As an adult, I've always liked Summer, until this year...now I'm lovin' it! I feel like a kid again! Oh, how I've missed those carefree days of wrapping a beach towel around my neck, hopping on my bike and spending the entire day at the Swim Club eating Charleston Chews, Laffy Taffy, making "retainers" out of Jolly Ranchers Fire Stix and drinking grape Shasta!!! Life was so simple then!
My friends and I spent our entire days at the pool, from 9am swim practice on. Our skin was bronzed, our hair was green, our fingers and toes shriveled white!!! The only thing we were annoyed by during those days was the "adult swim" called each hour. My girlfriends and I would spread out our towels in anticipation of Adonis, a.k.a Dennis B., walking through the gate so we could terrorize him for the rest of the day...I think we all had our first crush on him! It makes me giggle thinking back ...silly, silly girls! The day would end and we'd go home to bed ready to do it all again the next day. Sadly, our swim club has now been replaced with a BART station and I would be in a coma if I consumed the amount of sugar I did then, but the memories live on!
Since Matt and I have had children, we've always had a pool in our backyard and it's been filled with kids of all ages laughing and having a great time...memories I hold dear to my heart. This summer we have a pool for our whole community and along with it, new memories and reminiscing about years gone by! We walk to the pool almost daily with bags of snacks and drinks to share with friends. I actually enjoy sitting and socializing or reading instead of looking around at all the plants I need to prune! Sharks and Minnows, Marco Polo, kids running from table to table inhaling snacks. I watch my twelve year old daughter and all of her friends, hoping they are not waiting for Adonis to walk through the gate! Life is simple again.
I have deemed this summer unproductive. I tell the kids we'll stay at the pool for a couple of hours and it never happens...it turns into an all day affair...and that's okay, I've learned that no agenda means no stress! In the evening they climb out of the pool with shriveled toes and fingers, bronzed skin, wrap their towels around their necks and walk home. They're usually passed out from exhaustion by 9pm and I've realized my mom was smarter than I thought!!!
I hope you all enjoy your summer and the freedom and memories it brings! Take the time to dip your toes in the water, read a good book or just do NOTHING...oh ya, don't forget your sunblock!
