Officially Summer !!!!!!!!!!

I live for the next three months despite my hatred of the heat and humidity.

I love the freedom to forward my office calls to my cell phone and to access my office laptop remotely from the grounds of my swim club -- usually without my clients' knowledge although some of them catch on. I love sitting under a big tree with sunshine peeking through the shade. I love the smell of chlorine on everything and the sound of small groups of people chattering, singing, scolding their kids for running on the pool deck or just watching them enjoy the environment. I love watching how much Ryan's (#4) swimming has improved over the winter (since hubby takes him to winter swimming). I love the slower pace and reduced stress that being at Beachcomber brings to me after a heinous winter and a horrific week.

At 12 noon tomorrow, the grounds open. At 1 p.m., the pool opens. It's going to be sunny and warm and not hot. The pool will be freezing cold since it has rained every day this week and I will absolutely go in the pool. My game plan is so simple -- just for once. Jenny has swim lesson (at the YMCA indoor pool which will not be ice cold) at 11:45 a.m., we'll come home after that and I'll head to the pool because I don't know how to say no and agreed to coordinate swim team registration. From 3 p.m. on (both Saturday and Sunday and ALL day on Monday), my time is my own for the next few days.

Jenny will need to be chased and prevented from eating sand or climbing on the "wheel of death" (merry-go-round), but that's part of what makes summer special. Ryan is easy -- he never remembers from year to year how chilly the water is -- he plans to take his "deep water test" and disappear with his friends into the trees; coming out now and then to ask for food from the snack bar. We'll have chicken marinating in the fridge (and then in the cooler) with a side of the best Caesar Salad on the planet (which serves all of us -- it's HUGE). Fresh fruit for snacks and everyone shares with everyone and watches out for everyone.

Thank God... my Peaceful Place opens in a few short hours.