It ain't over yet...
For those who don't remember last week's column, my daughter's water bottle with U.S. Marines logo was stolen while she was running at the Merrick Avenue Middle School track.
Good news: A couple of strategically placed phone calls and a quick trip by her dad to a Marine recruiting office netted her a replacement bottle. It was easy. Her dad leaves for boot camp next week. Just kidding! But her bottle was replaced.
For Camp Avenue parents, class placement cards have gone out and the phone calls have begun. Salutations like "Hi! How's your summer going?" have been replaced by, "Who does she have next year?" For the most part, the parents seem far more concerned than the students are.
Take heart. Although there are no guarantees, most younger children will make friends with whomever they're placed with and most older children are involved in enough extracurricular activities, including play dates, to maintain the friendships they have. As far as teachers go, I admit that on rare occasions I've looked to avoid what I felt could possibly be personality conflicts. Usually speaking to your child's current teacher at the end of the year and discussing your concerns can go a long way to putting your mind at ease.
On to another academic subject: reading. Parents will diligently sign their children up for summer reading clubs, but what about your own reading? I know we're all busy with swimming lessons, back-to-school shopping and school physicals, but television is chock-full of reruns and nothing brings back the joy of summer more to me than a good book. Two books worth mentioning are "Mr. Perfect" by Linda Howard and "H is for Homicide" by Sue Grafton.
The first is a fast-paced murder mystery, with shades of "Sex and the City" thrown in. Four girlfriends/co-workers, while out to dinner one Friday night, come up with a list defining their "perfect man." When the list accidentally becomes public and one of the friends ends up murdered, the mystery, action and suspense begin.
"H is for Homicide" is one in a series by Grafton featuring private investigator Kinsey Millhone. The story of high-stakes insurance fraud takes you into the underbelly of a rough Los Angeles suburb. The characters are portrayed realistically, their personalities a mix of good and bad. The book shows how striving to survive in different environments can change one's moral standards and points of view. I took both books out of Merrick Library.
Speaking of Merrick Library, I went to sign my daughter up for a class. No one was at the reference desk, so I went to the main desk where not one, but three attendants sat. One was reading a book. I asked if they could help me. They said no, that there was only one reference librarian and she was busy. I understand she was busy, but wouldn't it make sense if someone could possibly help her? Especially if the pace was leisurely enough at the main desk that one could be reading a book?
In closing, I'd like to send a quick thank you to Cure of Ars's Father Romeo. Last Friday he took his altar servers to Splish Splash. My daughter, a first-year altar server, had a blast! Thanks, again.
