By David Trinko
The Lima News
It finally happened!
Or it finally didn’t happen. Or finally nothing happened.
However you want to phrase it, there was absolutely nothing on the family calendar Thursday.
I know an empty square on a planning document shouldn’t be so exciting. As parents with three nondriving but involved kids still at home, though, it’s a blessing we haven’t experienced since Dec. 29. That’s the last time our online calendar could say those beautiful words: “No events.”
That meant no driving someone to a doctor’s appointment.
It meant no 4-H, volleyball practice or softball practice. There were no games, either.
It meant no work shifts for my two enterprising teenagers.
In short, it meant summertime is truly upon us, a time to rest, relax and hear those words every parent hates to hear this early in the summertime: “I’m bored.”
I’ve been working from home a few times a week recently. With their last day of school earlier in the week, it was definitely a different experience when the kids were here vs. when they’re not.
I’m more likely to walk past a TV playing “Toddlers & Tiaras,” my teens’ latest obsession for reasons I can’t begin to understand.
I’m more likely to hear our 9-year-old excitedly chatting with one of her friends on her iPad, talking about nothing in particular but loudly enough I can hear the details.
While their modes of entertainment might frustrate me, their leisure doesn’t. I remember being a kid in the summertime, staying up later than I would during the school year and sleeping in too. I recall watching mindless television too, whether it was reruns of “Gilligan’s Island” or “The Brady Bunch.”
I enjoy hearing our home security system tell me there’s “motion at the back door,” as someone wanders outside to enjoy a lovely early summer day.
In the evening, I didn’t mind riding shotgun in the car with my daughter with a learner’s permit, letting her drive to her favorite ice cream place. It was a joy to see her and her sister take the dogs for a walk too.
As for my own recreation, I don’t think I’ve ever watched an episode of “Ted Lasso” within a day of its release before.
These early days of summer are good for our souls. We’re not quite to the dog days of summer, where the boredom becomes monotonous. It’s still an exciting adventure of what option you choose next: Maybe we walk. Maybe we fish. Maybe we find some water to hop into to cool our skin. Maybe we laze around and do nothing at all.
I’ve looked ahead, and our family’s next day with no scheduled events is Thursday, June 29 — at least for now. Until then, we’ll find a way to enjoy the busy and the slow days alike while they last.
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David Trinko is editor of The Lima News. Reach him at 567-242-0467, by email at [email protected] or on Twitter @Lima_Trinko.
