Ideal Summer

What is an ideal summer? This should be an easy question to answer, right? You’d think so, but it’s NOT! I like summer, cicadas sing here in the south, the weather is typically nice although it’s very hot and humid. It’s all in what you get used to.  There is quite a bit to do when you live 2 hours from the mountains to the west and 3 hours from the beach in the east.  Not to mention all the activities around like parks, amusement parks, hiking trails, lakes, rivers, parks, etc..... So, an ideal summer is sort of hard to figure out.  

I’ve had some fairly awesome summer experiences in my lifetime.  Going on 2 week camping trips with my parents to the Northeastern US and another one the Northern-Midwestern states of the US. I got to spend a summer with my dad in California, that was interesting.  So, I’ve had some good times.  

Since I’ve gotten older, it’s been difficult to do the fun stuff.  I mean vacations are great, but when you have 3 kids, a limited income, let’s face it, vacations are far and few in between.  We have always tried to make summers great, since it’s the only extended time we don’t do school.  We do go out on Paw-paw’s boat sometimes,  ride to the mountains or go to visit Nana and Grandaddy from time to time.  Those things may sound really boring to you, however to me, they are awesome. 

My ideal summer for me is to just chill!  Between running our business, homeschooling my kids, cooking, cleaning house and all that goes with it, just doing nothing sounds like bliss.  Making time to spend with my friends and getting some girl time are rare for me, so doing those, WONDERFUL!
By the time we’re done with school for the year, my feet are dragging, so summer is spent recuperating.  That’s my ideal summer, just relaxing and taking my time to do the things I need to do. It’s not exciting by any means, however, it fulfills my needs.  So what is your ideal summer, just chillin’ or cramming and rushing to fit it all in? 

Ice Cream is EVIL........

So, I did my weekly errands yesterday and it didn’t quite go as planned.  I’ve been trying to be diligent about meal planning, and only needed to go to my local membership warehouse and the grocery store, a very odd occurrence for me.  Oh! I forgot to mention the bank too.  Anyway, my DH threw a kink into my plans when he told me he needed something, that typically a well known, cheaper department store carries, so I went there first.  However, because I went there first, it caused me to go to my warehouse next, which is where I usually buy all my cold items, like meats, dairy and frozen items.  So, because I stopped there first and still needed to stop at the local grocery store, I brought my cold things home in-between stores. While I was out, my son proceeds to send me a text message asking for some coffee flavored ice cream.  I respond with “get dressed and come with me then!”  To which he never responds, the turkey.

When I get back to the house, I confirm that nope, he doesn’t want to go with me.  We put all of the cold items away and off I go again to finish my weekly grocery trip. Now, I’m sure you’re wondering why I say ice cream is evil.  It’s actually quite simple, I’m losing my vision, it’s OK for now due to a wonderful clinical trial, however, in the beginning, when it wasn’t so hot my husband bought me a very nice iPad Pro.  It was my lifesaver!! I could read books again, although not the paper kind and whomever invented the Kindle App, bless you. I was able to keep up with the kids school work, sort of important in a homeschooling situation, read labels thanks to a magnifying app, etc.... you get the picture.  Low and behold, my meal planning app is on this iPad, with a the grocery list for this weeks meals, however, I was having difficulty getting it to sync with my iPhone, so I just took it with me for the day.

I ran to the grocery store, bought the last of the items needed with said ice cream for the kid.  This particular grocery store offers to help you out with your groceries, however, it was a very hot day and I just told the girl to stay cool inside.  I put my iPad in the back of the buggy where toddlers usually sit and pushed my cart out to the car. Besides, I was right next to a buggy coral, no problem for me to just do it myself.  I put my bags in the trunk, pushed the buggy to it’s temporary home and drove home.  As we were putting the groceries away and I’m about to start dinner, I go to grab this technological piece of beauty so I can have my recipe in front of me. I really didn’t need it, as it’s a dish I’ve made for almost 30 years and pretty much have it memorized.  Still, I just wanted to make sure I didn’t leave anything out.  The problem was I couldn’t find my tablet, ANYWHERE! Tore up my car looking for it, my she-room (my she shed space), the kitchen, NO WHERE was it to be found. I rushed back up to the store, calling while on my way and asked if anyone had turned one in, but nooooo! I did have a hard time getting Matthew to understand that it wasn’t in the store, it was in the parking lot, in the big buggy (which I hardly ever use in hopes that I don’t overspend, rarely works by the way).  When I finally arrive back at the store, my buggy was there, sadly my iPad was not. Devastation kicked me in the gut.

