Monday Memories: Hot Pink and Roller Rinks

I spent the weekend with my wonderful grandparents. *Photo: My weekend chair. Being around them brings back so many memories. Lazy summer days spent by their pool in Fort Smith to action packed (sort of) holiday weekends on the lake in Hot Springs. It also brings back new and old memories of drinking hot chocolate with marshmallows or whipped cream in the middle of the summer. Yes, I drank hot chocolate with whipped cream (out of the can) this weekend. Days at their house were full of drinking sun tea or lemonade with just enough cherry juice to turn it pink. There's no telling how many jars of cherries my sister and I went through over the years. We had freshly squeezed lemonade this weekend, and I can tell you that Splenda tastes exactly the same as sugar.

Hot Pink and Roller Rinks

I got up very early this morning to drive to work from Hot Springs. For some reason, this triggered a time when I was visiting my grandparents in Fort Smith and was going roller skating with a group of kids at my grandfather's church. I remember I got up so early because I was excited, and my grandfather was leaving for work. He smiled at me and asked me why I was up so early. He knew the reason, though.

As I sat in the sun room, watching the birds fly through the clear morning sky, I knew it was going to be the best day. The sun was shining brighter than I can ever remember. I was beyond thrilled for my day's adventure. I didn't know anyone at the church really, but that never bothered me. I was wearing a new outfit my grandmother bought me at the mall, and that was all that mattered to me. It was a pink t-shirt with a buckle to tie the side with. I don't remember much about the rest of the day, but I will always remember the feeling I got when I woke up and was so excited about what was ahead of me that day. I think each of us should take a little time every day to bring back some of that childhood excitement in our daily outlook. I know I could use some of it.

Not a bad evening view. I could do this every day.

Happy Monday!