Where did the summer go?

I ran across this post about how it can seem like you have no free time in the summer. This summer it is true. Don't get me wrong, I love summer. But right now, I feel like summer's half gone and I haven't done all the things I wanted to do (be lazy). I'm still at the beginning of my summer reading list, and It's almost August!

My weekends have been filled with short trips, occasional work, baby showers, BBQ's, and family meet-ups (double time now that we're married.) Longer days mean a push to get more projects, chores and errands done. As a result, the leftover free time hardly feels adequate enough to enjoy the usual summer pastimes like frozen drinks, poolside lounging and being lazy.

I know my husband feels the pressure too, because we have a cabin up in the mountains that we (by we I mean he) completely gutted and is rebuilding into our little private hideaway. His deadline is to have a bathroom installed by Labor Day. There is an outhouse now. Not kidding! Once it is done, we'll be able to hole up there, snuggle, enjoy cozy fires in the cooler months and cool off in the awesome nearby lake in the summer months. So he spends all of his extra time trekking up there to git 'er done.

Cabin above, Garden below

This weekend we don't have anything planned, so I'll catch up on the housekeeping and some work, Hubby's going to work on the cabin. I did look ahead on the calendar, and aside from a weekend trip for my birthday, we don't have much planned, so maybe I'll be able to ease out of summer and sneak in a lazy day or two. How's your summer been so far?

Tubin'... tubin'.... tubin' down the river...

So this post is actually about what we did last weekend to stay cool. I'm sorry it's a week late, but it's hotter than a cat on a hot tin roof out and my brain cells are working at an appropriate Southern pace to accommodate the weather. And I just now found the cable to get pictures off of my camera. Anyhow, I highly recommend DIY tubing if you have the necessary ingredients.

Ingredients:

1. tubes & life jacket (state law)
2. river
3. friends
4. at least two cars

So you guys ready to let the dogs out?

We started off the morning waiting for our peeps to assemble. My hubby took our tubes (these are actually tire tubes from big truck tires) down to the gas station to fill them with air. Once everyone was assembled and the cars were packed, we drove about an hour and a half west to Harper's Ferry where we normally go tubing. We had a couple of pit stops along the way for coffee, breakfast and to re-secure the tubes stuffed into the back of the truck so they wouldn't fly all over I-70.

Operation Re-Secure Tubes

The only bad part about DIY tubing is that it takes some time to drop everyone off upriver, drive both cars down river to the end point, and then drive the remaining car back up to the drop-off point so that the drivers can participate. **Tip- leave the car with the food and beer drinks downriver. That way you can chow down right away and not have to wait until the food gets back to you.** The good part about DIY tubing is that there are no release forms and if you should float a cooler to down the river, you can pack it with whatever items you so desire. Drinking alcoholic beverages in the state parks of Maryland and West Virginia is illegal, but you might just fly by the seat of your pants if you are a DIY tuber. Speaking of flying by the seat of our pants, We also usually pick some fairly flattish rocks to stop on and sunbathe for a little bit along the way.

Can you spot the cooler? And yes, my husband is wearing a shirt, baseball cap, and his shoes.

Doesn't this look relaxing?

Then when you are done, carry your tube up the river bank to where the "down river" car is parked, open up the trunk and inhale anything resembling food as if it were your first and last meal.

Lil sis and I. All cooled down. And satiated.

Once adequately stuffed, send someone for the "upriver" car, reassemble and trek home. It is a nice little day trip, and a great way to enjoy nature while cooling off a little. Any DIY tubers out there?

It's hotter than a cat on a hot tin roof...

Seriously?

Enough with this heat! I've been having trouble making to the gym. It's a combination of my love of sleep and lack of motivation to get out there in this heat. You'd think I wouldn't mind the heat having grown up in Louisiana where the heat in the air sticks to you like a thick swampy blanket. However, I also believe that is why Southerners have perfected the art of rocking in the shade of a porch, sipping on sweet tea or even better, a mint julep.

Yesterday I sucked it up and went for a swim instead. I was on the swim team when I was little(r). I can say that it has been a good eight years since I have been in a pool with any regularity. It was a little intimidating since the other three swimmers in the pool at the time were obviously well trained in competitive swimming.

But you've got to start somewhere. So I started, lap one went well, then holy cow, swimming is hard! My arms felt like wet noodles after about 40 minutes. But it was nice to finish a workout, feel the burn so to speak, and not feel like a big sweaty mess. I'll try again today. What do you do for exercise in the heat?

Why summer is my favorite

In no particular order:

1. Pools (not mine, wish it was...)

2. Frozen drinks

3. Farmer's markets and fresh foods

4. Daylight

5. Weekend trips

6. Birthdays! (my favorite birthday candle ever! May have possibly been a road flare.)

Only thing I don't like:

The air is heavy, thick, and hot. Feels like 105 degrees. Feels like I'm back in Lousiana.

Passez un bon été