August 29, 2010
Long, Hot, Busy Summer
This has not been a summer to sit in the hammock and relax – not for my family, nor for me.
It has been a wonderful, eventful and adventurous summer.
But it has not been the kind of summer I have always idealized – long, lazy days of idling, reading, talking, napping, cooking, swimming, thinking. In fact, I don’t think I’ve had that kind of summer since I was seventeen years old. But I always have it in the back of my mind, a vision to relish and idealize.
These are some of the things we did do this summer:
- My sister and her family rented out their house and moved in with my family.
- My brother-in-law started graduate school.
- My niece Nicole graduated from high school and is about to leave for college.
- My daughter Nena and nephew Sasha graduated from college, moved, got new jobs.
- We had a huge graduation party for all three graduates.
- Our basement flooded and is in the process of being fixed and retiled.
- We had lots of visitors all summer long.
- Sam and I helped Mike and Karen move to Boston.
- Jeff and I took Sam to a number of college trips.
I am sure that I am forgetting something, but right now, I can’t think of anything else.
The fact is, I am on vacation this week. I am at our cottage near Lake Michigan, relaxing and idling to my heart’s content.
This is how I hope to spend the time.
- Sitting on the front porch for hours, drinking coffee and looking at the birds pecking seeds from the bird feeder.
- Walking by the lake in the early mornings or at sunset.
- Swimming in the warm lake water.
- Talking to my daughter about the newest books she’s read and the latest songs she’s been singing.
- Reading.
- Buying fresh produce at the farmer’s market.
- Cooking something new and unexpected.
- Congregating at the long dining table with my family, eating a beautiful meal.
- Talking.
- Watching a good movie at the old movie theater, eating tons of popcorn.
- Walking to our favorite ice cream store on a hot afternoon. Eating nothing but coconut ice cream.
Happy Summer to all!