About »
Archive Listing:
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
February 2007
January 2007
Favorite Blogs / Websites:
|
|
Wheel Fun
June 12, 2008
By Kim Ratcliff, Contributing Editor
 My favorite part of summer vacation is riding bicycles with my sons, Tanner
and Saxon. We ride every morning, rain or shine. I love the warm breeze on my
face, the intoxicating scents of newly mown grass and summer flowers. Every day is an adventure. We never know what awaits us. Even the
neighborhood curmudgeon, who scowls and guns his gold sedan as if he wants to
run us down, can’t spoil our fun. We’ve nicknamed him “Mr. Worst,” after the old
crab in our favorite picture book who hates springtime, music, dessert, and
laughing. We suspect he wants to make us road kill because he can’t stand to see
us laugh. We laugh a lot.
We’ve been riding together ever since Tanner was a
kindergartner and Saxon wobbled behind us on training wheels. Tanner heads off
to middle school next year. He’s already let me down gently, informing that he
will ride to school alone or with friends. I hope we’ll still be able to bike
together occasionally come summer. Beyond being good for our health and for the
environment, it’s been good for our souls. We’ve shared moments and seen sights
we never would have experienced from inside a car.
Kim
Ratcliff with sons Tanner, 11 and Saxon, 9. The site below is packed
with great tips about teaching kids to ride, safety, etc.
www.familybiking.com
|
Kim, I love children's books. Please tell me
the name of the book that Mr. Worst is in.
Thanks!
Posted By: Susan
Susan, the name of the books are Mr. Worst.
They are a series.
Posted By: Kim Ratcliff
I had to laugh when I read about Mr.
Worst! I think every neighborhood has that
person...in our case it's Ms. Worst!
I have had similar experiences! I have two
daughters instead and I also understand the
middle school angst....if only they we could
slow this process down a little.
Posted By: Noel McKelvey/ Greensboro, NC
I had to laugh too - our local guy is
called Mr. Crabby Guy! I think it's
wonderful how you've found this special
outlet to bond together. That's important
for every family. By the way, LOVE the name
Saxon. That's the best name I've heard in
awhile!
Posted By: Wendy, Mother of 2
Wendy,
Thanks for your kind words! We actually got
Saxon's name from Surfer Magazine. There is a
surfer called Saxon Boucher.
Posted By: Kim Ratcliff
Kim-I am so proud of you-my wonderful
daughter-in-law.It makes the boys feel so
speacial. Love Adele
Posted By: Adele Ratcliiff
Susan,
I stand corrected. The books are by James
Stevenson (a cartoonist for the New Yorker
and prolific children's book author. Some of
the titles are: The Worst Person in the
World; Worse than the Worst; The Worst Goes
South; The Worst Person in the World at Crab
Beach. They are available on Amazon. My boys
& I adored them.
Thanks, Kim! I used to have an elementary
library and was familiar with James
Stevenson, but the Worst series must have
come out after our elementary was moved and
I became stricty high school. I can't wait
to find these books for my own collection!
Posted By: Susan
|
Technorati
Stumble It!
