I know that the calendars advise that Summer will arrive in a couple of weeks, but with temperatures projected to reach the triple digits in the next few days, I am already preparing as though Summer has arrived.

As a student, Summer was the freedom that I needed outside of studying. I could try my hand at later nights, sleeping in and then watching daytime tv. My stepmother was the antithesis of this philosophy. She would drag me to yard sales across different neighborhoods and libraries for children’s programming that I was already well too old for. I was labeled as lazy because I didn’t want to spend the majority of my hard earned summer waking up by 7 am and being outside in the sweltering heat. Furthermore, as a way to “help” “inspire” my weight-loss, I would routinely be locked outside, tasked with remedial objectives that would only kill time.

As an adult, Summer embodies similar feelings of excitement toward a break from reality. I’d plan modest trips, sometimes to highlight areas for the blog but also sometimes for personal exploration. I recently changed careers and found my way to education. The regular year was chock full of learning experiences, and I was fortunate to sign up for Summer School, which is a 16 day extravaganza that will help afford some other adult-y purchases.

However, the more I work, the more I am thinking about a relaxed oasis that I am reminded by when I visit the Blue Whale at Catoosa. It’s a highlight in my book of Route 66, smiling widely at all visitors who pull off the road to say hello.

The track this week is equally as bright and friendly, further spurring on my ambition to successfully complete Summer School and find some time to relax before that reality sets back in.

Until we meet again, take care of yourselves and one another.