I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has called, sent a text, email, or message with condolences for Mav. While it’s been a rough week and we still feel sadness often, we are blessed to have many happy, funny memories with Maverick and wonderful family who have brightened our day just by reaching out to say something kind. We really, really appreciate the thoughtfulness and love. Whether it’s a dog or cat you’ve had for 12 years or a crayfish you’ve had for two months, losing a pet is never easy. Period. So, thank you all for reaching out with your support.
Also, if you send us a package of any kind in the future that is too large to fit into a small mailbox, please send it direct (to be left for pickup at the post office) or certified (requiring a signature). In the past two months we’ve had two packages disappear off our doorstep after being confirmed as delivered by the carriers. Needless to say, we’re starting to get suspicious of drive-by snatchers and/or our utterly and unbelievably obnoxious and sketchy hooligan neighbors…and also a little tired of filing claims and opening investigations and having to get all our purchases reshipped to us (thank goodness for insurance). So, if you’re in the habit of mailing us boxes, please remember to send them direct or certified.
That being said, and on a much brighter note, summer has officially rolled into Cincinnati and we’re starting to take advantage of it. The kids are winding down at school, stores are stocked with shorts and swimwear, watermelons, peaches, strawberries and rhubarb are cropping up at the farmers market, two of my four jobs will expire in less than two weeks (leaving me with much more free time and much less income), temperatures have started climbing to the mid-80s, and I saw my first firefly two nights ago – the most telltale sign of all!
I’ll be gone for six weeks this summer teaching acting and musical theatre at a professional fine arts summer camp up in Michigan by the lake (Surprise! More to come on that later!), so that leaves Ted and I with about a month and a half to enjoy all the adventures on my “Summer 2012 Bucket List” together.
Yesterday Ted cleaned up our bikes and we went for a nice, long ride through the neighborhood and through the cemetery to see Mav. It was great to have the bikes out again…I’ve missed Carmela! And of course we already went on the Subway Tour, gallivanted around Eden Park, rode the pedal wagon on the Bikes & Barons tour, and picked up fresh green beans and rhubarb at Findlay Market.
Still on my bucket list for this summer are a remake of the fabulous Le Cordon Bleu Fruit Torte I made last summer, blueberry and blackberry picking at Rooster’s Farm again, more farmer’s market goodness, a cookout on our grill in the backyard, lawn games, catch fireflies in a mason jar, a day trip up to Columbus for the Zoo, Cosi Museum, and North Market, spend some quality time sunning and splashing at the pool, making lots of fresh and tasty summer recipes, a trip to the aquarium, catching a few late night double features at the drive-in, seeing a performance of the World Choir Games (which are being held in Cincinnati this year!), ziplining, bowling, a picnic in the park with lots of wine and cheese, taking the bikes out on the Bass Island Trail for a day trip, getting new headshots, the American Sign Museum, a Reds baseball game, canoeing, the church carnival, some 4th of July fireworks, the rest of the Cincy Haus American Legacy Tours (Haunted Cincinnati, Rookwood Pottery & Wine, Newport Gangster, and Cincinnati Civil War), and some amusement park and roller coaster fun at Coney Island, Kings Island, and either Cedar Point or Michigan Adventure.
That’s A LOT of fun to cram into 45 days when you still gotta work and pack and prep lesson plans and choreography and be poor because you work on a theatre salary. But it can be done…and it will be done!
Operation Summer 2012 Bucket List….GO!
