About Me

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Delta, British Columbia, Canada
I took very early retirement from teaching in '06 and did some traveling in Europe and the UK before settling down to do some private tutoring. As a voracious reader, I have many books waiting in line for me to read. Tell me I shouldn't read something, and I will. I'm a happy, optimistic person and I love to travel and through that believe that life can be a continuous learning experience. I'm looking forward to traveling more some day. I enjoy walking, cycling, water aerobics & and sports like tennis, volleyball, and fastpitch/baseball. I'm just getting into photography as a hobby and I'm enjoying learning all the bits and bobs of my digital camera. My family is everything to me and I'm delighted to be the mother of two girls and the Gramma of a boy and a girl. I may be a Gramma, but I'm at heart just a girl who wants to have fun.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Photo Hunt - LAZY DAYS OF SUMMER

*Humble thanks to David at authorblog for honouring me with his Post of the Day for this story.

When I think of the word "lazy," my mind goes back to the days when we'd spend our summer vacations at Shuswap Lake. Those were some of the happiest and laziest of days I've ever spent. Even though I had to cook on an old temperamental gas stove, wash dishes in a tiny sink, sweep the floor several times a day because of all the sand and grit that came in on shoes and bare feet, drive a mile and a half to the local laundromat, and bathe in the lake (we at least had an indoor toilet, but the septic tank often acted up), those were the lazy days of summer. Before children arrived, hubby and I would have dreamy days floating on the water, rowing the boat across to Copper Island, or strolling through the government campsite on our way to get an ice-cream treat.




In the morning and late at night, hubby Brian would stuff the old potbelly with newspaper, kindling, and logs so that the cabin was nice and cosy for me. In turn, I'd make the coffee while he built the evening campfire, and then he'd serenade me on his guitar. We'd make a wish on the first star and pretend to count them as one after another they popped out in the black sky. Sometimes, we'd hear the plop plop plop of a toad as it hopped towards the water that quietly lapped against the shore.
When we had children, my favourite time of day was after lunch when all the chores were done and I could don my bathing suit (I wasn't embarrassed about the bod then!), hat, sunglasses, Walkman, and thongs (which are currently called flip-flops because some other personal garment stole the name) and drag my chaise onto the boat dock. While hubby kept an eye on the kids and the dog, I'd bask in the warmth of the sun as the dock gently swayed me into a coma-like state of relaxation.



As soon as the girls were old enough to wear life jackets, we'd take them out in the big boat, too. Here are my hubby (left) with his best friend Eric and our daughter Jamie and Eric's son Ryan (both kids were about 2 years old then.)





And when the girls were old enough, they had to take over some of the chores, one of which was the dishes. Thank God for children! They took turns washing and drying and they also had to wipe up the counters and sweep the porch. One of their favourite chores was shucking the corn for dinner. They did it sitting outside at our picnic table and it was fun to listen to them chatter away while I was busy in the kitchen. Can you see our poor pooch panting away in the afternoon heat?
















Brian was a great Dad. He loved his girls more than anyone could ever know and he spent time with them on aqua bikes, teaching them to fish and water ski, horseback ride, and build the traditional evening campfire - while I relaxed.































Yes, those were the lazy days of summer that I enjoy looking back on. I miss them because it truly was a part of the best time of my life.
After Brian died in 1992, life became a continuous whirlwind of working and bringing up my girls through their tantrum-laden teen years. We made it through, although with some scars.
It really hasn't been until retirement that I've felt as though there have been days when I can be lazy again. Sometimes I don't even make my bed when I get up in the morning. Horrors! I was taught to make the bed, do up the dishes, dust, and vacuum every day! But heck, one solitary soul doesn't stir up much dust these days. I enjoy my lazy mornings of a light breakfast and two mugs of coffee while I watch "The View." (that's a hint at the time I usually get downstairs) Then it's the newspaper and the daily crossword, maybe a phone call or two, and preparing for my students after school. Oh, I do other things, but it's at my own time and pace. And I love it.

39 comments:

Heart of Rachel said...

Great photos of your family vacation. It's always wonderful to take time to relax and have fun with the whole family.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful pics and memories :)

Carver said...

Great post about the lazy days of summer. What good memories and I love the photographs.

I'm glad you are able to do thing at your own pace now that you're retired. What good is retirement if you can't do that. Happy weekend.

Anonymous said...

You've been through a lot and now it's time to be lazy and simply rest and relax your retirement years ahead! :)
Have a good weekend Leslie!

philos said...

