summer

Opening Day at Saratoga Race Track

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Took this photo at my local grocery store. It is a reusable bag that they sell.

Considered to be the oldest sports venue in the US (there was racing there as early as 1847), the Saratoga Race Track was officially opened in 1863 and has been in continuous operation since.*

The original meet was four days. Now the season goes from the last week in July through Labor Day. This year’s meet begins today and ends on September 7th. There is no racing on Tuesdays, and the Travers Stakes will be held August 29th.

There is an opportunity to watch the horses work out in the mornings at Breakfast at Saratoga, a buffet held from 7 – 9:30am. The cost is $17.95 for adults, $9.95 for kids, 3-12. Follow the link for detailed information and about seeing the workouts without the buffet breakfast.

There is a dress code for certain areas of the track. Click here for more information on attire.
No pets are allowed. Coolers are allowed (no grills) in certain areas but there is a size restriction during Travers Day.

Start here to get to know the track and to plan your outing in the Saratoga Springs area.

*Exceptions to this are: in 1896 when it wasn’t viable to hold the meet because of other thoroughbred racing; in 1911 and 1912 because of a ban on gambling in aNew York state; a ban on travel during World War II caused them to close in 1943-1945 and races were held at Belmont instead.

Tips to Stay Hydrated and Safe

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1. Drink lots of water. Not vitamin water, not flavored water, not tea, not coffee, not soda, no electrolyte replenishments (except when you’re doing serious physical activity).

Nothing beats plain ice cold water to refresh and rehydrate. If you’re just rehydrating, the temperature doesn’t matter, but ice cold water is the best.

2. It’s so important, I’ll say it again: Unless you’re doing strenuous, physical activity and you’re losing minerals and nutrients, H2O for you. Plain, unadulterated water. Save the mineral replacement until you’re losing minerals.

3. Sunscreen. Get the highest spf you find. For my kids I use 50 and above. I try to look for 70spf. Neutragena is a good product that we’ve used for years. Coppertone Sport is also highly recommended. The spray on kinds are convenient and work. Make sure you spray your kids’ hands so they can get the sunscreen on their faces.

Don’t forget eyelids, tips and backs of ears, noses, and lips.

4. Crack the windows of your car. Even with leaving them open a little, do not leave anything in your car. No kids. No pets. No electronic equipment. If you wouldn’t leave your cell phone or laptop, why are you leaving your kids in there?

5. Swim in pairs. We’ve been told since the 70s to use the buddy system. Why? Because it works. Do not go into any body of water, including backyard pools without letting someone know that you are in the water.

It is everyone’s responsibility to keep an eye on toddlers and preschoolers in and around pools. I don’t care if your friend is always an irresponsible idiot. If you see a child near water, shadow them or make sure the parent knows they’re near the water. Babies and children that young can drown in very small amounts of water.

Keep empty planters and buckets outside upside down so they don’t accumulate water that small ones can tumblr into (unless of course, you collect rain water. If that’s the case, make sure that the water areas are safe from children.)

Summertime should be relaxing and fun. Taking care and following some safety tips will ensure that it stays that way.

Monday’s Good for the Soul – Baptismal Water

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I’ve been trying to follow weekly themes. For the most part, it gives me a place to start when I’m looking at my weekly posts and prompt suggestions. This week is Water, Water Everywhere.

I have a mixed relationship with water. For the most part, I’m not a fan. I don’t like water. I take showers and wash my hands; my problem is mostly with natural bodies of water and boats. My husband tried to propose on a boat. That did not work out for us at all.

On the other hand, I do like waterfalls. I find them calming and soothing. I’ll share one of my favorite places (after Niagara Falls, which is too far for a day trip) later in the week. I discovered when we went out to Montauk Point a few years ago that I have a real problem with the ocean. It’s too big and never-ending from the shore.

When I returned to church and Mass one week ago today, the first thing I returned to was the baptismal font. I put my fingers in, and made the sign of the cross over myself, and I was back.

For my baptism (in 2014) I was not baptised in the font; an Easter pool (for lack of a better word) was built on the church’s altar. You’re supposed to get your whole body wet. I was told to bring a change of clothes for after, and I definitely needed them.

I thought today I would share the Gospel of Jesus’ Baptism as well as some of my photos from my Easter Vigil, the first one of my baptism.

The water was ice cold, and the pitcher was full and the priest poured it over my head (and the rest of me) three times: appropriately in the name of the Father, of the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

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Baptism

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Confirmation

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My First Communion

The Baptism of Jesus
Matthew 3:13-17

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son,whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Summer Vacation, Week 1

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First week of summer vacation is getting used to everyone in the house again.

