Dear Reader:

When I saw this message on the Wakendaw Lakes’ neighborhood bill board (John and Mandy’s neighborhood)  I had to smile and nod in agreement. Summer should get a speeding ticket!

Even now, as a retired school teacher, empathy pains set in every August for fellow colleagues and family members still in the “system.” Friday was Mandy’s second day ‘back at it’ since Charleston school teachers started back last Thursday.

I remember a motivational speaker once said “I do believe all teachers will go to heaven….for just being teachers…one of the most demanding professions around….but just in case someone doesn’t I have heard that most teachers believe “Hell is in the shape of a yellow school bus.”  (And if anyone has ever experienced bus duty for three or more decades first thing in the morning and last thing in the afternoon…they certainly agree!)

I had to laugh when I walked Lily and Eva Cate to Lily’s grandmother’ s house for shift #2 (Lily came and played with Eva Cate for the morning and lunch time….and then I walked both girls over to Lori Hollister (Lily’s grandmother) for the afternoon shift) so I could beat the interstate congestion from Mt. Pleasant to Summerville.

This was the flag on Lori’s house. Eva Cate observed how pretty it was and Lily said it wasn’t…it was all about going back to school…and both 7-year-olds groaned like middle-schoolers. I had to laugh. Really! Tired of school at seven?

*However, trying on their eclipse glasses made them happy…because they will have no school that day…a nice long weekend right after starting school. Apparently playing doctor is still much more fun than readin’, writin’, and arithmetic.

Recently I have decided that …”You know you are getting old when…you and your friends spend the majority of time together talking about the weather, health issues, and the tempo of time…going faster and faster each year.

*(The last big chunk of time is spent on family with all their issues…good and not so good.) We all still want a magic wand to wave and make everything better for everyone we love…until one day the reality of life turns into an epiphany...Sometimes saying nothing is the hardest form of love there is.)

* Did I mention something about leaving early to miss the I-526 and I-26 parking lot congestion yesterday? At 1:30 I was headed home and after going about two miles… here is where I landed. *No fear of getting a speeding ticket here!But it was worth it…for the memories. Thursday night John, Mandy, Eva Cate, Jakie, and I went to Wild Wings for an early supper. A very talented musician was setting up (named Robert) while we began to eat.

Both children wanted to dance (it was early so still pretty empty of customers) but they kept getting the ‘shy’s so I got up to dance with Jakie and Eva Cate joined in. There are no photos, thank you Lord, of my ‘creative movement steps’ but just my “prancing” presence turned the grandchildren into ‘rock stars.’ Even Robert came down off the stage and danced along with us too. It was too much fun!

So until tomorrow…Thank you Father for letting us do crazy things later in life that we wouldn’t have done earlier because we know life is short…too short not to dance with your grandchildren every opportunity that comes along.

“Today is my favorite day.”  Winnie the Pooh

*Yesterday evening...two moon flower blooms popped out at the same time…so exhilarating! (front and back)