end of summer

Today was our last day of summer. We found ourselves at the lake again, this time visiting with cousins. Twenty degrees cooler than last week, but almost everyone jumped in to swim anyway.

These cousins live in a forested paradise, and we love to visit. We get to check the chickens for eggs. We get to take home the eggs and a loaf of fresh bread (and the suggestion of french toast for back-to-school breakfast). We get to hold the new kittens! And we get good food and good company. Fresh homemade berry pie, grilled squash.



On the way home our audio book ended (Gregor the Overlander #5), and we had a full 45 minutes without fictional narration. Yikes. At first we felt withdrawals, but then we started to chat. I smiled to myself to hear Berkeley and Syd get reacquainted. He asked, "So what grade are you going into?" Soon they were laughing and joking around together. Why are those opportunities so rare? (Probably because these are the two least talkative kids, and they are usually dominated by the other chattier siblings)


So now rhe kids are tucked in bed earlier than they have been in three months. They have bathed, made tomorrow's lunches, set out tomorrow's clothes. And they each had a special blessing from their dad, to comfort and fortify them for the year ahead.

They are pretty well squared away. Tomorrow it will be time for me make some plans of my own.