Greetings, my fellow port swillers!
Ol’ Robbo is thumb-posting from the back porch of Port Swiller Manor this evening, the better to enjoy the lovely thunderstorm that just rolled through (well, is still rolling, in fact), after several infuriating days of near misses. It’s about damn time we got even a spot of temporary relief from the wretched Dog Days pattern we’ve been in over the past couple weeks. The only thing that keeps Ol’ Robbo going at this time of year is the knowledge that we can expect the first legitimate pre-fall cool front some time in the first or second week of September. Otherwise, I’d have no real choice but to grab a machete and run amok.
(* Name the singer. This should be a gimme.)
Anyhoo, as regular friends of the decanter know, this weekend is the big college drop off for the Eldest Gel, an event I am finding myself approaching with an admixture of relief, apprehension, disbelief, and denial.
Part of the disbelief is over the speed with which her high school years seem to have flown by after what was an agonizingly long younger period. How does one account for that? It can’t just be the kid’s personality or one ‘s relationship with them, since I’m getting the same feeling with the Middle Gel, who will be a HS junior, as well as the Youngest, who will be a freshman, and they are all wildly different from each other. The phenomenon is much more tectonic than that.
Perhaps I’m just really finally beginning to feel my own advancing age.
Whatever. Fortunately (or not), we seem to have got caught up in the last-second “What do I pack and what have we forgotten and What the Hell is going on?” Boogaloo for me to spend TOO much time over early middle aged navel-gazing. Next few days should prove veeeery interesting! More as events unfold.
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August 16, 2016 at 12:07 am
captainned
Dropped mine off for the first time this morning. I’m sure she’ll be back here this weekend picking up all the stuff she forgot the first time.
August 16, 2016 at 6:42 am
Robbo
Congrats, Cap’n! How far away is she? We’re about a three hour drive – not too far but not too close.
August 16, 2016 at 8:48 am
The Maximum Leader
I am dropping off eldest for year 2 at VCU in Richmond on Saturday. It will be easier this year I’m sure. Next year we’ll have two at college. Not sure how that will work out for us yet…
And Garth Brooks…
August 16, 2016 at 3:01 pm
NOVA Curmudgeon
Forrest Gump’s mom might have said “Life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer you get to the end, the faster it goes.”
I’m now at the stage of watching in wonderment as our grandchildren sprout up like beans (and boy is it fun!). How could that have happened? I still dont know what I want to do when I grow up.
P.S. Be prepared for Mrs. Robbo to be a basket case this weekend, you’ll need to be the steadying force for the Gel (and give her our best as she starts her new adventure!)
August 17, 2016 at 9:10 am
captainned
Mine is but 40 minutes away and has mother-in-law’s old Honda. My guess is that she’ll be back regularly with her laundry (and likely her roommate in tow as well).
August 17, 2016 at 9:53 am
gripping hand
I’m leaving tomorrow to drive with the Young Master to Denver for his Junior year. It goes by way too fast. A semester in Denver, and then (hopefully) a semester abroad in Poland. *That’s* going to be weird.
August 18, 2016 at 1:23 pm
Old Dominion Tory
My former Vixen heads off to Randy Mac for Collegiate Year 3 next Wednesday, and my second son heads back to VMI for his *final* year in Barracks.