Tuesday, July 15, 2008

It's About Time!

No, you're not dreaming. It is not the end of the world. Pigs are not flying. I just decided that I should put something else up on this blog since it's been since April.

The summer is definitely in full swing here. We've been very busy here at the House That Jack Built. First, every summer it takes our family a few weeks to adjust to ALL BEING HOME. Stretch is a teacher and is home all summer. The first week of summer vacation is like the honeymoon phase - we're all just thrilled to be home and have nothing to do. We sleep in, have no schedule, play outside all day, stay up late, etc.

The second week, I inform my husband that we must have a schedule - because "I can't do this all summer long". So he appeases me. We get a plan, and start following it. I am in "summer schedule heaven" - breakfast, schoolwork, chores, an outing, lunch, naptime, freetime, dinner, bed. I just love a schedule.

And for about two weeks - we are really good at it.

Then Stretch starts to veer from the schedule, slipping out during school and chores - I head to look for him, after he's been M.I.A. for a while. I know where to look for him - somewhere in the yard. Yep, there he is - and he's done it again... he's started a project.

My husband LOVES summer projects. And most women wouldn't mind a husband who is constantly working to better the house & yard. Except that - we never discuss a project. I just find him in full swing breaking concrete, cutting a larger bed for the shrubs he decided to transplant. Next thing you know we are both at Home Depot and he's buying 30 bags of concrete for a new walkway & a giant concrete mixer in my driveway.

Unfortunately the project takes "longer than expected". So, he has to stop half way through the project, because his Thesis is not done and has to be completed by August. Then have my cousin and her family visit with us from Texas for four days. They leave on a Monday, and we head for the Auto Train to Florida the very next day to spend a week in DisneyWorld (which I'll save for another post). Phew... Are you tired yet?

Now we're back - the schedule I came to love has been demolished, and I don't know if I have the energy to bring it back to life. Everyone else seems just fine to piddle the day away... maybe I should be too. I know it will all get done... but the relaxing summer I always hope for, never quite happens that way.

I'm going to take a nap. I should probably blog more than once a quarter - because all this catching up is exhausting.