Well, Look Who Finally Decided to Show Up

Summer! It’s so nice to see you!

The past week has been lovely; the weather is finally getting with the program with two-count ‘em, two-sunny days in a row. I actually got a little bit of a tan line while I was working in the garden this weekend and I was rewarded for my gardening efforts with a crop of spinach and enough radishes to make a decent salad.

Feel free to break into a rousing version of Farmer in the Dell. Really. Go ahead, I'll wait...

I would say that it is finally becoming a typical summer but, I don’t want to jinx it so, I’ll just say; it sure has been a nice change of pace from the crappy and depressing weather we had been having, lately.

In case I hadn’t mentioned it before; we had Porch Night last week and, while it got a bit breezy and cool toward the end of the evening, the night was relaxing and fun. The kids had a huge water balloon fight in the yard while the adults enjoyed grown-up conversation without fifty million interruptions to answer questions from little people, to wipe noses or to referee fights (we just let them duke it out without interference) which was quite a pleasant change of pace.

Then, Friday night marked the end of the baseball season with a game that had the crowd on the edge of its seat right up until the last inning. Our boys were playing at more of a disadvantage than usual-the usual being the fact that they are all anywhere from one to two years younger than their competition- because they played with only eight players, four of their teammates being away on family trips.

The opposing team was one that we had played-and been ruthlessly spanked by-twice before, a fact that may, or may not, have lulled them into a false sense of security, giving us a slight edge. Either way, our boys played the best we have seen all season which, with all the improvement that we have witnessed, is saying quite a bit.

The Man-Cub hit really well and, as a reward for his efforts, took an errant pitch right in the elbow, resulting in a nasty bruise as well as a spirited discussion among the team mothers as to whose kid had been beaned the most this season (um, I win!?).

As I said, the game came right down to the wire and I am pleased to say that our boys won 11-14. There was much celebrating and Cracker Jacks all around and, now; we can happily hang up the cleats for another year.

Next up: football! But, I’ll think about that tomorrow…

The rest of the weekend was spent working in the garden, reading books on the porch, supervising the children as The Teenager did her absolute best to teach her younger brother how to skate on her old rollerblades, trying to look the other way as Hugh and the Man-Cub stayed up to the wee hours of the morning playing poker, grilling steaks and veggies (from my garden! Sing it-the farmer in the dell, the farmer in the dell, hi ho the merry-oh, the farmer in the dell) on the barbie in celebration of Father's Day and, a long soak in the tub for myself.

It was truly the first weekend since the kids got out of school that actually felt like summer.

Hopefully, it won’t be the last.

P.S. If you now have The Farmer in the Dell stuck in your head, I am sorry. I think it's hilarious but, yeah, I'm sorry.