As busy and sometimes stressful as our September-June schedule has been, I am sad to bid it farewell. We have our routine down pat. I can menu plan with my eyes closed because I know who will be where when. The rhythms are predictable and enjoyable. I know when I have to do each tiny little step of my morning routine to get out the door on time-- everything is just so easy.
Even the things I thought would suck have been great-- unexpected little fun spots, actually. Like, for example, Dorothy's lone Tuesday night dance class-- her tap company class, so not easily skippable. Not enough time to drop her off, go home, and go back (we'd be home for less than 20 minutes), but awkwardly long to stay. Except it wasn't! Because I would read a book, and Minnie would play so happily with a bunch of 8 year-olds on a break before their acro or musical theater classes. Or Friday night ballet team which seemed like a drag but again provided me a quiet 75 minutes to close out work for the week or rad a book and a break from dinner planning and making and general house stuff, which I needed after Ben being out for a few days mid-week. Driving Dorothy and Coop to school in bad weather was a blast because we did it infrequently enough to make it a treat (coffee or snacks or donuts). I loved my long Mondays watching Cooper dive. Even the Tuesday and Wednesday nights that Ben was out of town were great because Jack was home to watch TV with me- we had lovely, relaxing nights and shared shows and snacks.
But now! We are looking at all new routines. AND THEY ARE COMPLICATED. My Google calendar is a MESS. And my paper monthly cal is EVEN WORSE. SO bad I might just start over.
The first week of this month is our last "normal" week, but even that one isn't because I am done with school and working on summer projects, and Harry is barely working any hours because the pool is only open from 4-8, and he is a manager not a guard (and yes, his dad and I told him this might be an issue, but did he listen? I WILL GIVE YOU ONE GUESS). Then the next week has no dance (yay!) but normal dive and only 3 days of school (2 if you are Minnie). The following week, Cooper has an abnormal club dive schedule (1:30-4) and jumps into his summer dive and swim schedule. Meanwhile, Jack goes to Des Moines, and Dorothy and I head to Charleston. When we get home, we have Dorothy's first week of dance, plus she will join the swim/dive stuff. But! Coop is still on a weird club dive schedule, and we leave Thursday of that week for Cleveland. We won't start our "standard" summer schedule until June 30!
On July 31, everything changes again because USA diving nats os done, and Cooper's club takes a break. Summer dive league is also over. Dorothy finishes summer dance on August 14. But then! I start welcome week just 7 short days later and right after that, Harry goes back to school, and then the pool closes and school starts again. Gah!
Before you know it, I will be complaining about the fall.
I gave away the swing set Minnie never plays with by posting it on FB marketplace. A lovely couple came over with their own tools and a trailer and took it off our hands almost immediately.
She does not care at all.Morning coffee outside, RIP linden tree that blew down a year ago this week but gifted us nice end tables.
IT IS FIRE SEASON, and I have s'mores supplies on the regular shopping list.