Summer is well and truly here in this part of the world! It’s expected to be a top of 43C/109F here today, so I thought it would be the perfect time for some of my favourite summer fun essentials! Many people here are still on holidays (vacation) so there’s plenty of time to enjoy the sunshine and hide in the air conditioning or the pool when it gets too hot. Now we have air conditioning, Summer and I are becoming friends again (that and two cold Winters in a row has made me appreciate the summer warmth so much more)!
The Essentials:
- Summer Fruit with Marshmallows for extra fun
- Bathers* and a Beach Towel
- A Carry Bag my Grandma calls these a Dili bag, she gave me this for Christmas one year
- After Sun Gel and Sunscreen to protect you from the sun’s harmful rays and cool you off if you get a little too much sun!
- Water, Sunglasses, A Summer Read and Some Good Tunes
- Icy Poles for cooling you down and because they make me feel like a kid again
- Flip Flops/Thongs*/Havianas because they’re the best in summer
- Digital Camera and/or a Waterproof Camera for capturing all the fun memories and the awesome blue skies
When I think of summer, I think of lounging around, enjoying time with friends and making some awesome memories. It’s not always how much you do, but more who you get to spend the sunshiney days with. Summer is in almost all of my favourite childhood memories and whilst you seem to get less summer fun when you’re working, the sun does seem to make the days just that little bit easier to handle.
I love that there’s so much possibility when it comes to the summer. You can go for a hike, or a bike ride, or just hang out at the local pool. There might be water slides or even a home made slip-n-slide and a whole lot of sitting in deck chairs and having a chat at dusk. Yes, it comes with flies and mosquitoes and sunburn, but it also comes with laughter, shoulders dropping and the chance to just enjoy that beautiful blue sky.
There might be time for reading a trashy magazine or a classic novel, or even introducing your kids to your favourite childhood story. There’s icy poles and summer fruit and chalk on the footpath. It’s all about wearing your hat and remembering that our skin is something to take care of and hopefully some photos for the family album. There’s quiet time when it gets too hot and the old Aussie classic game of Dead Fish when it all just gets a bit much. (Dead Fish is a game where you have to lie on the floor under the fan or the cooler and stay as still and as quiet as you can. When I was a kid, we would play this at school when it got too hot to do any work. It’s great for kids and grownups alike).
Summer (like anytime really) is what you make it. I’m aiming this year not to wish it away and wait for another one where things are more organised or when I can take a proper holiday to somewhere new. I want to soak it up and remember what it’s like to enjoy the sun and all the fun activities that it allows. I’m running as often as possible and being thankful for the sea breeze that comes from living where I do. Even if you’re working this summer, enjoy the warm sunny evenings and try to get some deck chair time when you can.
What is your favourite thing about summer? Do you have any summer fun essentials that I’ve missed? Tell me in the comments!
*Bathers are what some Aussies (including me) call swimwear and Thongs are what Aussies call flip flops (we aren’t talking about underwear, in case you think I’ve lost my mind ;) ) Maybe I should create a glossary of Aussie words for any of you that aren’t from Aus?! x