Summer Break 2019

Fire Island Summer 2019

Now that school is officially in full swing, and the lazy days of summer are sadly behind us, I can't help but to reflect on our last few months. I love bucket lists. We make a family bucket list at the beginning of every season. Our summer bucket list helps us to accomplish all the things we have been dreaming about during the bitter New York City winter. It is also a time to be with our family more when our schedules aren't as hectic. Our priorities move from what must be done, to how we can enjoy each other, the weather, the moments.

• Visit Fire Island
• Go to Avon-By-The Sea
• Visit Family throughout the U.S.

We started by visiting the place where we were married, Avon-by-The-Sea, NJ. We stay at the same Bed & Breakfast we have been staying at on and off since 2004. Our daughter has been coming here since she could walk. It is important to have family traditions, and this is definitely one of our favorites. We love the beach. The local restaurants. Eating breakfast at the Inn and then taking long meandering walks. This year though, we went during some of the hottest days on record. The extreme heat still didn't stop us from swimming in the ocean, hanging out at the local pool, and dancing on the boardwalk. Because of the heat, the evenings were filled with all kinds of birds who came down to the local lake to cool off. We saw a beautiful heron one night, an egret, and a gaggle of geese all drinking from the lake and swimming. It was magical.

Heron on the Lake in across from the Inn

Our daughter feeling the wind while standing on the banks in the town I grew up in, Green River, WY

We also returned to Fire Island to visit with friends, soak in the quiet, the pace, and good conversations. We made a great journey to Wyoming to visit my family. Always amazed to remember that I was raised around mountains and open skies. I have lived in NYC longer than I lived in Wyoming, and although both places are completely opposite of each other, I feel at home in both. We also snuck in an unexpected trip to visit my husband's family in Kentucky and Ohio. It is always so fun to be surrounded by our family, playing games, eating dinner, laughing, telling stories. It does make us sad to live so far away from each other. I envy our city friends who live in the same buildings and blocks as their parents, aunts, uncles, parents, grandparents. We have chosen New York City because it is a place which has been generous to us, allowed us to be ourselves and truly follow our dreams. But every once in awhile, we ache for the closeness of our extended family.

Also on our bucket list:

• Rock Climbing (for my daughter)
• Sleep overs (also for my daughter)
• Practice Spanish (All of us) 
• Read New Books (All of us)

We did all of these things with such joy.

Our sweet boy, Seamus Blue, enjoying daughter's birthday packages in June.

But sadly, in the middle of our summer happiness and enjoyment, we were hit by some very upsetting and hard news. Our sweet cat Seamus Blue, only three and half years old, was found to have fluid around his heart and lungs. We took him to the vet after he had a very terrible bout of breathing. While he was  having the fluid removed, we were told even more devastating news. Seamus had a blood clot lurking underneath his heart. The vet said if it were to explode, it would be the very worse pain, and a terrible death. He told us we should put him to sleep immediately. At first I couldn't comprehend what was happening. Instead, I took our boy home to be with him a little longer. We loved on him with all of our hearts, spoiled him with delicious tuna fillets and played his favorite classical music. It was devastating. We found the kindest vet, Dr. Donna O'Leary, who came to our home to put him to sleep and send him onto his next journey. She made a very hard process so much easier. She surrounded our sweet boy (and us) with love. He never had to venture to the vet's office.

I still hear the pitter of his feet in the morning, feeling his constant kisses, and I truly miss his silly antics.

We miss our boy. Terribly.

You will always be our sweet boy Seamus Blue. We loved you with all of our hearts. And we still do.

Enjoy the rainbow, until we have the chance to hold you again.