I have decided that this will be the summer of teen romance novels. This summer, my house will be a wreck, and I will choose whisky and lemonade over mopping and clean feet. I will keep a bag packed of beach-related things at all times, and suggest trips to the coast at random. And by suggest, I mean demand. This summer I have decided to enjoy the sweat that beads on my upper lip and the underwire of my bra. To embrace it as part of the heat and humidity that I have decided not to complain about. That will be the hardest part. As a pale person, I am hardwired to complain about the heat. This will be the summer I sit on the back stoop in my nightgown to enjoy a midnight popsicle. And I will enjoy it. Every second. This will be the first summer that I will do it right. I will channel my eight year old self, the last self who actually enjoyed months June through August, who lived for green chlorinated hair, morning swims, watermelon and root beer floats for dinner, impervious to the 120 degree heat of her childhood landscape.
And this will be the summer of love. I will tell you why. This will be the first summer in eight years for spending every day, arm in arm with my husband, sharing meals, walking the dogs, talking. Because this will always be remembered as the summer my husband lost his job. And while this will also be the summer of great stress, putting in longer hours, flailing in the sudden role of bread-winner, I know that in the end, I am only the winner of tiny loaves. Muffins really. Mini-muffins. There is no point in worrying about being the muffin-winner, when time stretches on ahead of you, full of the one person you have always missed the most, despite sleeping in the same bed. I cannot help but smile, in the face of everything, when I see it for the gift it really is. This will be the summer of endless possibilities. And manifest destiny. This will be the summer where the big 3-0 looms ever closer, and I give up caring about what happened to my butt, or what it looks like in a bikini. This summer, there will always be fresh flowers on the nightstand, no matter how tight it gets. Because the hydrangea, who had a hunch, are kindly working on a few hundred blooms for us. This summer, I will wear gingham. I will whistle, despite poor whistling skills. I will daydream about avocado. I will give my dogs bellyrubs.
Dear Summer,
Bring it.
All love,
*Andrea
So say we all!
Posted by: Nadia Lewis | June 28, 2009 at 09:19 PM
I can help supply the first on the list. My Judy Blume collection is superb.
My winter was what you're going for with your summer. Enjoy the hell out of it!
Posted by: Ann | June 28, 2009 at 10:04 PM
I am totally inspired and feel like joining a choir to sing "Yay, summer !". Although I really hate summer for a lot of reasons you mentioned. Pale skin with sunburn, sweat and thoughts about bikinis and butts.
But suddenly I think that it´s silly and if I change my anticipation about summer, it maybe WILL feel great !?
Faking joy can easily turn into real joy...
I wish you the best summer you ever had, Andrea ! Full of love and sun on your hair and wind around your nose.
Posted by: rebecca | June 29, 2009 at 01:40 AM
Reading this would make anyone long to lose their job. Maybe just anyone married to you, who clearly knows what is important.
Posted by: Kathi D | June 29, 2009 at 02:27 AM
Beautifully written. I smile and nod my head.
I hope everything gets sortet out with your husband's job. Best of luck to you.
Posted by: Astrid | June 29, 2009 at 02:53 AM
Beautiful, Andrea. Despite everything, it sounds perfect to me.
Posted by: Stephanie | June 29, 2009 at 04:49 AM
my love lost his job this year too and i was amazed at the outcome - despite the worry and the endless days of rebuttals we became even closer. we came through it and survived and most of all, we are more, it's so cool. your summer is going to be a blinder!
Posted by: charlotte | June 29, 2009 at 06:23 AM
ah lady. this is what summer is all about. for sure. give yourself and that man of yours great big sweaty (spiked?) hugs for me!! you're right, life stretches on and on and on.
Posted by: hannah | June 29, 2009 at 07:09 AM
amen. forever and ever, amen. I'm right there with you.
Posted by: andrea | June 29, 2009 at 08:24 AM
oh yes. this is 109% perfection.
Posted by: julia | June 29, 2009 at 08:59 AM
beautifully written.
Posted by: Lecia/A Day that is Dessert | June 29, 2009 at 09:03 AM
yes, yes, yes.
sorry about the job stuff, but that will straighten itself out in the end, right?
just have faith it will and enjoy all of these things.
Posted by: Alicia A. | June 29, 2009 at 09:37 AM
This is absolutely genius.
Posted by: Anabela | June 29, 2009 at 03:23 PM
Oh, goodness. I'm not sure that I could agree more. You certainly did a good job of saying a lot of what I've been thinking ... including, not complaining about the heat despite being wired for the north.
My manifesto includes something about sundresses too, but I need to look a little harder to find some. Now.
Posted by: Jodi Anderson | June 29, 2009 at 04:36 PM
My husband lost his job right after our first child was born and it was the most AMAZING, wonderful summer ever. It was such a huge, huge gift.
Enjoy your summer- truly.
Posted by: kyrie | June 29, 2009 at 11:47 PM
I just stumbled across your blog today! I Love It!!
Enjoy your summer, adversities seem to make everything better...I mean, why is it that we can't realize what we have until something goes wrong? It has happened to me on more then one occasion...and the moments and occasions that take place after my adversities are the ones that will stick out in my mind forever!
Enjoy life! Enjoy the heat and humidity (as I often have to remind myself to do as well)! Enjoy the beach, the bathing suits, sun...and the whisky! Life will always throw something at as...but as long as you have someone that we love close by...it's never as bad as it seems!!
Yippeee!!! Welcome back Summer!!
Posted by: Cassandra | June 30, 2009 at 07:54 AM
Until I read this, I was wallowing in the heat. Thank you for putting things in perspective! Summer really is a time to relax and enjoy. I look forward to reading more :-)
Posted by: Rachel | June 30, 2009 at 08:12 AM
Bring it! Go go, loaf (or mini-muffin) winner!
Posted by: Eliza | June 30, 2009 at 11:09 PM
This is wonderful! You are wonderful. Thanks for sharing. I hope your summer is everything you want it to be, and more. I'm so glad to hear your positive perspective on something that can and will be stressful...it's all about perspective.
Best wishes,
sarahkeith
Posted by: sk | July 01, 2009 at 04:00 AM
glad you're back, i've missed your appreciative words and beautiful images. i'm in resolution mode, too. here's to a delicious summer for all of us.
Posted by: clare | July 01, 2009 at 04:29 AM
sarah dessen!
Posted by: mich | July 01, 2009 at 04:48 PM
Wow. Funny you should post this today. I was lying in bed last night, unable to sleep (I HATE the bar across the street from us), thinking that it had been a really long while since you'd last posted. I wondered if something was wrong. I'm so sorry to hear about Aaron's job - I know you're both under a tremendous amount of stress right now. But I like the spin you're taking on it, and I know that you two will pull out of it. Together. Have another whiskey lemonade and enjoy holding his hand for a while.
Posted by: sulu-design | July 03, 2009 at 08:18 AM
right on lady. this is right on. i hope your summer meets all your 'demands'.
Posted by: heather smith jones | July 03, 2009 at 01:42 PM
everything is going to be good. no wait, great! wonderful even! happy summer a.
Posted by: claire | July 03, 2009 at 03:24 PM
good to read your words again. so sorry about the job situation of your husband. you have such a positive outlook and i'm sure your summer will be fantastic. give those happy dogs extra belly rubs for me :).
happy summer.
Posted by: Nina | July 03, 2009 at 05:50 PM