We’re down to two weeks of summer. I don’t want summer to end. I hate the start of a new school year as I love having my kids around. We’re all so much more relaxed, too. I just don’t love school in general. Yes, I’ve a number of degrees, and yes, I’m a former teacher but I became a teacher to do it differently, became a teacher so I could take my students outside more and let them read on the grass beneath shady trees or with pillows on the classroom floor.
I’ve never understood why school has to be miserable, and maybe it’s not miserable for everyone, but I found it disturbing. I’m a voracious reader but in classrooms reading is chopped up into little bits, a piece here, a piece there. I’d be anxious to learn more about a subject and then we’re stopped and must wait for another day to continue a lesson. I’d be fascinated by a period in history but we had to have it dolled out, a little this year, a little more another year, and it made me crazy. I wanted to learn. I wanted to immerse myself in other worlds but most school lessons aren’t about immersion they’re divided into units, stretched or compressed into sessions. It’s not the way my brain works.
As a girl I went to the library and researched education and alternative schools and discovered that there were schools in other places that didn’t make you sit at a square desk inside a square classroom inside a square building from 8 am to 3 pm. There were schools where you planned your own curriculum and schools where you worked on your own and then met with a teacher to discuss what you were learning. There were schools that looked like atriums and had trees growing in the center. Schools with comfortable chairs and windows that looked out on nature. That was, and still is, my ideal school. A place of light and interesting spaces and intriguing architecture with endless books and comfortable places to read and work. As a former teacher I understand the necessities of classroom management–we must teach and we must be effective–but the mind is a beautiful thing and by and large we kill creativity in our public school system. Where I live we don’t teach creative writing anymore and essays are taught like a math skill–cs1, cs2, ts1, ts2–or whatever the formula is.
Last spring my 7th grader had to write an essay and he worked very hard on it. He chose the topic why steroids are bad and came up with three great supporting paragraphs and a strong intro and good conclusion. He brought it to me to read over and I gave him input. He went back and looked for more powerful quotes. He rewrote his intro paragraph, took out some of his opinion in the final paragraph to make sure it was as objective as possible. And then he submitted it online the way they do at his school to be graded by an anonymous grader at turnitin.com.
He got the essay back and he failed. He got an F. He was scared to tell me, too, afraid I’d be mad at him. But I wasn’t mad. I was confused, and sad. I used to teach 7th grade English. I am passionate about writing. I am passionate about learning. My son’s essay was well researched and well written. I didn’t understand the F. I still don’t. But there’s no one to go to on this. This is how we teach English now. You get points for your essay, for every ts or cs and if you don’t line up your sentences the way they should be, you fail.
My son will succeed despite the F on his essay. But it makes me sad. Writing isn’t just a science, its an art form and a passion and a living breathing thing. We, in our desire, to measure and quantify success, will smother creativity and curiosity and fire to learn and discover and become.
School starts soon. I’ll go back to being the supportive mom at home. But on the inside, I rebel. On the inside, I want so much more for kids, and not just my children, but all children. The mind is amazing. The young heart is hungry. Let’s really teach kids, and let’s teach them there isn’t one answer, but many answers, that there isn’t a right way, but endless possibilities, and that there isn’t just one goal, but thousands. Kids can’t achieve if we can’t teach them to dream. Kids can’t grow if we belittle their dream.
I am here doing what I do today because I believed there was a different way, a better way, to learn and to view the world. Let’s teach our kids to dare to be different. Let’s teach our kids to dream big and then help teach them to protect the dream.
And to celebrate these last two weeks of summer, I have one big pink beach tote, a thick fluffy hot pink beach towel and a stack of great summer reads, including a signed copy of Odd Mom Out to give away. I’ll announce the winner on Monday morning. Post a comment below, tell me if you’re ready for summer to end, or school to start, or your best/worst school memory, and you’ll automatically be entered to win my Summer Loving giveaway.
Hey Jane,
I am not ready for summer to end. I just went to our family reunion here in Oregon and had a great time!
