Back to reality

Thanks to all who sent birthday wishes last week. I appreciate them and, despite my ever increasing age, remember them as well.

I was on vacation last week, but it certainly didn't seem like a holiday. I really think I would have gotten more rest if I had been at work. Well, maybe. ...

With kids, every day is a busy day, from dance lessons, soccer practice, piano practice, helping with homework (when the heck did this become a parent's job? I thought that's what teachers were supposed to do!), picking them up from school, attending open house, playing around the house and reading bedtime stories.

Now, I'm not complaining (much), but I was down and out with a nasty sinus infection, and had little to no voice and even less energy, but kids don't get that. Today, I have most of my voice back after about three weeks of gurgles and hisses. Still not 100 percent, but getting beyond the 50 percent mark.

What made everything worse: One of the medications I was on left me with allergic reactions including a swollen tongue and throat. I had difficulty swallowing and eating. The medicine also fogged my brain and I had a devil of a time focusing and staying on task.

It also limited my bicycle riding time, and we've had great weather! Figures. I was out yesterday but ran out of steam about 10 miles in to it. I made it back at 20 miles, but felt drained all over.

Other stuff

We all attended a family funeral Saturday for one of Jayne's uncles.

We took the kids -- they need to be at these things and I know there are, unfortunately, many more of these ahead -- and they were, well, kids. They wouldn't sit still or be quiet.

I spent so much time at the service keeping them under some form of control that I didn't even cry. Jayne commented on that because I usually sob at funerals, especially ones with military honors. But the kids kept me so busy that I missed pretty much everything.

Thought: And the Bills are 0-3!

An apple a day

Since I have been under the weather the last week or so, there was no better way to spend part of a Sunday afternoon than picking apples.

Jayne made the suggestion that we all go less than a mile from our house to the Crane family orchards. Of course, the kids didn't want to go. They wanted to play their computer games and watch TV. I told them we were going to have a family moment whether they liked it or not.

I think my phrase was something like: We're going to make memories, dammit, so get in the car.

We didn't get many apples, but the kids seemed to enjoy roaming the fields and looking through crates of gourds. We let them each get a gourd and they spent an eternity pawing through them and commenting on what each one looked like -- a swan, a duck chewing its feathers, Jimmy and Jerry Gourd from VeggieTales, the vein on my neck when I get angry.

The trip must have done wonders. I'm still sick. Jayne woke up this morning in a bad way. Her mom had a fever and Elspeth has a runny nose.

Thought: Maybe I'll stick to antibiotics.

Back to the routine

I had to share the above photo of Alyssa.

She is overseeing the marriage of two of her My Little Ponies. She set up the castle as a church, had the other ponies line the approach, then had a minister pony marry the two. After Alyssa played a wedding song from one of her CDs, the happy pony couple ascended on their honeymoon in a balloon.

Back to the routine

I offer that photo as a diversion, since the kids won't have a lot of time for that kind of fun now that school is in full gear. On Monday, we also started dance.

Dance this year is at a new location. The Dance Asylum moved out of downtown Saugatuck to a strip mall on Blue Star Highway. The new facility is nice -- spacious compared to the other building -- and has closed-circuit TV so we can watch the dance practice from the lobby without being a distraction to the kids or teachers.

I already miss the charm of downtown, though. I used to walk about town while the girls danced, look in shop windows, get shoo-ed away by old matrons sweeping their walks and sniff freshly baked pies on the windowsills. Well, no. I usually got coffee then went to feed the ducks along the riverfront. I often just took a nap in the car, alarming many passers-by who assumed I was a homeless man sleeping in random cars (I am not a snappy dresser, remember), drunk or dead. I haven't figured out which yet.

The worst loss: At the old site, a municipal playground was across the street, so the kids could have a break between classes or after. Now, the studio is next to a pizza shop, tanning booth and dollar store. For fun, we can go to the gas station across the lot!

Mondays are once again long days. The girls go to school, get out, have a snack then dance until 7 p.m. Then, homework and off to bed.

Thought: Ah, childhood!

Back to school

Above is a picture of the girls as they head back to school today -- fifth grade and second grade.

They grow up too fast.