SPRING BREAK

It seems a little odd that I would be spending Spring Break in Mt. Vernon. To think of all the years I couldn't wait for Spring Break when I could leave the hometown for fun in the sun.

But I couldn't resist the call of my son, who's moving into his new law office, the grandkids who are on Spring Break (well, two of the three anyway), and the opening of the New Busch Stadium.
Family-wise Spring Break was the best. What better way than to spend one week 24/7 in Florida, Arizona, or the Bahamas? Sometimes a Spring Training game, sometimes sandcastles (although that was not my forte), sometimes beach volleyball, sometimes a boat ride (once sailing), but always fun in the sun. Watching sunsets always called for me to recite Frost's poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay," which Scott changed one break to "Nothing green is gold/nothing new is old," at least something like that.

There were sacrifices, of course. No trips were ever perfect. The long drives in early trips thankfully giving way to flights. Some arrived quite late after delays, but hey, like I said.
Spring Break caused Courtney to have to give up two years of varsity softball when a new coach wouldn't allow it. It cost Scott even more when the coach wouldn't hear of him missing practice and maybe one game. Courtney got over it; I'm not sure Scott ever did. Sidebar: after his almost-coach resigned his baseball job, he set the record for the shortest time from MTV to Atlanta on his way to Spring Break. He broke the previous record held by Sam by 45 minutes.

But Spring Break was about anticipation and return as well. It always got me through freezing Winters and got my wife through brutal tax time. Although we never talked much about it around others not going, we knew we were and that was all that mattered. And when we got back (Courtney sporting a tan that earned her the nickname Burnt Cookie as a freshman), there were stories to share with other Spring Breakers and tans to show off. Okay, maybe a little hedonistic, but if things were never perfect, neither were we.

So instead of having the car packed and being picked up from the school as soon as the last bell rang, I'll be up at my normal time and head to Sky Harbor on Saturday. No rush. Until I see my family and that place the St. Louis Cardinals call home.