What a week in New England to celebrate the 4th of July, as the heat rolled in and the sun came out, everyone was in full summer swing. We took off a little early for the long weekend on Wednesday mid-morning, and apparently so did everyone else in the Metro Boston area. What should have been a 1 ½ hour ride turned into 3+! But once we settled into our rental on the Cape, we jumped right into the classics.
What is it about sitting on the beach or standing in the water that is so calming? For me, it’s because I don’t have my phone on me, and I know I can actually relax a little. Now that the kids are comfortable in the water, we can swim and have more fun with them. That said, the first few days of this most recent trip kicked up some (much needed) waves and strong winds. Holly and Natalie are still pretty little, and they got tossed around a bit. Fun, but exhausting! Thankfully my wife is a Physical Therapist, because my back was a little more sore than expected given all the lifting over the waves.
After a long day in the sun, there’s no better way to cool down than with some ice cream. My go-to is still Sundae School, right near where we usually stay in Harwich Port. I get the Pistachio, and the girls will take any combination of Cookies ‘n’ Cream or Moose Tracks (preferably both in the same cup.) Either way, I make sure to taste it all, just so Holly and Natalie understand the “Dad Tax.”
Then on the 4th of July, you don’t need to go any further than any beach to find a “private” fireworks show. If you’ve been down to the Cape this time of year, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Our girls were finally old enough to really take in the show, and of course there happened to be a great one just a few steps from where we stayed. They had an absolute blast, kept asking for more, and talked about it with huge smiles for days afterward.
We’ve done all of these things before, and I know we’ll do them again. But a classic feels a little different with the girls every year: their perspectives change, they want to try new things, and something unplanned always seems to happen. Not unlike financial planning: sticking to your core plan is good, but you need to leave room to deviate every now and then.
Until next time.
