On the road again

Alison has been flying since before she emerged into the world and is highly anxious to rid herself of the escort service we pay for when she solos to Maine for the summer.

It's not going to happen until the airlines bring back the direct flight to Portland. Or until she's 18. 

Of course she kind of thinks she IS 18. 

But then you find her with Pink Bunny in the morning or in a skirt and Converse playing soccer at a street fair. 

I think I like her better with the bunny and/or sneakers.

She had a great time with Team Reed Maine at Jen & Peter's camp. Word on the street is that she's a much better paddle boarder than her Uncle James. 

As you can see from Auntie Jen's photoshoot, it was Hell Week in Maine. On her last morning, Jen left Peter in charge and went off for a walk. She comes back to find Peter in the house but no Alison anywhere in sight. "Where's Ali?"

Pete, with all the nonchalance of a veteran father and grandfather, says, "She went out to paddle board right after you left."

Jennnifer looks at her watch then her husband and says, "That was 45 minutes ago!" 

She dashes out the door to scan the lake and sure enough Ali was out there wringing out the last bits of summer-in-Maine. 

No wonder she didn't want to come home. Next week it's more of the same, but with an Indiana flavor. She'll be at Flat Rock River Camp with Jenna and Bre.

It's a hard life for Alison Reed. She gets back to face another few weeks of summer school, but it's her PE class, so don't feel too sorry for her. Jeff and I will resume our culinary explorations while she's gone.

We'll all be sorry to see summer end.  The last shot is of Ali saying goodbye to Jen's lake.