I'm currently sitting in Maine, on the edge of a lake, watching the kids kayak, swim, fish, race to the hot tub, race back to the lake, play hide and seek.... And that was all in a half hour period!
That's a bit what this summer has felt like. Like we have been wringing out every drop of summer. And it's been wonderful. Some things have been sacrificed - there has been little time to spend in the kitchen or the grocery store so meals have been cobbled together out of sandwiches, chips, and pickles and lots and lots of orders of french fries from the pool snack bar; bathing suits and shorts have been the daily uniform, and our hot water bill is minimal as showers and baths have been replaced by swims in the pool - but none of us are complaining.
This summer has been the summer of Harry Potter, read in big gulps throughout the days by Julia and smaller sips by Benjamin at bedtime. Its been days at the pool starting at 7:30am for swim team then returning in the afternoon for hours of soaking up sunshine and jumping into ice cold water to cool off. Its been time for new experiences - running summer track for the kids, learning to shuck oysters for the adults, and all learning how to surf together. Its been sticking it out through cold downpours on the pool deck, cheering on Julia. Its been hours spent pouring over Pokemon cards, debating the best card to add to a deck and then more hours playing, testing the decks, and re-building them.
It's August and summer is starting to wind down. I have an inkling that things will feel a little different when we return from the lake. That it will be a little more fall-ish. In a couple of weeks the pool will be closing, the school buses will be circling the streets, peaches and plums will give up their spots for apples and pears.
But for now I'm going to go put on my uniform and jump in the lake.
