Where Did Summer Go?

I think I know where summer went . . . it went to driver's ed, sailing camp and lazy beach days in Traverse City.

Summer went to fun with cousins, reading books, sleeping in, biking at night and to jumping off of docks and swimming in lakes 

on hot summer days.

It went to eating s'mores, going to parades, lighting sparklers,  Mackinac Island and telling ghost stories.

Summer went to warm, sunny memories that will have to last us all year long. 

So long summer, until we meet again.

A view from the University of Michigan Law Library

Vote for my "stained glass" picture at http://sailorandcompany.blogspot.com/

This picture was taken around 9 o'clock at night and without a flash. I love the shadows of the trees outside of the window!

Thank you for your support.

Stack O' Books

What does the English teacher read over summer vacation? Anything. Everything. Nothing to brag about. When I get on a roll, I read (on average) a book each day. I went to Target and took a picture of all of the "beach read" books that they are selling with my iPhone. I went home and and requested each of these books from the library. The stack pictured shows the few titles that were available from the local library for me to check out today.  I don't know who said, "You can't judge a book by the cover." I do. The more interesting the cover, the more I want to read the book. I am lover of fonts, colors, pictures and titles. I also looked at the Wall Street Journal and the "best seller" page. I try to keep in mind that "best seller" is based on quantity not quality. I get book recommendations from friends, family, from students (maybe not this year's sOpHoMoReS), from advertisements in People magazine. Sophisticated? Not me. Not at all. Bring on the mindless beach reads and let me escape.  So far, I have read three books, so memorable that I can't recall the titles OR the authors after drinking a small glass of wine.

Self-Esteem?

There are NO self-esteem issues for one member of the Jones family. Will wants the world to know that he is "AwEsOmE!" I hope his first grade buddy likes the unique item that is literally being "Willed" to tomorrow morning.

WillRocks, The Triathlete

Will rOcKeD his third annual Meridian Township Triathlon. Three laps in the pool. Three laps on the bike.  A 6/10th of a mile run. A side cramp -- notice the look of pain in the running photo. All equaled an aWeSoMe (and respectable) second place finish for WillRocks. His time? Unofficially in the 17 minute range. Huh? All that in 17 minutes, that is correct. Insane. This kid is definitely his father's son. Will, you RoCk!

Table for Five

Our fabulous niece and cousin, Melissa, arrived today from Texas (via Indianapolis where her sister has an internship with a race team) to spend the summer with us. She will be working with Mr. Shoeman at Playmakers (check out the store website at Playmakers.com) and training for the fall cross country season in cooler weather (she hopes).

We hope she doesn't mind the chaos that comes with the end of the school year. Miss Teen and WillRocks are excited to spend time with a cousin from the "Jones" side of the family. I am happy to add another driver and cook into the rotation. Shh. Don't tell Mr. Shoeman and WillRocks that they are now officially outnumbered.

Welcome to Michigan, Melissa. We are thrilled to have a table for five!

Inspired? Not so much. But I am bAcK.

So long, Summer!

WillRocks is the Sailor Boy . . .

Think of the Jimmy Buffett song, The Son of a Son of the Sailor,

(or should I say, The Son of a Son of the Shoeman!).

The tulips are blooming . . .

on my kitchen table because the chipmunks, squirrels, deer, rabbits and small children can't eat or destroy them. Finally, it appears that spring has finally sPrUnG! (at least inside).

I LoVe My KiDs.

Now if they would just both look at the camera,

pretend they like each other

and pose for a picture or two.

I would be very, very happy.

Summer

Summer. Summer. Summer.

I miss you. Please come back soon.

You don't know how I miss you

and your shining rays.

Seriously.

Sincerely,

Your #1 Fan

A Postcard from my Favorite Book Shop . . .

in my favorite little town of Glen Arbor. They are going to use one my photographs in their winter newsletter and another photograph was sent to the Leelanau Enterprise. Over Christmas break I had my camera around my neck and was in the bookshop. The shopkeeper asked if I would take a picture of a candy house, I did, with my niece posing next to it. I e-mailed it to her along with a few others.

Rink Rat or Not . . .

this is an excellent rule to live by.

A family that skis together . . .

stays together. Olympic hopefuls? Perhaps. Good times? For sure.

There is no room at the inn . . .

for the wisemen. Mary's hand is fractured and Joseph's head is severed. It looks like Baby Jesus is going to be raised by a crew of shepherds who have permanently settled on our piano bench.

The stockings were . . .

were flung on the back of a chair. Nobody in my family seemed to care.

In the works?

Sneak Preview

Christmas card idea #1 . . . shh, it's a secret.

WillRocks!

After running an 8K this morning Will decided that going

to church would have been a lot less work.