Author’s note: This was written last Saturday, before the Case of the Missing Suitcase. It was never posted because I hadn’t had the chance to proofread it before everything happened. So here it is, a week later.
Working backwards, here’s the itinerary from Summer 2022.
Down south (August 9-10). Okay, techically, that’s in the future, as in, we leave tomorrow. Kevin and I will drive Tatum to her new boarding school to start 10th grade. This is a mixed blessing, to say the least. We’re relieved to find a good school with supports in a beautiful place, but we’re sad to think of Tatum not being at home.
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware (August). I haven’t been inside 122 Newcastle Street, which runs perpendicular to King Charles Avenue–which I like saying because it reminds me that we are in Maryland, as in the land of Henriette Marie, or Queen Mary, queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland–since I had bangs as curled as the queen’s, and braces to boot. Actually, I may have been more into flannel and flip flops the last time I was in Rehoboth, but it’s been awhile. I think that’s the first place I ever got tipsy. I was given champagne at Thanksgiving dinner when I was about 14, and when I stood up to clear the table, the room rearranged itself a bit too.
How funny to be there when my children are about the same age! It is great being parents of children old enough to hang out on the beach by themselves, walk the boardwalk by themselves, and walk home by themselves. They loved it. Highlights included buying matching sweatshirts (Clara and her friend Mary), riding the rides at Funland (Finn), sleeping on the front porch (Dad), throwing a football with Finn on the beach (Kevin), playing Apples to Apples (Heather), and sunrise walks on the beach (Auntie Blitz). We took the kids to the water slides, ate at Grottos pizza on the boardwalk, found a fun British fish’n’chips place, and bought 6.5 pounds of fudge (for real). It was all fantastic. I can’t forget to highlight that Kevin was not stung by a jellyfish but “attacked by a Portugese man’o’war.” And he got a splinter in his heel that I shouldn’t have enjoyed as much as I did.
Nashville, Tennesse (July). On the long road trip home from Arkansas, I made the family detour through Nashville, and to a one, they are all so glad I did. Even Kevin liked it because he found “the best food [he] ate on this trip” at Martin’s BBQ joint, right behind Chili’s on West End, where I waited tables for a good solid year. Vanderbilt is a beautiful campus, even at night, and it was fun showing the family where I used to work at Peabody College as a research assistant. And downtown Nashville is a hoot, quite literally; one amazing band after another competes for an audience of well-heeled and rhinestone-studded listeners alike from open bars. Clara and Finn goggled at party buses filled with dancing guests that glided down Broadway blaring music. Turning left onto 2nd Avenue brought a noise reprieve, pretty twinkling lights, and foodie restaurants between murals. Then we crossed the Cumberland with its steamboats and lit up bridge and coasted back into the dark night of Route 40 through the Bible belt toward Knoxville. Lots of memories flooded my way along that route that I drove so many times.
Mountain View, Arkansas (July). It’s the folk music capital of America, did you know that? We had a cabin overlooking a creek and a bunch of trees, set back aways and remote enough to set off some firecrackers on a bridge (being mindful of the burn ban; every day was over 100 degrees). My favorite memory is sitting in the Pickin’ Park at dusk with a storm brewing, listening to some banjo, guitar and vocals. Older people pulled up their chairs and drinks and gossiped and tapped feet. Brooks and I both thought that was awesome. Other highlights included Kevin and I completing a level 3 ropes course and a first zip line for Brooks; swimming in some clear creeks and putting our feet in the sparkling splash of a small waterfall; and jiving to chopsticks with Clarabelle on the most out of tune piano you ever did hear.
Little Rock, Arkansas (July). I have never thought much about going to Little Rock, to be honest, but it was a super visit. Not least of which, because we got to hang out with Brooks, who radiates good energy, kindness and fun. Now, his taste in movies might skew off-color for 13-year-olds, but his sense of humor never fails him, especially when it comes to ribbing Kevin. We visited two excellent museums, one an art and history museum that had an outstanding Native American gallery, and the other the Central High School museum where we got to learn more about the Little Rock Nine and our civil rights struggles. We found some good-vibe restaurants and debated why there is a dearth of workers right now. Brooks is doing great but wants to hightail it back to the Carolinas and Pres as soon as work allows.
Fontana Village, North Carolina (July). What a treat it was to arrive at the foot of the valley of the Smokies and hear ghost stories while eating s’mores by the bonfire. Tatum got to drive for the first time—a boat—and we got to catch up with the Ross and Baughn families. We hiked, swam, tubed, played games, watched Harry Potter movies, and got some history lessons. We also ate great food. My kind of vacation.
Deep Creek, Maryland (July Fourth). It’s not summer until Deep Creek. The kids all feel strongly about this. The traditional Fourth of July reunion has become a Thing that the kids wouldn’t miss if they could help it. Required components include: lazy lake days, Honi Honis, a meal cooked by Uncle Patrick, tubing and possibly skiing, the Creamery, meals on the back porch at the cottage, sleeping in the loft at the big house, a movie theater movie, and games. A favorite of this year’s Fourth was watching fireworks from the dock. Beautiful, peaceful, and good music to boot. There were also history outings and Blitz created another hilarious trivia game. Huge thanks to Mary Ellen and Dad for making this tradition possible year after year.
Twin Creeks Camp, Hot Springs, West Virginia (June). Clara spent two weeks with Lana at sleepaway camp this summer, and it was a huge hit. I can’t say much about it because Clara has wisely kept most of the stories to herself. I do know she won several tennis matches, played team games that involved following random people around for a full minute and hitting people with noodles and whipped cream. There were bonfires, lake swims, and bunk beds. Most importantly, there were no parents.
Somewhere west of Salt Lake City, Utah (June). Tatum participated in a program in Utah in June and did great there. She was there for three weeks. I can’t say she loved it, but she did get to do some rock climbing, art, and guitar playing. By all accounts, she was a great addition to the program, successful in everything she did, and a leader on her team. And that was the beginning of the many summer travels of 2022.
@theterrace 