Marco...

POLO!

We were alerted by a friend about the polo matches in Newport. Who knew?! We've lived here...what?...a total of 11 years and had no idea. The US team plays a different country's team every Saturday, June-September. People line the field with picnic blankets and tables and make a whole event of it.

So of course we had to satisfy our curiosity and make the pilgrimage ourselves. It was great fun. The announcer was hilarious, the field & horses beautiful, the people-watching like a JCrew catalog come to life.

First the horses hold a huddle to work out strategy. Just kidding. I don't know what the horses discussed but they were taking everything very seriously. Lighten up, ponies!

The requisite we-did-too-take-you-places-when-you-were-growing-up photo:

At half time (after the 3rd "chukka") everyone goes out on the field and replaces the divots on the field. We pretended we totally knew what we were doing. Except when we accidentally replaced horse manure in a divot.

More divot dancing.

Then this cute young man spectator got out his bagpipe and played a few tunes. It was awesome. (See what I mean about the JCrew thing?)

Apparently people take their polo spectating very seriously. So seriously that they bring umbrella tables and chairs, full multi-course gourmet picnic fare, crystal glasses.

Don't mind us over here, eating our strawberries off of our paper plates and drinking Fresca from a can. We'll just buy ourselves some hotdogs from the stand.

Afterwards, everyone lines the perimeter with their hands extended and the players ride around the whole circle giving high 5s to all. It was awesome except when I was trying to lift Sam up so he could receive a high five and I almost fell onto the field under the galloping horses. Good times. We've decided that now we need to have a pollo match. As in chickens. (We thought it was funny but maybe you had to be there.)

We ended our night over on the Cliff Walk in Newport. One of my happy places with people I love. August has started just fine.

Reinflating my summer hopes

Summer and I, we have a tenuous relationship. I do love it, with all its sunny brightness and freedom. Around August, though, all of those summer possibilities start feeling dimmer and my optimism droops. I end up feeling a bit blue, walking around with all of those grand June plans dragging behind me like sad, forlorn deflated balloons.

So it's time to invite a bit more hope into the remaining month (or so) of summer that we have before school starts. I consider it my sandbucket (ha!) list to prop me up through to the end:

1. see a drive-in movie

2. write postcards from touristy spots

3. celebrate Lauren's sweet 16 & Sam's excellent 11

4. play

5. open each morning with a little devotional to kickstart my day

6. take lots more photos

7. wear my swimsuit without worrying (much) or being self conscious (much)

8. go rowing (kayak/canoe/inflatible raft/or huckleberry finn style)

9. pick wildflowers for an arrangement (thanks, ellen! good idea)

10. have lobster wearing a bib

11. find an open field and star gaze

12. eat fresh and local as much as possible

13. teach Lauren to drive (serenity now!)

14. put my fall schedule together with a peaceful heart and limited anxiety

15. get curtains for our front room/library/music room

16. go on lots of walks: morning, twilight

17. show my affection freely

18. make ice cream

19. read Emma out loud with Maddy

20. keep the t.v. off

21. bike rides in the evening

22. keep an open, forgiving, soft, curious heart

23. write some stories

24. grow my fingernails (always on my goal lists, ever since I was 10)

25. have a neighborhood get-together

26. make music

27. have dance contests in the kitchen

28. pick fruit and make pies

29. spend long delicious hours talking with my mom & sister & G & kids

And you?