Schools out for the summer -- but not much longer

The wife took the little one to register for school just now. That is depressing. Only about two more weeks of summer. They are going back too early, if you ask me. I am sure the little one feels he had no summer, baseball took up much of the vacation. He would not change, but it is disappointing to look back and see you made no trips, no amusement parks, nothing but baseball games every weekend.

In Indiana you have to "rent" the textbooks. For my Senior and seventh grader book rental will be nearly $500. That does not include the $100 plus we will have to spend on notebooks, folders, paper, pens, pencils, etc. that the teachers will demand. Admittedly, the oldest boy's classes are expensive because he is taking two art classes, and the supplies are not cheap, but still, it is $150 for the little one alone.

Football begins on Monday. We have some practice to do. The little one is also playing fall baseball. He has not picked up a mitt or bat in about two weeks, so we will have to knock off a little rust before our first practice on Sunday. They move to a regular sized field for the fall league and play by major league rules -- it will be quite a change. He has played those rules before, but it will still be an adjustment. Of course, he has not thrown a football since last fall -- there is more than a little rust needs to be polished! He plays for the middle school team this year. That will be an adjustment. He is still pretty small.

Those of you who live in a small town will understand the hurtles he will face. We have lived here about 16 years. Neither my wife nor I grew up here. We did not play sports here. We are still in many respects "outsiders". Often you are picked for teams because your father was a good athlete, or because the coach went to school with your mom. If he gets a fair chance, he is the best quarterback in the seventh grade. If they base the decision like they often do -- who is the best basketball player (this is Indiana) he will not be given a fair opportunity. Last year he made the "all star" football team that traveled to play in some tournaments. He beat out three other kids for the full-time QB position. He will compete against the same group this year, just different coaches. We will see what happens, he is worried, he knows how things work. Your name means more than your ability sometimes. He has dealt with similar situations in every sport he plays. They look at his size and dismiss him. He will out work, out hustle, and out play nearly every kid, and he takes a hit like no one else his size. If given a chance he will earn the position. I only hope they give him the opportunity to prove himself.

Anyway, to the point of this post: it is too early to go back to school. It will sure be quiet here at the home office when they do.