Ehlana and Ethan:
The top local news for most of our friends and neighbors was the great weather day as we started out the day with temperatures in the high-fifties and then warmed into the low-eighties this afternoon. That was a major factor in the fun for our day too, but we also had a future plans meeting tonight that Mom and Dad hosted; we’re moving into another phase where a lot is going to be happening over the next couple of years; and all of that is very exciting too.
Tai Chi by the river was great thanks to the warm; we followed that up with a standard weekday breakfast; and then our school day was awesome because we got to spend a lot of time outdoors – including most of the afternoon. That might seem strange to some kids and teens in other places, but we can take our computers anywhere in town and still have them link to the school systems; our teachers love to be outside as much as we do; and it is possible to learn almost any lesson by going out and exploring the world too.
Okay, sometimes our teachers just want to get out and play too, but we’re okay with that! ;^)
The warm weather had everything to do with our choices to go biking with our friends after school; we met up with the usual gang after checking in with parents first; and then we hit the trails starting with the loop around town the long way to the park. Those two hours of exercise and entertainment were a highlight of our day, but we also enjoyed the barbeque and cold salads dinner out on the patio with Mom and Dad; we helped with the dinner clean-up; and then our guests began arriving for the meeting.
We don’t attend every future plans meeting, but this one was fairly-important, and while we can’t usually talk about what we know of our future even with Mom and Dad; this was one of those times when we could offer some guidance and suggestions. As we’ve already mentioned, the next couple of years are going to get busier around here. We won’t cover the entire meeting here, since that’s already written about in detail elsewhere; so we’ll stick to some of our personal highlights.
First up – though not in meeting agenda order; we’re happy with the progress and plans for the galleria shopping project. The elevator installation is the most-challenging part of the internal construction because of both the engineering and the construction, but it was important to get it done to make a lot of the other construction work easier. That part of the project has been a challenge for Dad, Aunt Leanne, Claire, and anyone else trying to work in stores or offices next to the elevator, but it will be operational soon – if not cosmetically-finished. We don’t want to get bogged down in the weeds of construction details, but in this and other cases; the finishing touches will wait until after all of the heavy lifting is done. The biggest engineering challenge for the galleria project this summer – and the one that will be most-exciting to watch – will be the two-level atrium walkway that will connect the two buildings on either side of Old Mill Road. Our guy friends are really going to love watching that work – and the set-up for it is already underway, but while we’re excited about a nearer-future with more shopping and entertainment options; we’re also happy because that work will mean extra visits from the Malloys and our Proctor cousins whenever Terry or Uncle Blaine need to be here for the engineering or architectural needs of the project.
That ties in a bit with our next topic – plans for our college graduates. In this case, we’re talking about upcoming grads – not only this year’s class. Some of Cassie’s and Michael’s friends are going to be involved in the galleria – either through the stores or in other ways, but while they have had some involvement in these plans; those choices have as much to do with wanting at least some of the new stores to be geared toward kids, teens, and young adults. Getting more tourism for the town is part of that plan, but again; we don’t want to get bogged down in the details. The Galleria will be opening in time for Memorial Day next year, so that part of our meeting tonight was all about helping the prospective business owners to get ready for starting those stores over the summer – whether that is with making business plans and getting financing to working on plans for the construction that will happen as each store is readied for the work that can be done through this coming winter and into next spring. The next year is going to be very exciting for everyone involved in those projects too; and we’re happy to be helping some of Cassie’s and Michael’s friends with making their own dreams come true. We’re sure to have more on the galleria project to write about this summer, but let’s move on.
We don’t have much direct involvement through the family business for Quarry Lake, but have helped the owners with help from some of our Magi friends/ and have personal interest in their plans and success. For this year, they’re looking to get new business from sports enthusiasts – particularly with getting bookings for sports camps. They’ll be opening a new, multi-use sports field complex this year, and if that works out for them; we’ll likely get weekly busloads of kids and teens coming to town for outings while at those camps. Once the trail between here and Quarry Lake is completed next spring; we expect to have campers do day rides to town; and that could work for sports training too.
This update is getting a bit long, so let’s wrap the meeting news up with news for Cassie and Michael. This part of the plan still has two years to be completed, but Uncle Blaine will be designing their new home sometime over the coming year; and then construction on it will start next summer so that it will be ready by the time they graduate in May of 2023. It is a bit early to start getting excited about having them home again, but we are looking forward to having them home to stay – and not just because we’ll be able to do co-ed sleepovers at their house just as we’re hitting our tween years and our parents might start to have a problem with us doing that here at home! ;^)
Let’s save the details for that little project for another time and wrap up this report with the rest of our news for the day. The meeting ended at a bit after ten o’clock; we came upstairs for bath or Jacuzzi time; and the adults in the house continued to have a visit for a while after we left. Mom and Dad are on their own in the office now, but Dad still has work he’s getting done; so they may be awake for a while – even if Mom helps him out with a time phase. It is getting late, though, so we need to go and get some sleep. The future plans meetings always leave us feeling good and very hopeful for our collective future, and we’re going to take all of that happy with us into nap mode now; so, until next time...
...this is Ehlana and Ethan Proctor; live from the hidden home of the Magi of the Light – and May the Magi Force be with you!
