Summer Nostalgia

Summer --  at last!  Having been born and raised in Illinois, I still can't get used to these New York school schedules.  Having to go to school through June seems so cruel.  When I was a kid (yes, I'm plenty old enough to be able to utter those hoary old words with impunity), we were out of school by Memorial Day.  Summer stretched before us - - an impossibly long stretch of leisurely days with nothing but 24/7 play on our minds.  Now, my daughter's last day was this past Friday, June 27th.  You turn around and - oh my god - it's the 4th of July already!  What the hell happened to June??

It just shortens the summer, somehow.  June should be a get-out-of-school-free month.  No one should have to sit at desks and pay attention in June.   It's too hot.  The weather's too nice.  June, to me, is the premier summer month before the hazy, hot and humid days of July set in.  The month to savor and enjoy for all ages.  Not a month for homework and final projects and sweaty band concerts.  

Summertime

At last -- the field days, ceremonies, good-by parties and all the rest of the end-of-the-school-year hullabaloo are over.  Summer Is Now Officially On!  

Field Day!

It's the annual Cottage Lane Field Day Extravaganza!  I think every school has something along these lines - a morning of relays and races,  and in the end, everyone gets some award of some kind.  Zoe's class got the "Good Attitude" Award.  Hmmmmmm

Anyway, a great time was had by all, especially me because after 6 Field Days, I'm ready for something completely different.  

The Ceremonies Continue...

Another momentous occasion - - the "Moving Up" Ceremony commemorating the end of 5th grade, and the beginning of those wild and wacky middle school years.  (Hold on to your hat, dear - I think we're in for a bumpy ride!)  

Zoe was given the honor of reciting her classmates names as they received their certificates.  Although she was a little nervous beforehand, she did a most excellent job.  We were so proud of our little girl!

At Last - My Son the Graduate!

Did I mention how proud we are? Well, we are.  Really.   Extremely.  

O Happy Day

Happy.  Sad.  Proud.  Really proud.  Relieved.  Elated. Overjoyed.  (Exhale)

Mission Accomplished!

       He made it. 

Chinatown

Zoe found many wonderful things she couldn't live without.     A golden mouse bank was high on the list.  Unfortunately,  she has no money.   Sweet irony.  

I Know - Let's Have Chinese!!

If it's Sunday at our house, it's Chinese for dinner.  We usually do take-out from our favorite take-out place, the honorable and delicious  Joy Food Kitchen.  

But on this particular occasion, we decided to brave it and head into the city (it was Memorial Day, so the city was,  for all intents and purposes, empty).  A trip to Chinatown was a logistical possibility, and a chance for the kids (and us) to try something new and different.  

69 Bayard is the place to go.  A small, bustling restaurant that serves anything you want, any way you want, and unlike take-out, it's 10 steps from the kitchen to your table. We were all satisfied customers.    

My Buddy

Look into those big  brown eyes!

One hundred pounds of friendship, loyalty, companionship, and love...

Our walks together are the best part of my day. 

My Son the Graduate!

I can't believe it's here.  The day I knew would come at last has come at last!  Well, almost.  Next Saturday, my baby boy will graduate from high school!  Whew!  He (we?) made it!   The finish line is in sight!!  

This particular day will be particularly sweet because it's been quite a trip through the educational system.   And not just your generic educational system, but the "special" educational system.  My son, the almost-graduate, is autistic.  Zachary was diagnosed at 3, and ever since then we have been working the system:  looking for the best programs to fit his needs,  getting additional help in the form of occupational therapy, speech therapy, social skills classes.  Doing whatever we could find to do to help him overcome, or at least learn to deal with, some of his disabilities.  And he has come a long way, baby.  To be sure, he still has his "issues".  There is work still to be done.  But I am so very proud of him.   I will savor this graduation day and dare to believe that anything is possible.  Just like millions of other parents this time of year.

Movie Choices

Every once in a while a friend of mine calls wanting to see a movie.  Trouble invariably ensues over which movie it will be.  She favors the serious, sober, thought-provoking, intense genre, while I gravitate towards comedies, adventure, or suspense.  I confess, I often feel like a lightweight -- wanting only to sit and be drawn into some silly story that will hold my attention for an hour-and-a-half to two hours (after that, I have sitting still issues).  I feel I should be more interested in broadening my horizons with a documentary, or perhaps a foreign film that has received good reviews.  Or how about a highly acclaimed drama?  Something that will stimulate serious adult reflection and conversation.  

Alas, no.  It comes down to this:  at this particular point in time, I feel I have enough drama in my real life.  I don't need to schlep to the cinema for someone else's.  

Email Alert - It's Father's Day! Put down the phone!!

Go Hug A Dad

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there.  

And yes, today you can have the couch and rest your eyes all you want...

Turn up the volume on that golf too, while you're at it.

Happy Birthday

Went to a surprise party tonight for a good friend - her 50th!  And she really didn't have any idea what was going on.  That's hard to pull off. 

 Anyway, we go back about 16 years, to when both our sons were in a therapeutic nursery together.  Yes, "therapeutic".  Both our boys are autistic.  We met when we were both at about the lowest point we've ever been at in our lives.  Totally devastated, absolutely no idea what to do or think or how to go on living.  She lived in New Jersey, I in New York, and if not for the fact that both our babies were behaving like raving lunatics, we never would have met.  

And it wasn't just one friend-for-life made at this nursery.  Three other of the best people I've ever met were also moms trying to come to grips with this mysterious disability that would be a part of all of our lives for the rest of our lives.  Mothers-in-arms. 

Friday the 13th

How can we go ahead with a presidential campaign season and election without Tim Russert?  Yes, there are an awful lot of talking heads on practically every channel, but Mr. Russert was different.  He knew his stuff.  And you could tell he really, truly enjoyed what he did.  How many people can say that?   

Testing, testing, 123...

At last - a blog all my own!