As I type this I am flying home from a fantastic vacation in Vermont.
*** Okay, oops. This was when I typed it, but that was two whole weeks ago. Sorry for the delay. Back to the story…***
I am sorry if you missed my SOAP posts last week… the internet connection where we were was spotty at best, which I think is part of the wonder of the place, to be honest with you. I did read and I scribbled SOAP notes in my journal. I might share a few observations later this week. We’ll see.
Anyhow, like I said, we are reaching the conclusion of another fantastic summer kick-off in Vermont.
This is the third year we have visited the Tyler Place, a family summer camp of sorts, where the kids swim, garden, climb, make s’mores, sing songs, race across a zip-line, ride horses, play mini-golf, banana boat, kayak, ride bikes, play capture the flag and much, much more while the grown-ups do some of the same as well as take yoga, rest in hammocks, enjoy cocktail hour every evening before dinner, learn how to mountain bike (heart-pounding!!), play tennis, read, dine on delicious food in adults-only dining rooms and catch up with friends from the previous summer.
Almost everyone arrives and leaves on the same day, but this year my husband wasn’t able to go until Sunday, so I flew the 2 flights, loaded the rental car and arrived by myself. And it was still a beautiful day because I almost felt like I was returning home. Yes, even with one child getting airsick on 2 of the flights I would do it again.
I was up for traveling solo because I knew that all I had to do was arrive. Once I got to Tyler Place everything would be taken care of. I pulled up and walked to check in just after the evening activities had begun.
“Why don’t you take the kids to group, then come back?” I was told at the desk.
Oh, yes, ma’am. I love the Tyler Place.
Off they went to meet new friends, reconnect with old ones and off I went to get the keys to our cabin.
This would be our third year in the same spot. I loved the familiarity of it all.
After checking in I swung by cocktail hour
to see who was back and check in with my next door neighbor from home, whom I had invited to join us this year.
Of course everyone asked about my husband and was glad to hear he would arrive soon.
Last week I enjoyed relaxing and napping some afternoons, exercising joyfully many of the mornings, splashing in the pool with my daughter, sleeping with the windows to the cottage open every night and, the most exciting of all, watching my oldest son really ride a bike for the first time. That was amazing!
When that happened, I was nervous and excited for him and wanted to just push and let go but was afraid at the same time. I was contemplating letting go when a fellow vacationer, who also happens to be a child psychiatrist, rounded the corner and boomed, “Just give him a big push and let him go! He can do it!”
So I did. We both cheered and he did it. He pedaled like crazy, even up a hill and we were all thrilled.
My son was so proud he kept riding up and down that hill for about 30 minutes waiting for my husband to happen upon us. About 20 minutes into it, I saw my husband approaching on bike and pointed towards my son excitedly, my heart leaping from my chest with pride.
Except I didn’t have my contact lenses in and the man wasn’t my husband. Oops.
But eventually he did come by and he was overjoyed, as well.
From that afternoon our son rode his bike to and from group each morning and afternoon.
Tyler Place is magical and the time we spend there together and the time we get to spend apart there is invigorating.
On top of that, though, we opted to spend a night in Burlington at the end of the trip and what a treasure those 30 or so hours were. We thoroughly enjoyed echo, a children’s museum and discovery center there, as well as a jazz festival and Burlington, in general. More on all that later, I promise.
Aaah. Summer has really begun! And now I think I just might be ready for it!
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