One wet summer

Let me just preface this post dear readers with a great big apology for my absence. I cannot believe it has been 2 months since I sat down to write about my crazy world. Well, settle in because this may take a bit for we have a lot of catching up to do! Summer certainly has washed by in one big torrential wave. Honestly, I do not like to complain about weather matters in the rust belt, but this never ending tumultuous gray sky and daily downpour are starting to make me a bit goofy. Ok, enough about the weather. For me summer never kicks off until I go to my annual flea market in southern Ohio. This year I changed my tune and instead of adding to my hoarding I decided to boost our income and sell my vintage wares. Grabbing a girlfriend I barely knew we headed south in our 20 foot "rig" to spend 4 packed days together. Let me tell you, I have never worked so hard and had so much fun! My small bout with bronchitis that had me coughing like a coal miner miraculously ended in time for me to get down and dirty. Hauling furniture, standing on my feet for hours at a time, talking to hundreds of people, assembling endless displays over and over as my merchandise disappeared at a fast rate all ending with a giant cocktail(or 2 or 3) with my other wild girlfriend. Collapsing into bed in our run down room at night only to do it all over again the next day. Country bands, cowboys, carnival food, margaritas and good friends about sums it up. We even have slumber party tales to tell of wild child's crazy boyfriend and his freight train snoring which left us unable to succumb to our wine induced sleep. He will not be sharing our room next time. After the excitement of Springfield it took me a little while to get back to reality, so much that my girlfriend and I took one more day of fun, sun, and old junk. When the school year's final bell rang later that week, I was ready for summer! Unfortunately Mother Nature had other plans which ended with my girlfriend and I nearly being swept to Canada on our paddle boards. Father's Day came and went in a rainy muggy haze. Fourth of July began with gray skies and very slowly turned to blue just in time for barbecue and fireworks. Another round of paddle boarding with my nephew and his girlfriend gave us water smooth as glass and a hint of blue sky. A day at the pool with my girlfriend and our boys felt like heaven until the approaching gray forced us out and our dinner plans in. Sitting in her garage amongst the junk, rosee in our hands, rain drippin down, was as close to normal as we know. Now here we are just barely 3 weeks away from two big store events and our annual trek to the beach. Now is crunch time and I swear my anxiety is off the hook. Time to pay the rent, the BIG beach deposit and the rest of the bills. Yay. After this week, when the checks (hopefully) clear, I can breathe, paint furniture, and pack our suitcases because a week at the beach is just what this busy, working family needs. Time together, time with Uncle Rob,  and time to stuff my face with endless pounds of shrimp! I swear if one rain drop falls, I'm jumping off that pier! So my friends, there you go. A recap of all things summer in this little life of mine. I promise next time, it won't be as long as it's been. Good night world and stay dry.