Summer time is absolutely my favourite time of year and sadly, living in the northern hemisphere it is too short for my liking. Once school is out it’s a very short two months. School being out only has a big bearing for me because I love the time with my daughter, a teacher and my grand kids, all students. It should be the lazy days of summer but I live for the plans to do fun things and to get in my little van (still unnamed) and bugger off on a great outdoor adventure.
This summer I’m going to just fly by the seat of my pants and see where it takes me. Of course a few plans have to be made in the case of tickets being bought for certain events. One of which I have the tickets and the camping spot at a music festival not too far from home. Super happy that was done on a nudge from a friend a few months ago because this little festival sells out fast. It should be fun to meet some new people and hang out with some long time friends. The trick here is to not have any expectations and just surrender to the outcome.
A surprise call out of the blue had me buy tickets to go to Nashville for a 4 day weekend. It was great and also relaxing as well as some lessons learned about myself. Recognising something called samscaras, which can wreak havoc on the mind and mood. I recognised one and that helped me surrender to a better outcome. I came home from Nashville with a happy heart.
Next up, a trip with my lovely 14 year old grand daughter. Annika bought a paddle board aka SUP this spring and I said I would take her to Revelstoke. It was a fantastic trip and I think Annika enjoyed it too. We left on Thursday, to avoid weekend traffic in the mountains and arrived in Revelstoke around 4:30. Heading directly over to Big Eddie Glass Works, before it closed for the day. We stopped at my sisters lovely garden centre too but it had closed for the day so we just headed to Williamson Lake camp ground to get set up for the weekend. We spent most of the time, just the two of us but had some good visiting time with my sisters and a surprise visit with my favourite cousin. Mostly it was just so nice to hang out with the girl that made me a Nana and get to know her a little better. I have a renewed faith in the youth of today and definitely grateful that some fun memories were made. The part with a questionable rope swing up at the dam are among one of my faves. Also I think the van has finally found a name. “Come on Betsy” just came out of my mouth while navigating some steep climbs in the mountain passes..So it shall be, Betsy. It suits her. We stopped in Canmore for a little shop at Rocky Mountain Soap and then a road snack to get us the rest of the way home. Happy that the traffic wasn’t too crazy on a Sunday, we arrived safely around 8 pm back in Red Deer.
The Pearson Family weekend was modified this year. We were going to try to go out west again and the BC family numbers were way down. It was a long drive for the family’s in Edmonton and so it was changed to a great spot at Buffalo Lake. Big thanks go out to Vanessa and Ian for loaning our gang their cabin, it was so perfect for the number of people that could come. My Niece and her family of 6, plus 2 of my kids with their spouses and kids made a group of 16 that spent the whole weekend and a couple more nieces and kids came for the day and one overnight on the Saturday. It was a fun time and the weather cooperated nicely. There was a good shower that lasted a couple of hours on the Sunday morning but it was all cozy under the covered deck where we just sat and visited and had coffee and food. There was plenty of food to go around for the entire weekend and I came home with a couple of extra pounds. What ever, Surrender! The pounds are temporary and the memories are permanent. It was a fun time and we will get a plan for next summer, same weekend in the works soon.
Then along came a spontaneous trip to Toronto. Katherine and I were having a visit one evening and discussing how a mental health trip would be good for her. Going to see her best friend that’s now a new mom and she hasn’t seen her or her family for 3 years. I have my crazy fun friend, Christine, in Toronto who has already told me to pick the dates and come. So, we picked the dates, text our friends and the next adventure was planned. We flew to Toronto the weekend before my birthday and split up at the airport. Katherine rented a car and drove the 2 hours to Stratford and I got on the train and headed downtown to be met at Bloor St. station by Christine. Kate and I would meet up back at the airport in 5 days. She was rested, I was not…I had so much fun!! Christine is a great host and there was no shortage of things to do. The first night Christine took me to a cool Rooftop restaurant in downtown Toronto with a beautiful view of the tower. It was a hot spot for the selfie takers so there was some fun people watching involved. The following morning we headed out to Lake Simco, where her boat is docked and waiting for us to get it out onto the lake. There was a big party where there were band barges and boats all tied together and and lots of booze. We weren’t going to go to it and then there was a change of plans and we did. It was too much fun and my expensive prescription sun glasses ended up at the bottom of the lake. Oops.. Earlier, I did save my hat by having to do a big dive for it and felt very proud of myself for that feat. Ya win some, ya lose some. Getting back to Toronto on Monday and after getting a refreshing shower it was off to China town, where Christine treated me to a fantastic 30 minute foot and lower leg massage. We went to a Mexican Restaurant for a late lunch in Kensington. Just a short walk from China Town. One thing is for sure. Toronto is a very diverse and walk-able city. I Love It! The next morning I was up and ready to get to the airport to hook up with Katherine and hear all about her trip, and of course share my stories too. Tomorrow is my 62nd birthday and I feel like I am living my best life.
