Summertime and the livin's easy...

I think of the Sublime song 'Summertime,' when I hear that line...it's really a terrible song and in no way an appropriate homage to the summer, none the less that is what pops into my head...terrible I tell you.

After a month of rain summer has finally come into full force. Cecily Tynan told me this a few weeks ago, and I thought I would share it with you: did you know that at in the entire month of June there was only one day that was completely sunny in the Philadelphia area and that was at the end of the month? I mean what a welcoming summer I think it should do better then that, what a disappointment. Maybe next year.

You might think that with all that rain my flower gardens might be just blooming. Yeah right. The earth of P-Court is terrible. It is filled with rocks and the soil quality is just embarrassing. One word I say it over and over again. Rototille. I have had it. Next Spring I am ripping up the ugly bushes that the builders put in and putting Hydrangea Bushes in the front. However, with the soil quality I would not be surprised if the blooming flowers that the bush is supposed to produce are the color of vomit. No. Seriously.

However, what to do when your soil is yucky? You go to Mom-Mom's and you help her plant a vegetable garden, and then you help her weed her ginormous flower gardens, and you reap the benefits. Oh she brings me flowers to fill vases with each visit and we just got our first cucumber of the bunch last week. Tomatoes anyone? Soon enough. I get to tend to the garden while she is away. Speaking of tomatoes, has anyone tried the topsy turvy? Does this thing really work? Sue, another P-Court Housewife, and I discuss this frequently. Maybe we will give it a shot next year.
I have a tremendous amount of memories from my childhood, but most of them seem to center around the summer. I loved the summer when I was little. I mean seriously, you don't have to work, your list of responsibilities include waking up, cleaning your room, deciding what friend you were going to play with any given day, and helping clear the dinner dishes. That, is the life. Most days were spent outside. We had no air conditioning when we were growing up so it was you either sweat inside or go outside and play under a tree and pray for a breeze. If you too had no air conditioning while growing up, then you too know the feeling of excitement you hhad when you would be granted permission to sleep over a friend's house who did? Instant trip to dream world, right? No lying in just your underwear through the night yelling at your sibling for hogging the fans, because besides the ceiling there was 3 box fans going as well.

If it got too hot we were off to Mom-Mom's for the afternoon to swim. On most days I would then talk them in to letting me sleepover there also, so I could swim again all day the next day with my best friend when I was younger, J.J., who lived next door to my grandparents.

From the ages of like 4 to 12, I was quite the tomboy, all thanks to J.J. He and I would race big wheels down dirt mounds, create forts between fences and bushes, hide in tree houses, and come home filthy to jump in the pool.Then we hit the age where you really start to notice, hey wait, I am a girl and you are a boy, and then things just kind of get funny, and we really didn't hang out too much anymore. Just a,'hi,' here or there when we saw each other or when I was sent to borrow a cup of sugar from his Mom small talk was forced. I tell you innocence was officially lost between us one day when I was about 15 walking around the house at Mom Mom's to grab a towel off the line that was right next to J.J.'s home, and I remember he was doing yard work and I was in my swim attire, and he was just gawking. I turned to him, and yelled, 'stop looking at me like that!' And that was that. I was not flattered at all, this was the boy who taught me how to make myself burp! How dare he! Oh puberty.

I hope that summer has the same nostalgic memories for my kids, ok without the whole gawking incident, but somehow I think that might happen for my sweet Kendall since Ethan's friends will be close in age to her. But really, I intend to feed them popsicles while they swim in the pool, which is now at my aunt and uncle's home. I am going to catch lightening bugs with them, and eat ice cream on the front porch. I want them to eat ears and ears of corn on the cob at picnics. I want to help them build forts and run through sprinklers. I am going to let them dig in the dirt and watch what grows as a result of their hard work. We are going to catch the biggest bass in Mom Mom and Pop Pop's pond with our little Dora and Cars fishing poles. And then not catch Mr. Whiskers who has been the resident catfish for 18 years... if this were to occur it might send Pop Pop into cardiac arrest. I am going to go on bike rides after dinner together when the temperature is lowering. They are going to have summer memories...so help me!
The summertime to me always brought a connotation of freedom. Not in the patriotic way, I mean really, this is me we are talking about, but in a way where rules are at their minimum. Bare feet reign, bedtimes are overlooked, you can pee on the lawn next to the swimming pool if you really can't hold it. I want them to be falling asleep in their beds while we are on vacation at the beach and feel as though they are still rocking in the waves. Did I ever mention how much I love the beach? Oh I could go on and on about that. Maybe in August.

So get on with your summer, the sun is finally shining, the humidity is at its finest, the flip flop tan lines are just starting to show.

Love it!

And see here, this is evidence that summer is starting to have its magical effects...here is my boy conquering a fear...I think there must have been something in his juice box, he just doesn't do these wild and crazy things.