Summer 2009

I couldn't wait for this summer to arrive. I was tired of the cold weather, the pace of the work week and the dropping off of school. I was really looking forward to longer days, playing in the pool and generally feeling a bit more relaxed because Harold was home.

So it is now the end of July. We just have a few more weeks before we head home to California. The weather has not cooperated at all. I guess it is the first cool summer we have had and we plunked down $900 for a pool membership. I'm still not sure it is worth it. We have gone every weekend for at least one day, but the process is growing a bit tedious. Abigail has made real improvements since we started. She didn't seem to want to push off from the side before but with only one week of swimming lessons, she is now pushing off both from the front and back.

Abigail's Summer
Abigail qualified for summer school which stunned me. The teachers said that they noticed that she is quiet after a vacation and wanted to make sure that she remains engaged in the structure of school and seeing teachers. I then made the choice to remove her from Learn to Grow. There didn't seem to be much point in keeping her in school for just two days. So she goes to the Arlington Public School's preschool Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9 to noon. This was her last week of ballet at Fresh Pond Ballet which was every Tuesday from 3 to 3:45. I enrolled her in alternating weeks of swimming and when it is in session, it runs daily at 2PM.

Harold's Summer
He joined the BSC so that we could join for cheaper at the outdoor pool. He loves both the Waltham and Watertown gyms and has started running. He looks great and he is in training. Harold has trimmed back the tree behind our garage and that has been a lot of work. He is relaxed, fit though not always available. He spends tremendous time downloading his music. But he should be able to enjoy himself this summer and relax.

My Projects
We joined a CSF with limited success. They have been offering only cod though they promised shellfish. Oh well. We gave it a try. I had a bout of strawberry obession with freezer jam, shortcakes, and freezing. The local strawberries were wonderful and surpassed any strawberries coming from California. I am now in a blueberry phase and we went picking on Sunday. I have been trying to go to farmer's markets which I don't typically go to but they offer the same items that our CSA does but we would get to control what we wanted. I do feel that we won't do the CSA next year though. I have so much zucchini I have to make baked goods with it.