Summer Reflections

Remember in elementary school, on the first day of that new grade, when the teacher would request a recantation of your summer vacation? Well, in honor of those childhood days gone by, I hereby post my summer highlights up to this point and extend an invite to everyone to do the same - it could be kind of fun to share our experiences via the world wide web! (It might be even better to continue the updates through the end of summer, into fall and winter and spring, and back again!)

Summer, 2008:

I spent three glorious days with my bestest friend in the universe (excluding those who share a bloodline or to whom I am legally betrothed) and relished every second together. At one point, we looked to each other and realized we had transcended friendship and were now family. It is nice to know I have that kind of connection in this uncertain world, and it made me appreciate my entire circle of friends, which would be incomplete without each individual link. All hail fine friends!

Dave Matthews and his band did not disappoint yet again - it is not summer in my heart unless I see a DMB concert at least once. Such perfect music swelling in the heat of dusk can't be beat, and I was fortunate to hear two magnificent shows. Each held special moments, but the best culminated in sharing one of my new favorite songs, "Sister" with my little sister in the encore of the Pittsburgh show. The clincher? Two major fans in front of us, high on life and music and other natural aids, declairing honestly, "And they really are sisters, too!" as we all shared the specialness. Blissful, really.

Tucker County, West Virginia, is likely not high on many vacation wish-lists, but for my husband and me, visits to our cabin on the Cheat River are truly "almost heaven." To bathe in the river surrounded by nature is another indication of summer and it hardly gets better than a float down the water on a hot summer day. So many memories that have now morphed into traditions to be savored into the future. Wild and Wonderful, indeed!

Summer isn't over yet, so neither is my list. How to identify each savory memory? The list would simply be endless. I won't subject anyone to that, but do please add your own summer touches! Stay cool!