“Keep!”
“Toss!”
“Does that even fit?”
“Keep!”
“Goodwill!”
“Toss!”
“I like that but it’s not in style. Get rid of it.”
“Those are 2 of essentially the same shirts. You do not need both!”
This went on and on this afternoon with my helpers, my mom and sister.
4 big, full garbage bags to Goodwill! Now I can shop for more!
Thanks helpers!
Holding on to every last minute
To the sand between my toes
To the heat from the sun
To the waves crashing
To the salty smell
And the tanned skin
Summer don’t end
There is one in every class. One kid that ties their shoes together. One that waddles around the room laughing drawing any and all attention they can get. One that then needs to ask the teacher for help because they can’t get the shoes apart.
This year is no different. “We just talked about how we want to feel safe in school. Do you think this was a safe thing to do for yourself or others?” I asked Kay while struggling unsuccessfully to get her shoe laces apart.
She stares down at me and says, “I didn’t do it on purpose. I was just walking and they tied themselves together.”
I stop what I am doing and stare up at Kay dumbfounded. “Really? The laces from one shoe just happened to triple knot themselves together with the one next to it.”
“Um… Well…”
A few days later, after the laces have been cut apart so Kay could make it safely home, I’m helping several kids tie their shoes before recess. “Boy! We really need to learn to tie our shoes this year in 2nd grade so we can make it outside on time,” I say jokingly.
“Yeah… but when you do learn… Don’t tie them together,” I hear someone say from the back of the room. “I learned that the hard way. Now I have to wear Velcro sneakers.”
I smirk. Well at least the lesson was learned early this year!
My eyes flutter open to the flapping sound of the strings of pennet flags being hung from house to house. A smile spreads across my face. It’s Labor Day weekend…the best beach weekend of the year.
This was years ago. Sadly, there are no longer pennet flags to wake me in the morning but other traditions still continue…
My eyes flutter open to the flapping sound of the strings of pennet flags being hung from house to house. A smile spreads across my face. It’s Labor Day weekend…the best beach weekend of the year.
This was years ago. Sadly, there are no longer pennet flags to wake me in the morning but other traditions still continue…
Dear Class,
Today is Tuesday, August 30, 2022. Today is an important day. Today you become 2nd graders. Today you start fresh with a new set of peers and teacher. You start a whole new year of learning.
This year my hope is that you…
Today marks day 1 of 182. Let’s make it a GREAT one!
Love,
Ms. Wetmore
Last week Tess proclaimed tonight to be girls night at my parents house. She’d be the chef as long as we chatted with her while she cooked. So tonight Tori, Donna (Tess’ mom), Kris, my mom and myself sat around the kitchen island, drinks in hand ready to catch up and watch the chef.
Tess worked her magic asking for different ingredients or utensils as she went. “Mom, can you cut the zucchini for me while I sauté the onions,” she asked when she noticed us getting hungry and trying to move the process along.
Donna opened the bag and her eyes bulged. “Um… we forgot that.”
“Ok,” Tess replied. “How about the corn? I still need to do that.”
Donna peered in the bag again, eyes wide. “How did we forget that too? We even shucked it already!”
Kris, Tori, my mom and I start to laugh. “No worries. There is plenty of food here. The salad is huge,” my mom says hoping no one gets mad at each other for the mistake.
We continue to chat and laugh and hear about each other’s summers. “Ok, I’m almost done,” Tess says. “Can someone just pass me the feta?”
We all look around the island and at each other wide eyed. “Nope,” says my mom starting to laugh again. “Will parmesan work?”
Finally we sat around the table to enjoy our girls night dinner. Even though there were more than a few missing ingredients, it was delicious. It might have been the “wrong” meal but I’d have another meal created by Chef Tess anytime.
Sundays are beach days during the summer. They are filled with family, hotdogs and fun.
This weekend my sister and cousin decided we needed a theme. After some deliberation, it was decided we’d have the first (annual?) float-chella, which was inspired by a floatilla that happened a few weeks ago down at a different beach.
The text message was sent out… Float-chella will happen at 3pm followed by root beer floats or limoncello…pick your poison. Find your best float and be there 😀
We collected many floats… hotdogs, pizza, butterflies, daiquiris, circles, lobsters and much more. We even had a homemade float. At 3pm 15 of us charged in. We linked together with a rope. We kicked out and floated into shore and kicked out deeper again. We laughed and attempted to all smile at a camera.
Some people got cold. Some got tired of kicking and paddling. But everyone called it a success before getting out of the water for their treat.
“Who’s up for a swim in the waves,” my cousin asked after dinner on Sunday.
I looked out at the water and contemplates. They looked huge. They looked fun. But…I had just gotten all the sane off me with a nice shower. “I’ll be the lifeguard,” I finally answered.
I watched with envy for a while. I should have gone in. Is it too late to go in? Before I knew it they were getting out of the water and I never got in.
Bummer.
The next day I arrived at the beach to see more waves. “I’m going in after dinner,” my mom announced as I walked in the door.
This time I didn’t hesitate. I agreed I’d be joining in the fun. No envy this time.
Water spraying my face
Sun tanning my skin
Wind blowing my hair
Holding tight while going…
Faster
Faster
Faster
A smile blooms
Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Standing Tall