round, the sun on our backs and the wind in our hair.

After a couple of hours' work with a second child in the background, home because of a teacher training day, I decided to make the most of the good weather and we got on our bikes to go to the market. Not the Wednesday around the corner one, because it was Tuesday. The Tuesday one is a bit of a longer ride, but not far enough to get too much moaning out of the ten year old.

We wheeled our bikes through the market, picking up some lobelia for the front door flower box; soap that had been forgotten during Marek's big shop yesterday; and some dried mango that Molly spotted and wanted, and has since tasted and doesn't like. It was busy and we picked up some bargain avocados at peak ripeness - 5 for a euro!

Marek came home for lunch and we tasted the avocados together. They were good.

Then after school it was Lou's music lesson and I hurried from a meeting to pick her up in time. She happily led the way, proud of her ability to cycle on the road like the big kids when there were no bike paths, and know the direction to take.

After a rushed pasta bake for dinner, I realised I was going to be able to cycle with all three girls in one day. Not sure that's happened very often. Elsie and I got on our bikes to join a rehearsal of Emilie Jolie in which we both have parts. It was together with my choir practise and we cycled home together tired but happy and heads full of music.

Moving our bodies in the fresh air at the same time as going about our daily lives - school, shopping, music, home for food and then yet more music. That's got to be the secret to happiness.



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