Sweet Summertime

Alan Jackson is on the radio, "There ain't no cure for the summertime blues"....and I totally agree. When I was younger, I lived for that break from school, no more books, no more work, no more riding the big cheese. It was the fellow B.A.R.F (Brooking, Atkinson, Richardson, Franklin) members and taking over the world, one game of hide-and-seek at a time.

We were badasses playing Save the Country, getting stuck in trees and being covered in sea-ticks. Bronzin at Nanny's pool and then home to float in mine. As I grew up though, the friends changed and summer took a whole new meaning. It soon became not just an escape from work to hang at the babysitters, but a friendship builder and an memory keeper.

Each year there was a new best friend and we did something a little more crazier! Katherine and I acted out Now and Then in the swimming pool. Courtney and I played Barbies, invented new dance routines and wore her Mama's bras around outside in the front yard. Rebecca and I lived for MTV, stayed on the trampoline from sun up, to sun up (yes..we set up a tent out there and slept on it!)

The Circle of Friends started to get established our Junior year. We all learned to drive, and put many miles to Short Pump to watch the newest flick. The Bickley's learned to expect us to be on their couch, and the waitress at Joe's Place knew us by name. We were spontaneous, and goofy.I listened to guy troubles, had adventures to charlottesville and spent a lot of time wiping ass--literally! And a little plastic Frisbee gave us great pleasure.....Fredericksberg, Josh smashin windows and then 10:00 at the tennis court tossin it around!

I must say that the Summer of Seniors was amazing and I wish to go back to it. As the Cranberry's say, "Let it Linger." I learned to very important lessons that summer and I'll carry them with me throughout my life.

Beer before liquor,
never the sicker,
Liquor before beer,
you're in the clear

ooh yeah and....stay with one color....Jim dont like Malibu!

Beachweek started it with a bang. Abby, Matthew, Elizabeth and I loungin at the pool...sometimes falling in, baring it all in the icy depths of the ocean, shriveled with frostbite and numb from head to toe.

There was some naked-ness but nothing we couldnt handle...it was all on Gail Chiles. ha! Then came more movies, more dinners and lunches at Obrigado and the world seemed perfect....yesss, perfect!

Dance party and the damn dogs at that certain teacher's....who can say they boozed it up at their teachers house? I think we'll go down in history...well we didnt really go down ...leave that to Jon and Kayla!

Brandy and the Uncle Saltys came next...then the 5th senses, and rice crispy treats.

Then low and behold we're at the lake, it's pitch-black and clearness is floatin in our bellies. Matthew's searchin for Sarah and Josh is f***in Moms...twice! :) 4th of July came and went, we sweated our asses off on the dance floor of Rivals, and along came some Chippendale kisses! Can I get a "Hell yeah!?"

Margaritas were thrown up to Harry, Rum was thrown down on the dog and tears were shed towards the end of our innocence. We said our goodbyes in the middle of Coley's field over a bonfire and some sweet-tea from the distributor. And though we'd set up a tent on numerous occaisions, it was the first time we well...slept in one! It was harmonious!

Im a worrier, I worried all summer long. I smile, I laugh. I dance, I joke and I try to put it behind me, but some things just dont go away that easy. So we're moving on, I hate it but we are and all I can say is....only the strongest of friendships survive.

...and all I can do is look forward to another six-pack summer. Please June...get here fast!