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...