T-minus....

Today is Sunday, T minus 4 - I am sure with everything going on, I will probably not finish the post until T-2...

Anyway, I think we are in surprisingly decent shape as far as having what we nee, getting packing and maybe all the places we are staying.  Jess had to change another place in Greece again, because there was construction on the house next door and the guy said it was intolerable.  A for what we are doing in Greece...who knows!  I think since you lat read we also changed a spot in Venice and are no longer in the Jewish ghetto but near the Rialto.  I think we are taking a ferry in to Venice - so that will be cool, we've never done that before.

As for life...it has been non-stop:  baseball, parties, our block party (which I have no pictures of other than my ribs - but was a huge success), going here - going there.  As I try to write this, Jess is talking to me about sleeping arrangements in Florence and who is sleeping where and with whom.  

T-3:  Well, I wasn't lying - it's now Monday night.  Neil had baseball yesterday and they won their first playoff game - he pitched 4 (I think) innings of a combined no-hitter.  Malcolm played tonight and they won their playoff game.  Both are moving on to the next round - and Malcolm, while we are in the air to Venice.  Tomorrow is already shaping up to be a good one since I have to go to the dentist and then the chiro for one last adjustment before we head off and hope that I do not destroy myself on the flight - which I can almost guarantee will happen.  

I made what I hope to be my last amazon purchase for the trip:  compression socks - apparently I need these because I am fucking old, SD cards for the GoPro Neil will be using and an SD card reader which I will probably take to work - and lidocaine pads should my back going to be out.  This is bullshit because I have never had to worry about these things before, WTF?

While I was checking out some memories - there were lots of good ones from previous travels - and doing work at our old house.  Seems like if we are not in Europe we are somewhere else....

Workin on the Potter Blvd House...

As usual, my proper planning - this time for Australia and New Zealand.

Neil's first big trip, Puerto Rico...

The next one...Scotland and then here in Iceland.

The Outer Banks with the Lodies - and Malcolm who we "picked up" on the Isle of Skye.

The first BIG trip with multiple kids, England, Portugal, Germany (here at the beer garden), Austria and Prague.

Scotland with all three - this was some trip.

This will be the first major trip with all four.  

T-2:  It's Tuesday morning.  I am at work and the day has started.  I have a few teachers in who are doing some planning around executive functioning - don't get me started.  You need it too.

I had one interview and that was, let's say, interesting.  I couldn't keep up with the number of Uhs....I tried to for at least one response to a question and then stopped at 8.  That's right, 8.  It was almost every other word.  I always give people and opportunity to ask questions, but then she started grilling me like I was the one being interviewed and she already had the position.  Needless to say...

Now I am trying to set up other interviews for these positions -and the pickings are slim.  Very slim.

I am home now after the joy of the dentist and chiropractor and the kids are chilling on the couch - it's hot and I am really not sure how this is going to work for us.  I mean, for the most part they hate the heat - I remember liking it as a kid - but I hate it now.  It's going to be really hot man - perhaps being on vacation and less stressed it won't bother me as much.  I imagine that you will be seeing many pictures like this one...

It literally only tells half the story since two of them are actually behaving, of which, at least half is usually not.

T-1:  So, while at work and trying to finalize a number of things before leaving, I got the news from two of our teachers that they were able to hook us up with a tour of Fiorentina's new training facilities (their family is involved with the club).  We will be heading to Viola Park - of course, I am super excited and I hope the kids will enjoy it too.  Taking care of one or two banking issues to ensure that we do not have any card problems and then I think we will be good to go.  I say that - but I am sure something will come up.

It is Wednesday evening - and we are getting to the final touches of the packing...I am sure there are a million other things we will remember...or forget and then remember - but in less than 24 hours - minus tomorrow's monsoon (I am expecting delays and I am already going to get more anxious) and we will be on our way - no turning back.

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The end of June...

It's been a while dear readers and a lot has happened - that's for sure.

In trying to think of everything, it might be easiest to bullet all the things - but who knows.  I will probably start writing and then edit it.  In a few short hours, I will be all alone during my bachelor break that I get every year when they head down to Florida for violin camp and then I meet them.  

• Liverpool won the league!!!!  #20!!!

• Neil's middle school baseball team went undefeated.

• Isla can combine both gymnastics and softball.

• We bombed Iran.
• Malcolm stepped up to 6th Grade.

• Neil is moving to 8th and is currently on track to be the 8th Grade Valedictorian.
• Neil's soccer team collapsed and we have had to merge two teams together.
• Malcolm was Bruce in the school's performance of Finding Nemo

• In typical third child fashion - Duncan disappears and shows up when he's hungry or hurt.

• Jess has canceled and made multiple reservations in Greece.
• Jen and Jane are joining us in Italy.
• Summer baseball has started and is in full swing.
• Crowny the beta died.  He's not been buried yet and it's going to be disgusting.
• Honda paid me back for my transmission - I am amazed.
• We closed out the school in a pretty efficient fashion - except for the bullshit accusations that people make about staff and summer school notification.  Too bad for them, I am good at documentation - and they should be really careful about that.
• I've made some of my best ribs yet.

• I've looked for more fuck's but can't find any.
• I met up with some old friends and that was beyond a great feeling.

• I am just about finished decorating our balcony area - rug, day bed, lights and plants.  May need one other thing for decoration.  Of course it is supposed to be for Jess and I but other people manage to weasel their way in.

Yesterday, Jess and the kids headed to Florida.  They had a 7 something flight buit it ended up being delayed because there was a problems with the plane and it needed to be fixed.  That delayed the entire day and 7:30 became 10:45....

which then became 1:30...landing at 4:30.  They ended up getting to Jess' parents at about 5:15 this morning.

They must have had a a great time at the airpot, right?

Of course, she finds the dog...because that's what she does.  Everywhere we go.

Me, I'm home living the bachelor's life as I usually do when they head to Florida for camp.  That includes meat, limited veggies and beer - sometimes a cigar.  I'm also trying to get some things done at the house while I can - getting in some weeding and cleaning up in the yard - trying to do like half an hour at a time due to the heat.  I should probably get used to it since I will be on the scorching sands of Captiva next week and then on to this trip.

I'm not sure why I agreed to Italy and Greece again in the summer.  This was Neil's idea for a trip and he's already talking about going somewhere cold.  However, I am quite sure that he out of all of them will enjoy this the most.  He will appreciate the fact that he is in this space that is over 2000 years old - and the history he has learned is right there in front of him - that he can touch and see and feel.

It's now Tuesday.  Sumer school officially starts tomorrow - it is not in my building and I am not supervising it.  As a matter of fact, I would like as little as possible to do with it.  This has been an absolute nightmare since the city has created the summer rising program which basically equates to camp and day care if you can get signed up for it on time.  They mix those kids with the kids who are mandated for summer - and well, quite frankly, no one wants to be there.  It is one thing if we have to handle mandated summer students, it is another when we have to also babysit the community organizations running the programs.  Today, I have an interview and have to fight with my budget person in order to get the money for the positions that we need in order to open the school.  We do this every year and one would think that they would fix the process since it has been the same one my entire time as principal - not to mention for how many years before that. It's absurd.

Anyway, I still need to figure out some things for the trip - camera equipment or new small camera...clothing and shoes.  I like to wait until the last minute so who knows - I know it would be better to get it together before then but sometimes it doesn't work out.  I like to catch up on sleep during the summer.

Off to Florida on Friday with no time for anything there...beach, then back home with the older boys so that they can play baseball.  Does it ever end?  "Do a nice pic for daddy."  This is what I get...

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