A Week in Review

Well, it's been a busy week here in Lake Lessonland...

This weekend was the grand opening for our county's Rails-to-Trails bike and hike trail. It's hard for me to drag my sorry bee-hind out of bed before 8:00, but we rose early in the morning so that we could make it to the trail by 8:10. That's when the Road Apple Kids' Run would begin, and 13-year-old son Houdin was determined to be there. Having not trained, prepared, or even warmed up (he scoffed at me for advising it), I was sure this was going to be one of those Big Life Lessons. I was right. Except the Big Life Lesson was for me. I watched from the side of the finish line as my purple-do-rag-headed son jogged towards me in second place, preceded only by a girl a couple of years younger than him (or is it "he"?).

"I let her win," he said. "I didn't think it was right to beat a little girl."

He received a Road Apple Run t-shirt and a medal. I received a piece of humble pie.

While we were there, we listened to our Governor dedicate the trail, ate barbecued chicken, homemade ice cream and, of course, walked. Since it was now TEN YEAR OLD Monet's birthday, he was given a fistful of dollars on which he spent $2.00 for ice cream, $2.00 for drinks and $1.00 for a raffle that he was very disappointed not to win. Yet he remains hopeful, asking me every day if we could still get that call. I suppose we could, but I doubt it. Still, I've been wrong before once or twice.

On Saturday evening, we attended the graduation party of Ash, one of 15-year-old daughter Bard's best friends. I spent my time eating and playing Duck Duck Goose with a group of kids in the common yard of the condominiums where the party was held. Let me just say I always picked the slow kids, okay?

On Sunday we celebrated two birthdays: Monet's first double digit--TEN!--and Houdin's 14th. We packed up the whole family for a surprise outing to the local waterpark. It was even a surprise to me, because I was sure I couldn't afford it, but so many circumstances fell beautifully into line that we were able to join two other families for a day at pseudobeach. Houdin spent the day on the log roll, running his tuckus off and wearing several layers of skin off the bottoms of his feet. But he remained King of the Hill, in spite of a sunburn, which is, of course, the most important thing.

While there, six-year-old daughter Sweetheart found a tree frog on the water slide. Lucky for us, Monet and Houdin received critter nets for their birthdays, so we were able to observe the little guy close up and then transport him to the safety of a nearby tree.

This week, we've also seen the end of Houdin's soccer season, Houdin and Monet's choir season, and are approaching the end of Monet's baseball season.

In just FIVE DAYS, 15-year-old Bard leaves for ten days in China with her choral ensemble. Am I ready? Let me just say...uh, no.

Yesterday, I planted marigolds in the kitchen garden, discovered that something had destroyed the wren's nest that had been nestled in the lemon balm, and found a wren's nest in the bluebird boxes. I left it. In the evening, Monet made hot dogs on the grill while Bo mowed the lawn and took the kids for rides on the tractors. Then we all settled onto the hillside to watch the three stars of the summer triangle slip into view. Ping. Ping. Ping.

And then we came inside for a game of Slamwich, a gift given to us by our close friends in celebration of the boys' birthdays.

This morning I got up way too early and drove to the feed supply where I picked up nineteen new day-old chicks which I hope to keep alive for long enough to collect eggs. These Araucauna chicks will grow into gorgeous multi-colored chickens that lay multi-colored eggs! Right now, I can hear them peeping from their box in the kids' bathroom.

That's my week in review. Oh, there was so much more, but I have to prepare for piano lessons. The piano teacher is coming to our house today, bless her soul, because my van is still in the shop because the mechanic is still on vacation.

I'm vacationing right here.

And that's the news from Lake Lessonland, where all the chicks are alive, all the flowers are blooming, and all the children are above average.