With Summer slowly approaching us (at least in Upstate NY it’s a very slow approach) I thought it would be nice to write a blog about my summer memories. It certainly is a much nicer topic than the virus or the news or anything like that. And I have lots of great memories of my summers growing up and I think they all involve my mom in one way or another.
When I was growing up I loved visiting my dad’s family for Memorial Day, the 4th of July, my birthday, Labor Day, and whatever else may have fallen between those days. We would all gather together in the backyard and play different games. We would eat BBQ for lunch and dinner. I can remember the BBQ grill that my great aunts had would always take forever to heat up the charcoal. I also remember my favorite dish to eat was potatoes with green beans. There was always so much laughter going on between my grandparents, my great aunts, and uncles, my parents, and me. Those were some fun days!
On my mom’s side, we had a family BBQ that was always on a Saturday. I can’t remember if it was in July or August, but I do know one Saturday in those two months was always set aside for the McCann family BBQ. I loved that BBQ! It was always held at my aunt and uncle’s house in Lynbrook on Long Island. They had an in-ground pool, lots of food for lunch and supper, a volleyball net to play volleyball, and my mom always brought Dunkin Donuts. It was the one day a year I got to see all my aunts, uncles, cousins, and close friends of the McCann’s. I always looked forward to that one particular Saturday during the summer months.
I do have other summer memories, but I think I would like to end this blog with what is probably my most favorite summer memory. This memory is of me and my mom. I can remember on those hot summer days when my mom and I went on errands, we would do a lot of walking. We would go from store to store buying what was needed and do some browsing at the same time. When all the errands were done, and we were heading back home, my mom would buy us each an Italian ice. On a rare occasion, I would ask for lemon ice, but for the most part, I would get chocolate ice. Usually, I would also get a small, but everyone once in a while my mom would let me get a medium. I sure do miss that Italian ice! Not as much as I miss my mom, but I think you get the point.
Kathleen Smith is an indie author, blogger and she has her own podcast Kathleen’s Korner. You can read or listen about her life in Brooklyn and Upstate NY . You can also either read or listen to her personal story of how she and her husband kept their marriage together through 3 miscarriages in Miscarriages My Story