I found out exactly WHY I was so irritable on Sunday evening – I was sick. And then I proceeded to get even more sick to such an exciting extent that I actually lost 8 pounds over the last 24 hours – not precisely a weight-loss method I would recommend, however. I’m feeling much better today, although I’m still not feeling exactly well.
Yesterday was Midsummer’s Eve, which we utterly skipped over – the kids had spent all of Sunday evening building fairy houses (and squabbling), so I imagine the fairies WILL pay them a visit sometime this week and leave them little gifts (seashells and glass beads). I don’t feel the same need to jam so many holidays into the summer as I do in the winter, because summer is quite nice enough on its own. No school, late bedtimes, lazy meals outside, playing in the pool for hours – there really just isn’t as much need for special days when each day is so much fun. But we do have some special cupcakes planned – mini fairy mushrooms, the kind with the red and white tops – and I think that we’ll have a picnic outside, just for fun.
I like summer better in theory than I do in practice. I’m either complaining that I’m DYING in the heat or complaining that it’s cold out and WHAT SORT OF SUMMER IS THAT? And my kids are home all the time, which takes away somewhat from that relaxed summertime feeling that one likes. I do my best, though, sitting in a lawn chair with a cold drink, reading a magazine and telling my kids "I’m watching you, honey!" while they perform acts of daring in the pool. Which is a foot deep and has an inflatable slide.
And then there’s summertime food – slices of watermelon the porch, sptting the seeds into the yard; homemade popsicles, something tasty on the barbecue – these easy light foods. This week, I’m planning on making a strawberry tart on puff pastry, a silly jell-o dessert for Canada Day at Great-Grandpa’s, a picnic with french bread and cheeses and salads – and tonight is marinated chicken on the barbecue. Assuming I feel well enough.
How do YOU do it – how do you capture that summery feeling at your house? Do you change bedtimes? What’s your favorite summertime foods? And what, more than anything, says summer for you?