Old Lang Syne

Wow, it's be awhile since I wrote here. It's already July 7th and summer is in full swing. I actually got suckered into playing Ms. Betsy Ross during the Ridgewood 4th of July parade and once again for a performance at the band shell before the fireworks. It was a red banner day as I didn't have a panic attack on stage (thank you Zoloft)....As I write this, my husband is whistling "Grand Old Flag," because it's stuck in his head from Luke singing it. We're definitely in a patriotic sort of way....

Summer is one of my favorite seasons. I definitely love Fall as by the time it's in full swing I'm ready for the change. The coolness in the air, the colors of the leaves, the smell on the breeze are all welcome after a seemingly long, hot summer. This year, it may be more welcome than usual as we've been having temperatures that have exceeded 100 degrees. But I remember summer-times-past fondly.

My earliest memories of summer involved me swimming by my grandparent's . They had an above-ground pool canopied by a cherry tree and we'd visit almost daily to take advantage of the cool bliss that it offered. I learned to swim at an early age. My grandfather would basically let me go and fend for myself in the water and I probably learned to swim at age 4. We'd swim all day, dine on a lunch of bologna sandwiches and maybe play a game of Atari Pacman (sitting on the floor in our wet bathing suits in the a/c) or maybe Pinball or Super Breakout. There were loads of twin ice pops, (you know the kind that were frozen together like Siamese twins with two sticks, mostly tasting like a chemical version of orange, grape or cherry). Watermelon was a staple during those hot, lazy days.

Dinner was always fun by Grandma and Pop Pop's house. There was the hot dog and french fry dinner t.v.-side while watching Scooby Doo. Or one of my favorites, fried fish from Rick's Fish on Rte. 17. Yum! Of course, a charcoal grilled hamburger was always a favorite. After dinner we'd run outside to play in the pool again, or have a fun game of H.O.R.S.E with the basketball net on the driveway. This was just a minor distraction as we waited for the inevitable sound of Little Jimmy's Italian Ice Truck. I still remember the quick rush of adrenaline as the tune of "The Entertainer", by Scott Joplin announced Little Jimmy's arrival. The promise of sweet and cool refreshment was always welcome. Rainbow flavored anyone?

After a day of fun and feasting the adults would make their way outside, sitting on lawn chairs with a cool drink in hand. The smell of citronella candles in the air, it was time to catch the lightening bugs. We'd grab a Mason jar from my grandma's cellar and poke a few holes in the lid and the quest would begin. The goal was to catch as many lightening bugs as we could and maybe make a glowing necklace out of them (I know, gross!!). Once the lightening bugs were gone, my mother had a bath run for me, complete with Avon pink bubbles. The chlorine and dirt of the day, washed away, I'd slip into my baby-doll pj's and get buckled into the car for the ride home where I'd inevitably fall asleep. The next day promising roller skating, jump-roping and lots of games of kickball, wiffle ball, sticker trading or Garbage Pail Kids card trading.

As an adult, I remember these times fondly and hope that I can offer my children experiences that can become fond memories for them. I guess that's why we went to the drive-in theatre the other night, and had a sleepover with a best friend, and went to the lake almost daily, and went swimming by Aunt Barbara's, and are going to the Jersey Shore for the weekend......There's no cherry tree-shaded swimming pool anymore. Atari has been replaced by Wii. The lake has taken the place of grandma's pool, but the memories are still ready to be made. The fun is ripe for the picking. The ice pops are still cold, the watermelon is still juicy, the sun still bakes the pavement, and I'll make sure that my kids get to experience each and every bit of summer.