flexibility required

Ahhh... summer is here. We are done with homework... and racing out the door to catch up with our busy schedule. Laura is no longer a freshman... and Cam is a big seventh grader now. I love the last day of school!

Growing up, it may have been a one time thing, but I recall it as a last day of school tradition... going to the A&W Drive-in. I loved that place... where you sat in your car and the food came to you. Car-hops in orange checkered kerchiefs and french fries covered in swirls of ketchup.

But now? For my kids? The last day of school typically means a picnic at the beach. I planned it, my husband fixed up the sandwiches... and we watched the sky. I am a girl who occasionally lives in a world of denial. Yes, we typically get afternoon thunderstorms, but not on my last day of school picnic! On the way to the beach we drove through two banks of storminess... and Eric kept making sarcastic remarks about how it sure looked like it would be clear at the beach. He had me convinced enough of our picnic's demise that I came up with an alternate plan, just in case... a park with a big covered area, where we could eat and surely stay dry. Still driving through showers, we thought maybe five minutes stalling might be all we needed to clear the storm... so we quickly turned into Wendy's and feasted on a frosty before dinner. Flexibility... it is a requirement for an afternoon or evening outing in the land of the thunderstorms!

Arriving at the beach, we were greeted by sunshine and no evidence of rain... let the celebrating begin! Swimming and tunneling through the sand... collecting a shell or two, and catching up on a nap. Just as I had planned. Sometimes denial is not such a bad place to be! As the afternoon wore on and our friends were delayed, the dark clouds started rolling in, and we decided to head for the park... I was done second guessing the weather!

I don't know if it ever rained at the beach... I was amazed it never rained at the park, the way the dark, ominous clouds skirted around us. But we stayed dry. And our picnic dinner was delicious. The kids laughed and played and raced at the park... entertainment enough for all ages... even a high school sophomore! And we visited with friends... who were ready to head out on their vacation.


On our way home, Laura piped up from the backseat... The beach was fun, but I'm glad we got to go to the park, too. It was really fun. Hmmm... my sentiments exactly, my dear. Sometimes even a great plan can be improved upon!