Vacation nightmares relived
With the scents of shimmering hot asphalt and chlorine hanging in the air, I’ve found myself reminiscing about the summers of my childhood.
From the confines of my cluttered cubicle, I’ve closed my eyes for a few blissful seconds and been transported to that first exhilarating leap into the pool on a steamy day. Or, to the morning of the day we’d leave for a family road trip, when I’d make sure my pillow and books were stowed carefully on my seat of the car.
It’s amazing how time can make summer seem like one long, never-ending adventure.
Given a few more minutes to think about it, the happy scenes transform a bit.
Like how, by mid-July, my sister and I had had quite enough of the neighborhood pool and much preferred writhing around the living room complaining about how there was nothing to do and how we were so bored we thought we might just die, right there on the floor.
And the road trips? Well, the memory of one particular weeklong drive through Colorado and New Mexico changes that windows-down, “I-can-see-for-miles” freedom into a script embarrassingly close to “National Lampoon’s Vacation.”
My parents, two sisters, car-seat-bound little brother and I were shoehorned into a generously named mid-sized sedan — three in the front seat, three in the back — for a week.
I’m sure the words “Are we there yet?” and the sight of a Dodge Dynasty still create urges in my mom and dad to take a “Thelma and Louise”-style dive over the nearest cliff.
Thanks to a few of our Smart readers, by the time I have a family on the go, I’ll be well-equipped to handle those desperate cries from the backseat.
Lisa Mohan of Hopewell Township says she gave her kids a quarter for every 15 minutes of good behavior. And York resident Rosemary Sieffert helped pass the time by allowing her children to “fish” for goodies in the front seat (see page 28 for more road-trip tips from readers).
Our second issue of Smart is packed full of suggestions for how to make your summer easier and more enjoyable — including advice for how to pack the car, tips for healthy poolside snacks and an easy-to-make activity board to entertain your child.
And if you aren’t vacation bound, we found a few things that will make your home more entertaining and relaxing. Learn how to create a sanctuary for birds in your backyard. Find unique wallpaper that will make you feel like you’re in an exotic locale. Or, pick out a great book that can help your so-bored-he-could-die kid pass the time.
We here at Smart hope we can do our part to make your summer memories as blissful (and whine-free) as possible.
