“What are you up to?” Dad asked finding me sat Elflike on the garage floor.
“Thought I’d give the cross bike a bit of a polish up,” I nodded towards the bike, sans wheels, gears and brakes, in the workstand.
“Any reason?”
I shrugged, “just fancied it.”
“Fair enough,” Dad allowed, “I’ll leave you to it.”

To be honest I couldn’t really say why I pulled the crosser out, nostalgia maybe, like my spare bike it was gifted to me, somehow that made it more, I dunno personal, than the team issue bikes which aren’t really mine. Mix in a bit of spare time, all my friends are doing stuff, Mand’s working today, Mum’s away racing in Denmark this weekend so I’m at a bit of a loose end. As you know, Dad usually looks after all the bike maintenance, not because I can’t but because its what George pays him to do.

Its not like the Klein was put away dirty or anything, on the other hand it wasn’t clean clean and so here I am, polishing sprockets, poking dirt out of gear mechs and returning the frame to a showroom gleam. Of course Dad’ll reset the gears and brakes when I’m done but even girls can re-cable a bike and clean a chain. It was sort of restful sat there poking and a polishing, the time went by quickly, I was surprised when Dad called me up for lunch.

“How’s it going?”
“Just the wheels left,” I supplied before taking a bite of my cheese and Marmite® sarnie.
“Leave them out when you’ve done, I’ll redo the bearings.”
“’Kay.”
“So you gonna do cross with Anita this winter?”
“Might do.”
“Well at least you won’t be in hospital this year.”
“Yeah,” I agreed, I really could’ve done without that, like full stop.
“I’ll talk to Carsten, he’ll have Anita’s programme, there’s usually a junior race on the programme.”
“Hmm, there any of that cheesecake left?”

It was after one by the time I was done with the Klein, it was properly shiny not having any of the newer painted stuff fitted, well apart from the grey rims but like you don’t really get shiny rims these days. I was quite pleased with my efforts – not that I intend spending four or five hours bike cleaning on a regular basis. Nope I’ll leave the regular cleaning to Dad and his Kärcher!

I had a quick shower then set about fixing my nails – bike cleaning and nail polish do not go well together! Its not that I’m super fussy about chips and that but if you’re going to paint them you really should do the maintenance, it looks like you don’t care otherwise.

“You want anything in Ahrweiler?” Dad asked poking his head into the kitchen.
“Where you going?”
“To collect the meat for the barbecue and Hen’s grill.”
“I’ll come with you, I could do with some more remover and shampoo.”
“Five minutes.”
“On it,” I agreed, I can finish my nails later, they only need the top coat.

“You want me to pick you up on the way back?” Dad asked.
“Nah, I’ll go round to Der Mühle and go home with Mand.”
“Better, we could eat there tonight?” he suggested.
“After working there all day I’m not sure Mand’ll want to spend more time there.”
“Maybe you’re right, the Stube?”
“Go on then, I want to talk to P anyhow.”
“Don’t be too late then or it’ll be frozen soup.”
“Bye Dad,” I allowed with a roll of the seeing orbs as I closed the A’s door.

I walked through the arch into the old town and up towards the Drogerie where I get most of my cosmetics. Some of the shops were already shutting, its not like the towns busy at four on a Saturday afternoon, the supermarkets are out of town, there aren’t any department stores, hardly any chains are represented – even the Tourist Info office closes at one. My destination was still open at least and I hurried inside and grabbed a basket – well I’m bound to find other stuff aren’t I?

My basket was already brimming with a new bottle of polish and a tub of makeup wipes besides what I came in for when I spotted the gift sets. Hmph, I can remember Jules having something like this when we were little – I can remember her being really upset when I painted some of my toy cars with the sticky pink varnish – well they were all sparkly!

Maybe I should get something for my cousins, how old are they?

“I’ll be another half hour,” Mand advised me, “you want a coffee?”
“You making it?”
“We only do filter, even I can manage that.”
“Go on then.”
“Go sit, I’ll bring it over.”

It felt a bit weird being waited on by Mand but I took my bags and plonked myself in a vacant booth.

