Summer is here and almost over

Yesterday I was talking with my sister-in-law - who, btw, shares the same name (Cassandra) - and we were discussing the summer and how it feels like it is almost over. Our plans make for less than relaxing moments and before you know it, summer is over, school starts and Fall is in the air. She even noted that some stores have winter coats for sale. YIKES! I remember summers as being lazy fun days growing up. No plans, no camp. Just wake up, eat breakfast and do whatever I wanted. That usually consisted of getting together with the kids on my street (Jimmy, Matt, Mabel, Tony, Lynn, myself and my sister) and figuring out what to do. We used to put on plays. The house next door to my parents was the home to the church's nuns, three to be exact. They were wonderful. Our terrible plots and acting were tortured upon them. How could they say no?! Seriously, any sins they may have committed were wiped away bearing with our requests with a smile.

Speaking of my childhood summers, I did spend one summer with a woman who took only a handful of children (no more than five) and teach them art. I *LOVED* being with her. I remember she had a huge yard - felt like it went on for miles - and we would spend the afternoons in her backyard painting. The mornings were spent drawing, learning to work clay or learning about colors. Of all of the "organized" activities my mom ever sent me to do (done them all: golf, tennis, camp, swimming, etc), I loved this one. The others were boring. By nature, I do not like being told what to do or when to do something. I spent one day at camp. Hated it. Everyone had to pick what they wanted to do all day - normal. I just did not like being told that I could swim only at this time, do arts and crafts at another. So, in typical spirit, I didn't. I would wander from activity to activity deciding which I wanted to do and when. Needless to say, the camp counselors were not pleased. Nor my mom. I called to have her pick me up as I was bored. She arrived to discover no one knew where I was. They didn't even know I called her. Luckily, I never went back!

May some fun childhood memories of summer flood your mind today!!!