Down By The Creek

by bill - 2009-10-21 ( family / holmes / elizabeth ) [html version]

Elizabeth and I went down to the creek this cold fall morning. With all the recent rain, Indian and Mill Creeks both had a lot of rushing water. We walked along the edge of Mill Creek. Usually, we stick to the closer Indian Creek. Elizabeth went as far as she could (or wanted to), then I had to carry her. At one point while carrying her, I slipped and got my knee muddy, but we were otherwise fine. Best of all, when we got back to our bikes, they were both still there!

Her bike was stolen last week. It really made Elizabeth sad. It pssed me off. I hate having things stolen. No one likes it, but it really ticks me off. A couple months ago, I'd left a shovel out in the front garden, and it was missing the next time I needed it. We never used to have that problem around here.

Anyway, while walking the dogs with Elizabeth (on her scooter) a day or two after the bicycle theft, we just happened past a house with several kids' bicycles parked/dumped in the front yard. I did a double take when I saw what looked like Elizabeth's. I wasn't sure because half the little girls' bikes in the neighborhood look like her pink and purple Barbie bicycle. Hers has a basket and a bell, though, which this one had. It also has her name written on clear tape on it, but I'd forgotten about that and couldn't see it in the dark. The clincher was the well-worn back tire (that Elizabeth had recently painted, thinking that would fix it). Anyway, it was hers, so we just took it back without incident. Elizabeth was very happy; almost as happy as I was. :)