Last Full Week of Summer

Hola!

I still can't quite believe tomorrow is September.  While we haven't gone anywhere spectacular these last 2 weeks, they seem to have flown by.

Our computer has been giving us fits, and it's the one with all my photos and Photoshop on it!  All the photos are backed up twice, now, so we won't lose those.  But the computer itself needs completely re-starting, from the VERY beginning, and programs installed all over again.

(That explanation was so I can tell you THAT's the reason I'm not posting tons of photos.  Maybe I can find an Internet stock photo or five...)

Anyway, highlights of the last couple of weeks:

KARA starts SOCCER again.  Yes, the chaotic-calendar of shuttling kids to sports and other activities has begun.  She's playing on a bigger field this year, and has 11 girls on the field.

TERESA starts VOLLEYBALL again.  She's been at it for a week, while they were forming teams.  Last year they had 2 teams: JV and Varsity.  This year they have enough girls for 3 teams.  She was the only Sophomore to be moved up to Varsity.  We thought that was pretty cool!  Way to go, Teresa!

DAVID finishes his INTERNSHIP.  For the month of August, David has been shadowing an Architectural Engineer, to see exactly what they do every day.  He also spent one morning in Boston, getting shown around a different architecture firm, to see some of their projects.

(When I offered to ride downtown with him, he insisted that he would be fine.  We found it on Mapquest.  He took the GPS.  Overprotective Mom says "I have my cell!  If you get lost, pull into a gas station and call, and I'll look up where you are online!"  So now, he has also driven himself to downtown Boston, where he then successfully found a place to park, took care of business, returned and lived to tell about it.)

FRANK TRAVELS.  It is the end of Hewlett-Packard's fiscal year.  Frank has shuffled yet again in his responsibilities, so now he supports new groups.  It's like he has just started a brand new job, but still within the company.  So with all of those combinations, he has traveled 3 places in the past 3 weeks, and next week will make 4 weeks in a row of traveling.  California, New Jersey, Houston, and next week California again.

He actually likes traveling, and I don't mind him going, either.  I'd like to go WITH him, mind you, but you know, our kids still live with us!  So anyway, it has been a lot of fast-paced learning for him, transitioning to new responsibilities.  Again.

He came home with a bad cold and cough this time.  Bummer, and hopefully it will go away soon.

Now -- you can choose "Alas, Sniffle..." or "Hip-hip Hooray!" for the following: SCHOOL will start this coming Tuesday for our district.  This sentence elicits mixed emotions, I think, all the way around.

ME?  I've been holding down the fort and reminding people to WRITE DOWN their events: times, places, etc.  Then we can all get where we need to go.  If it's not on the calendar, it won't happen.  That's my mantra.

I'll be tutoring ELL (interchangeable acronym with ESL: they are English Language Learners) students again this year, 2 days a week at the same elementary schools where I have been tutoring for the past 3 years.  I probably start next week.

Hope your week has been energizing (??!? or insert your own adjective??!)

Happy Friday!  Kari