Aloha, Julie 🙂
Oh! and how I remember those days when my girls attended public school. I still get a knot in my stomach remembering. One of my girls was learning disabled. So, of course I did the majority of her homework. When there was a test we’d get up at 4:00am and review so she’d remember. It did no good studying the night before. Once she had to fill out an application for a job. I did it for her. Yep, an F and it was perfect. Well so I thought but there were 4 errors – 2 were extra spaces, one comma error and one period error. I was furious and went to the teacher only to be told how many people were looking for a job, therefore, these errors would jeopardize her quest for a job. My other daughter is now a high school teacher (9th grade)and she shows me her students tests and it is so sad – the majority of them aren’t capable of writing a complete sentence. The majority of them can’t spell, much less their grammatical errors are horrendous!. What happened to them in elementary and middle school. I don’t get it either Jane!
Jane,
While I love Summer more than any other season, I look forward to the routine of school and after school activities. But I usually tire of them by November! And then I want Summer back:) Just dropped my kids off at my parents for a few days and I am looking forward to the weekend with just my husband and myself!! Enjoy your last weeks of summer!
I am no where near ready for summer to end! I had so many plans this Summer! I wanted to take my girls to the zoo and the beach. Lounge out in the sun and get some serious reading done. Lose some weight. Ahh so many things. All I really accomplished was getting through my almost one year olds teething and cleaned the gutters! Im hoping with the little summer thats left I can manage to squeeze in some of things I wanted to do!
My family and I had so much fun this summer that I hate to see it come to an end. We had a blast going to DisneyWorld. My youngest daughter enjoyed playing on a softball league and my oldest daughter joined in on the competition with her swim team. Plus, I have discovered reading again and I’m loving it – thanks to your books.
Summer on end! oh no, I don’t want that to happen!
Summer was fun this year, I had a great trip to the Lake Maggiore in Italy! And I am really going to miss my reading in a lazy chair in the garden..
Great contest!
Marjolein
I’m really not ready for summer to end. I still have a few school projects to finish, and I’m not ready to be put back into a classroom.
With all that school work, I won’t have as much time tp read for pleasure.
But work of all, I’ll have to face my ex-crush. And I don’t think my heart is ready for that. I might go into crush relapse, and that kind of crush just isn’t healthy for me. Anyway, school looms ever closer…
~bella aire~
Jane-
The ending of summer is very bitter sweet this year as we will be sending Mazie off to kinder.
I thought that as a Kinder teacher for many years I would be prepared for this very moment.
Thinking to myself “Mazie is going fall inlove with her teacher… I know she will LOVE every momement… She is smart, fun and will enjoy learning, but never once thought that I would be a basketcase.”
Well… we are getting closer and I am becoming that basket case, teacher or not I am NOT looking forward to dropping her off that very first day! LOL
I pray I will not be one of those parents that I, as a teacher, dreaded that first day! HA
It is times like these that you pray that you have done all that you can to raise them to make good choice, learn to be a leader, and have fun!
The next few weeks there will be alot of last min. fun times, as many as we can get in, ALOT of praying that she will be safe, have fun, and love learning and I am sure several tears as I see my baby going to school for the very first time!
Enjoying Summer~
Cheryl Hill
im soooooo happy school started back!!!!!! YIPPEEEE
and we went a whole week without going to the hospital with my fella. and the temp is coming down, but it not to cold yet
o please enter me for the goodies!!! loveeeeeee goodies
I am never ready for school to end. My now 14 yr old daughter was placed in this gifted group at school in the 3rd grade. I was really proud and excited for her and guess what. It was horrible. The teacher she had was this crazed woman who thought the way to genius was to give them enormous packets of homework, 30% of which was not even taught yet. She skipped many basics because “these kids are so advanced they know it already”.
During this year I was hospitalized and called this teacher who was penalizing my daughter for forgetting her homework. I called from the NICU to tell this teacher to lay off my kid. This teacher “looped up” to teach the same 4th graders the next year. I pulled my daughter from that class. I never will believe that taking an advanced kid and making him push papers around a desk for 12 years doing homework is the way to preserve giftedness!
Wow, even my comments need editing. Obviously I was not in the NICU, I was in the ICU. I must have babies on the brain. LOL
Dear Jane,
No I’m not ready for summer to end. This is about the only time I get a chance to catch up on your books. Just got Odd Mom Out and Mrs. Perfect. I think I’m running out of time! lol. Seriously, when I go on vacation I can lay on the beach, read and relax. There is nothing better than getting a tan, reading, listening to the waves, and once in a while take a peak at the guys walking past! 😉
Not sure if the kids agree but I’m ready for school to start back up. I kind of think they’re ready to at least go back and see their school friends again if they’re not exactly looking forward to the homework. I agree, I sometimes think their creativity is smothered. Everything must be about conforming, doing everything one way. While I know it’s important to have some rules and guidelines, I also feel the kids need to be able to express their individuality, also, as long as they’re doing it in a positive way.
