Summer Essentials for Emergency Fun

I’m still waiting for summer weather to arrive since we’ve seen nothing but rainy or cold days for the past 2 months.  In the meantime, it doesn’t hurt to plan ahead and pack up my bag of “Summer Essentials for Emergency Fun.”  What’s that, you ask?

It’s for those spontaneous moments where the weather is just perfect, you get out of work early, and a friend calls you and says, “Hey, I just bought a boat – you wanna take a ride out along the coast towards Block Island?” or your girlfriend decides to join a beach volleyball league and is short a team member for the final tournament and you need to fill in due to your epic spiking skills…but aww, man!  Son of a 8!76H, mother-effer – you left your bathing suit at home!  It’ll take too long to go home and fetch it, so now you’ve missed out on some summer fun and your day – and possibly the rest of your entire summer – is spoiled as a result.

ENTER: The Summer Essentials for Emergency Fun – all the key items you need for an impromptu day at the beach or pool packed in your car, just in case an amazing opportunity arises such as a bathing suit, towel, sunscreen, hat, flip flops, and sunglasses:

OK, so maybe those exact scenarios might not ever happen in your lifetime (or mine).  The notion of “Summer Essentials for Emergency Fun” came about during my carefree, pre-baby days.  For example, Jeff and I would visit the city and pass by North Beach and regret not having our bathing suits with us to bask in the sweet Chicago sun.  (Summers in Chicago are the best!)  I also recall having to run and buy a bathing suit after work because my friend was over at a friend’s house who just so happened to have to have a pool.

I actually posted about those instances back when people were on Myspace and Facebook didn’t even exist (OMG, I’m giving my age away).  One of my friends took my summer advice seriously and it changed that particular summer and all her subsequent summers forever.  As a matter of fact, she posts on my Facebook at the beginning of every summer to personally thank me.  Here’s her actual testimonial:

You’re welcome, Mary!

Just because I have kids doesn’t mean that surprise summer fun opportunities are no longer in our near-future.  I do pack a huge bag with all our bathing suits, towels, change of clothes, etc. for all of us.  Actually, it’s more likely to happen when kids are involved – for example, if someone turns on the sprinklers at a family BBQ all the kiddos go nuts!  One time, I met my friend at a park and there was a splash pad for kids to run around in for free. Arielle was all over that action thanks to her super prepared awesome mom.

So go on and pack your Summer Essentials bag so that you’re prepared for any beach or pool opportunities that are thrown your way this season.  This just might be the best advice you’ll get all summer.  You can thank me later!