Timeless

The summer is flying by. The date on my computer tells me that July is almost over already. And although it feels as though it has been brief, this summer has been one of the best I can remember. The cottage is the main reason for that I think. The days are just so long there - and not in a bad way either. We don't have a clock there so we wake up when we are rested (or when the sunrises and floods the cottage with dawn's first light), we eat when we are hungry and do just as we please. Occasionally I sneak a peek at my Blackberry for the time to confirm that we aren't on some crazy a$$ schedule, but time is not the ruler of our day. Freedom. It was like that in Kenya ... no one seemed to have a watch and we were constantly asking what time is was, and what the date was (for our journals). It was almost therapeutic to break free from regiment and timelines and let the day take where it willed.

It makes me wonder how different day to day life would be without the incessant "tick, tick, tick" ...

For now I am grateful for the weekend reprieve and the tranquility that we get from our cottage time. MIH Shirl loved our retreat and I am not shy to admit that I am enjoying each "reveal" to our families. There is something satisfying and pleasurable about sharing the goodness in our lives with the people we care about most. Highlight from the cottage time was washing my hair in the lake and swimming out to the closest island. I smell a tradition taking root!

We came home Sunday to a famjam to celebrate my step-mom's birthday. As usual it was a little noisy and chaotic with at least three conversations being urgently expressed at any given time; the food was finger lickin' good (Papa's chicken wings); and well, what can I say -- I love the reminder that I belong to this big, expanding, unusually-pieced-together tribe!

The summer has rocked! The weekend rocked! And I can't wait to see what else is in store. Whatever the rest of the summer brings ... I know the gifts will be priceless -- and timeless!