Writers Workshop: Oh Summer!

The Prompts:
1.) Your childhood neighborhood.

2.) I was holding on tight but…

3.) “It was as if an invisible thread hooked her to her boy. The thread could go taut or slack but it could never come undone, it could never reach the end of its spool because there was no end; it bound them forever.” What does unconditional love mean to you?

4.) Can it be saved? Think of something that is ruined when it’s totally wet: like a newspaper or a piece of cheese. Write a scene (truth or fiction) that involves you and a soaked item.

5.) What five images paint a perfect picture of summer to you? Put those five images together in a piece of writing.
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     Oh summer, how much your meaning has change for me.  Summer used to mean no school, no work and all the time for me.  Summer used to mean summer jobs at the pool teaching little children to swim.  Then summer changed to no work for me but more time to spend with my little one.  More time to play and watch him grow.  Then came this summer and baby number two which meant that there would be no work after summer; making the meaning of summer change again.

Now summer means:
1.  Boating:

     My husband and I both grew up on the water and boating was a big part of our childhoods.  Although we don't currently own a boat big enough for our family we use the grandparents' boats all the time.  Our boys will grow up boating and some day we will have a boat of our own.
 
2.  Life jackets:

      Since we are out on boats and around the water all the time I would have to say a life jacket is never far away.  Seeing a life jacket both big and small always reminds me of summer.

3.  Bare feet

     Summer brings warm weather which means, No Shoes!  I love to be able to just walk out my door and not have to worry about shoes.  I love to feel the grass between my toes.  No shoes just makes me fee carefree.  Summer is a carefree time of year.

4. Bathing suits

     Bathing suits means pool time swimming and water.  Now I will have to say that bathing suits remind me of summer, but I did not say that I enjoy seeing myself in one.  But who can't like to see a rollie pollie little baby boy in one?

5.  Finally the beach:

     I never was much of a beach person myself, but my husband always was.  Now this is one of those things about summer that has changed over time for me, since now I would say the beach is an image that represents summer for me.  Although I am not much for it, my boys seem to love it.  So I am now a Beach going momma and learning to love it.  How could I not love watching my babies playing in the sand and the surf.  How could I not love watching them having so much fun and being so proud of their sand castle? 

So there you have it, the five images that mean summer for me.  These are the images for this year, I wonder what they will be next year?  Who knows; I will have to wait and see.