Somewhere in the middle of the story I am about to relate there is a moral - I'm struggling to find it, but I just know it's in there somewhere.
Maybe I should start at the beginning. Yesterday afternoon I had an appointment to shoot pictures for the latest in my 'French girlfriend' series, it was a beautiful day, I decided to cycle the 20km there and back. Had a great time, easy ride, stopped to take some pictures en route, picked some berries for the imminent Christmas wreath, ... all went like a dream.
Stay with me, there is a point coming ....
At 5pm I collected my youngest from school and stopped at the sports shop on the way home. Well, you can imagine after 20km on my bike, I was feeling like a positive sporty saint, and we sailed around the store looking enthusiastically at all sorts of instruments of torture exercise machines, then we got to the cycle stand where my son was thrilled to find an electric bike and asked permission to try. A very nice young salesman tried to sell it to us explained what a marvellous machine it was, and my boy was off. Well, it looked such fun and I was feeling so sporty for the afore mentioned reasons, that I expressed the desire to have a go too.
Now you can see where this is going ....
Let me tell you never to ride a bike inside a shop with highly polished concrete flooring. I sailed up and down a couple of alleys like a real pro, and was attracting rounds of applause and gasps of admiration (OK, that bit I made up) until the last bend, where the bike and I parted company! The shiny floor took control of the brand new wheels and pulled them from beneath me.
I am sorry to report that the first part of my body to hit the ground was my cheekbone, now black and swollen, hence the photo at the top of this post. The resemblance is alarming, but there's no way I'm showing you a photo so you'll have to take my word on that one.
My sweet son managed to mutter something about it being quite cool to have a mother who wants to try things out; the staff in the store were in a frenzy, worried no doubt that I was about to sue, but I'm not that kind of a girl!
It is extremely annoying to have to admit that one is growing older, and although I don't feel I should abstain from being very active, I guess that age dictates that we have to become more wary of what we do - especially in public!!
Take care today!!
Posts
Oops! You must have provided a week's worth of entertainment for the staff.
ReplyDeleteIt is annoying getting older and realising that one cannot do what one expects to be able to do. Some fight it, some go with the flow. I tend to go with the flow to avoid injury which is even worse as you get older!
Good on you for having a go! Even the most elite athletes sustain the simplest of injuries. I do hope that you mend soon and get back on your bike (pardon the pun) ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the laugh, that sounds like something I would do, and how sweet that your son thinks "its cool" that his old mom still wants to try out new things...where most kids would be mortified! This was funny....guess the moral of the story, is exercise is
ReplyDeleteWhenever you feel like exercising, lie down until the feeling passes...lol., heard this one and found it funny.
I say good for you for trying, reminds me of the time I got on my sons skateboard thinking I could perform like I did when I was 18- WRONG! He was not amused:)
At least you were doing something besides walking to earn your shiner. That's when it's really embarrassing.
ReplyDeleteAnd did I ever tell you how I broke my wrist in 2 places the week before Pieter's biggest ever job, still to this date?
One must live, oui?
Don't understand why people find it funny when someone has a horrible fall like yours. It's a trauma, even though you weren't seriously injured. What happened to you was bad enough. It makes me angry to hear that people laughed. You have great spirit! The French people I've known would not have laughed at such an accident. They are generally very kind and helpful. Hope you're feeling better soon.
ReplyDeleteI think I was unclear; nobody laughed at me, it's just me making fun of myself - it's my British sense of humour!!
ReplyDeleteOh dear! I hope this doesn't leave any marks!
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly the kind of thing that would happen to me if I did that, so I steer clear of such devices. The only bike for me is a stationary bike, lol!!
I hope you feel better very soon!!!
ReplyDeleteAwww feel better sweetie!
ReplyDeleteI rented an electric bike last autumn in St. Malo, and all went fine at the shop. I buzzed along, pedaling effortlessly for about an hour, then got off to have a bite to eat. When I tried to start the bike back up, the whole key assembly dropped onto the ground. It wouldn't "go back in." Let me tell you--electric bikes are HEAVY when you have to pedal them, and St. Servan is hillier than you'd think. My legs were like rubberbands when I got back to the shop. An interesting conversation ensued and it turns out shrugging one's shoulders is understandable in any language.
ReplyDeleteI say, good for you for trying. I'm overly cautious and maybe missed experiencing some really fun athletic activities. I do have a super fit friend that just broke her foot while biking and it has her rethinking how agile she once was. That said, as we age we must respect our limitations but still enjoy an active lifestyle...sounds like you're doing that perfectly (well, except for this fall):-)
ReplyDeleteHope your bruises fade quickly and that you aren't too stiff this morning.
Karen
Sorry about that Sharon! Hope it fades as quickly as it came... xv
ReplyDeleteAaaaaaaaarg
ReplyDeletesorry, hope it heals quickly
There is something about falling after a certain age, that is more than just the fall, and the resulting injury.
ReplyDeleteSome kind of strange sense of humiliation perhaps?
A sense of aging? I'm not sure what it is exactly, but I do find this among my friends, and certainly me, when it happens.
Feel better and glad you didn't break your cheekbone!
So true my friend....
ReplyDeleteOn a positive note, I always thought black eyes looked sort of cool and that's exactly what you are. A COOL mom!!!
