SUMMER '05

It was the best summer of my life.
I was 27 years old.
I had been a single mom trying to make some friends.
I had started to go out at night on the weekends, which was something I had never done before as an adult.

The big guy and I had been getting to know each other all spring, and by that summer, we were officially "an item".
That summer will always hold a special place in my heart.
The weekdays were spent with both of us working - me a housekeeper for the fabulous people of our area, and his trade was concrete work.
And those weekdays I would count the minutes until I would get to see him again.
Every song made me think of him.

And then there were the weekends. Boy did we have some fun.
We would take the boys swimming in the river during the day, and at night... it was almost magical.

Those summer nights were spent outside at the Pioneer. There were excellent bands, big crowds, always new people to meet, old friends, new friends, dancing, laughing, drinking ... and the occasional fight which would ruin the party for everyone - but only for only a moment - soon everyone would be dancing and laughing again and the night would carry on.
There was even dancing in the rain.
All things I had never seen or experienced before.

He taught me how to live again ... how to let loose, be carefree... let my guard down and LAUGH.
I learned to trust again.

I was falling in love... and fast. I fought it hard. It was not what I wanted, but there was no denying it.

That summer was a whirlwind of emotions and experiences.

And now, to this day - even 5 years later, every summer takes me back to that time in my life ... the heat, the smells, the sounds of boats on the lake, the sun, the motorcycles... they all bring back memories of the summer of 2005.

Ya know how a song can take you back in time - to a certain place in your life?

Here are 2 of those songs - neither of them are from 2005, but the lyrics say everything I was feeling at that time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeugLYh9JYo

"I got lightening in my veins, thunder in my chest.
All tangled up with you and trying to catch my breath
I've been chasing that sensation half way around the world
And looking back on what we had.
I've done it all and I've seen it all but I can't find a feeling like that."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RetSd2NLWs

"That rebel moon is shining
Those stars burn like diamonds
Hell bent on chasing down
That crazy slide
I'll follow you where you're leading
To the first sweet taste of freedom
You got me running baby
Wild at Heart"