I’m not quite ready for summer to end, it feels like it has hardly started.
I am a single parent, college will be starting pretty soon and I will be back to work part-time and full-time in classes, my daughter will be starting Kindgarten and I will miss the 1st day because of class.
Plus I just received some really bad news, that brings you back to the basics and remembers that life is to precious and to cherish every minute because that person might not be here tomorrow, no matter what the age.
Enjoy your last two weeks of summer and make them count with lots of memories!!
Hi Jane – Good blog! I’m a stay-at-home mom of a 2 year old boy and so for me, I’m just enjoying the sun and that’s what I’m going to miss about the summer! However, I agree with a lot of what you said. I didn’t like school at all because I felt like what I really liked to do (English and Writing), I didn’t get enough of and the things I liked least (Math and Science) were the things that were really pushed on me. I think that students should be a little more in charge of their learning experience. After all, that would teach some responsibility along with allowing them to get a much better education tailored more to their likes and dislikes.
Thank you for your blog and enjoy the rest of your summer!
I am not ready for summer to be over because my baby is leaving me to go off to college. BooHoo!
This is my BEST end of summer yet!! My son graduated high school in May & my daughter will graduate college next May. So I can, for the first time in FOREVER, watch all the other parents shoving their way thru the school supplies at Wal-Mart, dragging screaming, disgusted, pouting and angry back-to-schoolers & I can stand there & internally GLOAT that I FINALLY don’t have to fight the crowd, fight my kids about what is cool & what is not, and save a TON of money!!!! (sorry to those of you who still have to do this…I just couldn’t help it!)
Summer was great for us, family reunion on the Crystal Coast of North Carolina, Jonas Brothers concert, my daughter’s horse show (her first 1st place ribbon!!), but I am ready for school to start. I am ready for a few hours to myself in the mornings, ready to finish stripping the wallpaper off my 5 year old son’s bedroom walls and start painting, ready for Fall time and cooler weather
I too hate the end of summer. I get a nervous fluttering in my stomach every year at this time. Worry. My kids are older. One has no more school to attend. A second leaves for a program in Chicago on Wednesday. A third leaves on Monday for her third year in Washington D.C., my baby is starting her Senior year of H.S. and has a long list of far away colleges she plans to apply to. ME..I am sad. Glad I somehow raised them brave, but my stomach flutters and I am savoring these last few days of time with them. Children grow twice as fast as they should. Just my opinion. Blessings to you on these last beautiful summer Bellevue days.
Hi Jane! I love your books – but you already know that. 😉 I hate to say it but I love the end of summer. We are a homeschooling family and fall is when we take so many fun field trips – and its not crowded!! LOL You sound like you’d be a great homeschooling mom!! You should try it!
Enjoy the rest of your summer!
Allison
Hi Jane,
I don’t want summer to end. I enjoyed going to the beach every week with my kids and learning to paddleboard. My oldest is going to be a junior in high school and my 2 youngest are going to nursey school. On the other hand, starting school means my favorite holiday is right around the corner…Thanksgiving. So I guess you can say I am feeling a little conflicted.
Enjoy your last weeks of summer!
Traci
Jane, I’m so ready for summer to be over, but that is because of the heat 106 yesterday and today. I long for autumn and hot tea and reading in a little nook all day long.
Hi Jane! I just borrowed ‘Odd Mom Out’ from the Library and I loved it! I am not ready for school to start either because I have to teach! I’ve enjoyed spending my summer curled up with a good book!
Jen
Hi Jane.
I have mixed feelings about summer ending. Part of me feels that it’s over too soon because we didn’t get to do any of the things we really had planned on with the kids. On the other hand, the kids are starting to drive me nuts, so it’s almost okay that school is about ready to start!!
Hope you have the best “rest of the summer” you can!
Susan
I’m looking forward to the kids going back to school. Maybe because they aren’t mine, but I think they need to go and learn about different things in hopes of having some topic spark their imaginations and make them want to learn more on their own. As a kid, I used to hate summer vaction with a passion. I would much rather be in school where I had more of an opportunity to learn new things.
