Unexpected Liberation

Monday, August 15, 2005

Summers end
Originally uploaded by victornado.

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Today is very much like the last day of summer for me.

Certainly there are still hot days ahead. Fall begins early, though, here in Pittsburgh. At least compared to Oklahoma. As a rule the summers are not severe in Pennsylvania and fall transitions subtly as the weather gradually turns cooler and the days shorter.

It is not the weather that will end my summer.

Tomorrow we will drive to Terre Haute, Indiana to retrieve the man-child after six weeks in Arkansas. We meet half-way for both parties for the exchange. We'll return on Wednesday.

I won't lie - I have enjoyed the time my husband, LB, and I have shared together these past six weeks. Not that our son cramps our style too much. He is 13 1/2 and has his own agenda. Still, to come and go on a whim without any responsibilities has been nice.

I can tell my son is ready to come home. He has a habit of telling me the day's date and how many days there are until an important event. For the past two weeks he has relayed that information to me over the phone, counting down the days until August 16th.

Yesterday we visited the grocery store to prepare for his return. I stopped in the bakery to pick up his favorite flavor of cupcakes, white cake, white icing with sprinkles. Somehow I managed to wind down the cookie aisle, an aisle I haven't visited in some time, and picked up a package of Oreo Double Stuff cookies - his favorite. "Are we trying to fatten him up??", LB asked as the cookies took their place in our cart. OF COURSE I won't let him have all these treats at once but there are only two weeks left until school starts. A little indulgence won't hurt - will it? I also purchased nectarines and peaches - more favorites.

Soon the "back to school" shopping will begin. His room will be thoroughly cleaned and organized. I know he'll need a haircut. I'll have him go to bed and rise in the morning at a specific time to set his internal "school clock".

But this week is our freebie. We'll finish out the week with wild abandon. Okay, we'll go to the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh and see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on the IMAX screen. We'll race each other via Play Station and stay up late.

Yes, summer is over in a sense but I have no complaints. It's all good.

Vic set it free at 11:58 AM

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