Random summer thoughts

Some random thoughts about summer. . .

My childhood summers were spent around the sounds of water. Whether it was the sound of Dad's homemade pool filter recycling water back into the swimming pool (think fountain sounds),  the sound of a ski boat slapping the water as it pounded through a wake, or the gentle dip of a canoe paddle -- summers were associated with water.

When the kids were young we lived in a rented farmhouse, which was a short walk through the woods to Lake Michigan. Some of my most fond memories are of the waves lapping the shore, the sound of children's laughter as they dove into the water or played base-runner on the beach with King, and the cry of gulls as they swooped in to check out picnic baskets.

It is that sound, in fact, that I can recall each time I have my blood pressure checked. I close my eyes and picture myself lying on the beach with the warm sun on my face and those happy sounds filling my ears. Works every time. The doctor thinks I have remarkable blood pressure. One day I will have to tell her -- no, I've just gone to my  happy place.
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Today would have been Mom and Dad's 70th wedding anniversary.  Some anniversaries I remember quite well. Their 25th was spent with friends at their cottage near Gobles. Then there is a long space where I know we probably celebrated, but I don't recall what we did. For their 40th anniversary we all met at their home in Glenn and went out to eat. We did the same for their 50th and 60th. Funny how the time between the celebrations seemed to fly by more quickly each decade.

Next spring King and I will mark our 40th anniversary. I still feel as though I'm just getting to know him. Then again, we feel we know one another so well we can often argue because we THINK we know how the other is going to react to something. Marriage is not for sissies.
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We had a small family gathering at our son's home this past weekend. My younger sister rode her bike from Spring Lake to Grand Haven. I get tired walking to the the shed to simply look at my bike. She and I once rode our bikes from Hamilton to our family friend's cottage in Gobles. We stopped in Allegan for a hot fudge sundae. I don't believe we had to count calories back then. That was my last summer home before leaving for college.
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Although we've just experienced some of the hottest days of summer so far, King and our

The woodshed is full but now the
driveway must be lined with wood as well.

granddaughter have been splitting and stacking wood for the winter. The gentleman who owns the farm where we are caretakers heats his home, our home, and his greenhouse with a wood burning furnace. It's a lot of work. And anyone who makes the comment about heating with wood warming you twice (once when cutting it and again when burning it) will probably receive a scathing look from all three of us.

Our granddaughter is using the proceeds from her wood stacking venture to help fund school clothes this fall. Ahh the value of good, honest, hard labor. Or at least that is what I keep telling her. I believe she is dubious at best.

Enjoy the rest of your summer everyone. Fall (which happens to be my favorite season) will be here before we know it.