Question of the Week: Question #45

I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with Old Man Winter. On the one hand, there’s nothing like sitting in front of the fire on a cold December morning, hot chocolate in hand, and watching the snow fall outside your window. But battling those freezing temps? Well, that’s never really been my style. So, it’s no surprise that I’ve always daydreamed of bottling up the goodness of summer and carrying it with me throughout the entire year. Have a question? I’d love to hear it, so feel free to email me (mellow1422 [at] aol) or ask me on Facebook or Twitter, friends! Today’s question is…

Why is summer your favorite season? Why would you like it to be summer year-round?

Why is it that once we reach a certain age, some of the warm and sunny and beautiful summer days tend to lose some of their beauty in our adult eyes? And why can’t we carry that breezy, warm summer feeling with us into the cold, dark, dreary winter?

Well, I for one am not going to let that happen to me. This winter, I’m vowing to put summer in my pocket (metaphorically, of course…) and take it with me wherever I go. Like a trusty best friend. Like a good luck charm. Always there. Always faithful. Will you join me? Check out some of my favorite ideas:

Good Eats
I’m trying to eat a little healthier this summer – thanks, Jamie Oliver! My mom and I have been eating lots of yummy salads and tomatoes in the summer. Do you like salt on your tomatoes and cucumbers, or is it just me? We’ve also been enjoying juicy peaches and strawberries, too. Oh, and raspberries! Can you tell summer fruits and veggies are my favorites?

Good Games
When I was younger, we loved Clue, one of the only games that brought out my father’s competitive streak. Then a few summers ago, my mother and I started playing Yahtzee at least once a day. You should know the routine by now: We pour ourselves a tall glass of Diet Coke, and play three games in a row. It’s our favorite game. We recently added a new game to our repertoire: Bananagrams. It’s a spin-off of Scrabble but more fast-paced, which I love.

Good Waves
One of my favorite childhood memories is of my father dashing off to the local pool with me the second he got home from work in the hot summer months. He was always that parent, the one that always gave in to my “Just five more minutes” pleas. Every. Single. Time. There was always something about that weightless feeling in the pool that made me feel like I wasn’t disabled, if only for awhile. Sometimes, I just used to walk back and forth in the 3-feet end, waiting for that moment when my feet would meet the bottom of the pool. The hard concrete stung my feet sometimes, but just that motion of literally putting one foot in front of the other made me smile, as if I were actually walking. Sometimes I’d even do a little dance, too. I didn’t care if anyone was watching, either!
So, friends, what little treats will you be savoring this winter? xoxo