Shopping for School

I have such mixed emotions about the "end of summer." Yes, I'm looking forward to cooler dryer weather. Yes, I'm looking forward to those hours of personal freedom during school when I'm able to accomplish so much. But I am also having some great times with the boy this summer, and these days are free of the stress of schedules and homework.

Homework which is piled onto these kids in ridiculous amounts. Homework which I have to do as well, because my presence is necessary in order to keep the boy focused on his work. Homework which I find to be busy work and I resent as much as he does.

But I digress.

Today, we took part in a tradition I have not participated in since I was in middle school. We went shopping for back-to-school clothing items. He didn't actually need much. I am the grateful recipient of many a hand-me-down from my nephew. My brother and sis-in-law buy nice clothes for their kids. And my kid loves wearing what once belonged to his older cousin.

But feet and legs tend to go through crazy growth spurts - we went through at least one this summer. So our goal today was a pair of work boots, a pair of black oxford shoes, and jeans. We got five pairs or jeans. The boy goes through them like nobody's business. And I don't do laundry daily.

Why shop today? With the rest of the world? Two reasons.

1) Tax free days, and

2) 20% off coupons.

Not to mention the sales accompanying the discounts.

I don't usually shop this way (I don't usually like to shop at all), but funds are tight, and I didn't want to count on luck to hit sales when I need stuff for the boy.

So we shopped. We were focused. We conquered the crowds and then got the hell out of there.

To the waiting arms of a much needed iced coffee.

*slurp*

sigh

What To Do

School starts in less than two weeks and I'm desperately trying to find fun, engaging activities for us to do. Non-vegetative activities like going to the beach, or the park with the water feature, the children's museum, or the pool at the Y.

Yesterday, there were multiple trips to the library. Which isn't necessarily a great thing because we tend to default to playing on the computer there. Sitting in front of screen at the library is still sitting in front of a screen.

It's cooler and dryer today than it's been for a few days, so I'm considering the beach again. I don't really like the sun, but I can contrive to keep covered even in the absence of a beach umbrella which I can't manage on the bike. We ride our bikes to the beach. It's very close to my parents' house and the beach no parking. It's a neighborhood association beach tucked into a space among summer beach homes at the shore. The location adds to its charm.

People arrive on foot, by bike, by golf cart or car. If the latter, they are dropped off with all the beach paraphernalia and then retrieved later in the day. The foot people usually arrive towing a wagon full of their beach needs for the day.

For us, it's a little far to walk, and we don't have a wagon. We utilize backpacks and a basket on the bike. It limits how much we can bring with us. A couple of towels, mask, drinking water, reading material, sunscreen, money for when the ice cream truck arrives, and remarkably, a boogie board.

The water is warm this time of year. Sometimes warm enough to encourage the jellyfish whose presence we don't enjoy. The weather conducive to salt water swimming. And there's always a lovely breeze.

I can't imagine not living near the shore. I honestly don't know how landlocked people do it. Not being able to breathe in the salt-scented air is akin to not having fresh water to drink.

I am a fish at heart. I think I've mentioned this before. A salt water fish in need of salt water.

Life without it would be grim indeed.

The Pool at the Y

Last year I bought a "summer membership" at the local YMCA. Then I let the membership lapse because we just didn't use it enough to make it pay for itself.

I don't know about other Y's, but ours will let you buy a guest pass for a day. I figured that, in the long run, buying an occassional guest pass would be more cost effective than maintaining a memebership.

Which seems to be the case because we haven't been to the Y in almost a year.

But yesterday, with it's temps in the 90s and bad air quality, we decided it might be a good day to enjoy an indoor pool.

And it was.

The water temperature was a lovely 88 degrees. The sun wasn't beating down on us. There were lots of kids for my boy to play with. And an ample deep-end to jump into. Repeatedly. Over and over again. I'm tired just thinking about it.

We stayed in that pool for two hours straight. Until they kicked us out so the seniors could swim.

And later I thought, "why am I so tired?" I wasn't swimming laps or anything. And then I realized; I'd been treading water.

Pretty much for two hours straight.

I'm tired just thinking about that too.

I think we're going to have to do this again. We are a couple of fish, my boy and I. Swimming rejuvenates us.

And exhausts me.