Summer Magic
When I was a kid, summer vacation stretched from the end of May to the end of August, allowing all a full 3 months to relax and recover. If you had a bully, it was a great time to forget about him (with the possible exception of hoping he'd catch a baseball to the face when you saw him playing on your cousin's team at Little League - true story, y'all). If you had a sibling, summer granted you endless hours of sunshine to create a sweaty, Icee-stained world fueled by your imagination. You probably conquered a few fears by jumping off the deep end of the pool or making it through Camp Ba-Yo-Ca without calling home every night. By the time school started, you were generally more resilient and better equipped for the coming year. (I think the grown-ups call that "maturity.")
I've enjoyed that cycle all my life. For me, summer continues to be a riveting dichotomy of activity and reflection. How can I not be drawn outside? There are innumerable summer events in Knoxville - everything from outdoor movies to Shakespeare on the Square. And despite the sweltering humidity, Ben and I live within walking distance of the gently flowing Tennessee River. What could be better than to sit along its banks as the evening softly approaches? The meditative "REE-a-REE-a-REE" song of the jarflies never fails to soothe me.
This season has felt more like the aforementioned typical childhood summer than any in my adult life. Ben and I continue to recover from the ongoing care of my mom. She is well-cared for in her nursing home, and we are regaining strength. The Year of Our Lord 2018 has felt like an especially tough grade of school with an especially tough teacher. That's why I have been fiercely dedicated to creating as many joyful experiences as I can, and my family has made that possible! My in-laws visited earlier this summer and treated us to a trip to the aquarium. It was an absolute delight. Never have I pushed so many 4-yr-olds out of my way to look at penguins and smiling stingrays.
Little Tammy and Timmy, I apologize.
Ben and I took an enjoyable ride out to Harriman, TN, the self-proclaimed 'Utopia of Temperance.' The sign in front of its old university hall stated that the town was founded in 1891 and created to be "an ideal industrial city, an object lesson for thrift, sobriety, superior intelligence, and exalted moral character." Unfortunately, I can only check off 3 of those 4 boxes, but we sure loved looking at the historical homes.
Since our mom was diagnosed, my sister has made visiting a priority. She lives 7 hours away, so time spent with her tends to be carefully planned so we can make every minute count. This past weekend, she, my brother-in-law, and their hound mix Porter 'Wag'oner came to see us. On Saturday, we spent the entire day hanging out, just the two of us. It was literally the first time in 14 years that we had had a chance to do so.
Like many other summer days of the past, we spent our time in Pigeon Forge. We began by touring the Apple Barn. My sister contemplated buying a Papaw Hat complete with embroidered apples while I admired a University of Tennessee-branded chip-and-dip platter that I would use precisely zero times if purchased. Next was the Christmas Shoppe (which is pronounced "shop-pee," if you didn't know), home of about 150 competing candle scents and some pretty decorations made out of reclaimed barn wood and, I dunno, artisanal apple scrapings? It was nice, though.
Finally, we made it to the Island, which some consider a more upscale version of Gatlinburg's main tourist area. For example, there are way fewer places at the Island where you dress up like an old-tyme saloon girl and have your picture taken, and you will likely not see any crudely drawn trademarked characters airbrushed onto clothing. Whether you consider that more upscale or not is a personal matter, however, and one that changes regularly in my mind.
We went shopping for gummy army men for my husband at the sweet store, and got a friend some limited edition Nerds flavors. I bought my sister a candy watch, and she devoured it in the time it took to leave the store and walk past the beef jerky outlet. She was the same way as a kid. All she needed was an extra-syrupy grape Slush Puppy to wash it down with, and it would have felt like 1988.
My sister, candy jewelry connoisseur since birth
On Sunday, we took Mom out for a picnic at our favorite park along the river. Mom was having a pretty good day, and I was grateful. She couldn't finish the big cheeseburger she had for lunch, so she shared it with Porter. He had a pretty good day, too.
Students start back next week here in Knoxville. Although I am long past school age, I use this date as my unofficial start to the end of summer. I'm not a fan of cold weather or holiday cooking, so I tend to want to squeeze out every last drop and leave it a dried-out, empty Fla-Vor-Ice tube of a season.
The holidays are coming, and with it, a Santa-sized bundle of grief and stress as we navigate our new normal. I'm thankful for the respite the Lord has given me, for reminders of summers past and for the opportunity to create more memories.
School is almost back in session. What will we learn this year?
August 2, 2018
