Fall Break is a wonderful invention, one of the things that the school community has embraced as much as anything I’ve seen in six years.<\/p>\n
In East Tennessee, late October is unquestionably one of the most beautiful times of the year. \u00c2\u00a0I genuinely enjoy all seasons — skiing in the Winter, dogwoods in the Spring, swimming and boating in the Summer… but Fall, glorious Fall, brings an explosion of color and weather that’s just perfect.<\/p>\n
I enjoy camping for Fall Break. \u00c2\u00a0The crisp mornings and evenings are perfect for a campfire; the blue-sky afternoons are perfect for hiking or biking in the mountains and foothills.<\/p>\n
This year, the Oak Ridge Youth Symphony<\/a> scheduled their first concert on Halloween. \u00c2\u00a0It’s a neat theme, with spooky music and musicians in costume, but it’s on the final Saturday of Fall Break. \u00c2\u00a0Okay. \u00c2\u00a0So, we cut the trip short by a couple of days.<\/p>\n Then, I find out that the Pro-2-Serve Math Contest<\/a> at UT is scheduled for the Tuesday in the middle of Fall Break. \u00c2\u00a0Gamma is competing and I’ve agreed to chaperone, so we’re stuck with going somewhere not too far away. \u00c2\u00a0Gatlinburg maybe. \u00c2\u00a0Big South Fork<\/a> is probably too far (though an incredibly beautiful place, where we went last year). \u00c2\u00a0If we’re somewhere not too far from Knoxville, we could just meet the group at UT, then return to camping.<\/p>\n Now, I find out that HWTFM has a Charter Commission<\/a> meeting on Monday. \u00c2\u00a0So, our only real free time is Saturday-Sunday, or Wednesday-Friday.<\/p>\n I already know that once a child leaves for college, family vacations are fewer and far between. \u00c2\u00a0Breaks don’t line up, and other obligations get in the way. \u00c2\u00a0This year is my last with Gamma at home, and I really want to enjoy the few breaks from school that we get.<\/p>\n Not. \u00c2\u00a0Enough. \u00c2\u00a0Time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Fall Break is a wonderful invention, one of the things that the school community has embraced as much as anything I’ve seen in six years. In East Tennessee, late October is unquestionably one of the most beautiful times of the … Continue reading