“They threw me off that mountain. I didn’t ski anything. I fell down a mountain. I don’t even know where the skis went. I had to pay for the skis, because I never found them. – John Pinette
This week marks the beginning of Winter Vacation. It’s the week all the Miracles of Christ celebrate a temporary reprieve from the cruel and unusual punishments of Academia. It’s also the week in February parents dread walking through the doors of their humble abodes because of what disasters might be awaiting them when they return.
School Vacation Meant Time with Friends
School break for me meant hanging out at friends’ houses and playing basketball or street hockey. We got together in a room or a basement to see what high scores we could top. It was a glorious week of not worrying about school, tests, or homework.
The Boy and the Fruit Loops are always getting together after school. With my son’s speed and dexterity, he can open the door, drop off his school things, and be at his friend’s house before the door closes.
Wife found snowboard lessons for The Boy during Vacation Week. Our little daredevil likes the idea of hurtling down a hill, so why not. It’s a great way to spend the daylight hours leading up to his kickboxing classes. I was never much for snowboarding. I was more of a skier, not that I was good at it. I wasn’t. Some people skied because they liked it and wanted to go. Some fanatics even had their own ski equipment at home for multiple trips during the season. I went skiing because friends were going or there was field trip for school or the church youth group.
Back to snowboarding, which I didn’t do because the idea of having both feet attached to the same instrument made me a little more wary of gravity. I’m sure the boy is going to have fun. He’s an active child and loves doing things outside. Bombing down the hill and shushing to and fro will be just the thing for a tween who has boundless energy and loves to see what he can do in the elements. He hasn’t been watching much of the Olympics, but there is a just under a week left, so who knows?
More Time with The Boy. One of Us is Excited.
As usual, the best part of this for me will be the drives we take to and from the lessons. I will ask what he thinks about the upcoming day and he will shrug. Coming home from the lessons, I will ask him how it was, and he will shrug his shoulders and say it was good, nothing happened, and that will be the extent of our conversation.
The most important thing will be The Boy trying new things. He’s still seeing what’s out there, and just about everything seems interesting to him, especially Anime and bike riding around the neighborhood with the Fruit Loops. Maybe a week of snowboarding will turn him on to a whole new world of Winter sports. He has taken a liking to golf in the warmer weather. Snowboarding might be a way for him to spend his free time in the Winter. Of course, I would be happy to go with him on these excursions. He can snowboard and I can ski.
The Boy will have Fun
Again, I am not saying I am any good at this, but it would be a nice way of spending time with him. I’m always down for that. Not only would I get to spend time with my son, but I can also get some exercise outdoors. Winter means more time indoors at the gym and less time outside on my bike. Cardio on the Blue Hills would be a great thing to do while showing off what limited flexibility I have.
Hopefully, The Boy will have fun doing this. I’m sure he will, and I’m sure he will make some new friends thanks to his outgoing and magnetic personality. The Fruit Loops, no doubt will want to know how the snowboarding lessons went and how he did. Did he like doing it? He will fill them in on all of the details of the day. Certainly, a lot more will be shared with the neighborhood crew than with me. I’m just his father. All I’m good for is transportation and getting him home so he can see his friends.