All I could do was pray about it and that I did.  I know I spend way too much time on this little piece of technical wizardry, but you did get why it’s my lifeline, right? I even run our business off of this thing.  So, for the next 3 hours, we are trying to figure out what to do.  I posted on a couple community apps specific for our area.  My husband is searching on his phone for what to do, or can be done.  I’ve already turned on the locator, however, it’s not of much help as the iPad isn’t connected to WiFi.  I spent 30-45 minutes with Apple to determine that my warranty does not cover losing it, sadly.  So, my last step was to call the police non-emergency number and see if there was anything they could do to help or what my recourses were. Graciously, they sent an officer out and he told me what to do.  As we are talking to the officer, our oldest son calls and advised my husband that one of his wife’s clients (my daughter-in-law is a great dog trainer) had my iPad. The three of us, the officer, my husband and I all just looked at each other in complete disbelief as my husband wrote the person’s number and address down for us.  The policeman offered to take me to get my iPad, verified it was OK and then closed the case. My faith in humanity has been restored a bit and I’m grateful to Patti for being honest and trying to contact me before I had contacted the police, but didn’t get the message until after it was all over.

Now back to the ice cream.  My kids don’t ask for much (aren’t I the lucky one?) so when they do, I typically try to accommodate them, since they do the things I ask without much complaint.  I did get my youngest some java chip ice cream, but, my husband told me when I got back from the second trip to try to locate my iPad, that my son felt guilty about me losing it, since he declined the trip. I love that boy, but he knows ice cream is my downfall, which is not good for a diabetic.  I’m  glad I was able to show him some grace, just like I was shown by getting my iPad back intact.  All is good in the world as far as I’m concerned at the moment, think I’ll take a nap! 

So, I got a new book the other day called 300 More Writing Prompts and of course I could NOT resist it.  I actually love writing and hope to instill the same passion in at least one of  my children.  I may not be very good at writing, but I still love and feel it’s one of the most challenging ways to express yourself.  You can’t show emotion except in words that you hope will convey to the reader your meaning and feelings, which leaves it up to them to decipher.  So, todays prompt is............(I know the anticipation).......................

If you could book a flight tomorrow for anywhere in the world, where would you go and why? 

Hmmmm! This is and always will be a tough one for me personally.  I love to travel! When I was younger, I always wanted to see the world.  I envisioned myself looking up to the top of the Eiffel Tower, visiting Stonehenge, seeing Victoria Falls in person, the Borealis Lights (Northern) while in Alaska, visiting the Amazon’s rainforest (before they are destroyed), The Great Wall of China, etc.....
Alas, those are and have been tourist attractions forever.  I would like to see them, however, I really would like to see things off the beaten path.  Places of long ago, like a path that King Arthur used or a  place where Joan of Arc stood, a road that Jesus traveled or a road that a Roman built and is still there today.  History is so important to our lives, for if those things had not happened, we surely wouldn’t be where we are today.

Although those places are nice, I’d also like to go to a nice, quiet place.  A place of tranquility, at least it would be for me. Fiji would be wonderful.  I can see myself in a hut that is literally in the water of the pacific.  Of course I only know this place exist because of lucky others who have been there and have the photos to prove it.  A hut on the side of a mountain in New Zealand overlooking a loch would be nice too.  I get a lot of ribbing from my friends for wanting to be away from people, but the world is so sad these days that a place like this sounds like heaven on Earth to me.

Unfortunately, I married a man who has absolutely no desire to travel.  Even when we ride our motorcycles, he’s done after about 30 minutes to an hour, whereas I could go all day long. Finances hold me back too, for if I had the green, I’d still go without him.  I would hate to have to experience this world without him though, he can be his own worst enemy sometimes, like we all can be.  Our world is in such a time that I feel it’s dangerous to do and go to the places I’d like to go to, especially by myself.  I would like to experience the world with him, our children, family and friends that can an would want to go, but, the way things are today, I just don’t see it happening.  I know I’m holding myself back, for I’m a true believer in when there is a will, there is a way.   Not really sure why I hold myself back from doing these things, other than finances.  If I really explored it in myself, I think I’d probably just buy a ticket to right where I am at this very moment.  I love my family and all that encompasses.  As much as I hate the work, I love that I have my family to do things for; cooking, doing their laundry, teaching my kids, arguing with my husband over stupid stuff, etc......  Besides, it’s a FREE ticket to my world of wonder.  I can always pick up a book and travel to those places and let my imagination just picture it by the words of the author.  How about you? Where would you go?