A memory you and your son will always share :)
xo
Terri
I must admit dahhling I laughed as my first reaction to your story, you wrote it so amusingly I could not help myself. But I can totaly relate to getting older and after reading your story I will be more cautious with trying new items in public!
ReplyDeleteOH...I remember the first tumble I took as an adult...it made me think of how easy it was to fall down as a child...
ReplyDeleteYou are a great sport! I hope you are icing your injury...it will heal and take the blue away a little faster. Just dampen a some gauze squares, place them side by side in a sandwich zip lock bag and pop them in the freezer.I keep a few in the kitchen freezer good to go for the occasional kitchen burn as well.
I love your blog! You are on my favorite roll.
Take care!
~Lynne
[w/L]
C and Zinc will make it go away faster! Ouch..
ReplyDeleteYou are still SUPER cool and AGE has nothing to do with it!
It is those slick cement floors. We have them in our house. It is now about falling with grace and getting back up quickly like it didn't hurt. lol
At least it wasn't your TEETH.
Awwwwwww,
ReplyDeleteIf you can/want to talk, I'll make you laugh until your face hurts -- literally.
xoxo,
Tish
At least your son thought you were cool instead of lecturing you that you need to act your age. Kudos to both of you! It sounds like fun -- until the spill.
ReplyDeleteOh no. I hope you're ok and don't suffer too much in the days to come.
ReplyDeleteI had an "incident" like this with a treadmill in August. Evil things, treadmills. I'm still struggling to get my right hip back to normal.
Oh no. I hope you're ok and don't suffer too much in the days to come.
ReplyDeleteI had an "incident" like this with a treadmill in August. Evil things, treadmills. I'm still struggling to get my right hip back to normal.
Years ago when my son was young he came home proudly with the new skateboard he had been saving for months to buy. He put it down in the kitchen, I thought "Wow, that looks good..." I put my foot onto it, shot across the kitchen at enormous speed and put my head through the refrigerator door!
ReplyDeletePoor you, get well soon.
Avril
Goodness gracious Sharon, such a funny pic and then POW-right in the kisser! So very sorry about your end going over, hope you mend quickly poor dear...
ReplyDeleteYikes! Not a fun way to end a bike ride. I'm glad you're okay and hope the bruises fade soon.
ReplyDeleteLaughing at oneself is the best way to diffuse such a situation. I can see myself doing the same thing in a bike shop.
Ouch - I feel so badly for you and hope you heal quickly. It is tough to admit one is getting older but kudos to you for showing your son that one is never too old to have some fun. Maybe you could try a pirate's patch for your holiday pictures?
ReplyDeleteOh poor you; that sort of thing really puts you off your stride for a while. I hope your cheek will be better soon and that the run of good feeling that preceded the unfortunate incident resumes.
ReplyDeleteDearest Sharon,
ReplyDeleteYou at least did write a humorous post about it; your British part is shining through here!
Well, my paternal grandmother would say: 'Just think about the fact that it could have been a lot worse!'
You're warned now and even though hard to admit it, we must be more cautious. A black cheek will heal, with time (not fast enough) but a nasty fracture could cause a lot more problems.
Love to you and your son is sweet!
Mariette
Oh, goodness! At least it makes for a good story.
ReplyDeleteArnica! gel and oral...quickly!
ReplyDeleteGlad that comment from A.Nono Mouse put it all in perspective Sharon. No laughing allowed in France!!!
ReplyDeleteMillie xx
Hope you mend very soon, good on you for giving it a go anyway! Trudy
ReplyDeleteLaughing at ourselves, typically English. Good luck and get yourself on the mend!
ReplyDeleteI've had the same experience demonstrating my expertise on a go-ped to my neighbor. I hope you feel better soon!
ReplyDeleteOh you poor dear!!!
ReplyDeleteTake it easy on yourself and hope you feel (and look!) better soon.
And now I have to go google electric bike to check out this monster. :)
Hello there Quasimodo, you must look a sight for sore eyes. My children would have been horrified to see their mother splayed on the floor, not that they would have ever seen their mother cycle 2 kms, let alone 20! Well done for being fit enough to do that, and I'm glad that you're o.k. Robx
ReplyDeletep.s. I'm really enjoying your girlfriend series, such gorgeous stylish women!
Never too old- it's just that we hit the ground harder and don't bounce as readily. If you had landed on your seat, I could have laughed at your tale. But you face.....so painful.....dreadful! The very thought of it is sending shivers up my back.
ReplyDeleteI hope the swelling and tenderness subsides quickly. Warm wishes.
Ouch! Some days no matter what we do everything still manages to turn into a wild episode of I Love Lucy. And like Lucy ..... you are still smiling {albeit gingerly at this time}.
ReplyDeleteBe well.
Stick to horses?
ReplyDeleteUh oh! I must say, you made me giggle though with this post.
ReplyDeleteFunnily enough, your post seems to relate to me quite well at the moment. I am in reherasal for a production of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and I too have just had an accident - luckily not my face. However, I have torn my groin muscle quite severely doing a dance routine as Esmeralda and am awaiting a visit to the physio tomorrow to find out whether I will need to give up the role or not :-(
Your story is so much cooler than mine though, hahahaha!
~ Clare x