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The White Pages: Swimsuits, Sandtraps and Summer

The White Pages:   Swimsuits, Sandtraps and Summer

6 years, 10 months ago Bobbe White

Morning Campers! Welcome to the summer of ’17…another fun-filled, max-packed season. Regardless of how full or empty your nest is, summer can be exhausting. Ask any mother of non-driving children about her summer and you may get a sigh, if she can catch a breath at all. That’s the problem, the kids love it all. We love that they love it all. Don’t we? 

We used to love summer down time, but the only thing down this summer, may be your gas pedal. It’s so busy, the aid of grandparents, siblings, neighbors, co-workers and city bus drivers must be deployed to help meet the children’s demanding schedules. So many activities, so little time.

Swim lessons are first, because we want to get those babies into the water before the surface ice is gone. At early summer swim practice, the water was so cold, I got brain freeze. Our coach’s motto was, “If you’re not broken or bleeding, get in the water!” I still hate cold water.

Next, there’s tennis, golf, basketball, football, weight-lifting and dance. On the kitchen counters are confirmations for College for Kids, Prep School for Pups and Catiquette classes, Summer Bible Camp for God’s sake (literally and figuratively) and a brochure of the upcoming vacation treehouse in the Northwoods. Who picked that? It sounds like work if I have to climb up to bed every night.

Vacation will offer respite. But wait! The older children have pre-existing commitments: a concert there, band camp here, college preview, summer school and a part-time job to dodge. Fortunately, vacation lodges have revolving doors to accommodate everyone coming and going. And massive parking lots, for every family member’s car. (e.g. different arrival and departures.)

I remember reading my dad’s summer humor journal. When running Nick to golf, then to baseball practice, Nick realized I hadn’t made, -I mean purchased- enough treats. Run short and you shouldn’t show up. Grampy made a quick stop to salvage our treat obligation. Whew. Dad wrote, “Got home from one hot & dusty ball game. Phone rang - Maggie’s makeup game was this afternoon. Change shirts and go. Six o’clock swim meet. Mother and I show up, but the pool and deck are empty. We’re at the wrong pool. Ha ha ha.“

That’s summer at any age. It’s going to get crazy and it may be hazy, but it certainly won’t be lazy. Not now. Not ever?

 All you can do is laugh. And try. Try to carve out a slice of down time. It’s called a book. And that structure over there? That’s called, “a lounge chair.” Summer reminds me of the time when we’d arrived at the pool and as I pulled off my swimsuit cover-up, my friend, Deelite, started laughing at me. I’d forgotten to remove my bra. Yeah, summer, it’s a lot like that.

 

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