We spend more time home than out, which is a double edged sword. There is no money for an away vacation; that’s been for several years now. All our “vacation” money goes for trips to see Grandma.

In addition to money, one edge is that I can’t be in the sun. One of my blood pressure medications makes me very, very sensitive to the sun. Even the slightest sunbeam sends me into a scratching frenzy that lasts all day. This year, it is actually much worse than in the past. My skin is dry and flaky and there are some tiny scars left behind. I find my best friend is hand cream.

The other edge is that my husband works at home, and is often in meetings on the telephone. The kids are a little noisier during the summer than the rest of the year; the main reason being that they are actually home and not in school.

Our first week is usually very laid back. It’s a level of laid back/lazy that would put a sloth to shame.

We see who can sleep the latest, who can stay in their pajamas the longest, who can watch TV more, and we really test the batteries on our tablets and Kindles.

It’s our Braveheart call to freedom.

To coincide with my summer blog format the kids are looking forward to new foods to try, weekly movies with popcorn, one or two ‘field trips’ plus summer programs at the local community center and vacation bible school. They’re not terribly fond of it, but I’m excited for the youth minister running this summer’s program. Next year it will probably be back at my home church, and they liked the week it was there. It’s not torture, and they can’t sit around the house all summer. That’s just bonkers.

Dad will take them bike riding, and they’re old enough to play in the backyard on their own for a couple of hours at a time.

In August we’re gearing up for GIshwheS. Check the gishwhes tag to see last year’s posts.

We do have online plans as well as my daughter reclaiming her fashion blog.

On a personal note, I’ve had some motivational issues in getting to mass. I’m not sure why. When I go I enjoy it, and I get a lot out of it. It may have something to do with how busy the last two months were in getting ready for two of my kids to graduate from their respective schools. I may have needed a break; from everything.

The other night I sat and said the rosary. I may add that to my daily thing. The kids interrupted with hugs and kisses for bedtime, but that didn’t bother me. In fact, it seemed to fit in nicely with the prayers.

I usually give myself a retreat in the spring and/or fall. I don’t see anything on the calendar for the Dominican retreat house that I enjoy this summer, but I have been lucky to have discovered an online retreat (Ignatian Spirituality) for the next five weeks; I expect to share those reflections with you as I complete them.

Every season I try to start again. That gives me at least four times a year to regroup and re-energize and recharge.

Summer is my least favorite season, so I need that extra little motivation to get going. Any suggestions on activities, readings, foods and movies, let me know in all the ways.

Summer Changes

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Since last fall, I’ve been trying to find a format for this site that works both for readers and for me as a writer, publisher of content. At that time, I came up with a daily posting format with a break on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. In the spring, I added a weekly reflection on Friday, and I also introduced weekly themes at about the same time.

For the summer, and beginning next week, I’d like to change it up a little.

The format since the Fall/Winter has been Monday through Thursday: prompt, photo, quotation, and recs. For summer, the Monday through Thursday lineup will change to:

Monday’s Good for the Soul (something spiritual, possibly photos, reflections, Scriptures),

Tasty Tuesday (tasting new foods, offering food and kitchen tips, recipes),

Movie Wednesday (a movie and popcorn, possibly with a review or other related fun stuff), and

Thursday Travels (a visit somewhere not in my house or yard.)

There will probably be a larger assortment of Kids Say posts, and a promotion of my daughter’s fashion blog as well as a five week online Ignatian Spiritual Retreat that I expect to share with you.

Remember that the first week in August is GishwheS , and I am on a great team. Putting our team together early has been a wonderful experience as we get to know each other and offer encouragement for the last couple of months.

I’m also open to suggestions on topics or food to taste or anything else you want to talk to me about.

While the weekend won’t have a formal format, I still plan to post things that come to me as they come to me. I also have plans to get my pages in order and actually useful to my readers as well as organizing and completing a subject index to find resources and stories.

I’m looking forward to an exciting and writerly summer with all of you!

KB

Summer Organization Recs

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“To know where you can find a thing is the chief part of learning.”

-Anon

Things to Organize your Summer:

1. Franklin Covey or Mead organizers/planners (I really do find that this helps a lot. It sets out the entire summer at your fingertips and you can keep track of appointments, playdates that you might plan ahead for.)

2. For bins and baskets:

Crate & Barrel

The Container Store

Target and Staples have a great selection of bins, baskets, and boxes.

3. Find out when kids eat free to ease up summer cooking and to stay on budget.

 

“One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly asking exciting discoveries.”

-A.A. Milne