Summer holidays have officially begun for our family. I celebrated convocation with my students last week. Ellie finished school, and we headed north to Matt’s Aunt’s cottage. We made it back in time for the major summer festival in my hometown.
As always, our objective is to do summer. Fill it with as much fun, relaxing, play and memories as we can.
We’re already off to a good start.
Here are some of the things we’re looking forward to and some of the things I’ve enjoyed recently.
I live my day as if it was the last
Lush Life by Zara Larsson
Live my day as if there was no past…
Doin’ it all night, all summer
Gonna spend it like no other
Sometimes my phone starts playing music. Rather than explaining it as just a technical glitch, I like to believe it’s Matt, my Dad or his Mom with a message for me. The other day the above song came on, and no matter what buttons I pushed it wouldn’t stop playing. I had never heard it before, but it felt like a good description of how I’m thinking about this summer.
Finding creative places to read this summer has been a fun exercise. (Ellie is taking “exercise” literally. See photo above.)
This scavenger hunt from our local conservation authority has good ideas no matter where you live.
The ducklings have moved to the coop. I’m looking for a bathtub to add to their run and a chest freezer (doesn’t have to work) to store food. If you hear of someone getting rid of one, please let me know.
Do you know about the MAPL test for music?
Another Canada Day story, this year marks 35 years of the Heritage Minutes. “It’s amazing how a simple moment, a minute, can encourage you to learn more and to talk about more and to be involved with the discussion around our past, our present and our future.”
This quote has been on my mind since Father’s Day.
“We’re just here to be memories for our kids… Once you’re a parent, you’re the ghost of your children’s future.”
Interstellar
Matt and my Dad are now memories and ghosts for Ellie and me. Someday I’ll be the same for her. This summer will be part of how Ellie remembers me in her future.
Those memories don’t have to be big.
I hope they will be our tradition of camping out on the summer solstice, the day the turtle showed up in the chicken run, the playground I made her, hiking in the woods, and all the love and joy we share.
Home on 129 Acres 
Hope you, Ellie and Steve have a wonderful summer creating and making new terrific memories. Enjoy â£ï¸
Pam âï¸
Sent from my iPad
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Same to you and your family, Pam.
I feel strong affinity toward the quotation you shared about being the ghost of your children’s futures. My wife and I are older parents – I was forty-four when our daughter was born, and my wife was fifty-one – because it took us eight difficult years to finally bring our now two-year-old into the world. As the journey wore on, we often ruminated on whether we should give up, knowing that our at-that-time-hypothetical child would have us present for far fewer years than we have been fortunate – so far- to have had our own parents with us.
Now that she is here, we are doing everything we can to maximize that time and build a strong foundation for her, as well as cementing connections with our extended families that will hopefully be her anchor after we are gone. My wife has been the driving force behind this, finding interesting and hopefully memorable experiences for us to enjoy together locally. Touring the frequent themed exhibitions at the Royal Botanical Gardens, and walking through Whistling Gardens south of Brantford on the weekend before school resumed in September stand out as particularly indelible experiences that I recommend if you are close enough to make a day of them.
https://whistlinggardens.ca/
I’m always on the lookout for quotations that encapsulate important life principles I want to live by. Thank you for sharing this one; it will remind me to put down the busy work that too often competes with memory-making…
I resonate with what you’ve shared so much. I didn’t have Ellie until I was 38, and I’m conscious that means less time than some other parents have… though more than others as you say. I love that you’re being so intentional about building connections for her. I think those are valuable, no matter your family situation.
No matter our situations, it is good to remember that this is our one life, and life goes only one way. When today is gone, we don’t get it back. For me, that makes decisions of how to spend my time easier.
Thanks as well for the suggestions of the RBG and Whistling Gardens. Those are within our area.