Thursday, June 2, 2011

Ahhh...Summer

Summer is finally here!  We had a pretty rough winter in New York.  Blizzards, record snow fall, and freezing cold temps.  But we survived and can now enjoy the crazy heat wave and 99% humidity YAY!!  OK, really, I shouldn't complain.
Anyway, the sudden onslaught of oppressive heat and humidity has me reminiscing about summer and what it used to mean to me. 
When I was a kid, summer vacation was just the most absolutely magical time ever.  It meant hanging with my cousin who was like a sister to me, riding bikes, meeting skater boys in the cemetery, and spending time at my grandparent's.
Even though my grandparents were only 20 minutes away I would stay by them for days at a time. 

I would get to play with Pete The Schnauzer


And chill with grandma and grandpa



I even remember playing in the woods behind their house for hours by myself, and this was totally fine!  I guess no one was worried about creeps and kidnappers back then. 

Grandma LOVED to take photos.  One day she made me hold hands with the neighbor boy for a photo op.  This was the first boy who ever held my hand.


I was totally grossed out but sure that we would get married someday. 

When I look back now my summers seem almost Wonder Years-ish, complete with bicycles, an older sibling (cousin) who tortured me but I loved it, and my very own Kevin Arnold. 

So here's to summer!!!  May you ride a bike, spend time with the ones you love, and hold a boy's hand...or a girl's hand, whatever you're into.