Teeth don't fail me now.

Thank you all for your well wishes regarding my tooth pains. I am doing ok and while I told myself I was not going to engage in any activity that might bring on more pain ( bumpy travel via bike and skis, forward bending yoga) I threw caution to the wind and had to take the public out for a spin.

After the kids were off to school, I sat down to read emails and check in on all my social media sites and when I got up to plan my day, the sun was shining brightly against the wet ground and it was clear it would be a warm and glittery day. I really wanted to go to Russo's to buy some flowering branches for forcing as this is the time of year for that. The beginning of Feb marks a time in the winter where, while winter's hold is still strongly on us, signs of spring emerge, but often only for the watchful. Buds are at the ready on trees and the sun rises earlier each day. ( The new daylight savings times really mess me up as mid feb until mid march the sun rises perfectly to shine upon my sleeping head just at my wake up time. In this month I wake up easily and happily. However with daylight savings beginning in early March, I end up lossing that precious light for that month and my mind and body does a sad setback after a month of feeling so hopeful...Besides, 5PM in march is cold daylight or not. I'd argue we need that light in the morning!)

For me the forcing of tree branches is a new tradition that I have taken on to bring in the signs of spring indoors raising my spirits which tend to be down in the post holiday winter.

So the idea of driving on a perfectly springlike day to do this "winter into spring" ritual seemed just wrong. And toothache be damned, I took the public.

I first set out to run two simple errands, buy chicken and take Girlpie's camera into the shop to be fixed. If I felt ok, I would consider going further to Russo's. After a cup of coffee and the camera shop stop, I was in perfect line to make my way across Nonatum Village and on into Waltham to Russo's. ( For all of you non locals, Russo's is a lovely grocery that has really great produce and fine meats and cheeses and a fairly nice flower and garden section. It's the perfect place for loose flowers or potted seasonal plants.)

I realized I never picked up Chicken at the supermarket but hoped that Russo's had some. ( they did have a small meat section and most of it was Organic). As I arrived at the small bike rack I noticed it was actually full of bikes which is kind of unusual. There was a woman loading her panniers as I approached and we chatted about biking. Emily comes along the river trail from Weston. About 5 miles one way. She encouraged me to ride it into Boston which I do want to do. It's a bit out of the way for me. The time to meander to Weston or Boston is also a luxury I don't often have, but some time this spring I'm going to give it a go. We chatted bikes and when I asked if I could take her picture she agreed. I told her the name of my blog and she said " Oh, well that's me!" Apparently her mother rode her bike in her eighties, but was seen as the odd one. Emily states she is happy that she is no longer an odd one riding around a lot. I agree. Solidarity in numbers.

Another Suburban bike mama in the wild!

I was in and out pretty quickly as I knew I was going to have an awkward cargo ride home. Two branches and a pack of chicken for chicken and broccoli stir fry was all I needed.

A wide load.

crossing the river, still looks cold.

After not being on the bike for exactly one week and feeling a bit down in my inactivity and pain, it was good to be surrounded by fresh air, to have the sun's rays brightly in my face and to have completed an important seasonal tradition to keep me happy as I hunker down after my tooth saga continues on Friday.

Pink flowers will come out to cheer me up.

And the ride while bumpy didn't bother my mouth too much. I may be paying for it now, this evening, but it was worth it.