Summer of '89

Summer has always served as my season for reflection. Perhaps this is because I often find myself living vicariously through my children while they swim, attend camps, play outdoor games, eat popsicles, and otherwise enjoy anything and everything that kidlets do during those steamy months.

As Mom MD and I discuss on a regular basis, kids' carefree summers from the 70's are worlds away from the carefully planned summers of today. OK, admittedly it was a different world with no bike helmets, MP3 players or Wave boards, but it was our time, my time..a simpler time full or great memories.

But I actually wanted to look back on ONE of my favorite summers as an adult.

Summer of '89 - In Chico between my 3rd and 4th year of college.

Talk about hot, steamy and still. Chico summers remind me of the Midwest without quite as many mosquitoes. College guys are notoriously cheap when it comes to modern comforts like central air conditioner. We preferred to spend our extra $6 on a twelve pack of Coors and why not, when you're buzzed who the heck cares about dripping with sweat? I mean we had an apartment pool, showers, fans, and of course the river.

Tubing down the Sacramento River back in the day felt like heaven on Earth. Sun, women, beer, sun, and more sun, beer and women! OK, so the women didn't always want to go with us, many actually went to summer school or held down jobs, but the beer and sun never turned us down. After a few hours of drifting down the Sac with beers consumed, and bodies baked, we'd jump into the backs of the trucks, laying on the tubes to keep them from flying away. No cops within miles, fewer rules and no cell phones to disturb our buzz.

If you're wondering I did hold down a part-time job working for a local pet store. I suppose you could have called me the king of the dipshits the unofficial assistant to the assistant manager. Tales, not "tails" from the pet store are reserved for a future day. Summer music rotated between Tom Petty's "Full Moon Fever" and The Cult's "Sonic Temple." All bars were within walking distance. I had a girlfriend. I had a roommate who worked for a liquor store. I had few responsibilities. It was our time, my time, a simpler time full of great memories.

Fast forward twenty years to reality, it's now my time to check the laundry. I will do about five loads today along with the grocery shopping, the soccer daddy duties, and the preparation of this evening's family supper. Maybe, though, I'll take a few extra minutes and head to the garage and reach way behind all the rubber target tubs to that Huggies size six box that contains most of my old CD's. Perhaps I can steal a few more moments with tracks from good old Summer of '89.

Tell me your best summer memory............