Update!

I know I said I wouldn’t talk about cycling anymore, but this is important. Matilda came home excited. Bouncing even.

“Dad! I have superlicious news!”

No, I don’t know what superlicious means. However, I assumed it was good because when a pre-teen is happy about anything and not glaring at you like she’s about to eat your internal organs with the next hormonal surge, then it’s a good thing.

“You’re going to be really excited,” she chirped as she sat down next to me, practically on the laptop on which I was typing.

“What is it,” I asked. Sure, it was three words, but oh did they open the flood gates.

“Well,” she said, “todaywasthedaywefoundoutaboutthefrenchclubmeetingsandiwanttosigh
upforitbecauseireallylikefrenchandbecauseemilygracieandhannahareallthinkngabout
joingingpluswhenitookcomparativeculturesireallylikedthefrenchpartalotbetterthangerman
orspanishandwegotthesignupsheetstodaydidimentionthatitsontuesdaysbutnotonthesametuesd
aysasmyotherafterschoolmeetinganywayigotthesignupsheettodayandguesswhattheyneed
volunteersforsomeofthemeetingsandyoullbereallyhappywhenyouhearwhattheyaregoingtod
inaprilguesscomeonguessokayilltellyouthetourdefranceyoutotallyhavetodoit!”

“Well,” I said, “that sounds amazing! I only wish I understood what you said. Could you maybe slow it down and tell me again?”

“Sure,” she said, taking a really deep breath, “todaywasthedaywefoundoutaboutthefrenchclubmeetingsandiwanttosignupforit
becauseireallylikefrenchandbecauseemilygracieandhannahareallthinkngaboutjoingingplus
whenitookcomparativeculturesireallylikedthefrenchpartalotbetterthangermanorspanishand
wegotthesignupsheetstodaydidimentionthatitsontuesdaysbutnotonthesametuesdaysasmyother
afterschoolmeeting anywayigotthesignupsheettodayandguesswhattheyneedvolunteersfor
someofthemeetingsandyoullbereallyhappywhenyouhearwhattheyaregoingtodoinaprilguess
comeonguessokayilltellyouthetourdefranceyoutotallyhavetodoit!”

“Wait,” I said, “Huh?”

“Dad, I totally paused that time! Fine. Today was the day we found out about the French club meetings and I want to sign up for it because I really like French and because Emily, Gracie and Hannah are all thinking about joining, plus when I took Comparative Cultures, I really liked the French part a lot better than German or Spanish and we got the sign up sheets today did I mention that it’s on Tuesdays. But not on the same Tuesdays as my other rafter school meeting. Anyway, I got the sign up sheet today and, guess what? They need volunteers for some of the meetings and you’ll be really happy when you hear what they are going to do in April! Guess! Come on guess! Okay, I’ll tell you. The Tour de France! You totally have to do it!”

“I’ll be happy to do it,” I said. “I think it would be fun to talk about it, how the language has actually become a significant part of the sport and how French culture is intertwined with the race. Luckily I’ve done a bunch of reading on the race and its history, so it should be a breeze. Plus I can even bring some DVDs and other stuff.”

“Cool, I’ll go get the form!” When she came back, I signed it and it went into her backpack. Before she went to go watch TV she looked back over her shoulder at me.

“Oh,” she said matter of fatly, “please don’t embarrass me.”

I’m not sure if it was a request or not. But I’m going to assume it was a challenge. I’m preparing my speech about how a man with one ball won the race seven times in a row, which is better than any two-balled racer ever!