camp grandma & grandpa

Lulu has been at camp "Gran & Grandpa" all week and I can't believe how fast it has flown by!
It's the one time all year that I can just completely relax and not have to worry about her.
Well I suppose I always "worry" that she is okay, but I feel at ease knowing that she is having fun and is completely fine.
Though when I dropped her off and said good-bye her tears unhinged me a bit, but I knew that after a few minutes she would be completely okay.
Besides she is lucky that it wasn't at a camp up north like some of her friends are starting to do.
I can't even begin to imagine how dramatic our good byes will be when she starts doing that.
If she ever agrees to do that.
Until then it's Niagara-On-the-Lake for a couple of weeks each summer.
Oh the poor little thing...

She's so incredibly lucky to have such amazing grandparents.
Her week will be filled with swimming, art camp, play dates, tea parties, treats and more kisses and hugs than I'm sure I could possibly ever shower on her in an entire year.
My parents are so enamoured with Lulu.
I wish I had that type of special bond with my grandparents when I was a child.
Unfortunately distance made that difficult, not to mention I had so many cousins that I was never numero uno the way Lulu is for my parents.
She's also lucky that they're still so young and energetic that they have no problem keeping up with her.
In fact, I have a hard time keeping up with them!
When you look up The Perfect Grandparent in the dictionary, I'd be surprised if there wasn't a picture of my folks in there.
They really are fantastic.
Such a lucky girl.

Anyhow with all this freedom we've been trying to take full advantage of our temporary empty nest.
We went out for dinner a couple of times and took the pooch for walks after dark.
Who knew that it would be such a small luxury to go for a walk in the neighbourhood together after 9 pm?
But truth be told, we've both so tired lately that all we really want to do is just enjoy the quietness of the house and relax in the backyard.
G-d we're getting old..
Big Daddy has especially been working like crazy and really could really use the down time.
Bonus that our neighbours and their *daycare* I mean kids, are away at the cottage, so it's super quiet and a nice break to not hear crying, screaming or fighting for a change.
We want to try enjoy all the peace & tranquility while we can.

But once again, as nice as it is to have a breather from being a parent, it goes without saying that we both miss Lulu and look forward to having her back home.
Because as nice and mellow as it is, it always feels like something is missing when she's not around.

Until then, I'll be sitting under the tree in the back yard reading my book, not thinking about anything or anyone for the next 24 hours enjoying the sound of the birds, cicadas, and Chelsea snoring at my feet.
Ah the sounds of summer...