The End of Summer

Wow! So much packed into August. The week before the FR, I ran a summer camp:
"Week 5
Aug 8 - 11 (Mon – Thu)
Topic: Children as Producers, Actors, Dancers and Stage Crafters

Jr. group 9am – noon 4 – 7 year olds
Sr. group 1pm – 4pm 8 – 12 year olds

Using all 3 modalities, children will stage their own story with the help from their Friends from the Inner World. What fun to grow inward and express outward. There will be a performance gallery for parents to visit on the evening of the last day. Come and join the theatre. Let your imagination go happy and wild. Let this be your summer to remember, to shine, to share."

I only had the younger group go so we did our performance at the end of class on Thursday. Basically it was performance based and we worked together getting it ready (roadshow style). The kids did everything from design the scenery and paint it to costume design and script writing. I had 8 kids - 4 four year olds, a 6 year old and 3 seven year olds. It was really fun and rather exhausting in a very good kind of way. The parents loved our performance (I even got a big bouquet of flowers and thank you cards)

Then Friday, Kaet, Drew and I helped Dean with the window washing so we would have enough money to come. Saturday we packed and cleaned and left on our way. We all had great fun at the FR - as you all know. Kaetlyn and Drew struggled a bit as they didn't want to hang out with each other but they wanted to hang out with the same people. Although, I think Drew is a bit more active than the rest, anyway. They always wanted to sit around and talk and he wanted to be jumping on the trampoline and swimming and stuff like that. It was good to see him spending time with his uncles and Zach and Josh, too. Although sometimes his feelings were hurt. Rhiannon is going through withdrawl and holding it against me that she doesn't have more younger siblings... I think Jodi was in dog heaven - all that food dropped in the ground and all that time spend out of doors with us - beaches and all those new smells! She was such a good dog, I regretted that this is the first holiday we have taken her on.

We had a 1 sailing wait when we got to Nanaimo so we were on the 4:30 ferry. We had supper on the ferry and got gas in Abbotsford (thanks for the tip, Katie, it really was much cheaper there). And a gas tip for all of you: I used the premium plus for the van on the trip and we got more than 600km's to the tank. I have never got more than 450 - 500 before. So it was worth it in the long run (not to mention that it is better for the engine and you won't need as many tune ups). I used Husky/Mowhawk gas. We got into Vernon at midnight last night. Dean had to get up early this morning and left for Kaslo. I had a 3 hour nap this afternoon and am now quite recovered.

I did have some sad news just before we left. Dad, Doug and Evan told me that they are going to have sell our house. This was very sad news for me. I love this house (it is nothing fancy as Laura can attest to) but it suits us very well. Also - just the whole instability thing - and uprooting my kids and going back to renting from someone else. I had no clue it was coming. I cried most of the way home. I told Dean on the ferry but I haven't told the kids and I won't until it is inevitable. Talking to Dad today, he said he is going to try a few more things but not to count on it. I don't know if I am in denial or not, but right now it doesn't feel like it is really going to happen. I think something will happen and I won't have to move. I am glad they at least left it to the last minute to tell me so it didn't wreck the rest of my holiday.

I have been so grateful to have this house. It has enabled me to get involved with the Inner World School and be at home with my kids. It has meant the world to me. I hate constantly struggling with the basics of life - like a roof over my head and I wonder when it will ever end. I have loved working on my gardens and planning on how I will fix it up. I really don't want to move.

Enough sad stuff. I love this time of year in the Okanagan. It is bursting with abundance. Apples are coming ripe and peppers and melons and corn. Food is so plentiful, so yummy and so cheap. We went to Davison Orchards (an orchard that went to agri-tourism) and bought fresh corn and peaches and Drew and Rhiannon played in the park as I ate a basket of blackberries and looked over the valley. Beautiful, peaceful, restorative. Tomorrow we have an adult workshop at the Inner World School - "Courage". I think I could use that right now. I need courage to believe that even as the sparrows of the field are looked after, so will I.