The End of the Summer

So we finally find out that Fiona is in the morning Kindergarten class--not the afternoon one like I thought. Her class starts at 7:45. AM. It will be pitch black at 7:45 AM for a few months, you know. I feel trepidation about this. Fiona just said to me, "I know when to get up when I look at the window and the sun is up". Oh yes, that sounds quite natural. We are actually early risers here, but in the winter, it is just really dark here. I mean, I know it's not Alaska or the Netherlands or what have you, but it's dark in the winter. Well, I'm sure she'll get used to it...although I haven't really in the years we've been here.

Her teacher also patiently explained to me that, morning or afternoon, Fiona would be in some sort of "literary circle" and her reading encouraged (what my main concern was, as they did ask my preference for which class we wanted--afternoon--and they said they planned to have a reading circle in the afternoon, so that would work out nicely...you can see why I had concerns, but I guess since that conversation was in May, it was too far in the past to actually have any more relevance? I know, I know, things change, and I really have no idea what happens at the school during the summer. Or what happens at the school at all behind the scenes. Yet?)

So that all starts September 5th. We're squeezing in all the playdates we can, going to the circus this afternoon (feeling a little nervous about pulling that one off, I can tell you), going somewhere for a couple of days in the two weeks Doug is taking off after this week, going to the fair, and possibly going apple picking, but that may happen after school starts. I believe the swimming pools close this week. In fact, I think our town's pool closes...today. And we haven't been there all summer (we've been to other swimming pools and the river, but not that one!). The one time we tried to go, it thundered as soon as we got out of the car. That happened last year, too. Fiona has told me she wants to go to the beach (the lake) to use her inflatable boat and oars and vest before summer is over.

Things feel a bit frantic over here. At least we made it to the farmer's market to get the best, biggest blueberries I've ever seen anywhere! They are even "organic".

The above picture was taken by Sobo at River Run, a great place where we used to eat with our friends Annie, Eric, and Andrea before kids and while Annie, Andrea and I were at NECI. They used to just have breakfast and lunch, but now it's all three meals and I enjoyed my catfish and hushpuppy dinner with some local beer. The breakfasts were always just awesome. I'm so glad they have dinner now, too (not to mention a larger seating area!). It is also very child friendly (thank goodness as Sophia and Julia both had A Moment). They still only accept cash, but there is an ATM there near the bathroom. It wasn't working when we went.