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Women's Health Blog

Summertime and the Livin' is Easy

Summer is my favorite time of year!  Maybe it’s because my birthday is in July – as a child, I felt pretty special having a summer birthday. My birthday usually meant that I got to go to the Boardwalk and enjoy all that Funland has to offer! 

I even remember having my 7th birthday on the beach!  Now, as an adult, I always schedule it so I can have my birthday off.  It’s part of that lingering childhood specialness that I want to enjoy.  There is just a fun and relaxed vibe to summer that fills us with anticipation and expectation.  However, I am all too aware of just how short summer really is, and I want to savor as much as possible!   

Now that I am a mother, one of the things that makes life easier in the summer is no school!  I know for some families it makes life more demanding, but for me, no morning routine of getting the kids up and to school makes my life a lot easier!  I can sleep in a little later, no lunches to pack, except my own, and I can drive straight to work without sitting in the drop-off line! It’s also easier at the end of the day not having to worry if everyone is getting to bed at a decent hour. And, I don’t have to stress if they stay up a little later.

One of the things I look forward to most, of course, is the weather.  Warmer weather means fewer clothes – summer clothes are just more relaxed and more comfortable. Add to that flip flops (my fave!) and I am one happy girl!  Nothing is easier than slipping on flip flops in the morning to walk the dog, water the flowers, or take a walk!  So easy!

I do not miss the bundling-up requirement in the winter – having to put on a jacket, hat, gloves, scarf and my Uggs is too much some days!

The warmer weather also means I can enjoy my porch.  I look forward to Saturday and Sunday mornings in summer when I can sit back with my coffee in the morning, or a glass of wine in the evening, and enjoy the breeze, the birdsong, the green space, and colorful blooms throughout my yard. If the breezes are right, I love the sound of the wind chimes. There is also nothing better than sitting on the porch “storm watching!”  I love the excitement of a good thunderstorm and the smell of summer rain is pretty special, too.

 

Life is a Day at the Beach

Another one of my favorite pastimes is going to the beach. It’s in my blood – I was raised on the beach. I have the wrinkles and sunspots to prove it! It is a love that I’ve been able to cultivate in my kids, too. Our Sunday tradition is to head to the jetty at the state park and spend the entire day. The kids get to socialize and frolic with their friends, I get to sit in my chair under the umbrella and read (how easy is that??!!).  To me, there is almost nothing better. It nourishes my heart and soul. I would do it every day if given the chance…

There is something special about coming home from the beach, taking a quick shower, putting on the comfy clothes, and flip flops and eating a summer meal.  Sometimes, dinner can be as simple as fresh steamed corn and sliced summer tomatoes!  Throw a burger or some chicken on the grill and it’s all good! 

Right now, as I am writing this blog, I confess that we have not been to the beach once yet this year!  My kids are still very involved with travel sports, which have consumed our weekends!  I have only had a half hour here and there to enjoy my porch, but my anticipation of this coming weekend with no travel sports demands leaves me giddy!  I am going to do it all! 

Now that I am thinking about it, my summer “to-do” list is chock-full of activities:  Kayak in the Rehoboth Bay, catch as many sunsets as I can on the beach at the Rehoboth Sailing Association, get to the Freeman stage to listen to some good music, go to the beach as much as possible, read some good books, eat as many fresh tomatoes as possible, eat some good juicy peaches, make peach cobbler, go to the Doo-Dah parade, watch the fireworks somewhere, stroll the boardwalk to “people watch,” swim in the ocean, bike the trails, stop at a roadside stand on Plantations road to buy corn, make tomato and mozzarella salad using fresh farm tomatoes and fresh basil, and just be grateful that I live in this beautiful place where I can truly enjoy my favorite time of year!

How are you going to live this summer?

Bridget Buckaloo

Bridget Buckaloo

Bridget Buckaloo, MSN, is Executive Director of Women's Health Services at Beebe Healthcare.