Emily has a guitar, but cannot play. Today I took her to her
first lesson, she remains interested, and she’s in for at least the summer.
Kevin, the instructor, demonstrating
Except the transportation is by grandma, not bicycle, I’m
looking forward to a summer of charming monotony, punctuated by happy
recitations of what happened. Like my childhood. Blue sky, big clouds, a little
sewing, lots of books, some special events, like camp.
We seem to have outgrown what Peninsula has to offer. Had
you bet me we’d be turning to Hudson I would have seen you and raised the ante.
But, Hudson is some of summer. It is, as they say, charming, excepting the
congestion and lack of parking.
A postcard of Hudson
Emily’s guitar lesson is on Main Street, across from the
clock tower. While she was strumming I walked farther down Main Street to find
the art studio Laura will go to for a week in July for “Fashion Drawing.” The
studio is on the second floor of a hundred year old building, “behind the
yellow door.”
Both girls will help at the library two days a week. This
one is easy; I drop them on my way to work and they walk back to my office when
their duties are done (and they've refilled their book bags!).
I offered Laura one more camp, from a series of day camps
offered at a local private school. I looked through the catalog first and
thought she might take a camp about solving mysteries by following clues, or
perhaps photography, or cooking, or even Chinese. Laura handed the catalog back in less than
fifteen minutes. “Archery,” she announced.
Archery it is. I mentioned to Ann I had no idea why; I
simply do not see Laura as an athletic little girl. “Katniss,” Ann replied.
“What?” “Hunger Games. Every little girl who saw it probably wants to be an
archer.”
Emily is helping Linda at several shows in June, July and
August. Band camp for both of them, then back to school. Several swallows, but
not too many. And, wait until you see the yellow door and the fine old
staircase. I’ll make the trip one more time, and then Laura is on her own. I’ll
be waiting in my reserved parking place.
Busy, busy, busy. And I hope some down time for you in the mix.
ReplyDeleteI have a week in Wisconsin in August. Mine!
DeleteThat's funny, I didn't think of "The Hunger Games."
ReplyDeleteGuitar is extra hard in the beginning as your finger tips have to toughen up. It is hard to practice for long in the beginning. Tell her to hang in there!
Lucky kidsl
ReplyDeleteI don't know anything about The Hunger Games, but a million years ago when I was in high school, I enjoyed archery. I was not at all athletic, but for some reason I was good at archery. It was fun. I just had to point the arrow at the target. I didn't have to run faster than someone else or be stronger. Just point the arrow. I could do that.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Sounds like a good summer for your girls, hope they enjoy it. My youngest took violin lessons for a couple years, and had a violin. When she'd open it to practice at home her cat would hiss and arch her back, and stalk off.
ReplyDeleteSounds like the right combination of busyness and free time for your girls.
ReplyDeleteThat is a beautiful postcard, Joanne.
ReplyDeleteI so enjoy your blog... and as crappy as the internet is here I get ... ummm.. angry.... when I either can't receive it or can't comment. Personally, I'd have chosen the photography class... What lucky girls those grandchildren are..... wish I was one of them ;-)
ReplyDeleteToday's teens are lucky as they have all these exciting classes to take advantage of -- my teen years were fun but I think with the addition of summer classes I would have perhaps enjoyed my summers more. -- barbara
ReplyDeleteOh the influence of movies. Hunger Games - girl archers. James Bond movies - I wanted to be a spy with gadgets and girls.
ReplyDeleteYou are busy makes me tired just thinking about it.
ReplyDeleteMerle.......
Speaking of the wife of a guitar teacher, practice, practice, practive for Emily. I'm sure she'll have half the battle because she knows notes from band. She'll do great! Sounds like a good summer for the girls, a little of this and that; that's how summer should be I think. Not too filled up with activities, but enough to keep a little busy.
ReplyDeletebetty
Oh,Laura will love archery!
ReplyDeleteJane x
Looks like you've got the summer figured out. No small accomplishment. And I love the archery - Of course, Hunger Games. I'll bet the interest in archery has skyrocketed.
ReplyDeleteDear Joanne,
ReplyDeleteyour summer idyll sounds lovely - no haste, little cotton clouds in the sky...
Archery is so interesting because you have to focus - a very good form of meditation.
Sounds like a busy fun summer x
ReplyDeleteHari Om
ReplyDeleteBusier than term times it sounds like... but as my mother once said "what else is there to do?" Wellllllllll...... YAM xx
You stay so very busy Joanne! Any book or movie which encourages kids to move has to be a good thing? And at least the stories were based on Greek mythology, rather than 'shoot 'em up'!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a lot of fun for them.
ReplyDeleteThat watercolor painting of Hudson is a beauty. It makes the town look very Norman Rockwell. The brief time I was in your part of the world made me want to come back and enjoy the little towns with so much history, the rolling hills and the mellow (but humid) weather. Good for you to help make your family's summer a good time to remember.
ReplyDeletewhat a fun summer for the girls. back when I was in high school and they actually taught how to play different sports during PE and MADE you participate, I always liked archery. It wasn't a team sport which I liked as with the team sports no one wanted me on their teams. always one of the last kids to get picked. never the last but not even in the middle.
ReplyDelete