Another month has gone by and life has gotten busier and busier. We went to Hilton Head the beginning of the month with John and Chellie and the girls and her mother and partner. We had a really nice time but I think Stephanie would have preferred her cousins being there to her grand parents. Nevertheless, it was a great vacation We flew in to Charleston then rented a car and drove to Hilton Head. The house was perfect and the island beautiful. We are used to Gulf Shores where there are beach and houses, no landscaping. Hilton Head is very luscious and very well-manicured.
When we got back I started teaching that Tuesday, and it's been kind of tough. I haven't taught intro to college writing in fifteen years so I'm starting from scratch, and the class meets for two hours twice a week. It's really hard to fill that two hours when the students don't participate. I only have eleven students so anything I plan goes really quickly. I'm spending a lot of time searching the internet for ideas for classroom activities.
We're still spending time working in the yard and I don't think I mentioned that Wayne put together a new shed. We bought it from Sam's and it came in multiple pieces with about a thousand screws. It took Wayne about a week to assemble it; when I read about it on the website it said it would take 6 to 8 hours to assemble, but that was for three to four people assembling it. Wayne was pretty much on his own except when I would hold things in place. It turned out nice and I can park my car in the garage for the first time ever. It will be great come winter when there is snow and ice on the ground.
We've still been walking when we can, at usually Powder Valley, and on Friday we went down to the garden. And I've been going to doctor and dentist appointments, it seems like a couple times a week. This growing old is not for the weak of heart! We also celebrated Rob's birthday last weekend.
All of the grand kids are in school now. Corinne started at Boston Latin which is pretty tough, but I think she is doing fine. She takes a bus to the other side of town, but she has three friends who go there so they take the bus together. I'm going there on the 16th of this month. I always like to go in the fall because the colors are so pretty up east. Kate's company was bought by another company so she has bee super busy training and getting everything in order for the new company. I've only seen them once since Christmas, so it will be really nice to spend a few days there. It will also be nice to get away from school for a few days.
I've also been getting ready for Halloween. John and Chellie are coming to town with the girls so it will be lots of fun. I got costumes for her and Abbey-- or her other grand mother. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and we'll have a good Halloween.
We celebrated the three birthdays this weekend, Erin's, Patrick's and Michael's. We went out to dinner Saturday evening and then back to Amy and Dave's to open presents and eat ice cream and cake.
I think last time I wrote an entry we were getting ready to go to Saugatuck. We went and had a nice vacation there. The weather is the best thing about Michigan, warm days and not so warm nights. It was fun being with the sisters and their families. Susie came this year too, which was a nice treat. I hadn't seen her in over a year.
Now we have one more vacation left. We are going to Hilton Head from Sept. 5-12 with John and Chellie. They rented a four bedroom house with a pool, so it should be a lot of fun. Chellie's mother and partner will be there too.
All of the grandkids are back to school except the ones in Boston. They don't start until after Labor Day. Erin and Abbey started last Wednesday and Katie, Sara and Michael started this past Tuesday. Both Abbey and Sara started middle school, and Corinne will be starting at Boston Latin, which goes from 7th through 12 grades. Lots of changes. I'm not taking a class this fall but I am going to teach a class, College Writing. It is a "late start" twelve class which doesn't start until Sept. 15, which is perfect as it will be after we get back from Hilton Head. Wayne is taking another history class, but I decided to pass on that.
We have a busy week coming up--birthday week. Tomorrow is Erin's birthday, Saturday is Patrick's and Sunday is Michael's. We are going to Olive Garden Sat. Night to celebrate their birthdays. Then Tuesday is Julie and Kay's birthday, and I'm having the Fancy Aunt lunch here on the thirtieth for Kay, Marisa (whose birthday was last month) and for Annie whose birthday is next month.
We went to the Lantern Show at the Botanical Garden last night with Jeff and Judith. I had seen the displays a couple of times during the day but not at night when they were all lit up. It was beautiful!
I highly recommend going there if you haven't been yet this summer. It is spectacular!
We are getting ready to go to Saugatuck. We leave Sunday; our rental is from Sunday to Sunday. It will be nice to be in the cooler weather. This past week has been awful, though our summer up until then was mostly rain. Wayne does not tolerate the heat at all, so he is really looking forward to Michigan.
