Back in Town
Back in Town
5-22-09
In the spring it is hard to focus! For teachers too! We are tired, the students are tired and everyone is looking forward to the beach and NO MORE SCHOOL! We are people of the tides. We listen to the waves lap the shore and think about the tides and seasons of our lives. So here comes another summer. Here are a few observations and notes from a classroom teacher who gradually morphs into a Boardwalker about this time every year.
The Boys are Back in Town – in case you had not noticed, our boys and girls who went away to college are returning. We smile, we laugh and we run for cover! Prepare for lots of laundry, larger grocery bills and the messiness that comes with young adults coming and going in our homes. So great to see them again and hear their stories! As they infuse our beach workplaces with enthusiasm and honest labor, may we all enjoy the season and each other.
The Visitors are Back in Town – not aliens from another planet unless you consider that people from Pittsburg are a lot like Martians, but real live people who fill up our motels and restaurants, and make us late as we drive down Route one. Plan extra time and patience in driving anywhere and an attitude of gratitude when it comes to welcoming newcomers who just might need a day on the beach to mellow and return to their senses. They certainly help our economy and we may be able to help them slow down a bit and breathe our salty ocean air. It has that effect.
The Trees, the Birds, the Bees – yep! They’re all back in town unfolding their tender leaves just in time for some sunshine and cool night breezes. Isn’t it amazing how fragile yet incredibly strong a tree buds, blossoms and produces leaves? There is a symphony of bird calls outside my window at five in the morning each day. The light just begins to break and the birds begin their songs of joy. The insects cannot be far behind. There will be flies, gnats and mosquitoes, all part of summer’s wide array of creatures. In my neighborhood there are also many rabbits, fox and even an occasional deer.
People Get Out – The springtime draws people outdoors. There are the gardeners, the bikers, the walkers, each with a mission and an attitude that being outside beats being inside any day.
I come from a long line of window washers. This time of year necessitates the ritual washing of the windows, a messy job that must be done before Memorial Day. If I’m lucky, I can lasso some help with this job because it’s easier to have one person on the inside and the other on the outside so that we can comment on each other’s streaks. Strange I know but I share this with you in hopes that you too may discover your inner spring bug, the thing that draws you to the outdoors. Decide what fulfills your needs and get right to it! Memorial Day is this Monday!
