Winter Walk
parks
2025 Day 1
We always like to begin the new year with something outside. Last year, we were at Hilton Head with Babcia; the year before, we were hiking somewhere — can’t remember the name. This year, with L still recovering (though she’s mostly fine now) and the Boy feeling a bit reluctant, K and I went for a short walk at our favorite park, just the two of us. And the dog.
And a lot more people than usual. But can you blame them? A beautiful New Year’s Day with temperatures in the mid fifties and a blue sky — of course, you’re going outside.
In the evening, we decided on a family movie — a classic. Well, not quite. But the kids had never seen Titanic, and it’s such a 90s film that both K and I have memories of and — well, okay. There’s no reason to watch that film except for the sinking scene.
The Boy watched about half an hour; we made it to the halfway mark. We’ll finish it Friday or Saturday — tomorrow is a sleepover for the Boy. We’ll have a house filled with kids.
Boys. Twelve-year-olds…
Sunday
Conestee Re-Visit
Conestee and Ognisko
This afternoon, we went to our favorite park — the first time since Helene. We knew a lot of the trails would be closed: those winding through the forest would have trees blocking the way, and those along the coast of the small lake were boardwalks and would likely be destroyed.
Most of the unpaved trails were closed; not all were. Most of the boardwalks were washed out; not all were.
In the evening, a party — the best parties are often the unplanned parties.
“We’re having our first ognisko tonight. You should come.”
“Okay — we’ll bring dessert.”
The evening flows, a bottle of vodka appears, the evening continues, the bottle is empty. A Sunday-night party that ends just a little later than it should.
Saturday
K spoils us — she really does. We all get up to freshly made racuchy topped with homemade blueberry preserves. Why? Because we asked for it? No — because K just wanted to do something nice for us.
In return, L trimmed some of the hedges at the side of the house. To be honest, it wasn’t really in return: K asked her, and L obliged. I’m not even sure she had any of the racuchy because got up late and ended up going out for lunch with her friend.
“But I’ll gobble them up later,” she assured me.
They’re still in the fridge.
Still, the Girl did the trimming, and even put aside her teenager I-know-everything-why-in-the-world-are-you-explaining-this-ness and let K walk her through what she wanted.
In the afteroon, Ciocia M came for a visit (her girls — L’s and E’s cousins for all intents and purposes — are still in Polska) and we went for a walk in our favorite park.
A lovely day, in other words.
In the evening, we watch some replays of Olympic events — beach volleyball, swimming, gymnastics, the individual time trial, and some tennis.
Conestee Evening
Conestee Sunday Afternoon
Sunday After
Conestee Sunday
“Let’s go for a walk at Conestee this afternoon,” K suggested after lunch. She and the Boy had gone to church while I stayed home and did school work and the Girl headed off to work, so we hadn’t spent any time together as a family. Yet as is often the case these days, “time with the family” really only means K and I with the Boy.
The Girl, almost 17 now, has her own life: she hangs out with friends, meets them at football games, goes to dances with them, drives them here and there. She has volleyball and work along with her heavy load of AP classes (all four classes she’s taking this semester), which means when she’s home, she’s usually doing homework. Or sleeping.
Caesars Head
On the way to look at lots Sunday, we stopped briefly at Caesars Head. I didn’t get a decent shot of it because of the haze, but I tried cleaning it up with Lightroom…
Conestee Evening
Sunday at Conestee
A Walk Downtown
Saturday Evening Downtown
We spent the evening downtown, the five of us — the two kids and the dog. It’s so rare that everyone’s schedules work out to let us do something like this. We’ll take every opportunity we have.
Our stroll eventually led us down to the river and the new Grand Bohemian hotel which is the latest highlight of the ever-developing downtown Greenville.
Eventually we made it down the the rocky area of the river just at the edge of the main downtown park, the place both of our kids loved to run about on the rocks as little kids.
“Those days are long gone” K and I constantly remind ourselves. And yet, every now and then, the stars align,
the kids are both fascinated with the same thing, and for a brief moment, we pop back a few years in the past.
Congaree
Conestee
Conestee Afternoon
Sunday Selling
It’s that time of year again — popcorn sales. I don’t really like it; the Boy doesn’t enjoy it; K puts up with it to help. But today, we took a two-hour shift with a friend at the booth in front of a local Cabella’s outdoor shop.
We shocked ourselves with what we sold: over $850 in sales and donations.
It was really a learning experience for the Boy: like me, he doesn’t like talking to strangers all that much, so to come out of that a bit and approach shoppers with the proposition of spending more money — I was proud of how well he did.
In the evening, we went to our favorite park for a walk.
And the Girl? She had a sleepover at a friend’s last night, came home in time for a late lunch, then headed to work.
Conestee Walk
