Archives - Weekly Update

Interesting week as I was on call for jury duty in New Jersey. My number finally came up on Wednesday, and I walked into the courthouse waiting for the "bomp bomp" sound that I hear on "Law & Order." The jury waiting room was crowded with potential jurors, most of whom were reading. I was thinking of handing out my business cards with all of our URLs on them, but froze in my chair when a police officer walked by. My overactive imagination had me writing a plot of getting arrested at jury duty for soliciting.

Fall, which to me is a nasty four-letter word right now, supposedly arrives tomorrow. I, who still am holding onto summer, continued to swim in the pool in our yard this week even on the very chilly mornings where the thermometer seemed to be stuck at 52. I raced from the house to the heated pool where the steam was rising off of it and wafting into the air. I saw that as a sign to jump in. I am sure that my more practical husband saw it as dollars floating from his checkbook. Two years ago I swam at the house 'til Halloween. With each stroke I was planning the geodome to go over the pool to ensure that I could swim through the winter. I guess it was those exercise endomorphins kicking in that were making me delirious. Well, when my husband got the gas bill in November, reality set in and I told him that that could be my birthday, Christmas, anniversary and Mother's Day present for the year. He did not disagree. And then I joined the Y.

I am looking out the window, and I am happy the leaves still are green on the trees outside my window. On the drive home the other night a yellow leaf landed on my windshield, and I felt like fall was looking me in the face and it was not pretty. I am not ready for fall foliage yet. Our office renovation had me sequestered inside a windowless office for such a long time that I need more summer.

I got back from the Outer Banks late Wednesday night, just 12 hours before my older son was to start his last year of high school. Yes, we pushed the envelope and extended beach time as long as we could here since next summer he is off to college, and thus the last weeks of August will most likely entail moving him into a dorm instead of relaxing on the beach. Yesterday I took the last “first day of school” photo of him next to the lamppost where we have marked this occasion over the years. Then he jumped into his car and took off for school since for seniors the bus is very passé. I stood there remembering taking him to pre-school buckled into a car seat in the back of the car, which seems like yesterday. I confess to succumbing to a puddle of emotion as he drove away. A number of my friends have children starting college this year, and I am living their experiences vicariously. I am not sure if firsts or lasts are harder.