Venting

The kids are eating dinner right now.  It's 10 pm.  I am rather upset with them and the girls are sniveling a bit.  All 3 rode their bikes over to our friends' house, almost a mile away.  They have been doing that a lot lately and know the drill--be back by 8:30.  Well, when it was 9:20 and they weren't home, I called their cell.  No answer.  I waited for them to call back after hearing the ring.  Nothing.  So I call again.  No answer.  Now I'm a little worried, but more chapped.  I get my bike out because I can get there faster that way, plus I don't want to miss them.  With a car you have to over shoot it twice thanks to medians, round abouts and no left turns.  And you have to wait for gate guards, but there's none of that with a bike.  I raced there in 95 degree high humidity, necessitating another shower (3rd of the day), rehearsing in my mind a disappointment speech, but also thinking what's the next step if they aren't there?  They were.  I told them congratulations you are now grounded for the first time.  They got on their bikes and followed me home.  When we arrived I realized that the girls are both crying.  Ha!  They have never been in trouble for disobeying before, even if it's more negligent rather than willful.  Well, I guess it's about time.  It's hard to have kids so much better than yourself.  It's almost a relief to see them be human and mess up a bit.  But they still aren't going over there for the rest of the week.