Every August, I Think…
…winter’s coming.
So I took my camera to the Metuchen pool. That’s Gregory. He’s fearless. (Except don’t ever ask him to go alone to the basement where “George” lives — George is our “ghost” who rattles the ducts.)
Last summer, some of you may recall, I made a slide show of our trip to Dorney Park. I loved watching that slide show in the winter because, in case you haven’t figured this out about me, I DO NOT LIKE WINTER. I’m a summer girl. So, I’m spending just a little time this year capturing the DETAILS of summer. Above, I like how the water is in focus, but the lifeguard stands are blurry. 
Here’s a closeup. That’s pretty much how I see things at the pool anyway with my glasses off. If a lifeguard blows a whistle and points at me to put on a swim cap or something and I make like “Huh? Who me?” — it really is true that I can’t tell if they’re pointing at me or the kid drowning his little sister 20 feet away.
I like the shimmering water in this one. Ahhh, summer.
Gregory can’t stand this picture of Bradley. It drives him crazy that there’s never a splash!
So here ya go, Gregory. Here’s some splashing for you. (Bradley looks like he’s 25 in this picture. Mike looks like he needs some goggles.)
…blub blub blub blub. I love summer. *sigh*
Oh yeah, I love fall too!
So, loyal blog readers, I need help. Bradley will be 13 on Halloween. He was born in room 13. This is a really big deal to him — the whole Halloween/13 connection. (Yeah, and as I was being rolled down the hospital corridor, and I heard the nurse yell out “Put her in room 13!” I was kicking and screaming back, “Uht uh, no you ain’t putting me in room 13!” But they did anyway, obviously.) So, what REALLY COOL AWESOME thing can I do to make Bradley’s 13th birthday extra memorable? Suggestions? Please? Because, every August, I think, winter’s coming, which means, fall’s coming too.
For my daughter’s 13th birthday which happened to fall on Friday the 13th that year, we did a haunted house themed birthday party with eery music, fake cobwebs, coffins, skeletons and blood. We lined the walkway to the house with fake tombstones that had the names of all the guests, their dates of birth and that day as the date of death. I greeted each guest at the door dressed as the Grim Reaper. We froze plastic spiders in ice cubes, made spider cupcakes instead of a cake and had fake body parts in the fridge and freezer. The biggest hit was was the bloody shower curtain in the bathroom and the bloody machete on the toilet tank. Everyone was afraid to look behind the curtain (cheap liner from KMart spattered with fake blood).
Hey Old Roses — Jules here — great idea! We did that for Bradley’s 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th birthdays. It was loads of fun (and lots of work). Hm, but since it’s been a while, that’s worth rethinking, especially now that the kids are “too old” for Halloween.
Comment by OldRoses — August 10, 2007 @ 12:24 pm
I follow your blog every now and then since you took photos of our friends, the Derectors. I just wanted to say that Metuchen Pool is my favorite place in the world and I savor ever minute of our time there with the kids every summer. I have been feeling the August blahs lately and loved the photos.
Comment by Sheri-Rose Rubin — August 10, 2007 @ 1:54 pm
Maybe a Laser Tag party with all of his friends.
(Wink,Wink)
Hi Gabe — Mrs. Shaver here — there’s a good chance you’ll get to go to whatever horror party is arranged IF you ever get your summer reading done. Get to work and stop reading my blog!!!
(wink, wink)
Comment by Gabe — August 11, 2007 @ 7:23 pm