SUMMER COCKTAIL
THANKFUL FRIDAY
The Nelson Atkins hosts a Lawn Party every summer and when I got the announcement for this year’s event, I went strait to the pre-register page and said “yes, please.” It helped that the event just happened to fall on a day I had off work and the weather looked perfect for riding our bikes there. So, last Friday, Michael loaded two bottles of wine and some cups into his bicycle bags and I shoved a picnic blanket into my bicycle box and off we went. We arrived at the Nelson and there was no one there. No food trucks. No lawn games. No other picnickers. Nothing. We rode around to the front side of the museum and asked a security guard about the Lawn Party. Turns our the party is July 19th. Not June 19th. Apparently every time my brain say the word “July” it converted to “June”. I blame the three different calendars I’m currently keep track of.
With no Lawn Party or food trucks happening, Michael suggested we go get oysters form Whole Paycheck because Fridays are dollar oyster days and shuck oysters in the park while drinking wine. Off we went to buy oysters and other picnic foods, but when we stepped back out with our purchases, we were greeted with dark ominous clouds. Michael checked his phone and then said “We need to get home right now.” We booked it home, made it inside and picnicked in our living room. The rain didn’t start for hours later, but the next morning the sky was clear, which was a surprise. We had expected the day to be rainy. I woke Michael and said “Let’s go to that farmers market you were talking about. We can ride our bikes!” We headed out in search of farm fresh tomatoes and we were four miles from the market when Michael noticed his back tire was flat. We pondered our next move and started walking our bikes towards the market.
We had barely gone a block when we noticed a group of men standing in the driveway of an old two story house surrounded by a chainlink fence. We stopped and Michael looked at me and said “Should I ask?” I looked over at the men and I can only describe them as what happened to the Children of Corn when they grew up. I shrugged and replied “Why not?” Michael yelled across the street asking if they had a bicycle pump. They all waved back and one guy said “Sure! Come on over!” Michael then asked me if this was how he was going to die. I nodded almost gleefully and said “probably” while following him across the street. The now grown Children of the Corn ended up being very helpful. When the bicycle pump didn’t work, the guy hauled out his air compressor. He was so determined to put air in this tire that I’m surprised he didn’t try putting his mouth on the valve and blowing air into it.
They got the tire inflated and we headed out, quickly making it to the farmers market. Except there wasn’t a market. Turns out that market happens every second Saturday of the month. By this point, I was low on battery juice because I forgot to plug my bike in after our last bike ride and Michael’s tire was not holding air. There is a bike shop on Main street near the Westport area that we were not far from. Michael told me he was going to book it to the shop and that I could just get there when I get there. By the time I showed up, the guys at the shop already had Michael’s back tire off. They said I could plug my bike in to charge while Michael and I walked to Char Bar for lunch. As we crossed Main street, a young family approached us asking if we were locals. They needed directions for the closest streetcar stop. Michael and I practically gushed all over them with information on getting to where they were going and getting back to their hotel. As we headed on our way, Michael clapped his hands and said “And that’s called being a City Ambassador!” We had a nice lunch before picking up our bikes and heading home.
Every bike ride destination was bust, with exception to riding over to Jenn’s house for pool time, but the bike rides themselves were wonderful. We managed to turn each one into a roving adventure filled with unexpected surprises. This is the weirdest June I’ve experienced in Kansas City. The weather has been absolutely perfect for being outside. Wednesday of this week was the first day in almost two weeks that I have driven my car to work and that was because there was rain in the forecast. Even then, I drove the car for no reason because the rain never happened. Every day has been a two-wheeled vehicle day. My arms and shoulders are so tan from all the outside time and I’m starting to wonder if I really need to take that vitamin D supplement the doctor put me on last year. The sunshine, the bike riding adventures, the weather…I am grateful for every little last bit of it.
Winter wasn’t even all that bad this year, but the contrast between those months and the summer months in regards to my mental wellness is striking. It isn’t hard to figure it out. Riding a bike is a form of exercise and studies have shown that exercising releases happy hormones. This, in combination with all of the sunshine, makes for a blissful mental cocktail and I am slurping it up while I can. But I’m also taking notes and adding to my mental health recipe book.