Remembering Summer

Do you remember what you did last Summer?

Sep 09, 2024

scenery of grass and trees — Photo by Jake Givens on Unsplash

If I’m honest, Summer is my least favourite time of year. I don’t cope well with the heat, anything above mid-twenties I literally melt. My energy levels dip to an unbelievable low and my creative energy all but disappears (I’m working on this though). This is why I feel an excitement as September nears. I wake up.

Hello my friend.

Summer is drawing to a close now and Autumn is just around the corner, I can feel it. My energy is returning. I felt inspired to write this essay from Beth Kempton’s Summer Writing Sanctuary in which she invited me to recall ten summer moments from my life. This got me thinking back to some of the summer vacations, the summer staycations and memories they evoked. Some good and others not so good. I thought I would share a few of them with you today.

Summer 2024

I‘d like to start with the most recent Summer. We bought our VW van Bella in June and what an exciting time it has been since. She is currently an empty van, but we are planning to convert her to a camper soon. In the meantime, we have been using her as a “tent” so to speak as we have lots of our old camping gear still.

We took her to Derbyshire for a week in July. It was an amazing week, and we managed quite well. A lot of the contents of the van we offloaded and put under the tarp set up, cooker, table, chairs etc. Moving between day and night-time mode in the van was relatively easy. Just a quick move of the bags and items that we didn’t need during the night, like the clothes, from the back to the cab at the front. We had airbeds and sleeping bags, so nights were comfortable. We put up some battery-operated lights too, so it made it nice and cosy. We loved it.

We’ve used the van for a few days out too. As we kept everything in the van from our trip, we’ve had the opportunity to stay with her, make a cup of tea and just relax with a book. It’s been amazing. There will be a blog coming soon where I will tell you more about the van and our plans for the conversion.

Summer 1976

The year of the big drought. Who remembers that then? Blistering heat, no rainfall for months. I was only eight at the time, but I recall tarmacked roads and pavements melting in the heat.

Where I grew up there was a canal that meandered past the back of the garden. The canal completely dried up, as did many reservoirs and rivers at that time. I recall one particular day during the holidays we went for a walk with our neighbours along the canal bed. Never known it to dry up like that since. I’ll never forget that summer.

Summer 2011

Our Scotland summer tour. One of our first holidays to Scotland and the one that cemented a lifelong love of the Highlands. We spent a very happy two weeks touring Scotland, starting at Callendar, then heading up to the Cairngorms for a few days. Dornoch Firth and John o Groats next and then on to the Isle of Skye.

Skye was our favourite. We camped at Sligachan and what a site that was. As basic as it gets, a small shower/toilet block and no electric, but the views. Oh, the views were stunning. We were blessed with incredible weather those few days, it was very windy but sunny. The sunsets were stunning over the Red Cuillins.

Fort William was next on the route for a couple of days. The campsite there was lovely, set next to the river, with views over the majestic Ben Nevis.

Our last stop was Loch Long which was a midge infested hell. The campsite was rammed and the only space available was right next to the loch. Stunning views over towards Arrochar but as there was no wind … well you can imagine. Even the net covering my face didn’t work. I know where their name “wee beasties” comes from now. There was no stopping them!

Summer 1998

Austria, the most stunning country I have ever visited. I can only describe it as Scotland on steroids.

Despite having the best holiday and seeing some incredible places, Krimml Waterfall, Kitzsteinhorn to name but a few, my strongest recollection was on our drive up to Grossglockner, the highest mountain in Austria.

We pulled into a layby briefly to take some photographs; I was looking towards the view with my back to the car when I heard an almighty explosion. I turned back and saw a cloud of steam coming from the engine covering the car. The water hose had burst.

After several conversations with the breakdown company on the phone, they sent someone up to fix the car. The mechanic took one look and said “ah, kaput”. No kidding? His landrover was full of hoses. Guess he did this a lot. Anyway, he fixed the car and got us back on the road again. On the way back down, we saw the same driver heading back up the mountain. I wonder what he was on his way to fix 😊

Summer 2019 (Warning – a tissue may be needed)

We had Bailey and Beren, two beautiful black cats, brothers, they were twelve. Bailey wasn’t well in June; he was not eating at all. We thought there was a problem with his teeth but upon a visit to the vets, they discovered he had a very aggressive cancer. His health had deteriorated in a matter of days. Sadly, we had to say goodbye to him as he was too poorly to carry on. We were heartbroken as you may imagine.

Then just six weeks later, after a lot of my usual cuddles with Beren in my office, he jumped down off the desk and collapsed on the floor just outside. The sound he was making I could see he was in excruciating pain. He passed away ten minutes later with my arms wrapped around him. I had no time to get him to the vets. I later learned it was a heart attack. I can’t explain what happened as he was in apparent good health, I guess he was missing his brother too much. They were close.

Losing them both in quick succession almost killed us. We miss them every day still, but time is a great healer, and the memories are now good memories and not so often the sad ones. We have Thomas now and he’s adorable, the sweetest cat. But we will never forget that summer of loss.

Summer 2020

The lockdown year, the year that changed everything for us all. A few things have gone back to the way they used to be, but for me a lot has remained forever changed. It was the summer that began in April. I remember the weather was amazing that year, it stayed with us well into June, July and beyond. Coincidence perhaps, or mother nature giving us a helping hand? Do you remember how clear the sky was, due to the lack of aircraft flying?

I know for many it was a miserable time, but my memories of lockdown are mostly happy ones. It was hard not to see my family, but we Skyped regularly. I spent most of the time in the garden. I gave myself some big projects, like building the staging for our greenhouse from scraps of wood in the garage. I loved doing that, it’s still standing and in use to this day. It was the summer that I realised life could be a lot less stressful and my notion of writing a blog was born.

So, there you have some of my “summer” memories. My happiest vacations have been those spent in the mountains of Scotland and the dales of Derbyshire. I have enjoyed coastal holidays in the likes of Devon and Cornwall over the years but they don’t evoke the strongest memories. I think I must have Scotland in my blood …. or is that whisky haha?

Now it’s your turn. I would love to hear about your strongest summer memories, good or bad. Please share them in the comments below, I would love to read them.

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