Summer Slices

Summer is slip-sliding away and this year; I have the August 1^st curse as I’m returning to the classroom in a couple of weeks. I’ll be teaching creative writing to 7^th & 8^th graders. So now August feels like Sunday nights—in a good way—anticipation of new learning, sharing and writing.

Meanwhile it’s been a packed summer with family and friends, biking, reading, writing, swimming, and a couple of shows.

I caught up with Tangerine Tango contributor Gabi Coatsworth on one of my trips to Connecticut. 

My high school friend Lynn organized a mini-reunion centered on her brother’s performance in South Pacific at the Ivoryton Playhouse. He and his wife are opera singers. Great performance; it’s a show that doesn’t seem to get dated. The message of “you’ve got to be taught” is a strong now as when the show first came out in 1949. 

Then my friend Yvonne suggested we take advantage of Restaurant week in NYC. I tend to avoid the city in summer – too hot and too many tourists. But I’d never taken advantage of Restaurant Week before—a three-course lunch for $25. Really. The dessert was amazing—a chocolate mousse/espresso/hazelnut concoction.  We turned it into a complete outing and saw the revival of On the Town. Music by Leonard Bernstein, ballet, and NYC. Though we felt the show is dated, we had fun.  

I’ve had friends at the lake and we’ve done some biking excursions, including 120 miles round trip to our friends in Orson, PA. (over two days.)

I took an on-line poetry writing class and realized how bad I am at that genre. I still struggle to understand a lot of what’s written for adults. Yet I enjoyed the challenge and am inspired to rejuvenate an old manuscript and work on it more seriously. Stay tuned.

We still have some outings ahead—a beach day, and a visit to New Orleans, (talk about hot and humid) to help our daughter get settled into her apartment before she starts law school. I’ll miss my trips to San Francisco as I’d gotten to know the city while she was there. NOLA, I’m sure will capture my heart soon enough.

Now it’s time to start thinking about lesson plans and what I’ll wear the first day.

Until then, I bought a new lunch box.