As I sit in my non-air-conditioned home during the hottest days of “summer” I reflect, with mixed feelings, on the blur that was summer.
Weather-wise, it was not a great summer. It was rainy and muggy and cloudy. We didn’t make it to our favorite local beach once.
We did manage to go to three family reunions and a multitude of picnics and parties and family gatherings, some of which took place at the beach. But often, the days felt raindrops or strong northeast winds.
Nevertheless, we enjoyed some beautiful moments out on the water. I am not a camper. But I must admit, camping out on the beach and waking up to that sunrise and a quiet morning sail was lovely.
Packing for one night of camping? Not so lovely. Nor the week of laundry recovery it took…..
Still, summer was full. A balance, if it can possibly be, of busily working, helping manage kids’ work schedules and bucket lists….
As summer rapidly approached its end, time was consumed by getting two kids ready for college and two for high school. I tried not to focus on the things I “didn’t do.” I asked the kids which activities they really hoped to do? They all agreed that biking in the Cuyahoga Valley was top on their list. This was an activity we did annually as a family in the fall. But due to school schedules, we hadn’t managed to do together in a few years. My husband couldn’t join us, but I took the kids and we had a fun time. The boys learned the power of the river when they tried to cross it. One step beyond the one in the photo above and they were swept away.
Annie’s bucket list is always fun. She was finally able to cross off lighting her lanterns as she and her cousins lit six of them and we watched them float above the lake. She also put a message in a bottle and got an interesting response, but I will save that for another post.
Why does the end of summer always arrive too quickly? Why is it always so hot in August? Why do we drive our kids to college and one week later, many of them come home for Labor Day? Why do I lament so much what summer should be?
the family parties, the recitals, the concerts….but equally important are the talks around the dinner table, the late-night discussions when your teen wakes up and you can barely keep an eye open, a private concert in your living room, singing every song from “Wicked” in the car at the top of our lungs, wickedly wild sails on Lake Erie or a father/daughter sunrise sail…..
This post is so thoughtful and full of love. Your family sounds very, very special Jane.
And music has that same effect on me. It carries me to different times and places.
I think just being on the lake would conjure up memories for me. Unfortunately John Denver only brings memories of a very sweet friend who sang his songs out of tune all day, EVERY DAY at work. She love him so much she even moved her whole family to Colorado for a few years. That’s dedication.
I do wish this had been a prettier, longer summer, but there will be more, and more memories to make.