What Does Summer Mean To You?

What does summer mean to you?

Summer always sneaks up on me. This year especially because the weather has been so cool and nice and then BAM, feels like an oven and everything is brown again.  Yep, sure enough the calendar says June. How did this happen?

This time, I am going to sit down with my planner and pencil in summery things because before I know it, summer will be over and the kids will be reminding us that we didn’t do much in the way of fun. The other day I saw some bloggers talking about summer and their summers differed so much that I thought I’d ask the question:

What does summer mean to you?

In my head, this is what it means to me:

  • Several trips to the beach
  • Evening BBQs with fresh seafood, steak and lots of watermelon!
  • Summery drinks (Pimm’s Cup, Arnold Palmers, Mint Juleps)
  • After dinner runs to the ice cream shop
  • Lots and lots of reading
  • Summer movie blockbusters on the big screen
  • Sitting outside in the shade just to take in the view
  • Shortish road trips to undiscovered beach towns
  • Eating a tuna salad sandwich while watching the waves roll in
  • The smell of sunscreen mixed with an ocean breeze
  • The Otter Pup, happy for all the extra sunny spots to check out
  • Visiting air-conditioned museums when it’s blazing hot outside
  • Concerts at the park

Summer, in general, means a more carefree attitude. It should with school being out and all but since I work for a year-round university, we don’t have much of a break so I have to try harder to get those “feels” in there.

When I picked up my daughter from her last day of school yesterday, she literally did a dance down the sidewalk and I SO remember how the last day of school felt. Such promise of things to come. This year, I plan to make more of the above happen.

Now it’s your turn. What does summer mean to you? What are your must-have summer foods or drinks and tell me what you love to do during these hot summer months.

Sunday Matters: Heat Wave

Sunday Matters

After a very mild spring, we are having a heat wave. My house has been neglected these past few weeks because of the flurry of activity that always seems to hit me at the end of the year so staying inside to tidy-up doesn’t sound all that bad today.

Last night, the Teen and I volunteered to work A Night to Remember, a free prom honoring students with special needs. I worked food detail and the Teen was a student host to one of the honored guests. It was a blast!!

Right Now:

I’ve not been able to attend church these past few weeks because of the award show we attended and being out-of-town for Memorial Day so today we head back to church and I am so looking forward to it.  Also looking forward to seeing my middle-school group tonight, even though Justin Cronin decided to do a book signing when I was not available to go. I’ll forgive him.

This Week:

I have nothing after work this week except a girl’s night out. This will probably be the only time ever I will get to write a sentence like this one.

Reading:

I am really making an effort to get through my review copies and it’s paying off. I am currently reading Zero K by Don DeLillo and it’s reminding me of a couple of books (Never Let Me Go and The New World). It’s a fast read so far and I am anxious to see where the story goes.

I am also reading two bigger books, which is why I haven’t made too much progress with either of them: The City of Mirrors and The Fireman. Actually, with the latter, I just started it.

Watching:

Nothing.

I’ve not seen anything good and I am very behind on all of the shows I watch (Fear the Walking Dead, Bates Motel). My TV watching time is Sunday nights and Sundays have been busy for me but I should have plenty of time now.

Making:

I am not really in a cooking mood but since the kids are home and schedules are manageable now, I feel the need to cook a meal or two. Maybe lasagna?  Grilled chicken salads? I haven’t a clue. I would be happy just eating bread, good cheese and fruit but that gluten-free thing messes me up every time.

Grateful for:

The friends I’ve made through theatre, choir and track and yes… church! I always have this super-busy schedule but every time I show up to volunteer for something, I have happy faces around me to keep me entertained. This is why I volunteer. Not only to help my kids out, or the school out, or even the church out… but to meet in real-time, have conversations and do something for someone else.

IT FEELS GOOD. I highly recommend it.

Chatting with friends about books and life…