The EOSSH

Currently I am working on putting together the End of Summer Scavenger Hunt. Now in its 8th year, the EOSSH is a full day scavenger hunt involving an assortment of challenges, costumes, foods, and problem solving, depending on the year. Organizing each one takes approximately 10-15 hours, which means I will have spent close to 100 hours working on these after this year's. Wow. As all of these hours are after work (after all, the kids can't see what I am doing, or the who,e thing is ruined), this labour of love turns me into a "volunteer" scavenger hunt organizer, of sorts. I have so much for organizing them, though, and the kids have so much fun doing them, that it all works out.

And that, I think, is about as much as I can say about that for now. After all,I wouldn't want the scavengers to get any hints, now would I? And while they don't read this blog. One never knows if they will suddenly begin. 

And here we are.

Summer goes faster every year. Hopefully the trueness of the statement makes up for the triteness of it. Who has not marvelled at how quickly the days go by, how fast the weeks disappear? I, for one, am repeatedly stunned. I went into the summer with an almost grim determination. We would have fun, damnit. All of us. Every day. Shit would get done. Fun would be had. And that's all there was to it. 

I whipped out the calendar, the colour coded pens (yes, these are things I always use, so no surprises there), and made a huge wall calendar. We talked about what we wanted to make a point of doing, what was especially important, and so on. I did my best to keep the conversation light, the ideas flowing. Inside my head, though, I was already scheduling. It's how I operate, as anyone who knows me can attest.

And then. Despite, because of, or parallel to my scheduling... summer happened. It has been full of The Great Outdoors, crafting opportunities, creative improv games, sleeping late (not for me, of course-- and never late enough for The Teens), delicious food and... well, fun. I want to spend a few weeks this fall detailing some of our adventures, for posterity, and also in case anyone needs inspiration for a Fun Thing To Do In The Greater Seattle Area. 

For these last few days of summer, though, I'm just diving in head first. Bring on the friends, and the sunscreen, and the crafts, and the outdoors. Bring on the school supply shopping, the new jeans, the first-day-of-school jitters. 

Because shit got done. And fun was had. And I am calling this summer A Success. 

Whirlwind

Today I flew out of Montana, had a layover in Colorado, and now find myself in a hotel bar just outside of Indianapolis. It is sort of like living my childhood in fast forward (hotel bar aside, of course-- those didn't function prominently in my childhood). I have spent part of every year (at least a few days in the winter, sometimes multiple months in the summer) in Montana. I lived in Colorado for a a year and a bit as a "tween," and Indiana was childhood headquarters-- complete with "night games" outside in the cul de sac, endless sleepovers, ice cream trucks, and living spitting distance from the neighborhood pool. (Are neighbourhood pools even a thing anymore? I haven't heard of one since we moved.)

Now I'm back. Back in the Suburbs. Back in the humidity. Back here, in the middle. I feel almost gleeful, driving here. Drinking here. Seeing my childhood BFF get married, for goodnesssake. Who is the adult here?

There is no way the answer is "me."