who's Eleanor?

Names interest me. I can't remember the title, but yesterday I saw a book at the library that had something to do with an intense methodology to use when choosing a baby name.  We chose to name our son after my husband and our daughter after my sister [no science except biology involved, thanks].  Lately I've wondered why I always tell the truth when those silly password questions ask for my mother's maiden name.  Why don't I make up something super exotic like Bevacqua or Tolstoy or Rachmaninoff?  Or alternate between Smith and Jones?  Today while driving I saw a van that said "Colvin's" something or other on the side.  Since that's my mother's actual maiden name, I decided I better take it as a sign and stick with the truth.

{God save the queen.......}

My mind races on......the surname Colvin can be traced back to Ireland and/or England.  Which brings me to the title of this entry.....  Eleanor.  Someone my daughter seems to know a bunch about.  And she happily explained everything she knows of Eleanor, plus showed me Eleanor's photos from the internet this afternoon.  In case you're like me, and find yourself culturally unaware, Eleanor dates one of the young men from One Direction.  Apparently Eleanor is British and stylish.  And aren't all things British to be celebrated right now [Olympics, Kate and William, Queen's Diamond Jubilee]?  In my daughter's world they are, as her room recently went through a bit of a European makeover. . .  And darn it if I don't love Downton Abbey myself.  


Eleanor and the Brits aside, there are less than 30 days of summer left before my son and daughter return to school.  And this year is unique because they'll attend school together.  We'll be able to drop them off at the same time/same place.  And most days they'll return home together.  This hasn't happened since my son's last year of elementary school, and darn if it will ever happen again.  So this year is a golden year, so to speak.  It's the last year before our James goes to college.  It's the year of many "lasts", which is interesting, because I still remember noting many of the "firsts".  


Decisions are ahead.  College choices and more and it's a lot to take in.  I'm ready for a support group for parents of almost college students and girls who wish they were British.