Here we are. Halfway through summer. Think back to when you were a kid. Other than the holidays, was there a time you looked forward to more than summer? Chances are, you spent more than a little time during the school year daydreaming of what you were going to do with two free months. And now? Now you’re an adult and summer isn’t a break from much except cold weather. Before it comes to a screeching halt though, we wanted to offer some very simple reminders and ideas on how to enjoy what’s left… to maybe recapture, if just for a moment, some of that magic from when you were a child.
1. Watch the sunset – Find a patch of grass somewhere facing west, enjoy the cooler temps and marvel at the sun sinking lower and ending its day. As the sky alights with beautiful colors, you’ll be forced to relax and soak it all in.
2. Catch a ball game – There’s a reason baseball players are called the “boys of summer.” It’s a game to be played on warm days and nights. Go pro and catch a team fighting for a playoff spot. Go to a minor league game and watch players give their all. Or just find a little league game and watch a bunch of kids play simply because they love to play.
3. Take a walk – Chances are you couldn’t wait until the mounds of snow melted. Well, those days are here. Find a hiking trail, a park, or just circle your block and enjoy the feeling of warm sunshine. Exercising (and believe me, I hate that word too), will be good for body and mind.
4. Bar-B-Q – Don’t quote me, but I think it’s a law that says food cooked outdoors tastes better. Use your deluxe stainless steel model or a one-time-only grill you just picked up and keep your kitchen cool while giving the regular cook a night off.
5. Eat fresh produce – Chances are you have a farm within driving distance. Take a ride. Get some fresh corn, peas, beans, tomatoes, avocados, basil or berries, to name a few. Eaten raw or cooked, they’ll be better than whatever comes out of a can five months from now.
6. Eat an ice cream cone – Go on, admit it. When was the last time you did? Remember racing to eat it all before it melted over the sides of the cone? That game still works.
7. Walk in the rain – Mind you, I don’t mean some crazy downpour. But remember when you would be out playing and a sun shower would hit? You thought it was great. Now though you’d immediately reach for an umbrella. Take the spritz, leave the umbrella.
8. Walk barefoot – When you were a kid, did you ever care how dirty your feet got? Now though? Stop caring for an hour. Find a park, a beach… anywhere, and feel how good nature feels between your toes.
9. Lose track of time – As a kid, you came home when it got dark, that’s all you knew about time. Now between all your electronics, you always know what time it is. Lose the electronics and lose yourself. Take a nap, a walk, a drive… whatever. Just don’t worry about when you’re getting back.
10. Lock in your gas prices for winter – OK, to be fair, this isn’t so much recapturing a summer favorite from when you were a kid, but it makes a ton of sense if you want to save money. Gas prices tend to rise in cold weather. They are usually at their lowest annual levels during the summer. If you lock in a fixed rate for gas now, you’ll be protecting yourself from rising costs and unpredictable market swings. Call us at 888-625-6760 to find out how we can help.