Sweet Chicken - let summer begin

As I write this, I just got home from having lunch with my husband at his office. He works in the construction industry so his office is never in the same place for very long. Currently he is approximately 4 miles away from my house (YEA).

It took me 20 minutes to get home. Normally it would take me 10.

Let summer begin.

The shoobies are coming (for those of you who don't know - shoobies are tourists. They are called shoobies because they used to come for the day and pack their lunch in a shoe box. In Michigan tourist up north are called fudgies for the amount of fudge they buy.)

Anyhoo - right wrong or indifferent, this kicks off our summer season.

Now the waitress part of me? I'm actually glad. I start my 4 day week this week again...I'd rather not be super bored there (although the reality is that given my shifts I will bored for a few more weeks after this week-end). I want it to be busy. Bring on the money!

The other non-working side of me? oh lord I'm not ready for the craziness.

I drove by my grocery store on the way to hubs office. The parking lot was full. and I mean it. Cars were circling to find a spot. Bad news about this? I have to go there today. Good news about this? I ordered my groceries online this week and only have to pick them up and pay for them.

The start of summer, while good for my economy, is always dreaded and loved. I love that all the restaurants are opening again (so many of them close here). I love that we can walk up to the boardwalk and get some ice cream. I dread trying to go to Walmart (which I need to do in the next few days). I dread trying to pick up my 2 kids who are at 2 different schools today in 2 different directions on my island. I dread the fist pumping Jersey Shore wannabe's (to be clear my part of the shore is much nicer than their's:) tee hee hee).

It all starts today and it gets super serious on 4th of July week-end. It's busy and it's fierce. My island has 4 towns technically (ok 5 technically but the 5th is just township ground that was never "claimed" and the township has no business being here...long story). The year round population is somewhere around 15,000. In the summer? My 1 island, 5 miles long and no where near a mile wide in most places is being bumped up to a population of around 250,000.

That's right 250,000. That only includes this island right here. We have islands to our north that get about the same influx and 1 town to our south that may even get more.

Garden State Parkway? Forget about it.

Trying to get to Atlantic City or Philly? Bring a book you'll be stuck in traffic for a while.

Like I said - I'm not complaining THAT much. This is how our towns survive and so does my wallet.

But, it's tricky. I do a lot of shopping about an hour away...towards Philly. It's where my closest target, kohl's and bj's are. I have to be a commando super woman to plan these trips so we don't spend 3 hours getting home.

So, part of me says bring it. Bring on the summer bbq (LOVE), bring on the lazy days, bring on the drinks on the deck at work (on an inlet of the ocean - AWESOME)...but please help me survive the traffic, the crazy tourists, and the assholes.

Springtime

A to the Men. Spring has sprung.

My flowers are planted (YEA! early for me but YEA done).

We grilled steak last night - first grill of the season. YEA.

It is sunny and beautiful (it has been for DAYS).

Our deck at work is open (I do not work it, but I enjoy drinking at it).

I am close to being able to put the winter clothes away and officially move the summer clothes in (I right now have clothes literally everywhere. EVERYWHERE. I have summer clothes scattered that I've bought, but it's been too cold to get rid of winter. And I do not have enough room for the boys to have both sets just hanging around.)

The almost 3 year old has discovered the fascinating world of blowing bubbles in the back yard and can be amused out there for an hour. YEA.

It's Spring. And it feels good.

This is weather that I can get on board with. It's not humid. It's a nice 70 degrees MAYBE. I'm not sweating. I'm not. Which is good.

I am dreading actual summer and looking forward to it at the same time. (yes I have issues, more than you will ever know).

I like the easy breezy days of summer. But, I end up craving the schedule of school by like mid July.

I like being busy at work and making money. I do not like waiting in traffic, or having walmart be too busy to shop.

I like the fact that I live so close to the beach (bragging rights), but I hate the beach (sand thing).

I like having the windows open, but every time I do (when it's hot) the wind dies and it burns up in here!

All the restaurants are opening back up around here (many are seasonal) so YEA! but it gets so busy you can't get in them.

There are just so many pro's and con's of summer for me. But I always like the change of seasons.

Hope Spring has sprung in your backyard.