The Speed of Summer
It’s hard to believe that all of June and most of July are already behind us; another summer winding its way into the blistery hot beginnings of a new school year. I think we’ve spent the better part of that time in our bathing suits as it should be. I’m not sure Ian knows what underwear is anymore and Julia’s nose looks like we sprinkled cinnamon on there. We all have the hard calloused feet of folks who don’t spend much time wearing socks and shoes…okay, shoes in general.
So far we’ve spent some glorious days at the lake, the kind of wonderful day where the big kids just make up silly games like golf ball races and the baby naps long enough for me to read and doze in the sun. Julia and Ian have both learned to knee-board and have become experts at the cannonball off the back of the boat. They’ve overcome the gross factor of swimming in the seaweed and are doing Geronimos off the peer. Norah has become an expert crawler and loves to explore the room she’s in discovering her favorite things: electrical cords, stacks of magazines, and small pieces of potato chips or marbles. We put a blanket down for her outside, but it’s no use; she doesn’t mind crawling all over the grass chasing the croquet balls and trying unsuccessfully to catch up with the dog. She loved taking a “lakey” to wash off the applesauce and vegetable mush that covers her after meals. She was not a fan of the baby life jacket, but who really enjoys being in a straight jacket?
Girl Scout camp has come and gone, but the songs remain with us still (sigh). Percy the Pale Faced Polar Bear rings in my ears as I fall asleep exhausted at night. The highlight of the week was when all the girls were gathered around preparing for lunch. One girl suggests that they do a “prayer” before eating to bless the food. Why not? She gets very serious and asks for silence. All the girls sort of get quiet and kind of bow their heads, and she begins, “Hail Mary, full of grace…blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit loop Jesus.” It was all I could do to keep a straight face. The two Jewish girls in the troop were like “what the heck is going on” and the rest of the girls just mumbled the few words they remembered.
We’re in the dog days now. I’m getting ready for a pretty big teaching gig, three classes starting in August,and the kids will be starting a new school this fall so there’s uniforms to be purchased. Just the words “back to school” give me the heeby jeebies.
As you can see from the photo we’ve eaten our weight in ice cream this summer keeping the toothless guy in the truck in business as well as the owners of Paytona Bay.
It’s hard to believe that all of June and most of July are already behind us; another summer winding its way into the blistery hot beginnings of a new school year. I think we’ve spent the better part of that time in our bathing suits as it should be. I’m not sure Ian knows what underwear is anymore and Julia’s nose looks like we sprinkled cinnamon on there. We all have the hard calloused feet of folks who don’t spend much time wearing socks and shoes…okay, shoes in general.
So far we’ve spent some glorious days at the lake, the kind of wonderful day where the big kids just make up silly games like golf ball races and the baby naps long enough for me to read and doze in the sun. Julia and Ian have both learned to knee-board and have become experts at the cannonball off the back of the boat. They’ve overcome the gross factor of swimming in the seaweed and are doing Geronimos off the peer. Norah has become an expert crawler and loves to explore the room she’s in discovering her favorite things: electrical cords, stacks of magazines, and small pieces of potato chips or marbles. We put a blanket down for her outside, but it’s no use; she doesn’t mind crawling all over the grass chasing the croquet balls and trying unsuccessfully to catch up with the dog. She loved taking a “lakey” to wash off the applesauce and vegetable mush that covers her after meals. She was not a fan of the baby life jacket, but who really enjoys being in a straight jacket?
Girl Scout camp has come and gone, but the songs remain with us still (sigh). Percy the Pale Faced Polar Bear rings in my ears as I fall asleep exhausted at night. The highlight of the week was when all the girls were gathered around preparing for lunch. One girl suggests that they do a “prayer” before eating to bless the food. Why not? She gets very serious and asks for silence. All the girls sort of get quiet and kind of bow their heads, and she begins, “Hail Mary, full of grace…blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit loop Jesus.” It was all I could do to keep a straight face. The two Jewish girls in the troop were like “what the heck is going on” and the rest of the girls just mumbled the few words they remembered.
We’re in the dog days now. I’m getting ready for a pretty big teaching gig, three classes starting in August,and the kids will be starting a new school this fall so there’s uniforms to be purchased. Just the words “back to school” give me the heeby jeebies.
As you can see from the photo we’ve eaten our weight in ice cream this summer keeping the toothless guy in the truck in business as well as the owners of Paytona Bay.
