returned

Boston was a blast. Good friends, good food, good fun. It was a true vacation - I didn't do a lick of work (at least in my mind I didn't). I took lots of photos, but no flicker for me. Here are a couple.

My apologies - my traveling companion wanted to make sure her tongue got into all the photos. (I'm still debating whether or not to include this in future slide lectures.)
(This is companion with a gi-normous snapping turtle.)

school's out

Day 10 of S's summer vacation is underway. What kind of school closes at the end of May!?!

This is my first summer without childcare. We're embarking on a new adventure. And, so far, we've kept ourselves entertained.

We caught ladybug larvae on the first day of vacation and kept them at home. They pupated after a few days in captivity and, five days later, they hatched. (The pupae shell is on the left and one of our ladybugs on the right.)

"We" also started swimming lessons. Because of the impending move, S couldn't get in on any of the scheduled swim classes, so I decided to teach her how to swim. I would like to take credit for her amazing success, but the kid's a natural. In three "lessons," she's figured out how to kick herself around the pool (with a float) and how to abandon the float to swim underwater. She thinks she's ready for the diving board. I disagree.

The biggest drawback to my first summer vacation is the weather. (Yeah, I know I complain a lot about the weather. File this one away as complain no. 4382.) We've had 90 degree weather which is worse than it seems because it comes with thunderstorms. Ninety degrees and rain is breath-taking -- breath-taking in terms of suffocation. I've never experienced this kind of humidity.

As a result, we're getting out of here. S and I are off for Boston in the AM.