Best summer so far?

Summer school may be looming for Alison, but the view in her rear view is pretty good. 

Summer camp with lifelong besties, a week in Paris and then a week in Maine with Auntie Jen and Uncle Peter on Pleasant Pond.

For the first time in a few years, she had to share a bit of her time with Auntie Jen with me as I flew out with her on Friday and then flew home alone on Monday. She stayed until Thursday.

Next year, probably to her chagrin, it might be all of us, which could give us time to finally check out James and David's cabin in northern Maine. Alison has always cherished her time in Maine. There's an extra layer of special when she gets exclusive time (sans parents.)



Flying home alone was no big deal to Alison - she'd chafed at her maternal escort. "Mom. I'm 15. I've flown a lot. I know what I'm doing," she insisted, making me flash back, of course, to the hundreds of times as a toddler she'd push us away and say, "I can DO it!"

Sigh. Jen caught a little of it when she dropped her at the Portland airport and hovered as she got assembled and then headed off to the TSA. "She didn't even have a backward glance for poor ol Auntie Jen."

Ditto for her arrival home where Jenna lay in wait to surprise her. I think Ali had anticipated Jenna's presence but she didn't complain as we walked to the car. Then, a blur, a flash and a crushing hug from behind.

Note to Amer: Jenna will be a great stalker in the future.

We're almost back to normal now. I have a work trip next week; Ali has a summer class and Jeff will be a single parent for a few days.

Check on him.

Or, more accurately, check on the redhead. The last time I left them alone she was seven or eight and he forgot to bathe her.  "I Febreezed myself," she boasted shortly after I got a whiff of her.