what shall we do today?

A start to the weekend and vacation - a glass of wine and a new book

Today starts the first week of our summer holidays. We are not in a big rush to fit in a lot of things since we have quite a bit on our plates that we need to finish anyway, but to start with we will just take it easy. Although already I have heard the "b" word a couple of times. No, it's not what you think - BORED!

Are children so over-stimulated that as soon as there a moment of free time in their schedules they become bored? I am so not going to over schedule this week with playdates and activities. Next week when the husband is also on vacation we will have loads of activities, but this is the just hang around week. Sort of.

I haven't done a lot of shopping this summer, but we went downtown on the weekend and I got some cute summer tops on sale at Bennetton. Not that the weather is warm enough to wear any of them. What's up with this temperature? There has been no summer. Where are the long, hot days of summer? They haven't hit Montreal. The wee man and I need to go shopping for school supplies this week. By the time I translate the supply list, go shopping, return half of what I've bought because I didn't buy the right color (everything is color coded) and then labelled everything, fall will be here.

I am so not ready to buy school supplies and clothes. At least we only have to buy a few fall clothes and shoes. All our winter coats will fit again this year and the wee man wears a school uniform which has been ordered since last May. It only seems like yesterday that I was placing the order for school uniforms and here it is August. The big purchase will be all the school supplies. I can't believe how much a grade 2 student has to get. I didn't have to get this much when I was in university.

I particularly love how on the list it indicates that we have to buy 10 HB pencils that are made in Canada. Why made in Canada? Are they not good enough if they are made in the US? Will the wee man be sent home if he shows up on the first day of school with a made in China pencil (ok, maybe that wasn't the best example). I'm all for supporting the local economy, but please, that's MY choice. Don't tell me where I have to buy my school supplies.

I am hoping to take lots of photos this week. I suffer from more than a little bit of jealousy when I see all my flickr contacts posting photos daily. Where do they get the time? At first I said, well they don't have children, obviously. Well, some do. Then again they can't possibly work full time. Well again, some do. They don't have an etsy store to run. Yup. I just don't know how they all do it. I personally feel that my days look something like this.

makelunchespackbagforcampgetreadyforcampcatchmetrotoworkpickupweemanatcampgotoswimminggotokaratesilkscreenifthereistimegetwholesalelistreadypackagesoldproductsfrometsystorereademailreplytoemailcleancatlitterpackbagforcampworkonfreelancejobpaybillstrytogotobedbefore1getupat6.

This, of course, is the simplified version. Hopefully there will at least be some new flickr photos this week.