This past Friday we enjoyed the first of 73 Summer Break days. While it's true that everyone woke up and yawned their way downstairs for breakfast at the normal time--darn those internal alarm clocks--it felt sooo carefree and unhurried to be able to linger over our coffee and cereal, without the usual frantic scramble to assemble school gear, stuff backpacks, and rush to the bus stop. The school hiatus stretches out before us, tantalizingly filled with anticipation and possibilities and half-formed plans. Every morning beckons with the question: "What should we do today?" After all, there are afternoons to splash in the pool, and classmates to run around in the yard with, and novels to read outside under a shady tree, and cool places to visit on Family Field Trips. And of course let’s not forget Brother Bonding to do. Right now, June finds us starry-eyed as we contemplate the dizzying, exciting array of choices…at least until the warm-and-fuzzy Hallmark commercial ends and reality comes dripping down around us like a sticky ice-cream cone.
At that point, we get something more along the lines of the following refrain: “it’s too hot and humid”; “I can’t stand the bugs”; “I’m boooored”; “everyone’s away on vacation”; “I finished all my books”; “he’s bothering me”. And since this is my duo of bottomless-pit boys we’re discussing, let’s not forget that they require sustenance every, oh, two hours or so to prevent the Low-Blood-Sugar-Snarls. We might have an additional…concern…if an incident yesterday is any indication. Derek and Riley were both in the family room, intently focused on their respective video game pursuits. I called down, “It’s pushing 2:00, who wants lunch?” Derek paused his virtual soccer match to give this inquiry some thoughtful consideration, then countered, “Can I put in an order?” (accompanied by an expectant, hopeful grin—as if being as cute as possible would make me more inclined to agree!) I greeted this outrageous question with the reaction it deserved: hand on hip, incredulous Mom Face, and an oozingly sarcastic, “This is not a restaurant, unless you pay in cash and plan to tip extremely well!” Not deterred in the slightest, Derek replied, “It’s worth a HUG!” As he ran up to deliver the payoff as promised, he added, “I’d like a turkey sandwich, with cheese, the cheese slightly melted, and the bread lightly toasted.” (Oh, you have got to be joking. I’d like a spa getaway in Southern California, but THAT’S not likely to happen either, is it?)
So I think it’s safe to say that the idealistic notion of Easy-Living-Summertime—at least for me—has succumbed to the actual day-to-day routine of the WestEnders Bed and Breakfast. At least until I achieve my NEW goals: teaching the boys how to cook…and clean…and do laundry…then maybe I’ll get my Mommy Spa Day after all!
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