We'd Laugh Awhile and We'd Smile a Bit

"Butch Cassidy," My Morning Jacket

"In summer, the song sings itself"
-William Carlos Williams

In three days I go back to school. Students don't come in until next Wednesday, but I'm back to CHS this coming Thursday. I'm actually really excited and ready to be back in the classroom, which is a feeling I'm reveling since I know many teachers don't always feel like this at the end of summer; this level of excitement probably won't last for the rest of my teaching career. Over the last few days, I have:

1) Gone boating on Lake Mojave, which is just underneath the Hoover Dam and sits on the Nevada/Arizona border. Tim and I met his mom and step-dad up there, as well as Tim's brother, Nick, and his wife, Sara. We had a great time, ate lots of good food, explored a good portion of the lake, and laid in the sun all day. The water temperature must have been 80 degrees, and the visibility was awesome, so we spent a good deal of time snorkeling. I also caught a fish, (during the .5 seconds Tim asked me to hold his pole) which I forced Tim to let free immediately. The poor thing swam off dazed and completely confused. But hopefully, (as Mitch Hedberg would say) all I ended up doing was just "make it late for something."

2) Spent 3 days hanging in Carlsbad with my mom. We shopped, ate, and... shopped and ate. It was perfect.

3) Became mildly obsessed with watching the Olympics, which meant excessive DVRing (new verb), rewinding, gasping, cheering. The US swimmers were phenomenal. I know the athletes in other sports were as well, but I wear my heart on my sleeve for the swimmers.

4) Spent entirely too much money on anti-itch cream, shampoo, etc. for poor Bailey's summer skin infection. Subsequently, this also meant spending too much money on crap dog toys and treats, as buying the anti-itch collection meant entering PetSmart, the largest money-sucking conglomerate known to mankind. Every time I go in, I find myself struggling to justify why Bailey needs a new teeth-cleaning, bacon-wrapped, beef-flavored pack of rawhide treats that are shaped like chicken drumsticks and have...grill marks?

5) Gone golfing with Tim's mom. I can tell I am improving because I no longer find myself completely relieved/shocked/impressed when my club makes contact with the ball. We played 9 holes, and I think we're ready to advance to the full 18. So, Tiger Woods should watch his back. I'm just saying.

6) Surfed (pathetically, I should probably add) at Tamarack today. Tim and I are headed back tomorrow if for no other reason than so I can redeem myself. Suffice it to say it looked like I grew up in middle America and had never seen a surfboard.

7) Gone to the Padres/Phillies game last night. San Diego is in last place (go team!), but they surprisingly came away with a win yesterday. Chris was in town, so Tim, Chris, and I went with a group of Callaway people. The game was fun and the ballpark food was even better.

In three days, I go back to work, and the lazy-morning-double-coffee-cups, the Today Show, and the long mid-day walks with Bailey will be things of the past. I'm sure, in the not-too-distant future, I will be aching for just one more lazy summer day at the beach. But for now, I'm ready to meet my new students. I'm excited to jump back into The Crucible and seating charts; the Preposition Song and high-school humor. In the song "Timberwolves at New Jersey," Taking Back Sunday sings of "...fragment ideas and too many pronouns." Sounds like they're talking about a high school English essay. Bring it on...