My Ultimate Summer Day

What’s your favorite season? Mine hasn’t changed since I was a child growing up in New Jersey–summer! I associate that season with time off for fun. Our ten weeks of summer break was deeply needed after so many months cooped up in school.

I don’t like weather that involves raking or shoveling. Winter is enjoyable here in the Arizona desert, but I still like summer better, though in the 100+ degree heat, I’d prefer to be in the pool if I have to be outside.

My ideal summer day is based on the ones I experienced as a 15-year-old. The sky would be blue, the sun warm, the temperature in the mid-to-upper 80s (though with the typical 85% humidity, it would be much less comfortable than Arizona dry heat), and I would be at the beach. I’d have a cooler with me, with cold soda and sandwiches and snacks. I’d have no responsibilities for the day—no job to go to, no meals to prepare, no appointments upcoming, no pressing deadlines to meet. And I’d have a friend with me, preferably one of the opposite sex.

When our kids were little and we still lived in New Jersey, but closer to the Pennsylvania border rather than near the Atlantic shore, we might drive half an hour to a lake to have a change of pace from the backyard pool. But my ideal day still included sun and water.

When we moved to Arizona, we bought another house with a pool, because we knew it would play a big part in our summers. A lot of people don’t like having pools, because they see the upkeep as tedious and expensive. But we had five kids. Going on a one-week vacation during the summer would cost us more than the price of a year’s worth of pool chemicals. And really, if you invest in a good pool vacuum, maintenance only takes maybe an hour or less a week (assuming you don’t have trees dropping leaves directly into the pool). When the kids were young, we were in the pool every day. The kids’ birthday parties were always pool parties (except for Andy’s—he was born in December).

Now, with our kids all grown, we are not in the pool every day from April through October. Greg’s not been in the pool in years. I average about a dozen dips per summer, though every time I go in, I wonder why I don’t do it every day.

I’ve only been in once so far this year. But Monday is Memorial Day (which in New Jersey is considered the first day of beach season), so after meditating on the sacrifices of our Armed Services, I’m planning to cool off in the pool.

I can’t wait.