Wow! Obviously, you weren't too lazy to dig up old photos! Love these... and I mean this with no disrespect, but you sure are hot in those photos! :)

Deb said...

what a lovely trip down memory lane! a little secret between the two of us...I have my two cups of coffe while watching the View, too. yes, I'm a late riser...

Bear Naked said...

Ah--the lazy hazy days of summer.
And how we did enjoy that quiet time. I wish I could go back to those gentler times --- even for just a week.

Bear((( )))

Anonymous said...

What great memories of your summer vacations! Those photos are priceless!

H e n r i c k said...

There are some really old photos which brings up all your happiest moment in your life.

You surely can still laze around these days, well if not, at least for this weekend. XD

Enjoy the weekend.

Colin Campbell said...

Great memories Leslie. My parents used to take us on holidays when we were young and then not so much later. They are good memories for me too. Unfortunately our holidays were in Scotland and it was cold and wet a lot. Yours look a bit warmer.

peppylady (Dora) said...

I real going to summer cabin once in while in summer.
The funny thing is that I real recall the screen porch.

I'll have my photo up on Saturday the 11th up.

Coffee is on.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful photos of your family! It's always nice to laze around during vacations!:) My PH is posted HERE. Happy photo hunting!~

Leslie said...

Now that was a beautiful read. :) Love your family pictures. :)

Randi said...

Great post about your lazy family vacation. Old photos bring back good memories! Happy weekend.

jmb said...

Lovely photos and story about the lovely lazy days of summer for your family. I remember Shuswap Lake as being rather mosquito ridden however. Perhaps it is seasonal. Happy weekend Leslie

Anonymous said...

Great post! You are such a great writer. It's very nice to remember lazy times. And don't tell, but sometimes I don't make up my bed either. :)

Have a nice weekend and thanks for this wonderful post.

Anonymous said...

A delightful post. Leslie. I'm too lazy to to PhotoHunt today - I need a break.

Anonymous said...

Really beautiful photos and beautiful memories. I was reading through and could really feel how sweet those memories are.

MaR said...

Wonderful pics and memories!! enjoyed reading your "lazy" post, glad you have time now to be lazy...!!

jams o donnell said...

What wonderful memories Leslie. It makes me want to dig up our old family photos. Have a great weekend

YTSL said...

Sounds like this Photo Hunt theme got you going happily down Memory Lane. Thanks for sharing memories that sound wonderful indeed.

RiverPoet said...

Leslie, I'm so sorry you lost your husband. Every time you write about him, I can tell how much you loved him. This was a wonderful photo essay, and I wish you many lazy days ahead. Peace - D

Kim from Hiraeth said...

I'm so glad you have those wonderful photos and memories of life with your husband and girls.

ellen said...

Hello. Happy Hunting!

Jo said...

What great memories! Shuswap Lake is truly one of the most beautiful places on earth! I'm glad you have these wonderful memories. I think you did a fabulous job of raising your two daughters after your husband died. The proof of the pudding is in the eating, isn't it?

Maybe you deserve to sleep in once in a while now. *heh*

Anonymous said...

Great family photos!!

Happy Weekend.

Anonymous said...

Oh I love your lazy days of summer theme. Well done!!

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful set of pictures and really great memories.

david mcmahon said...

What a moving tribute to Brian, your girls and your family life.

Liz Hinds said...

They sound like the happiest and laziest days too!

Merisi said...

Very sweet memories and tribute!
Thank you for sharing them.

I came over here thanks to David's Authorblog, congratulations on the "Post of the Day" award! :-)

KathyB. said...

What sweet memories, and how precious to pass them on to your children.

rosecreekcottage-carol.blogspot.com said...

I came over from David's authorblog. Congrats on your Post of the Day award. You're an awesome mom. What a beautiful tribute to your hubby! Thank you for sharing the memories with all of us!

Maggie May said...

Congratulations on PFTD and I loved the photos. Well deserved.

Sandi McBride said...

Congrats on POTD and I'm wondering how you got everyone to smile, lol!
What fun you're all having!
Sandi

Rambling Woods said...

You certainly deserved TPOTD..what a wonderful story in pictures. We had a family cabin that my family spent summers at. I think that is why I have the love of nature that I do now and blog about it. I am sorry that you lost your husband.. Michelle

Maria's Space said...

Those are great memories and pictures.

Love that you scanned and recounted. What an awesome gift for your family.

virtualjourney said...

Lovely post, and every best wish as you work on your memoir.

CherryPie said...

Such wonderful memories. Thank You for sharing :-)

I could do with another lazy day right now ;-)