We're Back

So, my plan for more regular and frequent updates is not working out so well. Too bad, I guess because the reasons are all positive. We have been on vacation and were too busy having fun to sit down and write – not to mention having no internet access (vacation, remember).

But that is all over. School started today and we were all up at the butt crack of dawn (5 AM) so the “mentor” could get to school on time and the “mentee” wanted to ride along. That meant the “oatmeal maker” had to be in on the action as well.

It is now several hours, one nap, and three loads of laundry later. I even received my first call from school saying that I forgot to leave lunch money. Hmmmm, doesn’t take long does it? I set up an online payment system, but that takes a couple of days to kick in. Looks like I get to make my first emergency run to school. This was easier when the forgetful one was in middle school, which is practically in our backyard. The high school is a lot further away.

(break)

It is now several hours later. The lunch money checks got to school (five minutes before the hoard was scheduled to arrive), the mail got collected, the car got an inch thick coating of bugs washed off, and there are groceries back in the refrigerator. I still have to sort through a week’s worth of mail and set aside the bills from the junk and the lawn and garden need serious attention.

K is already home from her mentoring day at school. J will be coming home on the bus when his first day in high school is over. K has her first day tomorrow. So, the school year begins and we can start to settle into some kind of a routine. After a summer that saw us on the road for most of the second half, I look forward to that.

I know that some of you have questions about our recent vacation and I am happy to say that it was a wonderful time. We were at an old “cabin” on one of America’s premier trout streams in northern Wisconsin. I spent a lot of time at this place when I was a much younger man. The family of my best friend in elementary school bought the property in the early sixties and I was invited down every summer for many years.

It is one of the more magical places in my world. There was a long stretch where my friend and I drifted apart and it was not until many years later that I reconnected with members of the family. Over that period of time death claimed several family members including my friend and the property passed into the care of the surviving siblings. Earlier this year, I inquired whether they would consider renting it to me for a week. They said yes and that’s where we have been for the last week.

It has lost none of its magic. The river runs clear and the fish are there (I saw them) even if they were not biting. We bought my daughter a four-day, out-of-state fishing license and she spent many hours patiently casting for brook trout. She even tried fly casting for an afternoon.

We spent time canoeing, hiking, dining on a beautiful screen porch that overlooks the river. The weather was mostly very nice with the temps a bit on the cool side, so fires in the two large stone fireplaces were a welcome occurrence.

We had friends and family that came to visit, some staying for a night or two and some just for the day. It was a nice thing to be able to share with others. We even got in a couple of poker games with friends staying down river. All in all, a great time.

Still, I am looking forward to not going anywhere for a while. This summer has been one of much travel and many wonderful happenings, but it is time to settle down and concentrate on the school year that has just begun. Maybe that will give me more time to write. We’ll see.