I am unfortunately numb to the fact that summer is even here, as I am at work for 12-15 hours per day. (gotta love television). 😉
Ahhhh, to be young again. Summer was the best time EVER! I would LOVE to win this gift bag. Maybe the contents will bring to life the fact that summer is almost over and I need to get out more often!! 😉
I’ am ready for school to start. Granted my baby is only going to preschool but this will give me five hours of uninterrupted writing time four days a week that i may actually get a book finished soon. yippee.
I am however worried about my son later in his school years, our schools just dont prepare them for college life very well anymore. And im afraid that he may feel left behind if he’s not up to speed, i so want him to do great with his life. Like all mothers want for their children. Yeah Dr. Brandon, Attorney Brandon, or Pulitzer Prize winner Brandon. they all sound good huh!
happy writing!
jody
Hi Jane,
You are so great. I have read Mrs. Perfect (listed on my facebook page as my fav. book!) and Odd Mom Out~ loved them both! There is so much in your writing that makes me go, “OMG YES! that is SO true!” You have this amazing ability to make sense of all of those jumbled thoughts that go through women’s heads on a day-to-day basis… especially here in Western Washington! Thanks for doing what you do! It’s inspirational.
As for the end of Summer issue, I am sad for Summer to end because it means we’ll be living for yet another 9 months or so under gray clouds! Which also forces me to get extremely creative with indoor children’s activities at times! I am also bummed to see Summer coming to a close because my daughter will be entering preschool for the first time… this will be a great thing for her though so my feelings are mixed.
Have a wonderful last two weeks of summer!
~Kim O.~
No I am not ready to for the school year to end. My favorite school moment is not when I was in school it was when my son was starting Kindergarden. His principal was my 5th grade teacher. When I introduced him to my son I said “This was mommy’s 5th grade teacher when she was in school” My son looked at me and seriously said “Mommy no one is that old!” I was only 26 at the time can you believe that!
My daughter has gone back to class (med school) and it’s hard to know that this was her last “summer vacation” from school. I know she’s ready for the real world, but that truly means she’s a grown-up! Tough to let go sometimes…
Hi Jane,
I’m ready for summer to end because of the fall fashions. I love fall clothes! The sweaters, the boots, the jackets. But I think most of all I love the pumpkins & the autumn foliage.
Debra
Hi Jane. I’m a new fan! I had a baby LAST summer, so I didn’t get much reading done this year. But this summer I was back to reading – and I read all four 5 Spot books. I love them. My gosh, you’ve nailed the suburban life. I know all those girls:) Anyway, I don’t want summer to end because I hate getting my 7 year olds on the bus at 6:36a.m.! Who can learn at that hour? Your comments about the schools terrify me, but I know they’re true. I get notes and e-mails from my sitters, and I am aghast! I’ve also heard that our local middle schools have a policy of not giving out F’s! Can you imagine? Students are allowed endless chances to “do over” bad grades or hand things in they didn’t on time – regardless of the reason. There is no accountability nor any consequences. Parents don’t help. I make my 7 yr old, with special needs, do his own homework and projects. When I go in the classroom and see the others students work, I know there is no way it’s done by a first grader. The parents are doing all the work. I don’t get it. Ironically, my son with an IEP is given more freedom to be creative and think outside the box. It’s an unexpected and welcomed gift.
I am so not ready for summer to end. It always goes by way too fast – I’ll miss the long lazy days, popsicles, hammocks, summer fruits and veggies, vacation stories, sandy shoes and delicious time for relaxation.
Hi Jane,
My kids started school on Thursday, which is ridiculous to me. What happened to starting after Labor Day? I know what you mean about the pressure of school for the kids even young ages. My son had a teacher last year that I just didn’t like very much. I tried, but she just seemed grouchy and not one that enjoyed the kids. This year, I was so completely stressed as I walked up to the class lists to find out who he would be getting this year. My heart was racing and I felt like crying. Luckily, he got the one we wanted..someone who really seems to like teaching and gets a kick out of the kids. In my book, that is a prerequisite to being a teacher. So, we are back in the swing of a new school year and I’m feeling sort of bummed. Already trying to plan a vacation for next summer…sigh.
Have a good day, Jane. And thanks for my box of goodies!
