Friday Fragments: Episode #253

As you may know, I'm taking the summer off from blogging commitments, hence Friday Fragments being hosted by the lovely Unknown Mami for the time being. Visit Unknown Mami to link up.

And as long as I'm here, I'll check in with some fragments of my own:

***Our visit with Maren's family (from Norway) was wonderful. We enjoyed them very much and hope to return the visit one day.

***Here's a little-known fact: In Norway, you're required to take five weeks vacation every year, during which you are paid full salary. In addition, your taxes are significantly reduced during that time so that you can pay for your vacation. Maren's family visited us for three days and then headed to Florida, where they will relax for a while (and do as Floridian tourists do) until leaving on a cruise to Mexico, Haiti, and the Bahamas. I'm thinking about moving to Norway.

***In Norway, children do not begin school until they are six years old. They attend for 13 years, as we do in the U.S.

***I'm tutoring three hours per day at school this summer, and I feel really good about it; these kids need help, and they have hard-working attitudes. I appreciate that they are as dedicated as I am about making reading progress this summer.

***Kyle's internship is everything he dreamed it would be; he's loving working for Startup Buenos Aires. I video chatted with him tonight for almost an hour (via Google Hangout) and feel very happy about being able to talk to him while he's there and hear all about his experience.  If you would be kind enough to Like their page on Facebook, he'd be thrilled, by the way, as he is helping with their social networking right now as part of his internship.

***I'm 99% positive that Kyle will never live in Wisconsin again.

***Kendall is loving her full-time job, cleaning as part of the school district's Buildings and Grounds department. She also just bought herself a new used car (2001 Honda Civic) with insurance money (from her spring accident) and money from her graduation party. She's recently discovered how much fun doing the laundry is (yes, seriously; she likes it). I'm feeling pretty comfortable about her readiness for college.

***I've started a very challenging, twice-per-week fitness class called No Excuses. On the first night, after class, I Google-diagnosed myself with a torn meniscus and hit the ice packs heavily. If you'd have told me that the next day I'd be walking, with no need for knee surgery, I would not have believed you. Miraculously, I have fully recovered, though I'm feeling muscles I'd forgotten I have.  While I'm enjoying the challenge, I'm 100% confident that I will never be one of those just-have-to-work-out-or-I'll-go-crazy types.

***Miss you guys.... :)

That's it for me! Visit Unknown Mami to link up, share some fragments of your own, and make some new friends!