a manifesto for summer

In looking back at last year's manifesto, I realized that I didn't do so many of the things I had hoped to. You may recall that Jared ended up spending almost the entire summer in California working, and this really put a damper on my summer as I was not nearly as motivated to get out and do things on my own as I wish I had been. In contrast, this summer has already been a major improvement over last year. But I'm still not feeling like I want to make such concrete goals anymore. Have you all read Andrea's manifesto? No? Well get over there right now and read it. It makes me want to fly. Really, go on. I'll be here when you get back.

Okay, welcome back. Wasn't that amazing? Sometimes I wish I was that good of a writer. But I'm not. Back in the spring, when Jared got a new job, a job that's allowing him to be here this summer, and to have regular, working person hours, and be home at night and on the weekends, and to not be broke, a job that, despite all it's benefits, kind of thwarted some incredibly exciting plans that we had started to make. Back then, I declared this to be the summer o' fun. I think I'm doing a pretty decent job so far.

We're taking walks with the dog. I'm biking almost everyday. We're eating dinner outside. I'm getting my hands dirty in the garden. And am starting to eat the fruits of those hands in the dirt. I'm preserving food for the winter. I'm visiting new parks and exploring the city and going on plant walks. We will watch movies outside in the park. We will go camping and hiking. We will swim in the Ocean (that's right, the Ocean) while on our two trips to Maine, and in the lakes, while at home. We will bike to our friends' houses and just hang out in the backyard with the dogs and some beers. We will research getting a bike trailer for the dog. We will look at houses. We will have quiet nights at home with early dinners and music on the stereo and working on projects.

This summer, I will make a dent in my polaroid stash. I will lay on a blanket in the backyard and read a book. And write letters. Drinking rhubarb soda. Eating raspberries straight off the bush. This summer, we will enjoy the life we have. Because we have it. And that's reason enough to celebrate.