This summer seemed to start early and quickly for us. It probably had something to do with the right-off-the-bat family vacation to the Outer Banks we scheduled, but that is the time that works best for us right now. In the beginning of June, everyone else on the East coast has kids in school , the heat hasn't really taken hold, and the weather can be iffy....so, the beaches are far from crowded. Just the way we like it! Two years running it has been a dream for us, this year included. So, we kicked off the summer the first week of June and headed down to Corolla. New house this go around. New group of invitees / attendees. New awesome memories. It really couldn't have been any better. A perfect blend of of family and friends, fun and relaxation. Just what a vacation should be. It is always nice to spend time with people who don't sweat the small stuff, who don't take themselves too seriously, and who allow themselves to laugh not only with and at others but at
themselves, too. It is happiness for the soul times ten, I tell you...and my soul was beyond elated. I think everyone enjoyed the vibe in the house, at the pool, and on the beach. I hope we get a lot of repeat "customers" next year, as we already have the house booked again! Yeah, it was just that good.
Given the early kick off, though, and the fact that it has been around 1,000,000 degrees or so for the majority of the days since then....the summer has now seemed as if it has been here forever. I am completely over it. Have been for awhile now. I have always been a "fall" kind of girl, but this year more so than ever. We have lived in a perpetual heat wave since June, with humidity through the roof, and very little rain. I don't like it. The bugs are everywhere. It isn't enjoyable to sit outside for more than a few minutes. The playgrounds are like toaster ovens and frying pans. You just think of the outdoors and sweat. No fun!
Of course, that does not mean that Finnley and I have been hermits. It mostly just means that I whine and complain about the weather a lot. Every once in awhile we even luck out and are gifted with a day that is only near 90 and somewhat tolerable. Last week we received one of those gifts, and we headed into the city with friends to try out a new park. It is called Sister Cities park, and it is built to be sort of a miniature version of Wissahickon Park which you would find over in "farther-out" PA. I haven't been there, so I can't compare the two, but I can say that the park in Logan Cirle in the city is awesome. I will also say that this little park helped Finnley to make a liar out of me. See, my kid doesn't like getting wet. She just doesn't, especially her hair and face, God forbid. So, even though I knew that this new park had a wading type "pool" and some "streams" and "waterfalls"....I never once thought to pack extra clothes for my daughter to change into for after we were done playing. Because, as I mentioned, my daughter doesn't like to get wet. Uh-huh. Five minutes in, and I had her dress tied up in a knot behind her back and her leggings and undies were completely soaked. Twenty minutes in, and Finnley was riding the streams and waterfalls like a slide all the way down from the top of "mountain" to the wading pool at the bottom. So, after our time in the park was over I had to untie Finnley's dress and strip her of her leggings and undies. They were just too wet, and we still had plans to head over to the Academy of Natural Sciences. Air conditioning and soaking clothes don't mesh well. So, we did what we had to do. And, I learned that I should "never say never" (and always have extra clothes with me), and Finnley learned that sometimes it is ok to "go Commando". Hey, we do what we have to do...flexibility is key in life!
Finnley isn't the only one around here who gets to have fun and get dirty, though. Matt and I took our turn at the 2012 Philadelphia Merrell Down and Dirty Mud Run presented by Subaru. This was our second year running the race, and it was just as much fun doing it this year as it was last. Now, with all the health / pain issues I have had recently, I didn't train for this race. Not a bit. Not a lick. Not at all. I was a bit nervous because of that, but there was not a chance that I was going to back out of the race. I still wanted to run it just to prove that I could. So, I did. My only goal was to not quit and to not stop. And, I didn't. I finished the 5K military style trail and obstacle mud race 129th out of 330 racers in my age group. Not hateful. Hey, I wasn't last! Now, my husband is a different story. He works out every day, for the most part. And, he runs sometimes in his workouts. He is in shape. So, he got out there and
raced. He finished as a Rock Star in 5th place out of 153 racers in his age group. He also finished 86th out of the 3376 total racers in the field. That is in the top 2 percentile of all racers! Yeah, he is a machine! I am very proud of him for doing so well, and I am proud of myself for just getting out and doing it at all. It isn't a race for the weak or the faint of heart...and once again we proved we are neither. Go, Team Ritter!
Now, back to complaining about the weather...here I sit on one of the last days of July. It is again in the 90s or around 90, with about a gazillion percent humidity and a chance of severe thunderstorms (you know, that generally don't pan out). I am inside, because? Because who wants to be outside! My husband is outside because someone had to do the yard work, and he seemed more eager about doing it and getting heat stroke than I did. Plus, he seems to think I will cut down all the flowers if he allows me to do the landscaping. I don't know where he gets these preposterous ideas! I, instead of being out in the heat, chose to clean the house. Finnley chose to take a RARE nap, and that is the only reason I am "here" blogging. So, here I sit complaining that the summer is dragging, and at other times I come here and complain about time dragging in general, but in reality, the next thing you know...
BOOM...there it went, in a flash!
I know that "
BOOM" part is coming. I know it because this week my sweet Peanut is turning 3. THREE! And, that means that this week it will also be August. And, we will be traveling back to Chicago, celebrating said birthday, spending quality time with family, and just hanging out. And, when we get back, the month will practically be half over. And around the corner, in the very beginning of September, preschool will be starting for real! And, fall will be here! And, I will soon start complaining that Christmas trees and decorations are already being put out at Target and Michaels and I will not have even started my shopping for Halloween candy yet. So, time drags, and it flies. It all seems to balance out. And, I will happily complain about the too hot crappy summer weather because it sure beats complaining about life or my kid. We are balanced out, too. We have figured each other out for the moment and found a cadence and a rhythm that works for us. It isn't perfect, we ebb and flow...but we do it fairly quietly, and it is harmonious and mostly peaceful. I like it. I like this moment in time. So, it can drag. It can fly. Whatever. I just plan to soak it up as it goes.
And, as it goes...Happy 3rd Birthday to my beautiful Finnley!!!
