The hard days are compelling to talk about and explain, but overall summer's pretty sweet.
I don’t take back anything I wrote about my recent awful day, saddened and tired out, struggling with my son’s possible need for glasses and his adamant resistance to any sort of treatment. He can be a butthead.
But also, really, summer’s been good to us so far.
Even working, the kids’ summer camp schedule brings a certain lovely laziness. Start by 9, end between 3 and 5. It’s a squeeze if you have to make a living in those hours (and I do have to make a living, unless we move to Milwaukee), but still the smell of sunscreen and more relaxed kids brings some tranquility.
As my friend Barbara has pointed out, starting in late Spring there’s a kind of frenzy to see people and do things, after a winter lull. It’s fun. We treked up Mt Tam to see the musical Grease, which could inspire a half-day Me Too seminar. But when the kids are singing along, you think: if my family loves musical theatre, I must be doing something right, right? And we finally spent a zillion to see Hamilton (less than the 2 zillion it would have cost last time). Even with an understudy who had great pipes but wasn’t super charismatic, the show was moving and beautiful. And my 8 and 12 year olds sat through the whole thing, a rap musical about a president. Points for that!
We kicked off the summer at Lair of the Bear, where the children were 100% busy with their activities, and I read both Michelle Obama’s book and a 20-something Irish novel. Check out my book list and weep, I don’t know how but I read a lot, and it keeps me going.
A friend offered us last minute tickets to an As Game. It’s a numbingly boring sport, but taking the ferry to the San Francisco ballpark can’t be beat.
Our friend Glynis, Jaden’s hair stylist, is a gift and a joy. If I stand outside watering, kind people wander by and chat.
Sure, there’s plenty to weigh on the heart. My step-mom is caring for my frail dad; my brother is dealing with his wife Beth’s awful pancreatitis; another friend suffered a heart attack and is recuperating at home; a friend lost his brother much too soon.
But the kindness and encouragement, even to mopey blog writers such as myself, is impressive. Thank you all. Let’s make it a fun summer.