Fickle June

 The days leading up to our summer departure always find me with mixed emotions.  After spring in Texas, which is usually one of the nicer seasons with plenty of golf and socializing, I find myself feeling very at home in my life.  I am slow to change the status quo, just ask my husband, especially if I am enjoying the status quo.  So, when we decided to head north earlier than usual, I had some hesitations.  Why change if things are going well?  But the other of us was ready for the summer migration, so north we go.

I spent a week packing up my life and saying goodbye to the luxuries I take for granted in Texas.  Things like twice weekly garbage pickup, air conditioning, a grocery store less than 2 miles from my house, Oscar (our yard man), living my life on one floor instead of 3, my car, having my golf course less than 2 miles from the house, municipal (softened) water and sewage instead of a well and septic tank, fast reliable internet, television and being 5 hours away from my mom if needed.  This last one becomes more important as life goes on.   All of this runs through my head while I pack for the summer and wonder why we are going so early.  And then we get here, we make that drive down those old familiar roads, I see the water for the first time, I smell the air and hug people who have been in my life forever...and I know.  It does not hurt that we arrived on a day that looked like this...

Twice weekly trash pickup can't compare...beach for the win!!!

As if karma was slapping me in my hesitant face, we arrived for two of the most beautiful days of the summer with unseasonably warm temperatures and perfectly blue skies. On day three reality set in. We experienced that high you get when you arrive and everything is perfect and you question why you had any doubts.  I really got fooled!  On day 3 it all came back to me.  Early June at the shore is cold and wet.  Those two 80-degree days were merely a mirage. This is how I remember early June...cold and wet.  The good thing is that several trees fell down last year in a hurricane, and they are now firewood fueling our stove and keeping us cozy.  

From perfection to this in one night. 
Oh June, how fickle you are!

This week we celebrated our 45th....45th!! anniversary.  Wow!  We have celebrated this day up here before, and still I remember that all those years ago this girl never would have imagined having the luxury of spending so much time up here.  I love this place now, but I may have even loved it more back then.  Back then I was an idealistic, romantic and summers at the shore were some of the most special and perfect times of my life.  There was something so special about coming of age in the summers at the shore.  I must say, there is also something special about growing older at the shore.  I am not spending time pining over some summer crush while listening to love songs on the radio, I am a lot more comfortable in my current relationship that has stood the test of time, several relocations and 4 wonderful children!  I can still listen to music and get sentimental...even on a cold, rainy day.  Cue up some Gordon Lightfoot and toast the last 45 years and summers at the shore!

One thing I love most about my 45-year partner is that once again we each gave in a little and will both be getting our way.  I reluctantly agreed to come up early this year, knowing how fickle June conditions are so he can plant the garden and do all the frontier man things he loves, and he agreed that we could leave for part of June and go somewhere warmer...and take a real vacation.  Because believe me, life at the farmhouse is June is not a vacation! 

Pretty sure we are not missing anything special here,
unless we grow feathers and start to quack!

Adios June gloom, please don't follow us!