Welcome to Summer Camp

This year, I am determined to have summer! The summer of 2023 was crazy with the launch of my debut novel on August 1st. Last summer was highlighted by an early trip to Italy for my husband's 60th, and then derailed by my mother's declining health. Welcome to the summer of 2025. I am officially an empty nester—both children are fully deployed. And I am only a daughter in memory, as both my parents have now passed. This week, I sent the manuscript of my second novel to trusted readers. What to do? Why create my own Summer Camp, of course.

Tuesday was my first official day of camp. I kicked things off by deciding that I was going to run the camp radio station and that we were going to start with the top summer hits of 1975 and move up one year per day for 50 days - which conveniently brings me to the end of July. My husband and I are having the best time each morning as memories of summers past come rushing back to us over the kitchen speakers.

Next, I made a spreadsheet with a list of the activities I want my camp to offer. Sports, field trips, cooking classes, gardening, arts and crafts, writing, entertainment, fire pits, you get the idea. Now I'm embracing the challenge of trying to check off as many items as possible on my camp activities every day. I'm riding my bike all over my small town like I did when I was a kid.

I'm going to try croquet this afternoon. On Sunday, my husband and I are taking pickleball 101. Hey, it's camp where you try lots of new things. I've reached out to friends with kayaks, connected with friends in towns that make for great day trips and lunch dates, and emailed a friend about getting a summer jam night started to make some music together. The possibilities are endless, and the effect on my energy level has been extraordinary.

I'm so grateful for the time freedom I'm able to enjoy at the moment, and I know many of you are working forty-plus hours a week, and the thought of creating your own summer camp seems impossible. But regardless of the free time you have available between now and Labor Day, I want to encourage you to think about making a bucket list of your favorite summer activities and see how many you can check off. An outdoor concert, a day at the local beach or pool, lunch with a friend, a weekend hike - grab whatever summer you can.