Happy 1st day of the rest of summer vacation. I would tell you that I have already wasted several days of vacation already, but Bev and I have made a pact this summer. In an effort to combat the feeling of panic for every day that goes by before she starts a new school year or before I have to get back into work mode, we have decided to share with each other a happy first day of the rest of your summer vacation. It helps. I have been a chronic chronicaler of the passage of time. I do not think that I have ever enjoyed a Christmas or summer vacation; because I always knew how close we were to half way through. Once you were half way through it was almost all over.
So I am here on the front porch in this fabulous vacation paradise. I would love to tell you where we are located. However, it is so perfect; you would want to come here yourself that then we would be experiencing over crowding.
I am sitting on the screened in front porch of a vacation rental house. The street is lined with small American flags that the local realitor gave out at the 4th of July parade today. There is a slight breeze blowing in from Lake Michigan six blocks a way making the 82 degrees at 6:00 p.m. feel not that hot. I know your thinking that I am in jeopardy of giving away my undisclosed paradise vacation spot. You are loading up the station wagon and getting ready to head this way. "Dear; get on google. Look up Lake Michigan towns with more than six city blocks and that had a 4th of July parade." I will help you narrow it down. It isn't Chicago. That's it no more hints.
Where was I? I am sitting on the front porch in the evening and I happen to be listening to Frank Sinatra on a record player. I do so wish that I had kept all of my Eagles albums from college. That would have just about filled the vacation time we have up here. I could have even listened to Steve Martin's "wild and Crazy" album to bridge any gaps. Speaking of the trip to half way, wasn't that what album listening was all about. Side A then side B. It is a really short trip too. The kids of today really have it easy. Not like the bad old days. Select the entire album and just about the time you get it memorized just hit the random and you don't know when the thing is going to end. It is so much easier to live in the moment these days.
The following are some of the best instances of vacation so far this summer. On the way up going through rural Indiana we went by the following words on a sign outside a
VFW.
And you crazy kids didn't think that you had to pay attention during english class. "I don't need to learnt no punctuation you said. When would I ever need to use that?" Let me tell you. One misplaced semicolon and you go from marital bliss to social faux paux of the rural Indiana summer social season.
Another funny moment? Or it could be characterized as an awkward moment. I think that in the end it will be ruled to be entrapment. We were on the beach yesterday. I was nodding off when Bev yelled "look its popping out." I came too and started looking around to see what was popping out. She then let me know that she meant the sun was popping out. Busted. But in my defense there were more things with popping out potential on that beach than a kernal at an Orville Redenbacher convention. How was I to know?
I just realized why our teachers had us write "what I did on summer vacation essays" at the beginning of every school year. It was because they were stuck with sucky vacations each year and had not found this vacation paradise. They were in search of vacation Holy Grail. May they continue to search in vain.
Speaking of great quests, I had one today. This place has a 32 mile bike trail. As I have mentioned in past posts, I have become a bit obsessed with biking recently. So a 32 mile bike ride sounds a bit intriguing. I haven't approached any thing like it as far as distance goes in the past. I don't think that I could do 32 miles in one sitting. Today I went 12 miles out. I figured that I could turn around there and come back. That would be 24 miles or 2/3 of a one way trip. The way out was perfect. I kept a really good pace. My seat didn't hurt and I was doing great. I decided to stick with the plan and rest for a minute and then come back. Big mistake. In the five minutes that I was out of the saddle, my legs tightened up and I never did get them loosened up the entire trip back.
What did I learn from my excursion? I learned that there is an "Optimist tot lot" between our rental and the trail head. I know run to the google screen. Type in cities along Lake Michigan, with more than six blocks, a 4th of July Parade and an Optimist tot lot.
What is an Optimist tot lot you ask? Well contrary to what its name might suggest, it is not a place to purchase young children with a positive outlook on life. No and Optimist tot lot is where Bev and I, Ben and Grace and several of their friends will play kickball tomorrow on the first day of the rest of our vacation.
Take Care
Roger
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