{SQT} Packing and Writing
PACKING, PACKING, PACKING! It’s all the fun of packing for camp, while also packing and planning for a 16 hour road trip. There’s also the constant worry that something will go horribly wrong and derail all my plans for the week. But how about a few Takes to keep me from fretting for a bit???
Between updating and printing out my three page packing list for Fulton and Teddy, and organizing all their clothes for the next ten days, I’ve been pushing to finish all my grading for the 2020-21 school year. The OSV Accelerator (which is the program all the semi-finalists are participating in) begins next week while we’re in Florida, and I really want to not have to focus on school and the Accelerator at the same time. I mean, it’s inevitable since the Accelerator runs up until the week I want to start school back up, but I’d like to minimize distractions as much as possible. And let me get it down on the blog so it’s official, but next year I’m really and truly going to grade more as I go and stay on top of checking work at least once a week!!! For real!! I mean it!! If I can become a semi-finalist in a highly competitive national challenge, I can stay on top of school work most definitely!!!
But to backtrack a bit, our Nativity of St. John the Baptist party was a huge success (as usual)! We did get some rain but thankfully, no gusts of wind so our tent stayed up, and everyone stayed comfortable during the short cloudbursts. Our pig was a huge hit, as was our fireworks show. There was some disagreement over what type of music to play during the party, but everyone agreed the Block Rocker speaker was a great addition, even our neighbor at the end of the block who enjoyed listening to Tony’s soundtrack selections during fireworks.We had 101 people, two thirds of whom were children. I didn’t sit down the entire time, but for as crazy as it was, I really felt in my element. We didn’t do anything on the fourth of July except clean up and rest.
On Monday Addie competed in a national fencing tournament in Philadelphia. This tournament is held yearly at different locations around the country so we really lucked out that it landed so close to home. She fenced well, but was up against such tough competition she didn’t come close to medaling. It was a good learning experience, and it also reassured us that she hadn’t lost too much ground during quarantine when her training was severely curtailed. Her future college destination is still up in the air as we navigate the confusing NCAA regulations regarding transfer students.
On Tuesday evening I went to the movies with a friend for the first time in forever to see something that wasn’t part of the MCU. Summer of Soul (…Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised), is a documentary about the Harlem Cultural Festival that took place over six weekends in the summer of 1969 in Mount Morris Park in Harlem, NYC. It was filmed, but never shown because no one was interest in airing, what was billed as “The Black Woodstock” on TV, despite headliners like Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight and the Pips, and Sly and the Family Stone. I danced along in my seat to the music, but the historic back story behind the festival, and it’s place in time amidst the moon landing and civil rights movement were just as compelling. Highly recommended.
How was your week? Write it down then link it up below. Be sure to include a link back to this post so your readers can find the rest of the Quick Takes. I look forward to reading your posts!