Summer is almost here…finally, and most of us will have children home. I gave a little thought to a number of things that we can do to get away on a Saturday either as a couple or as a family, including the child or adult with special needs. Have a great summer!
A - Automobile – jump in the car and turn onto every street with a name that begins with a the first letter of your last name. For children who do not know the alphabet you can turn at a particular type of landmark. Pack a picnic lunch and plan to be away the entire day.
B - Bicycle Trail – with a snack of bread, cheese, fruit and sparkling water pedal to a shady outdoor scenic area to have lunch.
C - Café it – find an outdoor café and order a latte and biscotti, enjoy one another’s company alfresco and people watch.
D - Deck chairs – enjoy a day at the beach. Bring an umbrella, sunscreen and spend the day walking on the beach, building sand castles and swimming
E - Elope! – get someone to take the children overnight and the two of you head for a bed and breakfast in a neighboring town.
F - Fishing – go fishing for an afternoon. Practice the technique of catch and release. Measure each fish before you throw it back. The one who catches the largest fish gets to pick the restaurant for an early supper.
G - Games – go to a summer afternoon or evening baseball game. Sit in the bleachers and bring your glove. Wear a baseball cap, jersey and jeans. Loosen up and have fun!
H - Hike – hike a trail together. If you can bring backpacks and set up camp for the night so much the better…don’t forget bug dope and make sure to check the fire risk before you go.
I - Ice Cream – go to an ice cream shop and order flavors that you have never tried before. Then set them in the middle of the table and taste them together, rank them on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being your favorite.
J - Jazz it up! – head for an establishment that has jazz musicians and spend the evening as a couple.
K - Kickball – get friends and their children together for an afternoon of kickball. Make it the best two out of three. Losers take winners out for pizza.
L - Laugh!! – make arrangements with friends to go to a Comedy Club together. Tip the waitress extravagantly; sit toward the front where the comedian can tease you.
M - Music – in the park! Head to a park with a band shell in the early evening. Bring a stadium blanket to sit on and listen to the music.
N - Night Run! – Just before bedtime yell “Jammie Run” and everyone pile into the car. Go through a drive through window at a restaurant and order everyone a cookie for a bedtime snack in your PJs.
O - Outdoor theater – yes, there are still a few around. Find one and go. Get popcorn and bring the mosquito coil. Park in the rows that still have the old fashioned speakers that hook on your window…if its been a while since you attended…don’t forget to put the speaker back before you drive off, remember high school?
P - Plays – get tickets for a local production and attend, if you know some of the actors so much the better. Go for a walk afterwards.
Q - Quidditch – Read the Harry Potter books as a family. Take turns reading them aloud to each other on a rainy Saturday.
R - Ride Horses – learn to ride horses together at a neighboring stable. If you already know how to ride, reintroduce yourself to the freedom of it.
S - Sketch – even if you are not an artist, sketch your children, your husband or wife, the dog, a pot of flowers, a tomato plant, whatever strikes your eye. Concentrate on lines and form, not perfection.
T - Tennis – bring a couple of rackets and head to the nearest tennis court.
U - Umbrella – grab an umbrella and boots and walk in the gentle summer rain on a warm afternoon. Don’t miss any puddles! (Do make sure that there is not lightening before you set out.)
V - Video Night – Rent movies and pretend that the couch is a boat. Bring all items needed for an uninterrupted movie. The only reason to get up is to go to the bathroom.
W - Wax on, wax off – wash and wax the car together. Wear old clothes and be playful.
X - xxxxxxxxxxx lots of kisses for your family. Kiss your mate while waiting in line for theater tickets, in the grocery store, or some other place where you don’t usually think of it. Kiss the kids when they least expect it. Make it a contest. Whoever gives the most kisses, wins.
Y - Yahtzee! Have a game night. Invite friends over. Tell them dress is casual (shorts or sweats) and to bring a board game and appetizer. Women, hair requirements are ponytails and headbands, Men wear caps and tennis shoes or sandals. Snack on appetizers and play games all evening. Cap off the night with a toast at midnight and souvenir dice or cards for each couple attending as a memento. Things like silly decks of cards and fuzzy dice for car rear view mirrors go over well. The children can have their game night too with older children or caregivers running the show in another room.
Z - Zoo – spend the day taking pictures of each other acting like the animals in front of their respective cages. Pick your favorite animal of the day and buy a stuffed version of it at the gift store. Hang a tag on it with the date and each write a message on it. Bring it out the next time you go to the zoo and take more pictures of the family with its newest member!
Enjoy your alphabet of Saturdays!
Much love and Joy!
Karen
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