Summer’s startin’ to rev up, here in Mahoosuc Mills. The last couple of winter’s have been something else, huh? Which makes me appreciate these long, hot, sunny days even more. Insects buzzin,’ bird’s singin,’ flower’s bloomin’, their colors eye poppin’ against the green of our lawns. The clothes on lines, with their bright colors flappin’ in the breeze do my heart good. It’s always such a hopeful time, isn’t it? The world filled with promise.
Graduation season is upon us. I love seeing the kids in their prom dresses and tuxes, posin’ for photos in their front yard. The boys still look like boys to me, but the girls? Man, oh, man! I can’t remember any of us lookin’ so grown up when we were their age. It’s almost scary. Scary for the parents, I bet!
“Congratulations, Graduate!” “Happy Graduation!” “Congratulations Class of 2015.” You see the signs up everywhere. Folks settin’ up for backyard parties with balloons, streamers, tents. For the graduates, it’s the end of somethin’ big, the beginning of somethin’ bigger.
The rest of ‘em poor kids are in school ‘til the end of this week, I think. As I say, it was a hell of a winter. Lots `a snow days to make up. Sure it was fun to have a day off in January. Not so much fun to make up that day up in sunny June and full blown summer out. No air conditioning in the schools, of course, ‘cause this is Maine. That’s the way we roll, global warmin’ or not.
Though to be honest, how do the kids even know they’re outta school, they’re so scheduled? Always off to soccer camp, arts camp, sailing camp, hockey camp, something! You name it, there’s a camp for it. No sittin’ around idle. Kids goin’ from one all day learning experience to the next. I mean, when do they have time to explore, ride their bikes? Or how about playin’ hide n’ seek, like we used to? The whole neighborhood of kids joinin’ in, runnin’ through back yards, crouchin’ behind scrubs ‘til someone shouts, “Olly olly oxen free.” Or ‘til someone’s mother yells it’s time for supper. ‘Course, it would be hard to hide with a helmet on, now wouldn’t it? And you know kids nowadays would be wearin’ helmets, ‘cause that’s what they do. I’ll bet if some parents could zip ‘em up in inflatable suits, they would. Little buggers would come home without a scratch on ‘em, but what happens when they eventually have to deal with real life?
Way back when, after a summer of hangin’ out, readin’ comic books in a tent made from blankets thrown over the clothes line, swimmin’ up to camp and bein’ outside from dawn ‘til dusk, we’d be good and bored and just itchin’ to get back to school.
You know, I can’t remember the last time I was bored. Oh, every now and then, I suppose, when Charlie and me go to a movie and there’s too many car chases. But even then, I might do a little menu plannin’ on the sly, think about what I’m gonna wear to that Fourth of July BBQ. Seems like my mind is always occupied with something. I wonder if boredom is something you grow out of.
Anyhoo, happy June, everyone! Give that graduate in your family a big hug for me, will you? It’s summer. Get out there and enjoy every minute of it!
That’s if for now. Catch you on the flip side!
Hear Ida Tell It: The End of Somethin’ Big
Coming Up This Summer
July 16: The Best of Ida, Deertrees Theatre, 7:30pm, Harrison, ME
August 13 & 14: The View From He’ah Variety Show, ACT ONE Summer Festival, Thursday at 2:00pm and Friday at 2:00pm & 8:00pm, Portsmouth, NH
August 15: Finding Your Inner Moose Book Reading, Newport Cultural Center, 11:00am, Newport, ME