Well, the day finally arrived. Ever since we found out we would be moving here, Snake has been patiently waiting for one school trip. The entire 8th grade went to Normandy France on Sunday for 5 days. They are currently studying WWII in social studies and this trip is the over the top culmination of that course. Last week, they had WWII reenactors in the classroom. The reenactors show up in full battlefield regalia, army greens, helmets, camouflage, guns, utility belts. The kids got to see exactly what the soldiers wore when they landed on the beaches. History is Snake's one of favorite subjects and he has been enjoying this section immensely. The teachers have been prepping the classes the whole week. They gave them all playlists of the music of the era to play on their Ipods this week. I made the mistake of asking him what if a student didn't have an Ipod. He gave me a look like I had just asked what if a student didn't have ears. Apparently, that is not an issue. I know he will have lots of fun and there will be loads of stories, just not from him. I will have to find out from the mother of another student (probably a girl) exactly what they did and how much fun it was. Sigh.
It is strange having one child around the house. It is shades of what it will be like when Kiki goes off to college in what I am sure will be a blink of an eye. Kiki did not stay around to amuse Chizz & I this weekend. She was off working on a school project. So Chizz & I went to the National Gallery to catch an exhibit of Renoir landscapes. It was pretty nice but crowded. Those art lovers sure can suck the air out of room, it was warm. I always learn a few things when I go to these things, Renoir was for a long time considered a "modern" artist, which kind of blows my mind. I never thought of him that way. If fact until recently he was displayed quite prominently at the Museum of Modern Art in New York until they decided that he wasn't innovative enough and that his work wasn't trend setting or original in design. He also "borrowed" techniques from quite a few artists of the time. I bet that made him popular at the artist cocktail parties.
After the museum, a pub - naturally. Chizz picked one in Soho called the Dog & Duck. Soho is a fashionable area in London, close to the theater district, with many restaraunts, bars, shopping. In the days of yore, (the time period before the olden days), this area was a hunting ground. The name Soho comes from a hunting call "Soho", similar to "Tallyho". This particular pub has been around since 1734 but in this building since the late 1800s. It was a particular favorite of George Orwell and apparently Madonna likes a pint or two of the old Timothy Taylor Landlord when she drops by. Well, la-de-da!
It is quiet around the house these days. No melodic sounds of AC/DC or Pink Floyd drifting through the house, no size 9 shoes to trip over in the hall, no popcorn constantly popping in the microwave. That's okay, he will be landing back here soon enough. We will just have to do some reconnaissance to figure out if he had a good time. Cover us, we're going in.
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