this and that

Summer. Finally.

Can I say that again? Because right now? Those two words? They are the most beautifulest words to be found in the English language. It's finally summer.

This school year, more than any other in memory, I feel like we crawled to the finish line. But now that we're here, I feel 10 pounds lighter.

In a few weeks, we'll start up with the dancing and the theatre and the driving (again with the driving), but for now, we're sleeping in and eying the pool (it's been cloudy and 70s since mid-May, but Julia wears her swimsuit every day without fail, just in case), going to Starbuck's, and running errands only on an as-needed basis.

Exciting? Not at all. Glamorous? Snort. NO.

But... perfect? Wonderful? Fantastic? Aw, yeah.

Here's what the perfectwonderfulfantastic day called Today looked like:

Jules and I dropped by Westlake High School to turn in the registration form for Orientation Week, which Jo will be attending in August.

(Aside: Is it right that I have a high schooler? That is not a rhetorical question.)

Anyway, while waiting for the office to open from lunch, I found this:



I love the man v. nature feel of this photo.

(Though am not entirely sure what the circle-y concrete thing at the entrance to school is for.)

(Maybe they will explain at orientation?)

(Highly unlikely, but I can't possibly be the only parent that has wondered.)

(Or maybe I am.)

(That's just how I roll.)

And snapped this:



Because this marks the first time in my life when a child of mine will be going to a school where they have to post such rules.

Sur. real.

Still waiting for the office to open:


Nothing much to say about this photo, except that I am crazy about this kid.

Afterwards, I took her for a haircut, and then dropped her back home before going to yoga. And then, at dinner, it was finally time to let them know where we'd be going this summer:


The first envelope read, "I think I'll like..." Leggs McGee opened that one, and found the airline tickets to San Francisco.

Julia's envelope finished the sentence with "...defying gravity!":

but it still took them a couple of seconds to realize that we'll be going up there to see Wicked at the Orpheum.

(You'd think the lyrics reference would have been an obvious giveaway.)

(Especially considering that they were both in a production of Wicked a few years back.)

(And that's ALL WE PLAYED in the car for about three months.)

(Not that I'm complaining — it's my favorite show that we've done.)

(But still.)

Oh, yeah, and stopping by the San Francisco Center for Beard Pappa cream puffs and Peet's coffee (there are no words), visiting the newly-renovated Exploratorium in Golden Gate Park, maybe a day trip north to the Wine Country, plus a stop over at Grandma and Grandpa's, and eating. Lots and lots of it.

And so, the countdown begins. Normally, I'd say that I can't wait, but I can. Because there are quite a few days of doing Absolutely Nothing to savor before it's time to go, and I plan on making the most of every last one of them.