There are so many excellent parts of summer, it is difficult to select, just one. So, in fairness to my taste buds, I am going to pick ice cream as one of my favorite parts of summer. I have had an ongoing love affair with ice cream since my youth. I can remember grabbing the carton and sitting down again against the bookcase and spooning it directly out of the carton. Whether it was Blue Bell (from Texas), Häagen-Dazs, Ben and Jerry’s or any other ice cream it comes right out of the carton and into my mouth.

Little has changed since then, last night I grabbed a pint of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream – Clusterfluff – and sat down on the couch with a spoon to watch the last of the news and reflect on the day. I have had so many favorite flavors over the years Tin Roof, Wavy Gravy, and Chubby Hubby to name a just a few and there’s  plain ol’ vanilla with fresh Michigan strawberries is hard to beat but, Michigan berries aren’t out yet and Clusterfluff was the best I could do. Olivia was conked out upstairs and Beth had gone to pick William up. Before long, William and Beth came home and William plopped down on the couch and exclaimed his approval of my selection, ‘Oh, you got it – it’s the best.’ Before long, the carton was empty, a perfect end to a fun filled summer day.

I am still working on the basement and I figure I’ll be there for a couple more days. I have been hauling stuff down there since we moved in almost nineteen years ago and it’ll probably take more than a few days to move, re-organize, and decide what goes and what stays. The drop ceiling is gone, supports and all. I have taken my shelving down and sorted through the books and picked several to find new homes, and boxed the rest. My model airplanes need to be cleaned and some need to be re-glued, but I have no idea where I will put them, probably on the train table and that needs to be cleaned. I need to re-discover an old toy! William and I worked on the entertainment center and got everything hooked up and working properly and his ‘recording studio’ is up and running. He is moving all of our valuable VCR tapes over to DVD, it is fun for him and keeps him from watching ‘Zach and Crappy,’ I really dislike that show!

William has been a big help around the house this summer, so far. We were working on shelving and had gotten a good start on the project when he declared, ‘I have worked my time, and I am going to Joey’s.’ I couldn’t argue – we had contracted for a set time and it was up, we’ll finish the job today. Olivia had been asking to go to the pool and it was time. Beth was sitting on the porch talking with a friend, so Olivia and I headed to the pool. I am up to 600 yards in the lap pool. I switch between the crawl and the elementary backstroke switching every four lengths and using the backstroke to rest. As I recall, I swam the mile at Camp Karankawa entirely on my back in August 1974. William thinks it is funny that I have to swim laps before camp but, I’ll have a laugh in a few years when it his turn to go to camp with his scout! Beth and her friend were still talking on the porch when Olivia and I pulled in from the pool.

We had dinner and washed up and the day was largely complete, except for Ben and Jerry.  That pint of ice cream tasted good and was the perfect finish to a busy Friday. Yeah, Ben and Jerry were my friends last night. Ivy is lying at my feet, we are outside on the deck, the birds are singing (or so it seems), “Saturday is here and there is much to do.” They’re right – yard work, the basement, and other chores. I am ten days into summer; today is day eleven and it means there are fifty-nine to go. It seems like such a small number and they will be gone before I know it. I had better jump up, jump in and seize the day. Today is gonna be a great day. Making the Days Count, one day at a time.