The last day of June

Here it is! The last day of June!! Where did these past 30 days go??? For as long as I can remember, I have always associated "summer" with long, dreamy, leisurely, warm days and evenings when time slows down. Maybe from spending my growing up years in a latch-key (long before that phrase ever existed) type of situation in our brick apartment building on the third floor in Cedar Falls, Iowa, while Mom worked as a retail clerk, for "peanuts," and my brother, Ed, took on the role of "bread winner" in my Dad's absence, at Rath's, a meat packing plant. One of my favorite pasttimes in the evening after dark, was sitting on our screened-in porch of that third floor apartment, enjoying the summer fragrances, the noise of crickets and cicadas, trying to guess where the next lightening bug was going to twinkle, and keeping tabs on all the traffic on Main Street. (Remember, Donna?) Life was definitely alot simpler back then. All through the years since, I have looked forward to "summer," when life and time seem to move at a slower pace. Sadly, the calendar on my wall always dispels this illusion and brings me back to reality!
Reality, however, isn't all that bad! One of the loveliest gifts this last calendar day of the month has brought me, is the arrival of our son, David, his beautiful wife, Laura, and their adorable, spunky seven year old daughter, Allison, from Washington state. They have made the 17 hour drive to spend the fourth of July with family and friends, in what has become an annual holiday celebration!! Hope you, too, are planning a special memory-making event to commemorate our country's birthday! Come and join us!!