Harry Potter, Owls and Nifty Bike Seats

My youngest son and I have been reading Harry Potter (the first one). I tried reading it aloud to my oldest son back in 2002 but found it too tongue tangling to say The Dursleys aloud and I gave up. Which was fine with that son. Last week or so my youngest brought home the seventh Harry Potter from school and it made his backpack weigh about 50 pounds. He has not read any of them. I suggested that we read the first one together and that is what we’ve been doing most nights. (If you are picturing maternal bliss these moments happen after hours of chaos). Anyway, since he is the Last One I get an extra rush sharing these times and a kick out of how he's the only one to love a stuffed animal).



We agreed we had to watch the movie one weekend after we'd finish the book. We were like two old chatty ladies watching it together each making comments such as “they cut some scenes out here from the book”. And, “I thought the scar was in the middle of his forehead not the side!” And “I like how Dudley fell into the snake exhibit in the movie!” We both found the owls sooo cute.


Anyone ever have this little chunky book called Owl Babies from about 10 years ago? I didn’t think twice about owls back in 1997 when we received this as a gift—it’s about 3 owl babies waiting for mom to bring them food (how prophetic).

This past Sunday afternoon we decided to go to bike riding. I was assured this would be the smooth greenway and not the mountain biking area. Our other two sons were at a birthday party. Sometimes it’s fun to go out and pretend you are the parents of just one eight year old child.

There were many families biking and some rollerblading but not wall to wall crowded. In fact sometimes I’d be deep in thought (thinking about my blog and why don’t I have a camera handy to get a good shot of things as I rode behind my husband) ……. and then find it very weird to hear a deep voice from another biker break my reverie and say, “I’m on your left.” And then sometimes an even louder, more intense, "I'M on your LEFT"!! I told my husband I may have nightmares about that. You can tell I don’t get out much.

The bike path is miles of trail within marshes and forest. We heard a loud, almost screeching noise, stopped our bikes and saw it was a large owl at the top of a very tall tree. It then flew to a much lower tree. I never realized those owls have quite the wingspan.

I thought that was really neat that we saw Harry Potter’s owl Hedwig and then the next day saw one in the daylight.

I walked my bike back up to the truck where they were waiting for me, because I do not do hills. When I got off my bike I said, “Wow, am I sore!!!” and then I guess I rubbed my behind. My son pointed out the shape of his bike seat to me. I never noticed it before (and we have had that bike for about 5 years).

“See that hole in the seat? That is so I don’t hurt my You Know What when I ride”. I thanked him for sharing. Husband adds, “Yep, that is so that you can be able to make babies later on”.




Hey, didn’t I say that I am hanging on to this one because he is my Last One? I am going to find the little chunky book Owl Babies tonight for our reading time. And Goodnight Moon too.