Summer Wishes

I am looking forward to a lot of things this summer. School doesn't even let out until next week, but we are already facing a calendar (almost) full of wonderful plans. The days in between will have plenty of time for relaxing, running through sprinklers, play groups, reading, gardening, writing and just generally soaking up the sun.

If the sun ever comes out, that is. We've had just a few sunny days in the last six weeks. The weatherman, however, has forecasted the next week and a half to be full of blue skies and NO RAIN. Oh, I hope so.

Next week will bring a day at the coast and a special out-to-dinner to celebrate the end of school. We have playdates, a birthday party and a couple of barbecues to round out June.

The first two weeks of July will mean a trip to Utah and a much-anticipated family reunion, with Plantboy's entire family in attendance. (Every two years his parents and eight siblings have reunion, though it has been a long time since everyone has been able to gather.) After the reunion, Plantboy has to come back home, but I will stay on longer with the kids. We "plan" to swim, visit old friends, have a barbecue, take a ride in Grandpa's boat and whatever else comes up. The thing to which I'm most looking forward is an invite to Desmama's book group, wherein I hope to meet a couple of bloggy buddies for "real." I cannot imagine any group of women I'd prefer to discuss Jane Eyre with. The Bronte girls excepted, of course. (Oh, yes, you want to stop and check out that link.)

When we get back from Utah, Jedi Knight has a week of Cub Scout Camp. The shuttling and volunteering might be a bit of a pain for mom, but he is so excited that his enthusiasm has actually rubbed off on me a bit. We love Cub Scouts around here. No doubt there will Pinewood Derby pictures posted here next.

In August we have a couple of weeks of swimming lessons. The pool has an open time for young families (only their small pools are open) that overlaps our swimming time, so we will probably be down there for a good chunk of every day. Late August should lead us back to the coast, at least once, and on a camping trip or two.

Somewhere along the way I hope to get another manuscript "finished." At least finished to the point where I am ready for a couple of friends to view it. I hope to spend the fall doing heavy re-writing on as many as three manuscripts with the goal to submit all three before the end of the year.

What are you looking forward to? Let's anticipate together and then share memories come September.