That Vacay Feeling

Today with a gloriously blue sky and temperatures reaching the 60s, we hiked at Aldo Leopold Nature Center.  So very many memories there.  One year we celebrated Thom's birthday with his parents there and ran into Lotta's best friend (and family).  Benja recalled how very long the trails used to seem, when his legs were shorter.  Another year, I was a chaperone for Lotta's field trip and it was raining.  Like seriously raining.  NONE of the children had rain gear.  The younger naturist announced, "Ok, let's go, we REQUESTED you bring rain gear."  (Because NO one had).  Luckily, an older and wiser naturist arrived, suggesting that perhaps the students could borrow some of the rain jackets they had on hand.  When we were outside, one of the students requested I help tie shoes.  As I bent in the rain, in the mud, there was a cloud of mosquitoes swarming around our legs.  I just did NOT need to know about those mosquitoes.  So many times as we slogged through the rain, I thought wistfully how much more Thom would be appreciating this particular field trip than me.  He actually LIKES the mud.  He used to PLAY in it as a child.  It took every

ounce of will power not to agree with the student who kept requesting that we go back inside.  I mean was collecting bugs from a pond REALLY worth all this discomfort??  As the rain, increased, our naturist, cheerily announced it was time to go on the hike.  She then noticed that the other groups were heading back inside, and I sighed a big sigh of relief as we all went back into the building to watch a planetarium show (I still am not completely certain what that had to do with anything else we studied that day.)  What I noticed today while we were there were all the noises--the distinct bird songs, the wind, the wind rustling through the trees.  Lotta climbed a tree, and then fell to get out of it.  We almost stepped on a snake, then found a nest of snakes.  Zibbi ran ran ran (she has this sometimes twisty run that reminds me of Ellie).  When we returned home, we ate brownies that were made as part of competitive bake off yesterday.  And suddenly, I was hit with that feeling of vacation.  That feeling where FUN is the most important ingredient rather than responsibility.  It was glorious.