By SUSAN DROMEY HEETER, Joyful Musings
So, Joyful Musers, it’s been a minute since we’ve chatted. How ARE you? And I ask that sincerely, not as a habit, a howareyoubutIdon’treallywanttoknowtheaswer vibe. And me? I’m coming off an incredibly joyful summer of beaching, of reading, of sleeping, of hammocking. In spite of the rain, I loved this summer, rented the tiny cottage in Ipswich until the end of September and, well, delighted in life, rested, replenished, read.
What was your favorite meal of summer of ‘23? Mine was a grilled cheese I made for friends from high school, we gathered and ate al fresco with sour dough bread, cheddar cheese, prosciutto, and a glaze of date syrup. I’m not much of a chef but, for me, grilled cheese never disappoints. It’s the navy blue of meals: classic, simple, always works.
What was your favorite outing of summer ‘23? I hope you had lots. Gratefully, I had a few. One included flying with my husband and daughter to Kalamazoo, Michigan to see family. As my boyfriend/husband has his pilot’s license, I sat in the back with an entire bottle of shampoo in my bag and read Paul Stanley’s autobiography. Stanley is a member of KISS and was born with only one ear. Fascinating. While we flew over the Adirondacks, I learned his mother fled Nazi Germany, I learned he suffered from depression and often hung out at Sarge’s Deli in Manhattan, one of my favorite haunts in NYC. Who knew. I love autobiographies.
What was your favorite memory of summer ‘23? One of mine includes spending the entire day on Crane Beach with my cousin, Sarah, reading People magazines, talking, dozing and surprisingly, running into one of our 40 first cousins, Wally and his wife on the beach. Sarah and I Iaughed at the small world vibe but figured the odds are always good we’re related to at least one person on any beach, on any time. Gotta love those enormous Irish Catholic families.
Finally, Joyful Musers, I pause and reflect on, well, the pause and reflect so necessary to life, to tranquility and peace. And let’s not wait for summer ‘24 to stop and enjoy all this life has to offer. I muse joyfully on your memories of summer ‘23 and hope you’ll find many more in the months ahead.
Susan Dromey Heeter is a writer from Dover who recently let her hair go au natural white. Writing has been her passion since her English majoring days at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. Dromey Heeter has lived in The Netherlands, Alaska and currently basks in all things New England, including the frigid winters. An avid swimmer, Dromey Heeter’s great passion is to bring back body surfing as most children have no idea how to ride waves without ridiculous boogie boards.