My birthday was last weekend, and John told me that he had a little surprise planned for the afternoon. It should come as no surprise that John likes to plan things that others would consider a little out of the ordinary. That can be very exciting at times, and also a bit intimidating. I ended up feeling a good measure of both. So, do you want to hear what I got to do? John made arrangements for me to ride a friend's motorbike. I haven't ridden a motorbike for almost 12 years! When we lived in Niger John and I put about 10,000 km on the Yamaha 125 that we shared. Despite their assurances that it would be as familiar as "riding a bike" I was a bit skeptical. I will be forever grateful to Doug for his generosity and patience! He took me out for a spin, gave me a quick refresher (and I mean quick!), and then I was off on my own. I didn't exactly tear up the trails, but I did have fun! I puttered about at a cautious speed with a huge, smushed grin inside the helmet. Of course, John got a turn too. (His birthday is just around the corner). I imagine there will be an opportunity to be on a motorbike again sometime in the coming year. And now I've been able to get a bit of practice with only John, Danielle and a couple friends watching - instead of an entire village of strangers watching me struggling to find second gear.
This is a picture of what me, Simon,Dad and Mom made for a Mothers'Day gift. We made 
