The End Of July

 This is the time of year when summer seems to be moving rapidly towards the end.  The following weeks until school will be busy as my son is working on his Eagle Scout project, my daughter and the middle school will be joining the high school for band camp and my daughter will also be turning 12.  As we wrap up on summer I realize all the time that was wasted and all the things we could have done but didn't.  The upcoming school year is filled with uncertainty, anxiety and something new for me but I'm not going to share that news just yet.  

Last week my son went to scout camp and my daughter and I enjoyed a girl's only week.  We relaxed and binged watched television, went to a small carnival and saw the Barbie movie.  Even though I read many reviews beforehand and knew what to expect I was still disappointed in the message the movie was portraying.  As once a little girl who used to play Barbies and had a ton of Barbies and just one or two Kens I understood why Ken was portrayed as nothing more than "just Ken" while Barbie got all the glory but there was definitely a political message that was too much and unnecessary.   Thankfully my dad paid for our tickets because there's no way I would have.   But enough of that.  

The day after my son came home from camp my husband had a surprise for us but I do think this kind of trip would have been better for just the boys.   It was hot, crowded and miserable.   The Washington Commanders training camp in Virginia.   

But I think my daughter cheered up when she had the opportunity to meet some cheerleaders.  

Well, July, that's a wrap!

King of Prussia

 Last Friday hubby took off work and we took a trip to the King of Prussia mall, which is almost two hours from our home.  I've only been to this mall once when Rob and I started our relationship.   It's a huge mall, the second largest in the country.  My kids love going to the mall but the ones around here are pretty much empty and not what it was when I was younger.  At KOP there were hallways in all directions filled with stores, mostly of things I can't afford but it was nice to walk and look.

The goal was to do some back to school shopping but other than a pair of Converse for the girl it wasn't so successful.   The day out and the quality time was worth it.  

Pool Day At The Parents

 

30 years ago I spent almost every summer day at this pool.  It's the pool in my parents' mobile home park.  As a teenager I would spend the days under the hot sun swimming in the water with friends, flirting with the lifeguard.  

I never thought after 3 decades I'd still be going back.  This time with my own children, surrounded by different lifeguards and new residents.  Everything looks the same but the people have changed.  

I remember being so desperate to leave Lancaster County.   Now I kind of miss it.  I remember how much I hated being a teenager living under my parents roof and how I couldn't wait to grow up into adulthood and live my own life.  Now I realize all I had taken for granted and how much of a simpler time it used to be.  It's been 21 years since I moved away but every time I go back it feels as if I never left.  

Now I have my own kids to share the experience with. 

Happy Independence Day

 Happy Independence Day.  Happy birthday to the greatest country there is.  It may not be perfect but I certainly wouldn't want to be anywhere else.  

On Sunday evening we watched an amazing firework show in our church parking lot.  That was pretty much the only thing we did to celebrate the holiday.  I normally try to go all out with decorating the house in red, white and blue while we host a barbecue but today the kids are with my parents, spending a few nights with them.  My husband has been spending the day building the new gate while I stay inside to catch up on cleaning and laundry.   He promised to make me a delicious dinner soon and we may take the puppy to the park later.  

That's it.  Nothing special.   Nothing exciting.   This summer so far has been pretty much nothing enjoyable.   I think I need to change that.  It won't be long before it's back to school.   

Oh, and guess what has been found?   My husband was determined to find it and he did.  Yay!  Back to my story we go.  

Maybe It's Not Meant To Be

 

My desire to be a published author has been part of me since I was little.  Even before I knew how to write.  I would fill notebooks up with pictures that told the story.  As I got older I would add sentences to those pictures, then full paragraphs.  Eventually the notebooks would fill with words and no more pictures, which is good because I'm not an artist at all.  Writing was a way to escape from reality.  It was therapeutic.  My favorite part of school was when we got to write short stories.  The teachers loved my work.  My father bought me a typewriter and I would type away creating one short story after another.  In high school my dad purchased our first computer and my free time was spent in WordPerfect.  In my junior and senior years I was part of the school's literary magazine club.  My senior year I was on the school newspaper.  I started attending a community college where I was studying to become a journalist but quickly realized that wasn't a career I wanted.  My writing has always been personal.  I also don't like working with deadlines.  If I was going to use writing as a career it would be on my terms, not someone else's.  So, I changed colleges and a career path.  I continued to write stories on my own.  All of those stories were kept hidden away.  I didn't even attempt anything worth sending off for publication.  It was all fun, and like I said before, therapy.  

In 2020 when we were forced to spend our days at home a book idea came to mind.  It was a great time to sit and write while my kids worked on their school work.  I kept going until a first draft was completed.  Then, I lost the USB drive.  I then began coming up with another idea but before I finished the first chapter I found the drive.  I was no longer interested in the story I had written and started a slightly new idea.  In between housework and all the mother stuff I tried to write but found very little time to devote to it.  Now, here we are in 2023 and the idea has remained in my head and not on the computer.  Recently, I started typing away and had an amazing story going.  I'm telling you, the best I had written ever.  This was the one!  The one I would finish and publish.  

Then, I lost the USB drive ... AGAIN!  I looked everywhere.  My husband looked.  I think I left it on the coffee table and my husband thinks the dog swallowed it.  I'm not sure if that's true but I can't find it anywhere.  It's been a very frustrating experience trying to get a book complete.   Maybe it really isn't meant to be.  I just can't win!