Even though I’m no longer a teacher and won’t be able celebrate two months of liberation and not having to get up in the dark, I still love this time of year. This summer, for the first time in many years, I’ll be working. And yet I’m excited for the school year to be over. Maybe it’s because I don’t have to deal with the minor panic that sets in when one realizes that they have to entertain their kid for the whole summer- that’s Bob’s issue. Other than the week when Emma attends camp, she’ll be attending Camp Dad. I’m pretty sure they will have a great time.

It seems like nothing can end for the summer without celebrations and culminating events. I’m complicit because I thought a final hike and pizza party were needed to send off the Brownies for the summer, but now it’s probably going to rain and I have no Plan B.

I’ve also learned that things can’t end without swag of some sort. Emma attends a K-2 school, so next year she and her classmates are moving to another building for grades 3-5. On Friday she got her yearbook, which is cute and fits easily on a bookshelf. She’ll be getting a commemorative t-shirt on the day of the big class party, also cute and useful until she outgrows it. Fortunately she expressed no interest in the commemorative Grade 2 beach towel and panoramic class photo. Last year at this time I heard rumors about souvenir water bottles and sun visors, which made me think Really? I don’t want that $#!% in my house. Fortunately those items have not materialized.

It really helps that there is no second grade commemorative stuffed animal, because I would be screwed. On Saturday we went to the Bronx Zoo, and had a great time, and came home with a pair of stuffed mama and baby monkeys. So on Saturday I didn’t get rid of anything, but I gave two stuffed monkeys a home.

I had to take this photo before detaching the monkey.

On Sunday we relaxed at home. Emma had a friend over for the afternoon, and they had a great time. While they were occupied I got rid of 34 items, again mostly clothes with a handful of miscellaneous items which included two books. Bob also gave away some of his clothes, but I didn’t count his stuff in my number. I also found a good solution to the problem of donations piling up in the house. I’d intended to make a trip to Goodwill, but I haven’t had a chance to make the trip. So I scheduled a pickup. I dreaded the thought of dragging the stuff into the house, then I thought it would be easier to leave everything in the car. When the truck comes Thursday I’ll just have to empty the back of the car onto the driveway. Now that I’m writing about this idea I’m wondering if I used a lot more gas, but I really only drive locally and none of it’s heavy. Win-win.

Today I had to work, then I had to write an article for a university blog, then I had to pick Emma up at school and take her to a dress rehearsal for her dance recital. I didn’t get rid of anything today. But it was a good weekend in spite of the monkeys which I only bought because I am occasionally weak when it comes to my kid and her love of stuffed creatures.

Saturday: stuff in: 1 stuff out: 0

Sunday: stuff in: 0 stuff out: 34

I did bring in 4 things today, sort of. But I’m going to keep you in suspense until Wednesday and explain how I only sort of brought them into the house. P.S. I’m not having quadruplets.