Cathy
I’m soooooo confused and angry about your son’s grade. Totally bewildered, but sadly not surprised. I’m a journalist and I love writing (oh the thrills of adverbial compliments, well-placed punctuation, sentence structure) but I found my daughter’s middle school literature class was a joke – little emphasis on reading, no writing skills. Words are magnificant. I wish more teachers had passion.
As for whether we’re ready for school to begin? The 1st day of school has a huge smiley face on the calendar with shocking pink highlighter marks surrounding it. I’m ready!
How sad…for you, your son, and all of the wonderfully precious teachers who have been “painted with the same brush” as those whom you have encountered. Wish you could meet so many of the fabulous teachers in our lives!
I personally don’t know any teacher who uses an “anonymous” techno checker for student writing submissions…how impersonal. What else is going on…or not…at your son’s school?
Hope you change what is going on or transfer your son to schools that I know!
Caringly…mj
I’m not ready for my boys to go back to school! I love having them home, and hate the thought of getting back into the homework routine. I always get a little anxious for fall weather around this time though, even though the seasons don’t change all that much where I live. Good luck with the new school year.
Hated school. Always. Love to learn, but that isn’t what school is about. My son just started kindergarten and loves school – he gets it from his father! I’m trying to be so positive for his sake, lest any of my negative views on schooling jade his little mind.
Just picked up Mrs. Perfect today at Target – nice shelf placement, btw.
What happened to your son is just terrible. It’s a BIG part of the reason we home-schooled our oldest for 6 years and are still home-schooling our youngest.
I’m not ready for the summer weather to be over, that’s for sure.
I’m more than ready for the summer heat to end, that’s for sure.
As for ready for school to start…I signed up for two college classes for this semester. I’m ready for one, the other I’m worried I made a mistake in registering for it. So I guess it’s a 50/50 thing. 🙂
Oh, and it’s awful what happened to your son. As I read your post I had to wonder if possibly whoever judged it figured it couldn’t have been done by someone his age and penalized him for having someone else (maybe you) write it. How come you can’t challenge it though?
Hi Jane,
The summer ending is bitter sweat for me. I have four boys 15, twin 10 and 9. I work part time in the summer to hang with them, go on vaca and reconnect. By the end of summer, they start to bicker and pick. This is when I know it is time for them to get back on a schedule.
I too use to teach (hence the word use) and do not like the fact that they sit at a desk or follow like clones all day. My youngest had to change school in kindergarten due to a bad experience or maybe the fact that as an educator I knew too much. Happy to report that they all love school no matter how I feel. They started last week. So far so good!
Thanks again for all the cool goodies…I just finished my first manuscript and hope to be just a smidge as good as your books. I saw that you are a pi phi. I am a Pi Beta Phi alum from University of Ky.
Hope your boys have a great school year!!
Tonya
I’m sorry to hear that that’s the way things are going in your district. As a former English teacher, I’ve seen many ways of teaching the subject, but I’ve never seen papers outsourced like that. Maybe they decided that that was the way to handle ever-expanding class sizes, since grading papers for 200 students can be a huge work load, but there are other ways to go about it. In our state, home of the largest class sizes and lowest per-pupil funding, one representative has suggested outsourcing our papers to India to have them graded. He decided that that would be a more cost-effective way of handling teacher work load rather than reducing the class sizes. It’s ridiculous. The teachers are fighting very hard against it. May we (children, teachers, parents) win that battle…
Hi Jane,
I am one of the lucky ones. My summer never ends!! I start in Europe and follow it around the world to the southern hemisphere and back again 6 months later. I did love going to school when summer ended as I loved my old fashioned school but I would have adapted and learnt in any environment under any curriculum. That’s the challenges in life.
Enjoy the the rest of your summer.
I am never ready for summer to come to an end. Spending evenings on the deck. Cooking out while listening to the sounds around the lake, sounds only heard during the summer months. Watching the territorial hummingbirds constantly fight over the sweet nectar. Today there were 7 battling for hours. Soon they will be migrating back to Mexico. I will truly miss their daily show. It is pure summer entertainment.
I don’t like summer to end – it is too short! Each weekend in summer is precious, and there are not enough of them. Along with a too short vacation of ten days, it all flies by too fast. The days start to get shorter, and the ads feature back to school clothes, and A DARKNESS COMES OVER THE LAND!
Okay, that is rather dramatic, but it still pains me to have summer ending. I like wearing less clothes; sandals instead of boots, and wearing hats and visors on my head and sunglasses add glamour to my face.
