Another RVA summer has come and gone, and it’s time to get back into the routine of the school year. I’m not gonna lie, I have some mixed emotions about it all, as I gaze at the decorative sign hanging in my house that reads, “I Dream of Summers that Last Forever.”
Yes, it was hot and humid and buggy and any sense of schedule flew right out the window, but I loved our summer break from the rat race of the school year. But end it must, so we’re gearing up for early mornings, lunch-packing, too many after-school activities, and homework. We’ll be back in the swing of things in no time, I’m sure, looking forward to changing leaves, fall festivals, and Halloween.
But for now, let us embrace September and the new RFM, loaded with some of the city’s most talented writers, who are also sharing some honest thoughts and feelings with us this month. We’re excited to debut Sam Davies in the DadZone, where he’ll be sharing his parenting insights with us from time to time – you may know him from his work at RVANews. This month, he reveals a struggle I think we’ll all be able to relate to – parenting your
way versus the way you think the ever-watching public thinks you should be doing it. In our features, we welcome back DadZone alum and RFM favorite Chris Moore, with a touching tribute of the four-legged variety. This tear-jerker had the RFM office manager proclaiming, “If this doesn’t prove to you that your family needs a dog, I give up!” (Yes, she’s on the boys’ side of the to-dog-or-not-to-dog battle). We welcome back Mom Complex founder, Katherine Wintsch, who tells us how the best lessons can be learned on four wheels (I’m so happy I kept my Golden Skateworld red-wheeled roller skates, even with my husband’s constant threats to toss them with every attic cleanout!). This month’s installment of In All Honesty might bring back memories of all-skate, the limbo, and those tunes from the eighties that are still stuck in everyone’s head (or is that just me?).
And then there’s Disney! RVA’s favorite writer and Disney aficionado, Joan Tupponce, brings us a Disney update, reporting on all that’s new at the parks. The additions sound nothing short of amazing, not that we would expect anything less from Disney. And here’s another honest confession for you – we’ve never been! We keep talking about it, but it seems to require soooo much planning. And walking. And more energy than I think we could muster in a month. And did I mention the walking? So email me, you Disney fanatics, and tell me how awesome it is. Convince me that I’m doing my kids a huge disservice by lazily staying out of Orlando. Remind me that this is the perfect time of year to plan a trip. See? I know I need to “Just Do It.” But how about a Disney cruise instead? Now THAT sounds more like my speed!
But that’s enough looking ahead! You’re reading RFM today, so enjoy this issue, and the change of seasons September brings to RVA. Until next time!
