Flying Away

 Today is a huge day for my (not-so) little Koopa. This morning we took him to the airport, saw him through security and wished him well as he embarks on his New Orleans adventure. He will be at the World War II Museum Student Leadership Academy this week, learning all about the museum, curation and the everyday heroes of the horrific conflict. 

I anticipated tears as he walked away at the airport (mine not his), but I was surprised by my own reaction. While I'm sad to see him leave and nervous for him to be so far away, I find myself so excited about this experience that any negative emotion has been pushed to the back.  He is going to have an amazing adventure and I can't wait to hear all about it.

Yesterday afternoon we came to DC so that we could be close to the hotel. His flight departed at 8:30 and we wanted to avoid traffic and any other unnecessary stress so we decided to turn Father's Day into a little getaway vacation. It was fun relaxing at the hotel and playing in the city for a few hours. This morning we were very happy to avoid the traffic and the stress of the beltway at rush hour.  

With Rob on the plane to NOLA, we are packing up at the hotel and heading out. It's odd to be leaving without Robby, but Timmy is primed to fill any void left. He doesn't know it, but he is going to have an amazing adventure today too. We are going to Great Wolf Lodge and he has no idea!

Slip n Slide

 Yesterday, which was supposed to be beautiful, turned out to be overcast and chilly. So far this summer has been lackluster in terms of weather and sunshine. Although I will probably regret it later, right now I am glad that we didn't pay for a pool membership. With our chaotic schedule, we decided it was probably better to just pay by the day. Judging the weather trends, we made the right decision.

With my wonky fitting leg, I'm glad that the weather hasn't been obscene. I haven't had to deal with sweating this summer and I am so grateful to have avoided the liner slip n' slide so far. At this point my leg is already too big. I know that obtaining and maintaining a comfortable (and safe) fit when the summer heat is added to the equation will be nearly impossible. 

Today we will hit the mall, gathering the final things for Robby's big trip. He is more excited than nervous. Actually, he doesn't seem to have any anxiety about his adventure. I thought he may be nervous about traveling alone, but it seems that he is counting the hours until his getaway. (I'm trying not to take it personally.)  :)

Haircuts and Schoolwork

In between my working and Robby finalizing some projects for school we are trying to get organized for Robby's upcoming adventure. It is hard to believe that on Monday he will be flying to New Orleans for the Leadership Academy at the World War II Museum. I am so incredibly proud of him but I am also proud of myself because I have no qualms about his flying solo. Considering that I was the mom who hid behind bushes to spy on his first day of kindergarten, I have come a long way!

Robby's only experience with sleep-away camps has been his sea turtle internship but he seems to be more excited than nervous. I think he is counting the hours until he flies to a New Orleans by himself. While he isn't nervous about the travel or staying away from home, I know that he is stressed about the coursework. I know that he will be fine but a little nervous energy can be a good thing. 

Timmy does not yet know it, but Robby is not the only one who is going to have an adventure next week.  The spread between the ages of the boys puts them squarely into two separate interest categories and many of the activities that Timmy covets Robby has outgrown. Because of this, Scott and I decided to take advantage of the rare opportunity of solo Timmy time. While Robby is en route to NOLA, we will be driving to Great Wolf Lodge. (Timmy has absolutely no idea!)

The next few days will be busy. Between school, work, planning and packing, I'm going to be hopping. But it will be worth it, because next week both boys will have amazing adventures!

Valuable Experience

Scott and Robby woke at 5:15 AM and were out the door and en route to the flea market by 5:30. Timmy and I slept until 7:30 and arrived at the market around 8:30. The place was hopping and Scott and Robby were busy chatting up customers when we arrived.  

We were encouraged to set up by 6:30 and, since this was our first experience as a flea market vendor, we followed the instructions. As it turns out, early bird customers are not interested in flexi-friend toys. The customers I saw speaking with Robby were the first of the day. Flexi-friends really started to gain some interest when the families started to stroll through the market around 10:00.  

