Summer, I have always said, is my favorite season and I will probably continue to say it, despite this past week’s high temperatures. Thank goodness for air conditioning.
I am thinking I chose that because I remember the wonderful camping trips our family used to take and the times Mom would take us swimming.
She even had us take swimming lessons in Coldwater one time. Loved the swimming part, but was not too fond of going off the diving board. It took the instructor a long time one day to get me to finally do it. However, even though that happened and I did dive very little after that, I don’t think I would ever go off a diving board again. For one thing, I am scared of heights and feared I couldn’t get out of the water properly if it was deep. I think the few times I did it were at the Versailles Swimming Pool many moons ago.
Then, when I got older, I would take my nephews, nieces and son on camping trips and to lakes to go swimming. What fun that was! They jumped off of my shoulders and would stand on their hands in the water with their feet only showing. They appeared to be”happy campers.”
And, the spring season is okay but it seems to have a lot of rainfall. Yes, they provide us with beautiful flowers and gardens, but I don’t have a green thumb, even though Charlene Thornhill and the Ladybug Garden Club at one time named me an honorary member. It was appreciated and I loved working with the various garden clubs over the years in getting their stories out there but the green thumb did not rub off on me.
Mom always planted a garden and I helped somewhat but never had one of my own. And, it’s too late now…I’m too old to bend over and plant and weed. Mom made it look easy.
Then, there is fall time. Autumn’s arrival always meant there would be no more swimming or camping. Besides, school was starting, and the temperatures would become cooler to make some outdoor activities a little rougher to plan.
And, Lord knows, I am not really fond of winter weather, especially if it is snowing heavily and there is ice involved. I’ve growled about that in many of my columns.
Yes, summer is my choice of seasons, but I don’t hate Mother Nature for bad weather.
As I got older, I loved sunbathing even though I don’t think it was a wise decision. What was I thinking?
I got some nice tans and I’m hoping that is all I get as a result of those days out underneath the sun lying on a blanket or sitting in a beach chair.
Now, the camping trips will be no more. I’m not sure I even want to go to a beach and soak up some sun, especially if it means I will be lying on a blanket. For one thing, if I get down that low, I know I’m not going to be able to get back up and I don’t want someone calling EMS for heavy lifting assistance.
Son Jamie loves to swim and I am sure he is missing those “good old days.” But, we have to do what we have to do…stay safe and embarrassment-free.
That’s all we can do.
*****
Jamie and I extend our condolences to the families and friends of Kathy Burke, Leonard Wheeler, Steve Bohn, Karen Mangen, Dick Detling and Luella Mae Reck.
*****
Seeking prayers for these people: Jodi Gilpin Snyder, Christopher Lincoln, Ron Moody, Charlyee Severance, Justin Fritz, Lisa Lockhart, Renee Kreitzer McGhee, Jeremy “Jerm” Burke, Mike Hopkins, DeWayne Yohey, Katrina Hoening, Kent Snyder, (cousin) Carol Byrd, Kinley Bernard, Gladys Neff, Kara Didier, Carl Francis, Craig “Cheese” Thompson, Bridget Brown, Don DeBord, Otis Stewart, Chris Clark, Kyle Kaiser, Tina Ruble Ullery, Slug Midlam, Bob Peters, Phyllis Brumbaugh, Judy Collins, Linda Gasper, Carol Hemmerich, Stephanie Klingshirn, Brenda Schlechty, Betty Burnfield, Dan Lockhart, Roberta Hall, Pam Norman-Penticuff, Kelly Kelch, Mike Mayse, Steve Waymire, Jamie Knick, Nikole Baldridge, Chester Bryant, Lester Beisner, Delores Beisner, Kermit Foureman, Chuck “C.W.” Cruze, Mark Lovejoy.
Also, Judy York, Donald Booker, Dennis Leeper, Connie Stachler, Randy Heck, Ronnie Norton, Gary Eichler, David Pretzman, Clinton Randall, Ralph Byrd, Doug Winger, Sonja and Dan Coppess, Bruce Kaiser, Amanda Mote, Paul Gigandet, Doug Whittington, Tracy Pratt, John Rimmer, Joan Keen, Larry P. Fitzwater, Jim Thomas, Neal Gray, Judie Hathaway, Randy Garrison, Kathy Gragorace, Becky Everhart, Donna Bixler, Cathy Melling, Scott Clark, and all others who are suffering from other life-altering illnesses.
******
Happy birthday:
June 27 to Malinda Schmidt Linebaugh, Lori Linebaugh, Galen Wetzel, Troy Wombold, Pam Snyder, Randi Rose and Sherry Hunt.
June 28 to Becky Klipstine, Tyler Stump, twins Jann Peace and Jill Newman, Tracy Thwaits, twins Kimberly Bennett and Kelly Kelch, Joe Miller Jr., Don Hoffman, Ellen Spillers Cox and Scott Amspaugh.
June 29 to Laurie Doyle Erwin, Larry Peters, Delphus Pease, Samantha Shook and Amber Bertke.
June 30 to Polly Walls Eley, Shelly Siders, Robin Bousman, Iris Prasuhn, Joni Burelison, Dan Brown, Barry Rodeheffer, Joshua Black, Peggy Black and Brenda Arnett.
July 1 to Steve Waymire, Don Walters, Sarah Printz, Wesley Francks, Christine Shinn and Scott Wendel.
July 2 to Delores Beisner, Dawn Edwards Duff, Melanie Rimmer, Deb Prescott, Ruth Ann Lorton Riffle, Jeff Schlechty, Mark Mayo and Tim Weaver.
July 3 to Sharon Deeter, Susanne Barga, Kayla Widener, Spring Fox, Chloe Heck, Laura Rieman Waymire, Jerry Gower, Sarah Edwards and Kent Shinn.
Happy anniversary to Dale and Penny (Cox) Shimomura, and Bob and Lisa Mayo, all on June 29; Terry and Barb Hess on June 30; and Bob and Michelle (Brumbaugh) Jones, Ivan and Sheila Christian, Brian and Kelly Dapore and Doug and Sherry Hesson, all on July 1.
******
Think about it: “I would like to be remembered as someone who used whatever talent she had to do her work to the very best of her ability.” — Ruth Bader Ginsburg
