"Anybody up for a picnic?" are magic words to a child. Summer truly arrived when we threw routine to the winds, packed a basket and set out to have supper at a state park nearby. Olive, my mother greeted our dad, Bob, as he came home from work, "It's hot and the girls want to cool off, so let's get going, right this second." We already had our bathing suits under our clothes and as soon as the gravel under dad's tires went silent, and the engine stopped, we ran for the water, scattering shorts and t-shirts willy-nilly. The sand underfoot was damp and cool and the beach resembled a moonscape in the fading light. It was almost completely deserted and the water hitting us was warmer than the air. It remained shallow forever so we could belly surf and perform handstands with wild abandon. We splashed and hooted until we heard the piercing whistle dad made through his fingers, his signal to end the fun----which we never ignored. Ordinary chips, sandwiches and baked beans tasted deliciously different, almost exotic sitting under a canopy of foliage from ancient trees. Mom, always one to be prepared, lit a coil called Punk, and kept mosquitos at bay.
Summer in our town gave us treats not tasted for a whole year; root beer in thick glass mugs that had been dipped in water and frozen, foot long, char-broiled hot dogs with special sauce, and roast beef sandwiches eaten in the parking lot, juice dripping down our tanned arms. The pattern never varied, a frozen specialty, lemon ice in a cup, a double-dip cone or occasionally a gigantic sundae ended the feast.
Your own memories surely rival these but if you don't write them down, nobody will know. A journal designed especially for these summer times is sure to please. Pack it in your beach bag, write and sketch, (even stick figures) of your kids in motion, put down and record a lot or a little. Take pictures to add to your notes. Just get those memories corralled. Bobbin-olive books with their distinctive, pretty covers have100 inviting pages, some lined with prompts and some blanks to record your happy and fun memories. All books are available soon.
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