Our Summer So Far, 2023

May 18           -   We return to Massachusetts from Florida

June 2-3           - We attend husband Charley's college reunion 

June 4               - We attend granddaughter's graduation from high school

June 18            - We return rested and energized from a vacation to our favorite 

                           spot off the coast of Italy.

June 25             - Charley's brother passes away after a lengthy illness.

June 29-30        - Services for Charley's brother

July 1               -  I begin shopping for our July 4th cookout. The number attending

                            exploded from the usual twelve to forty-something, including 

                            those who said, "We'll just stop by for a drink." The kitchen

                            island transforms into a buffet table, and I rummage the

                            Christmas Tree Shop (which declared bankruptcy) for 

                            red-white-blue melamine plates. I find them for $1.00 each.

                            I hit BJ's for liquor, quantities of non-alcoholic drinks, and 

                            perishables. I begin cooking the freezables - cranberry/orange 

                            breads, strawberry/ rhubarb and apple pies, tomato tarts 

                            (tomatoes drained but tarts end up mushy. Will stick to the quiche

                            recipes in the future.)

July 2              -  The weather forecast turns ugly for July 4th, with thunderstorms 

                             predicted at 4:00 pm for the start of the party. We decide to 

                             forget the badminton and Corn Hole games and set up inside, 

                            where the a.c. can handle the humidity. Charley's sister Kathy 

                            and her husband Norm drop off three small tables and chairs 

                             and help remove our furniture. Frank, who watches our house

                             while we're in Florida, and his partner Tony drop off an 8' table, 

                             coolers, and more folding chairs. Our living room accommo-

                             dates the large table and our dining room transforms into a cafe, 

                             with the three small tables, coolers, and a table for drinks. 

                             We set up our drop-leaf and game tables in the family room and

                              cover all with July 4th tablecloths and centerpieces supplied 

                              by a friend who's attending.

July 3                -  I begin making devilled eggs, baked beans, salads, dips, carrot 

                             cake. All else (except the meats) donated by invitees. I go to 

                             bed reviewing mental lists. Not asleep at 11:00 p.m. and go to the

                             bathroom. 

                             Toilet won't flush!  No water from the faucets!

                             I wake Charley who says, "It couldn't be the well with all the rain

                             we've had. Will call Frank early tomorrow. Don't flush the toilet!"

July 4                -  Frank appears by 8:00 a.m. with two appetizers and says he's

                             already called the well compnay who will install a new pump

                             (ours dead after almost 40 years) on the morning of the 5th.

                             Charley suggests we call all invited guests to cancel.

                             "Not neceessary!" Frank says. "Let's ask your neighbor 

                              across the street (invited to the party) if we can hook a hose up

                              to their well (no town water at this end of town). Charley and

                              Frank receive permission from our neighbors. Frank heads to 

                              Home Depot (open on the 4th) for a 400' hose, which he and 

                              Tony attach between the two houses. We have clear, plentiful

                              water by noon!!

                              Thunder and lightning start at 4:00 as guests are pouring in

                              through the garage and front hall. Son Todd, Charley, and Norm

                              cook dozens of hamburgers on the outdoor grill under 

                              umbrellas. I cook hot dogs on the cooktop grill in the kitchen.

                              Everyone gets to know each other really well without a 

                              clue we'd run out of water! The drinks are flowing.

July 5                 -  By noon we have a new pump in the well, the kitchen is clean, 

                              and donated items have been picked up. 

                              Charley and I head for bed.

Pump It Up

"Pump it up" does not refer to an aerobic routine, body building, implanting anything foreign in the body, or even  balloons.

It is the name of a franchise where children under age ten go berserk.

Last weekend I attended my first "Pump It Up" party for our granddaughter's fifth birthday.  Twenty-six party-goers gathered in the lobby, where they ran from end to end, careening into each other.  A staff member herded them onto a carpeted area to watch a safety video.  No movie, no entrance.  Silence ensued - during the movie.  The attendant crowned our granddaughter "Princess" and asked her to lead the procession into the abyss.  First, though, they had to wait for a previous group to exit.  Parties were scheduled every half-hour.  While waiting, the attendant morphed into a cheerleader.  "Who's the Princess?" she yelled.

In unison:  "Emma!"

"Who??"

"Emma!!!" 

The kids were psyched into a frenzy.  Around their necks they wore glow sticks to identify them inside the black chasm. Strip lights outlined bouncy structures.  Parents and grandparents ran through the expanse to find their darlings, but the darlings had been swallowed.  "They'll be asleep by six tonight," I said to no-one.

There were four bouncy houses in this room (each held ten), an inflatable slide two stories high, riding toys for those under three years, and air hockey.  An attendant monitored each structure.

One of our grandsons came down the slide immediately behind a girl twice his size.  He tumbled into her at the bottom, where they both exploded in ludicrous laughter.  Then he rolled over the inflatable barrier and fell onto the mat below.  His neck tilted at an unnatural 90-degree angle.  I rushed to help him, sure he'd never move again.  He started back up the steps before I even reached the mat.

After thirty minutes, a loud speaker announced that party goers should line up to proceed to the next room.  More inflatable structures, but higher.  I was grateful for a bench near the exit, where I withdrew into my coat, tortoise-like.  It muffled the high-pitched squeals.

An interminable thirty minutes passed before the loudspeaker announced that party goers should line up to proceed to the "food court."  Here Emma took her place on an inflatable throne, her crown still intact.  Staff members served pizza, water bottles, pretzels, cheese doodles, and cake.  Did these kids really need more sugar??

"What do they charge for this?" I said to my daughter-in-law. 

"Four dollars a head for the hour and a half, up to twenty-six kids.  But then you have to select a food package."

"A food package?"

"Yes, and I had to bring our cake."

"What are the food packages?"

"You could select hot dogs and that would cost a lot more.  And you could add more hours for an additional cost per kid."

Why hadn't I thought of this?