A card and a camel

This is about as close to a first day of school portrait as we're likely to get. Funny that it's the first week after school let out around here, then. Since this is the first week of summer vacation for the school bound this was also the summer reading program kick-off at our library. I've said it before and I'll say it again (and likely again and again): we love our library. This year they have so many activities planned that the calendar is too abbreviated to read easily. We started our own kick-off earlier in the week, though, when Calvin got his own card. I'd told him weeks ago that as soon as he could fill out the form by himself he could have his own card. That was like dangling a carrot, I guess, and on Monday he filled out his form and got his card. I'm sure it helps that we are there several times a week and are very active volunteers, but the librarians made a wonderfully big deal out of the occasion, and that was fun. The president of the library even came out and shook Calvin's hand and asked him what he would check out first. Unfortunately, the book he wanted was already out, but he used his card to put it on hold, and today we were notified that it was available for pick-up, so we got it when we went to see the camel. The card has now been broken in.

It's these little milestones that are so much fun. Obviously we did not take part in any preschool graduation like other kids his age did this year, and there were no school photos or class parties. Instead we celebrated a first library card, which to me was more authentic anyhow. It's opening a door of knowlege! It's almost as good as a drivers license! Well, maybe. And I'd promised Calvin that when he got his card I would make him a special library bag, with material of his choosing, in which to keep it. He held me to my promise, he picked his fabric, and he is almost as excited about the bag as about the card. Almost. In fact, his adoration of the library card reminds me of Jon wanting to wear his brand new shoes to bed as a little boy.

But back up a bit. Did I say "when we went to see the camel?" Why yes, yes I did. It was summer program kick-off day today, complete with magic tricks and a camel. I actually had to stay behind at the garage sale but Jon was able to come home long enough to take Calvin to enjoy the party, magic tricks, camel, cake, and all. I think I already mentioned how much I love our library.

The cat is realllllly long today

The cat is extra long today, as is the day extra hot.

Today was one of closing chapters and opening doors. This morning we made a final trip to my grandparents' house thirty minutes from here, a day before the house sale is closed. My grandparents passed away some time ago and the house is not an old one, but looking at it brings to mind many years of love and joy, and for me any permanent good bye is bound to be a somewhat difficult one. I'm sentimental like that.

The afternoon was a mess of responsibilities. We cleaned a lot of the house, I signed Calvin up for swimming, we went to two stores (and were only successful at one), we visited the dentist (Calvin's first time), and we got haircuts (mine is a train wreck). The "opened doors" then must be my learning to live with an embarrassing hair cut, and Calvin learning about the dentist. He did a great job and seems to hold none of my reservations about people messing around inside my mouth.

Tomorrow is the day when I get to admit that I've been doing this for five years and still have no idea what I'm doing or what the plan is. This is, however, the first year that I've come to believe that these are good things. I shouldn't know what I'm doing and there is no plan. Five years, though. That's kind of fun. This is the year that we've decided Calvin will be allowed to get a library card, will start receiving an allowance, and will now have to walk instead of riding in the cart at the store (actually, I realized only a few weeks ago that he's pretty well over the weight limit on those seats, so I guess it's about time).

Ninety-six degrees is hot

We spent the morning at the library, which is air conditioned. At noon we came home and enjoyed lunch and a few games of Carcassonne. In the earlier part of the afternoon we ran some errands, but the heat got the better part of our good natures, and as five o-clock neared, our errands still not quite finished, we quit early and headed home. The thermometer read 96, so we spent the rest of the evening, before eating a cold supper, just like this:

Sunday joy

Camping, a dry run

I camped with my family when I was little and have fond memories of the experience. The Girl Scouts often got me out and about, too, and then in high school I camped several times with friends. That, however, is the extent of our camping knowledge, but we have friends who have also enjoyed camping in the past (with far more experience between them) and our sense of adventure got the better of us, so this weekend, on a day's notice, we packed up and headed over to Irish Hills to camp for one night in the state park there. The event was an unqualified success.

There was a lot of teamwork setting up tents.

And then we were hot and tired enough to have to go swimming.

Then more setting up—a fire and lanterns, water for dinner, food stuffs, yadda yadda. A one night dry run was probably a good idea, but I'm not sure I'd ever plan to camp for just one night again.

Mmmm...campfire food.

Scavenger hunt in the woods.

Roasting mallows for s'mores by the fire.

Playing card games with four year olds is a whole different animal.

Bedtime story by the fire. Thankfully Curious George is the only one who got sprayed by a skunk.

The biggest success of the trip? The Stanley Thermos we got for Christmas. We made coffee before leaving home on Saturday, around 11am, and poured into the preheated thermos. On Sunday at 7:30am the coffee was still hot enough to enjoy.

And yes, by the way, that is Calvin peaking out from behind a tent room divider. We had a three room tent for the night. This was new to me. Also new was the existence of electrical outlets (several of them) at each and every campsite, and the rampant use of them throughout the camp. Aside from the apparently popular trend of stringing your tent or RV with gaudy novelty lights (so, as my dad says, you can find your own site when you're stumbling in drunk at 3am), there was even a site with a flood light trained on an American flag all night. Camping. It's not what it used to be.

But we got a good night's sleep, and had just as many helpers the next day to take the site down.

Then we went GeoCaching.

And then we went into Irish Hills for a little amusement before heading home. Finding amusement in Irish Hills, however, is a little like visiting a graveyard for good eats. All the places Jon remembered from childhood visits were dead, though not gone.

The Prehistoric Forest—closed for about seven years(?) but listed as a creepy place to explore uninvited.

Stagecoach Stop has only been closed since 2008, but its heyday was back in the 1970s when US12 was still the main route between Detroit and Chicago, before the interstate. All this according to the creepy fat old bearded guy who was driving around the place in a golf cart. We think he used to own it and/or the hotel next door (which is still open). Either that or it's even creepier that he was buzzing around on that golf cart.

There is something photogenic about dead and dying 1970s attractions, though.

What? Unnecessaryquotes.com it is.

There's nothing quite like sitting on the feet of a giant lumberjack. Actually, according to creepy bearded guy this lumberjack used to be one of the Muffler Men.

And lunch at neon barbecue. Creepy bearded guy was here, too. Maybe he owns the whole US 12 strip in Irish Hills. Or maybe he wasn't even there at all—all that shows in the picture is his cart...

Camping. It's something we will definitely be doing again.