Hearing that Drex would be gone for yet another week of the summer, our friends invited the girls and me for a long weekend at their lake house. We ate barbecue, lit fireworks, and tried to net a duck with a fishing lure caught in its beak. (The poor duck was not caught).

The past three days were fun, but not exactly idyllic total relaxation. One of my major daily exercises was following Leena up and down the staircase while peering out the window to make sure Sonya had not jumped into the water without adult supervision.

However, there were at least a few hours of time here and there, while the girls napped or played independently together, and I had a chance to read a book.

Actually, I’m very amazed at how well the three little lake house ladies got along. They were really cooperative, self-sufficient, and resourceful.

My favorite memory from this weekend was Sonya and Leena walking up to me, holding hands. Sonya announced that, “Leena want to swing.”

Sonya pushed Leena in the swing while both of them laughed. I got to pull up a deck chair, face the water, and just stare off into space— for a few delicious minutes of uninterrupted, carefree doing-nothingness.