Summer Amnesia…

​48 96 hours ago (it’s taken me awhile to write this)…

I was in Martha’s Vineyard sipping on a cold, dry Chardonnay, absorbed in a beautiful book (The Bright Hour by Nina Riggs – which I highly recommend – 39 year old mother of 2 boys who just died of metastatic breast cancer – great great great granddaughter of Ralph Waldo Emerson), listening to the birds chatter and chirp around me as I lounged on a comfy chaise on the hillside at the magical Outermost Inn run by Hugh and Jeanie Taylor. I was soaking up the scenery of what can only be described as a little slice of heaven and casually chatting with the hubs about the fascinating gender roles of the Osprey family of five in their nest on a perch in front of us (and yes – I am quite the sexy conversationalist, thank god I’m already married is all I can say!).

While I was busy doing all that nothing, Tom was obsessing over trying to capture the trifecta of “baseball team birds” in one shot on his iPhone (Oriel, Bluejay and Cardinal) as they were all hopping and flying around right in front of us amongst the bevy of birdhouses the Taylor’s set up for their feathered friends. You get the picture – we were seriously relaxed, unplugged, chillin’ like villains. If this is what you are in the market for – the Outermost Inn is the place to do it. Hugh and Jeannie, Allie and the team are the coolest, most relaxed and lovely hosts. What his brother James Taylor has for talent in singing, Hugh has in spades in hospitality and craftsmanship. There is really nothing like this place. Our friends Suzanne and Dave have been coming here for 10 years and I could tell by the way they described it that it was something special. They have the most incredible food, scenery, company and such a magical atmosphere that when I walked into the breakfast room on Sunday – which was our anniversary, our wedding song started playing. Seriously. Out of nowhere. No one knew or had requested this. Tom was still back in the room and I ran to get him to come down and witness it. It’s just that kind of a place where weird, cool stuff like that happens. The kind of place where Hugh says “Just take my car if you feel like going out” and where Jeannie puts candles in your sorbet while Hugh whistles Happy Anniversary to you over their homemade pancake breakfast.

When we had our fill of bird watching, playing the oh so addictive “try to get the ring on the hook” game on the porch, and general lollygagging, we went for a breathtaking stroll down to the water and past the amazing clay cliffs this area of the Vineyard is known for. Thank god someone had warned us about the nude beach we would encounter along this hike – because without any sign or delineation, I literally almost tripped over an elderly woman lying face down butt-naked on a barely noticeable towel. Thinking she had washed up with the tide, I was about 2 seconds away from flipping her over and performing mouth to mouth when I remembered!

So, like I said – 96 hours ago I was doing this…

and then having lobster rolls for lunch while looking out at this…

and then I came home to one kid with a 101 degree fever, the other looking like a leper with poison ivy all over his face, a husband leaving town again, a dog who is pissed at me and won’t even look in my general direction, and what felt like a 200 degree day while I hosted the entire second grade class at my house. I was so shell-shocked by my re-entry from paradise, that I didn’t even react when 15 little eight year old boys were wrecking havoc in the boat at the party. I just kept thinking, “Hmm, that doesn’t look like a very good idea, but it’s also not the worst thing they could be doing.” 

No wonder I now feel like this…

​So, we look forward to it all year and then it takes but a nanosecond to remember that what comes right alongside all that sunshine and white wine are … crazy kids who’ve been pent up in school for 180 days and whom you now need to deal with 24/7, sweltering heat, summer viruses, and rash roulette! Yay summer, you’re here. I forgot how much fun you are.

But…The Cancer Couch has the best solution to beat the heat, keep those crazy kids outta your hair and entertained, and … help save lives and do something good while you kick off this festive summer season. Of course I’m referring to The Last Day Of School Scoops Challenge! The kids and parents of Cheshire CT – led by my tireless sis Viv, Susan and their rock star Cheshire friends – are getting ready to chow down tomorrow and I will be there to emcee and cheer them on. It is their first year hosting this event and they have already raised over $26,000 and going! AMAZING! THANK YOU CHESHIRE AND especially Magic Mikes Ice Cream Show Down Team and the First Grade Ice Cream Lovers and Cancer Crushers who have each already raised over 2500! I will let you know you pulls ahead as the final winner for highest fundraiser! Thank you Sweet Claude’s and Stephanie for sponsoring!

And the Fairfield Teams – led by my unstoppable sis Paula, Vicki and the incredible volunteer team of Kyla, Stephanie, Andrea, Sarah, Mary, Stacey, Tricia, Nicole, Nicole, Danielle, Maura, & Mary Frances – are bringing it also – getting ready for their Scoops Challenge Friday! The Beyonces, The Final Fours, and The Chow Hounds are all neck and neck for first place…who will pull it off? My daughter’s, my son’s, or my nephew’s team? Thank you Saugatuck Sweets and Al for sponsoring!

Remember – this is SO easy to host in your town and we will honor someone you love or you with a grant in your name for metastatic breast cancer patients in financial need at your local cancer center with 10% of the proceeds. We send you everything you need to do this and Ford Warriors In Pink has generously provided banners for these events so please consider doing this next year, any time this summer, or when the mood strikes you!

Stay tuned for the exciting results and until then, stay cool …