MotherReader

I had planned to do a “Farewell to Summer” post yesterday, but I was too busy faring well. Or farewelling. Or both. Anyway. I’m glad that I didn’t set summer goals because I think it’s safe to say that I wouldn’t have met them. Well, unless my goals involved increasing the household disorder and eating a lot of takeout, in which case I did pretty darn good.

My mantra of the year — Create, Connect, Comment — also went out the window. I didn’t create anything except mess as my writing was on hold. I only connected with my family, to whom I’m already well-connected. I didn’t comment on blogs, though I was able to make some snarky verbal comments about McCain — but I don’t think that counts.

In fact, on the commenting, I feel like I owe my blog-friends an apology and/or an explanation. At work, I can read book blogs — so I have been reading — but it pushes the limits to submit comments. I swear to myself each work day that I will go home and comment then, but I also swear to myself that I’ll resist the Call of the Oreos and that never pans out either. I’m hoping with the structure of the school year that I’ll get a better system going for this commenting thing. Stay tuned.

So I didn’t meet any particular goals, but I think we did all right for ourselves this summer.

• Six pairs of jeans purchased at discount at Ross
  
• Five nieces and nephews tickled and kissed
  
• Four trips to Virginia Beach, including lots o’ niece time
  
• Four weeks of the teen library play for seventh grader
  
• Four meetings of Girl Scouts summer book club
  
• Three nylon Prada handbags purchased on eBay
  
• Two weeks of drama camp for both girls
  
• Two yard sales for charity
  
• Two long bike rides in the park
  
• One Obama meeting, and hand-shaking
  
• One stunning fireworks display at the beach
  
• One trip to Lake Anna, including a trial run of the kayak
  
• One huge yard sale haul of designer clothes at $2 a bag
  
• One expedition to Six Flags, including water park experience
  
• One fish pedicure with bonus daughter bonding
  
• One exploration of Willoughby Bay, Norfolk, Virginia
  

There was also lots of reading, pool visits, and grilled steak. And of course, my new job at my brand-new library kept the summer interesting. (“Do we have a public phone? Hmmm. Let me find out.”)

Today I sent my seventh grader to, well... seventh grade at the scary middle school. Scary in that the school is huge. Bill and I hid behind my car to watch her get on the bus. It was like she was going to kindergarten for the first time except without the crying.

Okay, maybe I cried a little.