“There you go,” Mand advised arriving almost as quickly as me but laden with a tray bearing coffee, creamer, sugar and a biscotti.
“Cheers, so how's it been?”
“Not bad, busy at lunchtime, Eva says its usually quieter in the afternoon.”
“Yeah, no ones in town hardly after lunch,” I agreed.
“So what’ve you been buying?”
“Got a nice blue varnish,” I told her as I dug it from the bag.
“Oo, I’ll have to borrow that, what's the other stuff?”
“Gifts for the cousins.”
“Lucky cousins, how old are they?”
“The oldest girl is seven, the youngest is like a year, got her this,” I flourished a sort of beanie pig.
“I thought there were boys too?”
“They’re easy.”

I dug in the other bag to produce a selection of toy cars.

“I guess most boys will be okay with that.”
“That’s what I thought, I’ve no idea if they’re into sports or anything, these are a pretty safe bet.”
“Amanda?” Eva called from the bar.
“See you in a bit,” de Vreen suggested.

I checked out my other purchases, kiddy makeup sets for the two older girls, the pig for the youngest and soft dolly for the other. The boys, well there was a set with a police car and ambulance, another with a tractor and trailer combo, the last a bus and taxi – they can fight it out between them who gets what. I sipped at my coffee, repacked my bags and was studying the menu when Mand returned with her coat and bag.

“Ready?”
“Oh right, yeah.”

We caught the Express the two stops back to Dernau, well it saved a good forty minute walk, not something you really want to do in ballet pumps. Even so it was rolling on six when we got home.

“Helmut’s reserved us a table for half seven,” Dad advised as we walked through the garage.
“I’ve got time to shower then,” Mand advised going ahead.
“You’ve finished the Klein?”
“Didn’t take long, I re-greased the headset too, quite a bit of crud in there.”
“Never thought of that,” I admitted.
“Which is why I’m the mechanic and you’re the rider, is that coffee I can smell?” he hinted.
“I’ll put it on before I get changed.”

“Hi guys,” Inge enthused passing out the menus, “drinks?”
“Cola for me, girls?” Dad offered.
“Diet,” Mand advised.
Bum, i’ll look a right wino if I have beer or wine, “radler?”
“One cola, one diet and one radler,” Inge confirmed.
“Quite busy tonight,” Mand noted looking around the restaurant.
“It is Saturday,” I pointed out, “lots of people eat out, its not like there’s anything on telly.”
“True,” she agreed.

A few minutes later Ingrid returned with our drinks and took our food order, Dad ordered the salmon linguini, I went for the mixed grill and Mand wanted a baked tater.

“P about?”
“Helping mum in the kitchen,” Inge advised.
"I’ll pop and see her later, best not delay the food.”
“I’ll warn her you’re here,” she chuckled.

“Are you alright with steak on Tuesday Mand?” Dad asked while we waited for our food.
“Tuesday?”
“The big barbecue,” I noted.
“I can do you some fish,” Dad offered.
“Er, i’m working the evening shift at Der Mühle,” she advised, “and anyway its a family thing, you don’t want me there.”
“Max and Boris are coming,” I pointed out.
“You’re more than welcome, you are pretty much one of the family you know,” Dad added.
Mand blushed a little, “I should work, I’ve said I will but thanks for inviting me.”

We finished eating and I slipped away to find Pia.

“P, you got a minute?”
“Mama?”
“Go on, five minutes,” Eva allowed.
“Come on,” Pia pushed me through into the house, currently in darkness.

Once we reached the lounge she put on lights before collapsing on the sofa.

“Busy tonight.”
“Tell me about it, so what’s up?”
“You know this camping trip, what stuff are you taking?”

“Sorted?” Dad enquired when I returned to the table.
“We’ve ordered you ice cream,” Mand advised.
“Cheers, yeah, all sorted,” I confirmed.
“So?” Mand prompted.
“You were right Mand, less is more.”
Dad raised a brow.
“The camping trip,” I filled, “I was gonna take the kitchen sink but like P says, Anna and her friends are taking the tent and stuff so we don’t need much.”
“You taking a sleep mat?”
“What for?”
“Mark my words after a couple of nights you wont be asking that if you don’t.”
“Have we got any?”

And so I received the wisdom of Dad on the subject of camping.

Maddy Bell © 18.11.2017