Sales were slow but the experience was valuable. Robby sold about 40 toys in total and we are already gearing up for next weekend. After next weekend's market we are going into a sales hiatus so that Robby can concentrate on production. He has signed up for a vendor table at a mall near my Mom's house in August and we anticipate that this will be our demographic. 

It looks like our 3d printer will be getting a work out this summer.

Flexi-Friends

Like most of the mid-Atlantic region, we have been dealing with smoke and poor air quality for the past few days. Thankfully nobody in our home has active breathing issues but even healthy it has been difficult being outside. We have kept our windows closed and our air purifiers running on high but I can still smell the smoke in our home. I can only imagine the severity in areas that are not canopied by trees. 

Even Friend seemed content to spend the day inside, lounging on the bed and snoozing with Scott. Summer vacation is in full swing with long naps and late night movies monopolizing the itinerary. The temperatures have been unseasonably cool so it feels more like they are home for a short school break. Once the heat rolls into the area I hope it starts to feel more like summer. Between the cool temperatures and the smoke-filled skies, so far vacation has been anti-climactic.  

The smoke is going to continue to lift and the thermometer is supposed to rise of the weekend. Robby is making his flea market debut with Flexi-Friends tomorrow morning. He and Scott will wake at 5 to drive to the market (which is about 45 minutes away) and to get set up before the 6:30 opening. We were cautioned to arrive early to set up and prepare for the early-bird bargain shoppers. 

Rob has been working nonstop designing and printing his little flexible toys. Priced to sell at $5 and $10, I hope that he is successful!  Please wish him luck with his venture.

 

Smoky

 The Canadian wildfire smoke has blown into our area, forcing us inside yet again because of poor air quality. The skies, which should be a crystal blue, have turned an ominous martian orange with a smoky haze that looks like a curse hovering over the area. We put our air purifier outside to get a reading on air quality and the display immediately shot up to the danger zone. This is our first experience dealing with air quality issues and I find it surreal.  

Timmy is less than enthusiastic about being forced indoors. He tried yesterday and we discovered that even wearing a mask wasn't enough to thwart coughing and wheezing when he tried to ride his scooter. Today will be spent inside building a rocket with Scott. 

Hopefully this smoke clears soon. Even staying inside, it makes you feel icky.

Grit

We have been attending the World War II Weekend for a decade and the magic still shines for Robby. I enjoy the experience but, if I were to be completely honest, looking at war machines is not among my favorite activities. However, spending time with Robby does top my list, so I focus more on the company than on the environment.  

 

In order to keep things exciting I have tiptoed into historical reenacting. This year, I decided to portray Virginia Hall. She has an amazing story and I was excited to share it.

 

Virginia was an American from Baltimore who ended up in Lyon, France during the occupation. Often referred to as a 'woman of no importance' because she was an amputee, she had a fierce spirit and more courage than I can fathom. She became entwined with the Resistance through her work with the State Department. 

 

She quickly excelled in her work with the Resistance, smuggling supplies and documents in her prosthesis and masterminding numerous sabotage and rescue missions. The forged documents that she transported within her prosthesis are credited with rescuing more than 150 families. She was also skilled at derailing trains and assuming identities. She became one of the most prolific spies, working with several cells and juggling multiple personas daily. 

 

Her exploits drew the attention of the Gestapo in Lyon, with the "Butcher of Lyon" vowing retribution when she was caught. (This dude was a hard-core sadist known for his horrific torture methods that he joyfully utilized against captured Resistance members.) 

 

With the Gestapo and Nazis on her trail, Virginia narrowly escaped to Spain near the war's end by walking for 50 days over the snow-capped Pyrenees on a 1930s era prosthesis. Talk about a hard core woman!

 

This woman lived during a time when individuals with disabilities were belittled and demeaned. She used these perceptions to her advantage and completely turned the tables on societal expectations. This woman had grit!