Let the Summer Begin!

Although the official first day of summer was last week, today is a kickoff to summer for some of us Harrisons. Today is Mary's first day of work at her summer job on campus at Stanford. (She's doing research for a professor in Public Policy.) She got back from Spain safe and sound on Friday night and spent the weekend moving into her room in the house (above) that she and a few band friends are renting this summer in Los Altos. The house isn't too far from campus; she'll have a four-mile bike ride back and forth every day.

Summer starts today for Peter too, who will spend his days at Turner Elementary School (above) in Washington, D.C. Last Monday, Peter started his DC Teaching Fellows program. After five full days as a student last week, starting today he'll split his time between being a teacher and being a student. Mornings he's teaching remedial 3rd grade summer school at Turner Elementary with three other teaching fellows (this is part of his fellowship program). Afternoons the tables turn and he stays at Turner but now he becomes the student (for teacher accreditation coursework). He told us he has to report to school at 7:00 a.m. every day, and to get there from his house it's 90 minutes of transport (bus) time. Guess who's going to have an early bedtime this summer?

Brad and I kicked off summer with a weekend trip to Bettendorf, Iowa to visit our dear friends Harry and Sue Coin and their family. On Saturday we spent the afternoon in the cute little river town of LeClaire, where one of the local attractions is the Mississippi River Distilling Company, and where one of our stops (after hearing an interesting description of how distilling works) was the tasting room.

Later we had lunch at a restaurant overlooking the Mississippi.

We enjoyed visits with two of their kids (George and Liz), as well as Harry's parents and sister. While I don't have pictures of any of them, predictably I do have a photo of the Coin's awesome Australian shepherd, Tucker.

Sue cooked some delicious meals for us.

See what I mean?

One of our last stops was a hearty Midwestern breakfast at this out-of-the-way, 100% Iowan breakfast spot. (When the sign boasts "pop" - you know you're in Iowa!)

Meanwhile back in Saint Louis ..... while we were away Allie spent the weekend at her "vacation home" in Soulard. (Aka John and Troy's apartment.) John and Troy went to a Cardinals' game over the weekend and the giveaway was a pet placemat from Ralston Purina. They got two, so now Allie has a special placemat at our house and at her vacation house!