12 days left. My summer went by very quick, as usual. 3 months of swimming, softball, reading, trips to Seattle, the San Juans, the beach, seeing relatives, and sleeping outside.
The heat didn’t start until the end of June that was perfect for summer ball. I got to play with a new team, girls fresh from Franklin softball and a few I’d never met before. It was great seeing the competing teams again. Since I’ve been playing against some of the girls since I was a wee third grader. Scratch that, I’m still wee.
The pool went up late this year, and for the first time the Hope kids had to contribute to its revival. There were few days where we had to bucket brigade the 2 feet of sludge out of the bottom of the pool, only to have it start raining once we had finished. We poured sand, cut out and put in a new liner and carefully maneuvered a hairless and eyeless squirrel into a garbage bag. We had a great time inside the hexakaidecagon (16-sided polygon), enjoying the echo, the thrill of fixing problems, and each other’s company. And once it was filled, we swam all hours of the day, from 8 in the morning until midnight. Night swimming before heading up to an un-air-conditioned room made it a little more bearable.
During the exceptionally hot period, we slept outside on the deck. I slept out by myself a few nights too, after Mary and Thomas complained of the mosquitos and the uncomfortable chair cushions they were sleeping on. I did get to sleep on an air mattress a majority of the time, so I had a slight comfort advantage. And whether I was with alone or accompanied it was great to look up at the few stars that shined through the city lights. Thomas and I even caught a few meteorites when we slept outside during Perseids shower on the 12th.
Anyways, Mary and I also have begun running. Only for a few weeks to far, but every other day we run or do something equivalent to get our hearts pumping. It is hard to get back in shape but we’re coming along.
Today was the first day of Link crew training and I had a blast. I’m glad to be exited about going back to school. Registration was just last week and it did not meet my expectations in enthusiasm. But Link Crew was a perfect solvent. I’ve got another 6 hours tomorrow and then only a week and a half until I put my training to use, making the new freshman (one of which is my brother) feel more comfortable. I can’t wait!
