Monday, August 24, 2009

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

After multiple requests in a 24 hour period to return to the magical days of yore--the Days of Blogcraft--I decided that it was time to return to the Monkey. Attentive readers will note that my last post was right after the end of the school year. Which, as you might have guessed, means that I'm coming back now at the beginning of a new school year. What have I done in the meantime?

I'm glad you asked!

Late May
Right before school ended I met up with the Boys from college for a madcap adventure in Nashville. Why Nashville, you ask? Because it was there.

From right: Shawn, John, Nate, Dylan, random old dude
We enjoyed wine, women, and song, but minus the wine and women. We did, however, see some moderately talented breakdancers. And by moderately talented I mean "More than me, but less than Lou Diamond Phillips"--it's what I call the Diamond Phillips standard.

Right after this I ran out and collected all the change that fell out of his pockets.
We ate more than any five men should before sharing a hotel room and a compact car.

The sordid remains
Also, this old lady may or may not have been getting fresh with someone.

Look, I'm not saying she's about to grab anything inappropriate. Really.
June
School ended, and with it, my desire to do anything at all. The summer was mostly spent reading, catching up on TV and video games, and being an amazing house husband. What some call "being lazy" I would call "one of the perks of being a teacher."

However, the final week of June Amelia and I packed Finn in the car and headed north to the Blue Ridge Mountains.

We spent just under a week in this little place:
It's even better than it looks.
It was one of the better vacations I've taken. Ever.

We were joined by our friends Dylan and Kristy (and their sons), none of whom I managed to get a picture of, even after nearly drowning their middle child on a canoe trip.

Not pictured: Anybody
That's just how I roll.

July
In July we went to Charleston to celebrate our anniversary.

We went shopping, took a carriage ride, ate at some fun restaurants . . . you know, all the stuff
you do on a vacation.

Sorry, Dylan. Even the horse got a picture. Just not your family.
Oh, also, at some point during the summer I shaved the goatee and grew out a mustache.

The Stache looks so happy
I like it, despite all expectations to the contrary.

There were more trips taken--to see Dylan and Kristy in Atlanta, to Orlando--and more things accomplished, and overall it was just a really nice summer.

August
Now I'm back at work and trying to keep my head above water. I'm sure I have half the students my younger sister does in class, but I've got some new responsibilities at work, and an extra class, so I'm still in the adjusting phase. Still, it's nice to have a reason to get up in the morning again.

At least for a few weeks. Then I'll be ready to become a full time layabout once again.

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