Summerland

 The summer can be strange. Days bleed together. You sleep in but feel still drained and sleepy all day. It’s generally hot and muggy so you stay in but try to avoid watching too much TV. It’s like an alternate universe with no real foundation.

But then there are those days when everything sort of falls into place. The weather is right, the baby naps perfectly, and your sister calls to say she’s buying groceries to grill out. Then, by some summertime alternate universe miracle, you find a never opened Slip n Slide in the garage. So the gang all comes over. You have that “school’s out” excitement you felt as a kid. The house is clean. The kids are happy to play together, your son and your sister talk business so you and your husband don't have to. It’s perfect. Then we pack it in, clean up the mess and have movie night. Not every summer day will be like this, but some will. And I will savor every moment. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Fifty

  My sister turned fifty years old this week so I thought I would share some fascinating facts about Heather.  She has seen Poltergeist ninety times. Poltergeist was our It’s a Wonderful Life. It brought our family together. When we arrived at Walt Disney World one year, what was the first thing we did after the long ride? Curl up with cookies and Poltergeist of course. She attended sixty concerts in high school. Many alongside my dad. Poison, Cinderella, Neil Diamond, you name the band, she’s probably seen them.  When she was in high school, her Toyota Celica had a pile of tapes so high in the front passenger seat, My knees touched my chin anytime I rode shotgun.  Heather has an unheard of vocal range. I was so jealous. She has an amazing gift that she rarely shares. I remember all these professors coming to hear her range at one of her vocal lessons.  She’s smart. Scary smart. Like should be leading a criminal organization smart. Or maybe she is, and you just don’t know it. In high s
Read more

Mama

  Today my mom is dying. All I could see when I walked  into her room was that little girl. That scruffy little girl sitting in the grass. Smirking at the camera.  I gave her lots of kisses goodbye. One for each grandchild she helped me raise. One for each friend of mine she loved like her own. One for each time she made me laugh. Or yell. Or cry. Or smile. Or feel loved.  Driving home Heather and I saw the most incredible sunset. It was beautiful and messy and bright and clinging to its moment in the sky.  I will remember beautiful loud Christmas Eve parties. Her quiet strength with Ziggy and Charlie. How she loved my friends. That she was flawed but always full of generosity. I will try my best to do her proud. 
Read more

Holding Hands through Hell

   We’ve been tied up in a shit storm the past few months. My husband had serious spinal surgery. Then he got an infection. Then he got pneumonia. Then I had heart failure. Then my mom died.  Am I missing anything? In the midst of it all, I’ve cried and laughed and tried to make sense of it all with my friends and family. At one point I said, “Well, at least we’re all holding hands through hell.” It kind of resonated with them. Because that’s kind of all we have isn’t it? Life doesn’t really care sometimes. And all you can do is grip tightly to the things and people around you. And hope they grip back. Thank God I have people that have not only held onto me tight, but dragged me through the flames of these seasons in my life.  I know there is a light ahead. The path out of Hell is near. But honestly I’m not even looking anymore. All I can do is close my eyes and hope for the best. It’s my friends. My friends have me and will pull me through and back where I belong. 
Read more