Saturday, August 21, 2010

Ending the Summer

I certainly didn't have the summer I'd hoped to have, but I've decided that I'm okay with that. We didn't have any blackout nights and couldn't find any firewood, so we didn't have a bunch of fires in the back yard, nor did we pull out our telescope. Not even once.
But you know what? Emma and I made French pastries and a fairy house and Andrew went to robotics camp and we got up early to watch a meteor shower and played tons of video games. We cooked together and played Monopoly too.
It was a good summer.
I'm having a hard time forcing my brain and body to comply with the scheduling challenges that are ahead. I need to do a little organizing in order for this to all work smoothly and I just don't want to. I have a new little toy camera that takes special film and I want to take pictures with it. I want to sew a couple of skirts. I want to go to the beach and write.
But I have to do paperwork. I have to call insurance companies about claims from that car accident I had last year. I have to make a written schedule to make sure that none of our activities overlap and we leave the house in the morning with all the right equipment, books and instruments for the things that will happen that afternoon.

I have to be a grown up.

Yesterday, I took the kids over to my mom's to go swimming. We spent a long while watching a fat caterpillar munching on the marigold leaves. He wiggled up and down the branches, moving from one juicy morsel to the next. We rescued a baby lizard from the pool. He was so tiny that he was trapped on top of the surface tension of the water! We watched him and another lizard hunting ants and chewing up their lunches, licking their lizard-y mouths and jumping around. Andrew did a few handstands under the water and Emma floated around and I even got in the pool with them.

Today, Chris left for a business trip. He'll be gone a lot over the next few months and I'm sure to be very lonely. But for now, I'm kinda looking forward to a few evenings of time for myself. I don't know if I can force myself to do all the grown-up things I need to do when I have some delicious me-time waiting. Opportunity only knocks once, they say. Who am I to shut it out?

Alas, Monday is reckoning day and I must find a way to be ready.

7 comments:

Mary said...

I'm so glad it was a good summer. You are always so good at composing a wrap up of the seasons. I usually find myself into one without realizing I'd left the other. I like surprises so it works for me.

If there's any opportunity for a fall visit to our colorful state to ease the loneliness while Chris is away, please feel enthusiastically invited. The leaves will appreciate your notice I'm sure.

Christy said...

Oh Mary -that sounds absolutely wonderful :)

Mary said...

Well I mean it. Just give us a little notice because I've invited other people too. :)

Mary said...

When I say I've invited other people...I don't mean to have a party. I mean I know they'd like to come and I don't know when and I wouldn't want them interrupting you and the leaves.

Amy Button said...

Ooh, yeah, I second that :D

I don't envy your schedule at all but I'm excited for you at the new opportunities.

You time...yay! I do wish I had a bit more of that.

mindy said...

You know I'm all about alone time, but if you ever feel like inviting me over for a movie and some popcorn you know I would be more than happy to oblige. Or I could just invite myself over....which I think I just did.

Christy said...

Mary - no words. Just a big smile. I will look into it and I mean it.

Min - that's fine by me :) How about this weekend? Whatcha wanna watch?