Summer's Close

Terry and I were on our way home from flea marketing on Saturday when a country song "Old School" by Chuck Wicks ( best known to me for dancing with Julianne Hough on DWTS) came on. Of course, I think he's 12, but still, the feeling of  his memories of summer are not vastly different from mine.   It is  a cute summer song.

When I think of summer songs I have to say I have a one ( ok, maybe two) guilty pleasure and that is Kid Rock's  "All Summer Long".  I am from Michigan and Terry is from Northern Michigan and grew up on a lake.  We can relate.   I can say I have sung my share of  " Sweet Home Alabama " too. 

I didn't live by a lake, but I did live close to a gravel pit that had a man made beach where teens gathered. It had a concession stand and for a short time hosted beach parties at night on the weekend. My most vivid memory was going with girlfriends and sporting my new red and white flowered bikini that had "surfer jams" with it.  Remember those?  They were like long shorts that matched the suit, with ruffles around the knees.

  On one occasion, wearing that suit, I got up off my beach towel, left my best friend behind to go get drinks for us.  I got a few looks along the way and thought I was really rockin' that bikini.  When I got back and set down with the drinks, my "friend" reached over a plucked a big red hot candy she had put in my belly button.  Now girls have belly button rings, but not back then.  I was mortified and knew then what people had been looking at.

No matter which state you are from, you have your own memories of when summer meant fun and limitless possibilities of adventure. 

So get ready for summer.  It's almost here.