My birthday wasn’t busy at all, and I heard from all the people that matter. The highlight, I must say, was being sung Happy Birthday by my 92 year old dad early in the day, and later in the evening, by my 90 year old Mum on FaceTime. Thanks to my sister for making that happen. It made my day and I got a little choked up feeling the love and knowing how very blessed I am to still have both of my parents here.
Birthday weekend number 2 was spent at the Pigeon Lake Music Festival. I took Betsy and just enough food for one supper, and one breakfast. Booze at a very minimum due to needing a bit of a break from that poison which I still feel the effects of from last weekend…Anyway, it was a little more low key and very much enjoyed. I also met some new people and that’s always welcome when they are kind and fun to be around. The rain happened on Sunday evening which caused the last band. “April Wine”, to be cancelled. I took that as an opportunity to get on the road home and beat the storm. My own bed was so comfortable and I slept with my bedroom windows open and listened to the rain. A perfect ending to a perfectly fun weekend.
River Float was the next, never done by me before, adventure. I have lived in Red Deer for 37 years and always wanted to try this fun little adventure on a hot and sunny day. I’ve witnessed it several times while crossing a bridge above the floaters and just never had the opportunity or made it happen. Now, I can check that one off of my bucket list too. It was fun and we were a group of 10 people that tied our floating devices to one another and headed out for what was a perfect 3 hours of slow floating and snacking and again, no drinking for me. We had moved along a little faster than expected so we tied off to the side for a while. That was a wee bit of a feat due to the fact that we were 6 floating devices, 10 people and only two of us doing the tying up, in moving water. One of us with a fairly recent hip replacement, and me. We were tied up for a hot second when one of the floaters in our group notice a beautiful mother moose and her baby in the river just a little way back from where we had just come from. Beautiful and a little magical. I do love the city I call home. Following the river float I had my kids and their family’s come over for a BBQ in my yard. That was the only time we could all be together this summer so I was for sure making that happen too. Everything worked out perfectly to have my fun and then my family too.
Monday morning I packed up the last of what I needed to take Betsy out again, what will turn out to be for the last time this summer. It was only as far as the Devon Lions Park for a 3 day visit with family and a sweet little 4 year, great niece’s birthday. Diana, the mama, went to so much work making the camping area into a beautiful little fairy land with all the birthday trimmings. The kids, and there were lots of them, all had a great time. It had been a while since talking with Carolina so we had a scheduled phone call for Tuesday afternoon. That phone call went so well that it will lead to my next great adventure. We discussed me coming to Italy and the dates that will work for Carolina, around her busy life. Turns out that it will be in just a little more than 3 weeks away, and I will have to plan to be gone for the whole month of September. Lots to do, and the thought to not do it at all did cross my mind. BUT… Surrender to the outcome and book the flight!
It’s been a fantastic summer and a busy one to be sure. Among all of the fun there are still things to do like mow the lawn so it doesn’t look like an abandoned home. Take the garbage out on time so things don’t get stinky. Do laundry and to heck with house work, that can wait for a rainy day. I din’t get my Yoga teacher training completed either but it can wait until fall when the weather has cooled and I’m trapped indoors.
Bye Bye Summer 2024! It’s been fun and adventurous, from the InsideOut.
