Okay, kids, school is back in session, and it’s time for your first assignment. What was your favourite thing about this past summer? Those of us on the boards day to day have shared in many of the events of our fellow dopers, true, but let’s get some feel-good stuff going. What was the best part of summer? The best part of your vacation? The greatest event?
The best part of my summer was the week that my step daughter got to spend with us. It was so nice having her there every day, doing the “whole family” thing, seeing our two girls together as sisters.
Hmmm. We had a good summer here in Plutopia, so it’s hard to pick. I guess the best was seeing my daughter, Plutina, grow up a little. She’s been struggling with authority since she was about 14 (she’s now 17) and is finally beginning to see we’re not just making rules up to make her life miserable. So the start of this school year is much happier than the end of the last.
Other high points, for me, were attending a computer geek conference in San Francisco, where I got to meet some fellow Dopers (not at the conference!) and Mrs. P. also got to join me for a day and we “did the town”. We honeymooned in SF, so it was very romantic and all that yucky stuff.
I also fulfilled a lifelong ambition and got to stand on top of Steptoe Butte in SE Washington state. (Hey, you have your lifelong ambitions and I have mine!)
Being able to go to a Renaisance festival again. I went every year when I lived in Michigan, then moved to NC and they had none. Didn’t realized I was so deprived until I once again moved to a state that has one. They are such fun. MMmmmm, turkey leg.
Princess Poopy-pants signing in. The best part of my summer is that it is over. Ugh. It was not a happy time. Two funerals in two months…not good. Somebody take me along on their fun summer excersions next year? I’m ready for Halloween…
Oh, and I am ssoooooo glad you all had good summers. That’s nice to hear.
I’ve been making jewelry and selling it at summer festivals since last year. My best selling day last year was at a local music festival, only the second fest I’d ever done – and the stuff I made last year was pretty sad compared to what I’ve been making recently. So I was looking forward to this year’s festival, both for the music and fun of hanging out with my friends and to see how well I could do. Well, I nearly tripled last year’s sale! I was busy all day helping customers and actually didn’t get to actively watch a lot of the performers. But it was a blast – I made a lot of money and got validation that yes, I make cool jewelry that people like!
And struuter, it’ll get better. I can’t help thinking of how rotten last winter was – our best-beloved springer spaniel died unexpectedly (and horribly) a few days before Christmas, and there was other related fallout from her death that was absolutely awful. Then hubby and I were both sick with various things in January and ran up some big medical bills. Yucko. We just held on to each other and told ourselves it would get better. And it did. Hang in there!
Thank you, very sweet person. I have high hopes for Fall. My favorite season anyway. Sorry, oh so sorry about your springer spaniel. Glad to hear you are doing well.
I also learned to surf, bought a pistol, bought a satellite dish, learned to love cooking with my wok, earned enough frequent flyer miles to go to the Carribean, decided I hate small towns, found the best toy for my cats and found a new job.
The best part of my summer was a fishing trip to Canada. One week, a boat trip to an 80 year old two story summer house on a lake. No electricity, a couple of propane lamps, a propane fridge, & stove, and a fishing boat. A kind of mini reunion with all of my wife’s siblings and their parents.
The first day of vacation I got a new dog, an Irish Setter. It’s been three years since my last dog, so my spirits were severely lifted when I got the new puppy.
(Asking the Irish guys: Are there any Irish Setters in Ireland?)
The last day of vacation I went to the corner stop-n-rob for some minor purchase and received a 1944 Mercury head dime in my change. It’s in fair condition.
The days in-between were filled with golf, yard work and puppy time.
For autumn vacation one I get to drive cross-country starting in San Diego. I’ll get to visit some states I’ve never seen except for pictures. Autumn vacation two will take me to Cancun – you get the picture.
Sn-man: I spent three summer vacations in that house when I was a kid. The wood-burning stove and the fresh pike were my personal highlights.
Oh, yeah, I guess that’s another good thing about our summer: Phyllis, the springer spaniel wonder-puppy! She was born February 7th and we brought her home in April. She has been an absolute joy and chief troublemaker. We call her “the Philistine.” It’s hard to be “down” and in the same room with Miss Enthusiasm! She is definitely a worthy successor to the late great Miss Emily, and a tonic to our broken hearts.
For my summer vacation I went to school for most of it and I helped run a tournament and then I stayed home and didn’t do much but then I went to my cabin in WVA and didn’t do much there either but I watched some movies oh yeah and I joined this message board where all the members well most of them well okay maybe like half of them are older than me but they have kids so they’re yucky
I can do run-ons, but I refuse to deliberately misspell words:P
A few years ago I lost my mom and brother one year apart, and in between I lost my two oldest and dearest cats. When I look back on that year, I wonder how I managed to survive the whole thing.
The answer is, you do what you have to do. You pick up the pieces, you hold the ones you love a tad bit tighter, you learn to appreciate them a little more, you realize that you are not going to live forever, and if there is something undone or unsaid, you had best say or do it now.
It is a cliche, but I believe that it is true that God does not give us anything that we can’t handle. That doesn’t mean that it will be fun, but it does mean that we have the strength to deal with whatever happens. (Another cliche alert-but it seems to me that statements become cliches because they are so often true) Time will help. It really will, I promise.
You are an awesome woman, honey, and you will come through this just fine. I hope you don’t mind, but I am saying a prayer for you.
Scotti
PS-I thought I had posted this (or something similar) a few minutes ago, but it doesn’t appear to have gone through. If it did and just doesn’t show yet, please forgive the duplicate post.
