What I Did on My Summer Vacation
Maiden Jane
August 2011
Room 7A
Summer was fun.  I feel a bit sad that it is coming to a close because it seemed too short.  It started with my son’s return from his first year in college, then on to an exciting high school graduation in which the co-valedictorian was my daughter.  We had a party with family and friends and entertainment by my son’s jazz trio.  High school graduation parties continued throughout the summer.  There was lots of eating.
Hence, I decided I needed to kick up my exercise life a bit.  I stumbled upon a program called the “Couch to 5K”.  I really struggled to get off the couch.  But when I finally started, I felt great.  My daughter Annie is my running partner and she really helped me.  I am  thrilled that I am now running 5K and will participate in my first race in a couple weeks.  It’s at a winery.
I drank a lot of wine this summer.  I like wine.  Mostly reds:  Cabernet, Merlot, Shiraz…
I also went out a lot.  For a home body like me, that was hard.  I don’t like to go out on weeknights.  It makes me tired.  But my son started a weekly jazz jam session at a very nice coffee house.  His trio played for the first hour and then musicians were invited to join in the fun.  It gained quite a reputation and by the last week it was standing room only!  It was amazing to see generations of people brought together by a love of music.
We explored some of the other venues at which he played, including a small bar at a high class high rise.  Some of my funnest memories of this summer took place at that bar, listening to my son’s piano music and enjoying dinner with my mom and other friends.  I realized that sometimes its OK to go outside of your comfort zone.
I have a big family.  We had a lot of reunions.  We had a lot of parties.  We went to see my nephew in a hotdog eating contest.  That was kindof gross but also kindof fun – and also on a weeknight….
I went to the beach as much as possible.  Sometimes it was to search for sea glass.  Other times it was to swim.  My son took a sailing camp and I dreamed of sailing.

I also dreamed about all the things I want to knit and sew.  I accomplished some of them, but never the amount that I had hoped.

I started working as a seamstress at a small boutique.  It is fun to try new things and I love being inspired by creative people.

I prayed.  I prayed that my son would return home safely from his jobs at 4 AM.  I prayed that my daughter would be ready for college.  I prayed for my neighbor who lost her husband.  I prayed for my friend that died and her boys that were critically injured.  I prayed for all the people that struggle…I know so many.  I don’t know if it does any good.

I went to baseball games and watched my son’s team lose every game.  I saw the thrill in my son’s eyes when he received the game ball for catching every inning.  I got to chat and knit with a knitting friend at the baseball games which made it all the more pleasant.

I ran kids here and there and if I wasn’t driving them I was worrying about them driving or who needed the car when.  I think my mind aged about 10 years this summer….

I took the boys to see “Rise of the Planet of the Apes.”  We all loved it.  The boys had a “bro night” recently and rented the classic Planet of the Apes.  I secretly watched it the next day and loved the themes in it. I appreciate them more, now, as an old lady.
I saw musicals at an old barn theater on warm, summer nights.  I saw my daughter play piano for the theater camp musical for which she worked.  I swam in my friend’s pool and shared lovely food and yummy Sangrias!  I met amazing and inspiring people on Twitter.  I tweeted.  A lot.

I took my daughter off to her first year of college.  I heard my son share his wisdom gained during his first year and felt proud, for a moment, that maybe I did something right in raising these kids.

Because the doubts never go away.  Did I do the right thing?  Did I say the right thing?  Am I loving them enough?  Am I hover
ing too much?  The only thing I can say with certainty is that I love them.

And now that summer is over, I hope I can find a few minutes for peaceful reflection.  To be grateful for all that I have. Grateful for a summer of connecting with friends, enjoying good music, food, and wine.  Grateful for a loving husband and family.  And grateful for a return to routine.
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