weekend recap, memorial day 2013
Monday, May 27, 2013 at 06:43AM 
1. Morning walk | 2. What I'm doing right now? Cleaning the house for Neel to come home. | 3. The start of Life Skills Summer | 4. - 6. Airport time | 7. Welcome home supper | 8. My favorite kind of Saturday night | 9. Lucy loves Papa | 10. Morning walk with Neel | 11. Double trouble | 12. Neel's favorite dessert...for breakfast | 13. Summer office | 14. Exam prep | 15. Office mate | 16. Salad days | 17. My river, low tide | 18. Supper salad | 19. Block party | 20. Bulls eye | 21. Bounced out of the party.
Neel's home! We're so glad to have Papa back! I did some heavy lifting on the house cleaning on Friday (read: great pantry & fridge cleanout) so all Cal and I had to do on Saturday was actually clean the house. Callum was a trooper. When he got up, I showed him my list, and he took several things off of it for me. And the ironing! I showed him once, and right then and there he ironed all of his own clothes. Can't. Even. Tell. You. what a difference that makes for me. We made Neel his favorite pie for a welcome home dinner, showered and hightailed it to the airport to walk in right as he texted me that they had landed.
I love it when that happens.
I'm not sure if it was the brief duration of his trip, the fact that it stays light so late in Sweden or the fact that Neel's an Iron Man, but he came home feeling not terribly jet lagged (and as I write this he seems fully back on US time and fully recovered.). We had a punchy dinner (including this wonderful salad from Miss Farmhouse Home!) with lots of laughing (apparently Neel gets pretty giggly when he's tired!) and watched the Phillies with a neighborhood friend of Cal's. The dogs especially are glad to have him home.
Long walk Sunday morning, just the way I like to start the day, and I worked outside on the computer while Neel worked in his garden. It had taken quite a beating from the endless rains we'd had all week, but things are already ship shape. Exams are looming, so in between peeks at another Phillies game (it's too hard to watch it in one sitting) Cal is studying. I'm ready for summer and school to be over. How about you?
An over the fence chat with our neighbors prompted a potluck cookout that grew somewhat organically. It was a gorgeous night. By the time all was said and done, we had a ton of food and a crowd of kids running around (including one bad dog who wouldn't listen, kept begging for fish and had to be sent home), and it felt like we really were on the cusp of summer.
It's Memorial Day. In this town which has a heavy military presence, that means a lot. It means a lot everywhere. If Callum hits the books hard, he and Neel will watch WWII movies all afternoon. I think I need to find a cookout.
I'm sure nobody is around reading this today, and that's fine! I hope you're out having fun today. I'll be back tomorrow with photos from Neel's trip to Stockholm!
Reader Comments (7)
Your European followers are always alert. hahaha. Have a great day!
I'm around! Looks like a grand homecoming weekend. I can't believe Cal did his own ironing! I'm so impressed! And your outdoor office looks very inviting. Happy Memorial Day to you all!
i'm around too! no fun having for me ; ) your weekend sounds wonderful. our heavy rains turned to sun this weekend too, but now the rains are back - which i don't mind if they don't last 2 weeks! that last photo of cal is too cute! i am pretty sure that is what i would look like if i got a bullseye (is that what it's called?). i am officially craving pie now, that looks delish! glad neel trip was a safe one. btw i love it when tired people get giggly it's one of my favorite things. i can't wait for the pictures from stockholm!
"I'm sure nobody is around reading this today, and that's fine!"
Wrong!!! :D
Callum is such a superstar!
My heart swells so much with pride when L masters something we've taught her that I fear it will one day leap out of my chest and do a happy dance on the floor.
Ahem!
I guess what I'm trying to say is I know exactly how you feel. :D
How amazing was that salad?! LOVED it!
L will be off for the summer from my birthday and I'm looking forward to that, I must say. I'm starting to get Braxton Hicks contractions already and it makes negotiating twisty country roads on the school run pretty interesting to say the least!
P.S. Looking forward to seeing Neel's take on Stockholm! x
Yess!! Stockholm pictures pretty please!! And make sure to include the shot of IKEA you sent me ;) That made my day! I'm sure there are other gems to be seen, too. The last shot, of little Violet looking terribly adorable and not all scold-able....be still my heart. xo
I just love that Callum ironed! (Note to self: Teach Townsend how to iron when he gets old enough.) Did Callum really make that bulls eye? Way to go!
Yep, Memorial Day found us (and four other families) scrabbling to get the house we rented all cleaned up and then on the road home. Our mini getaway completely wiped us all out. How is that even possible when all we did was lounge by the pool?! ;) I mean, it sounds like Neel recovered better from his Stockholm trip! Anyway, I'm happy to read you all had a great weekend and Neel made it safely home.
That's so great Callum helped you out, what a great kid, can't wait to meet him ;)
Glad you neel back safe and sound, sounds like he didn't have time to pick up any jet lag! x