Summer Thoughts

Summer has become the time to manage projects that I cannot do during the school year.

Today I began the process of obtaining a passport. I found out that the certified document I thought was my birth certificate is only a certified copy of the registration of my birth. Until 9/11 this would have been sufficient, but now I need the actual birth certificate, so I have ordered that online. After waiting several weeks until it arrives, I will then complete the application for a passport and wait a while longer for it to arrive. (Pop and I are going to a church council meeting in Victoria, BC, in October, so I need the passport by then.)

Organizing my study is the major project looming. I am a procrastinator by nature, and the size of this job seems so overwhelming that I don't even know how to begin. I feel as if I'm moving piles from one side of the room to the other. I always look for something else to do rather than tackle this task--and I can always find something.

A third task, not really a high priority for me, is the possible acquisition of a dog. I'm thinking that a dog would be a good companion for Pop. It could go to the office with him each day and accompany him on his daily neighborhood walks. But, I don't want the responsibility of training, walking, tending, and cleaning up after a dog. I've spent many hours online looking for a suitable candidate, but I haven't fallen in love with any I have seen--and the "adoption" process seems unnecessarily long--fill out an application, wait several days, submit to a home inspection (yes, really, for a dog)--and expensive. Gone are the days of walking into the shelter and letting a dog steal your heart, I guess. But, if this process allows us to avoid the mistake of taking a "Ditzie", then I suppose it's for the best.

Finally, (and this is the motivating reason for this post) are our plans for a summer vacation. My cousin family reunion is mid-August. I attended the previous two unaccompanied, but this year seems like a good time to combine the reunion with our family vacation. Pop and I are considering driving north to Boston and then to Maine for about a week, and then we would drive west to Paradox Lake for several more days of camping with the reunion at the end. Gas prices are causing us to reconsider. We may shorten the vacation to a week at Paradox Lake.

I've often wondered why Grandmother and Grandfather never bought a vacation home for us to share. Perhaps they didn't want the responsibility. Perhaps they didn't want to be tied to one location for vacation. Perhaps they didn't want a bunch of rowdy Crums depreciating their property value. But, for me the ideal vacation boils down to three things--family, books, and water. I want to be with my family for vacation--especially those I don't see often. I also want a retreat where I can read all day long in (relative) peace and quiet. I want to be able to swim, and I think water also provides a great recreational distraction for children that allows me the peace and quiet for reading when I want to. I've given some thought to what it might take to acquire a family vacation retreat of our own. And, I've given even more thought to where that might be. Until several days ago I assumed it would have to be somewhere east of Indiana and west of Maryland, but nowhere in between appeals to me much. Then I began to consider making Bloomington our family vacation destination. So, here's the challenge--help me think through the feasibility of this. When Nate and Thomas consider buying a home in the Bloomington environs, could they find a large piece of property (say 8+ acres) with a residence or two--and a creek or pond? They would live in (and fix up, if necessary) their house. Then, they could--with the help of the other brothers--build (or refurbish) the house that would become our vacation/retirement home. We would add a great big swimming pool. All the Bloomington Crums could use the pool any time they wanted. The Maryland kids and I would come for a month each summer. Pop would come for his two or three weeks of vacation. Peter and Jess could then move to Bloomington and live in the house while building their own home (on the same property, if they want). The same for any of the others! Of course, I haven't considered the financial aspects, or the vacation ideals of others--I'm just dreaming for myself! Could this work? I'm serious about considering any and all insights.