Puppy Tries a S'more

I promised my kids we'd make s'mores over Labor Day weekend, before school started. With Hurricane Earl swinging by the Cape for a visit, we had blustery winds most of the weekend. Early on Monday evening it was calm enough to light the firepit.

Puppy was intrigued by the flaming marshmellows. She kept asking to try one.
Finally, my daughter gave in. She let Puppy have a marshmallow. Puppy took it gingerly in her mouth, careful not to break it as she carried it over to the grass.... and...
...sat in it. Oops.

This is why you don't give a s'more to a Puppy.

Milestone Moments

Today is the first day of high school for my oldest child. I'm officially the mother of a high school kid. Here he is back when he was still shorter than I am and liked having his photograph taken. He's over 6 feet tall now and you should have seen the scowl when I suggested bringing my camera to the bus stop...

Today marks the first time since he started preschool that I haven't had the first-day-of-school-Kodak-moment with him.

Since he's going to a regional high school, the nearest bus stop is actually in the next town. We had to drive there and park on the side of the road along with about twenty other cars. The bus arrived 5 minutes earlier than it's posted online time, but we were there waiting. Some of the parents started to pull away as soon as their kids got out of the cars to stand on the corner, but I stayed until my son got onto the bus.

My other two kids don't start school until tomorrow, and I'm still not sure how it'll work in the mornings, driving the one to his bus stop then zooming home to make sure the others get on the bus that stops up on our own street corner...

Tomorrow will be *my* back-to-school day. No kids in the house all day long. Or at least for 7 hours of the day. Which is good. Back to writing, after a long summer off.

But my youngest is starting middle school tomorrow, so it's a little bittersweet. *sigh* No more elementary school. Ever.

When I think of the first day of school, I still picture them all little and eager to go back and see their friends... new sneakers, new t-shirts, new dresses...

Happy back-to-school to all the other moms and dads out there. Enjoy!

Blue Skies for Labor Day

Non-Hurricane Earl has left Cape Cod, after barely even stopping by for a visit. Not that I'm complaining too much, mind you.

It's like expecting your stodgy Great Aunt Edith to stop by for drinks and dinner. The same old auntie who's lipstick-smeared cigarette-scented kisses haunted your dreams when you were a kid. You spend all day cleaning, scrubbing, preparing... but dreading the visit all the same. When she does ring the doorbell... and then just waves from the front steps and in her raspy voice says, "Sorry, can't stay," are you all that upset? Or glad to have dodged the bullet? (be honest....)

The sky is already blue, and the grass is starting to dry out from all the rain. But speaking of scrubbing and preparing, I have a party to get ready for!

Gin and tonics at my house, four o'clock.

Earl is on His Way to Cape Cod....

They're flying the hurricane flags over at the Chatham Lighthouse. Route 6 was heavily traveled all day yesterday with tourists cutting short their vacations. The Army Corp of Engineers has said they will close the Sagamore and Bourne bridges when the wind gusts reach a certain level. Most of Nantucket has boarded up their windows.

And yesterday afternoon, my son's soccer team jogged to the Nauset Light beach to play in the heavy surf brought on by the coming storm.

Reactions to the impending storm are mixed here on Cape Cod. Some people are panicked. Some shelves at the supermarket were looking bare yesterday, as the workers hurried to restock items like water gallons.

At my house, we've taken the precautions we would for any storm. We've put all the pool toys in the shed. Brought the grill into the garage. Taken down the patio umbrella. Took the kids' sailboat over to store in my mother-in-law's garage. Bought some water, just in case.

But I'm refusing to panic. I'm sure it will be a big storm. But I don't think another "Bob" or "Katrina" is going to happen. It can't. I'm hosting a dinner party tomorrow night for the extended family, and a major hurricane doesn't fit in with my plans.

So listen up, Earl. You're welcome to visit. Just remember you need to be a good guest an leave before you wear out your welcome. And preferably let the sun back out before cocktail time tomorrow.