And we're back

Stitch is in bed, unhappy at a quasi-normal bedtime, but cleaner than he's been in weeks. The last few nights at the cottage, he shunned his bed for a pallet and a sleeping bag on the screen porch, sleeping to the wind and the waves on the beach. I was proud of him, as this was his first time doing that alone. All week I was marveling at how he's growing up and moving away from me in bits and pieces. I'm torn over this. The only cuddles I got were "recovery" cuddles after a frightening moment, and those were few and far between. At the hardware store, I bought him a small pocketknife and showed him how to use it. (I had one when I was his age, why not?) And for the next few days he was cutting and whittling and poking everything in sight. All boy.

He's bugbitten, tanned, scratched, scarred, bleached a bit in the hair and snaggle toothed. Yes, he lost a tooth while on Vacation. His Cousin M knocked it out while they were roughhousing, and was apparently shocked at this until Stitch began bouncing around in relief that it was finally gone. We showed her the new tooth right behind the old, and then she was then alarmed that this was in her near future. (She's 4.)

We only had one scare during the entire trip. Stitch and Cousin M were tearing around the front yard at Grandpa's, when he began screaming "OW! OW! OW!" and collapsed onto the ground. He'd been running downhill, and I feared a sprain or a break, but when he kicked off his shoe and a little wasp looking thing fell out, I breathed a sigh of relief. He waggled his foot and said it hurt like a needle prick. Just stung. I picked out the stinger, and after an ice pack and some watermelon, and all was forgotten. 

He's been voicing his desire to return to school, and as I was washing him down tonight for the second time (for good measure) he asked, "Remember that time the ice was so rough, the zamboni had to go over it twice?"
"Yes, I remember."

I think we're all ready for normalcy, at least as we define it. Campfires, lake swims, water guns and all that jazz is fun for awhile, but the weather is cooling. It's going to be some rough days ahead, what with Skating starting anew, the Old Theatre getting some rentals (meaning money coming in so they can pay for repair efforts and labor like me), schools starting and the Day Job getting busy.  I may need three of me. But we're relaxed, refreshed, and ready to go. Tomorrow I call Coach and let her know we're back, as she said she misses him and wants him back "as soon as possible." I even brought a rink friend a fossil of her own, just like I said  would.

Let's hope I remember crossovers, and Stitch remembers FS1!