Spending time outside beats going to a gym to exercise, and summer food – locally grown strawberries and other summer fruits and vegetables, are bliss; as is eating outdoors and picnics in the park by the lake.
Living in the Northwest, nothing beats summer. It didn’t rain for over 20 days – outstanding. The sunsets are gorgeous – amazing. I could go on, but simply, summer is the BEST!
Hi Jane, I don’t want summer to end, but I know the kids are ready to go back to school a little. The homework is usually tough especially for my daughter who has ADHD. But we will do our best and I will be proud! I just finished Mrs. Perfect. What a wonderful continuation to Odd Mom Out. I loved it very much! We learn so much from every little thing that happens to us in life.
Thanks for your great books,
Krista Anthony
Hi Jane, I just finished Frog Prince – so I am definitely not ready for school to begin. I am a teacher and I love summer, yet I love the beginnings of school but with the beginnings of school means not being able to read as much as I am able to in the summer. My most favorite memory of the bittersweet of the end of summer and school beginning is the time when a new student came into school and greeted me with a bag that contained chocolate, a beverage, booklight, bookmark and a gift card to Barnes & Noble and a note stating that he hoped I was able to enjoy a little of summer throughout the year. That was great! Here’s to the end of a great season and to the beginnings of another great season – A Season of Learning! Patty
I work in the schools, and started back last week, but I’m like you–too much, too soon. It’s amazing how hard some people try to squash the joy out of learning. Kids don’t want to “not learn”. Kids just don’t want to be bored to death!
Thanks for advocating the joy of individualized learning. 🙂
My oldest will start kindergarten in two weeks and, while I’m excited about the adventure he’s starting, I’m scared to death what school is going to do to him. I hope that I, like you do for your boys, can temper some of the negatives my son will experience at school.
Being a parent is so tough.
I’m going to hang onto these last two weeks of summer with everything in me!
I just can’t comprehend a school that doesn’t offer a creative writing class. That amazes and saddens me. Without the support of my own creative writing teachers, I would never have realized the profound joy and wonder of writing. How very sad for the youth today.
We have a winner!!
I had my son pick a number between 1 and 50 (as there were 50 comments as of midnight last night) and he chose number 33.
Comment # 33 was by Allie Smith. Allie, if you see this, please email me privately with your address and we’ll get the big tote bag out in tomorrow’s mail.
Congrats to Allie and thank you to everyone for participating. I have another fun contest coming up in the next week so check back for more info soon!
I, too, am a former teacher and I am very upset by what is going on on our education system these days. What does it teach kids when they can’t find out why they failed a certain paper?
My 8 year old was struggling the reading. After researching various alternatives, I decided to homeschool her this summer. She is now, according to the school website reading on grade level (they don’t teach phonics at her school & that was what I worked with her on over the summer). My daughter is so proud of herself and has developed an incredible love of reading this summer.
I am so afraid that the principal and teachers are going to take that away from her this year. her self-confidence and self-esteem are so fragile and I can only pray that the school respects that rather than coming up with something based on where her teacher felt she was at at the end of last year (her standardized test scores were above proficient, but her teacher felt she was falling behind in reading).
I’m ready for summer to end! In terms of weather I’m ready for the more predictable weather of Fall. Our summer showed up late, then gave us a month of sun, then a month of rain. Since it feels like Fall already, I’m ready for it. Except . . .
I’ve never gotten over the habit of dividing up my year in terms of the school year. Or my dread of facing Labour Day and September. It has something to do with 24 years in the education system as a student followed by employment at a University.
As I stroll around the lake in my trusty old pontoon (or is that rusty?!)…I fight back the tears as I don’t want it to end. Summer is so enjoyable. The heat, the sunshine, the laughter of kids (big and small) playing in the water. It’s just not fair being stuck here in this state that seems to welcome winter more than summer. But winter brings a chance to curl up with a good book and some relaxation time reading my favorite author….Jane Porter.
As I’m from Australia we are just heading in to summer which I have mixed feelings about. It gets sooo hot here that part of me is dreading it but it will be good to be out of the cold weather too! Can’t win really!!
Hi Jane,
I am a huge fan and I have read all of your books. Just returned from Oahu to Issaquah! I really enjoy your books. Write more!
Best,
Tammy