Waning Days of July

My grandma used to say, "After the Fourth of July, summer just flies by."

!Es mui verdad!

Late Friday night, Brian and I returned from what would be my last trip of the summer. Brian and I drove 1850 miles round-trip up to Chicago where Brian and I split. Brian met up with friends and drove north to Canadian Boundary Waters for ultimate, only-people-there, boys only fishing trip and I drove up with my family to Aunt and Uncle Connolly's place in Door County, Wisconsin. I hardly spent any time in Illinois that wasn't already pre-programmed with a family BBQ or get-togethers or Grandpa at the Devonshire Assisted Living Facility visit or Auntie at the Hospital visit. It was a lovely time, but not nearly enough time to see everyone.

This quote aptly greeted me on my page-a-day calendar when we returned back home: "...In times of great stress, such as a four-day vacation, the thin veneer of family wears off almost at once, and we are revealed in our true personalities." -Shirley Jackson

Teachers report back to public school a week from today. Talk about a bowl of hot sweaty suck-ass. Since it's still 105'F, it makes perfect sense NOT to go back to school a month before the rest of the nation. I forgot how fun heat stroke at football practice can be--- even members of the marching band are at risk.

Rachel leaves for Mississippi State College two weeks from Wednesday. Very exciting stuff! She's coming into her own snarkiness just in time.