Parking.

Today after leaving morning prayer at the DTC, I headed over to Amici Espresso for an Eye Opener and some chat time with my roommate. I had been sitting there for about half an hour when a man walked up to me and said "Excuse me. This is going to seem really REALLY strange, but can I ask you something?"

"Sure." I said, sort of wincing while I thought of a number of things he might ask me.

"Is that your jeep parked out front?"

"It's an Explorer but yes, it is."

"Are you going to be here all morning? In that parking spot? I only ask because....now this is going to sound weird....I wait here every morning to get that parking spot. I work upstairs and we sort of all fight over that spot because it's just right outside the front door and normally, there is a guy that comes here every morning and leaves at exactly 7:12a and I try to take that spot but he's not here today so when you leave......could I have that spot?"

"Um, what?" I said.

He again explained to me in great detail how he works in the law firm upstairs and he and his co-workers stare out the window waiting for that spot to open up so they can park there. They fight over it and they've even been close to getting into car accidents over it. He continued to keep saying "This is so weird, I know."

I told him it wasn't, even though it was, and agreed to give him two minutes notice when I left so he could pull his car up from around the block and take over the spot. He was polite and asked me a few questions about myself, I assume to make the whole situation a little less awkward and strange. It didn't work, but I did laugh to myself as I pulled away and he waved his hand out of his car window at me. People are so interesting.

School days.

Well, people. It's happened. Summer officially came to an end for me this evening. [insert dramatic disheartening music here.]

I will say that thanks to Jill's Hannah Montana movie party, it closed with a bang!

While it's hard to say goodbye to the days of summer heat, my pool rat tan, and non-existent bedtime, there are a few things I do always look forward to at the start of a new school year. They are:

1. New crayons--I just really love the way the smell, the shine of the pointy wax tips and clever names like "dandelion" instead of yellow and "granny smith apple" for the green. Unfortunately, the kids in my classroom know how to proverbially punch me in the stomach by snapping the new crayons in half when they get mad.

2. Waxed floors--the hallways only look good twice a year. The first day of school and the first day back from Christmas break. I'd like to tip my hat to Doug and Ray, the two janitors who take the time to wax, polish and buff the hallways to a gleaming shine.

3. Temporary tattoos--with the state fair going on while the kids are already in school, it's funny to see them come each day with 14 temporary tattoos on each arm and leg.

4. The kids. I just really love all of them and missed them quite a bit this summer. It will be fun to hear what they've done, see how much they've grown and see them day in and day out for the next 180 consecutive week days.