Monday, August 1, 2011

Starry starry night

Guess what we woke up to on Saturday? A blank calendar. Whoohoo! I know that probably doesn't excite most people but we heaved a collective sigh and said, thank goodness. This was the first Saturday since May 28th we were both home with nothing on the calendar. That's the whole summer so far people! Why do I feel like I should shout? We've had a lot of fun this summer but sometimes fun can wear a person out and a day without plans becomes golden.


On Saturday we enjoyed a long leisurely lunch overlooking a nearby lake. The weather was perfection and it felt good to catch up on the two of us. When you're on the go a lot its good to take time to step back and smell the roses. Or the coffee. Or the lobster roll with basil fries-yum!


Saturday night we loaded up the car with our camp chairs, blankets, water for the dog, bug spray, citronella candles and possibly the kitchen sink and headed to the drive in. As we were making our way there I spied a friendly neighborhood bear chowing down in a nearby orchard. Pretty sure you'll have to click to enlarge the photo in order to spot him.


Bears look so cute and fuzzy sitting on their backsides like that, don't they? He tucked himself behind the bush as we approached so he's a little bit hard to see but he's definitely there feeling fat and happy.


Do you have a drive in movie theatre anywhere near you? I know most of them have been shut down but what a fun way to spend a Saturday night. The lot was filled with families and children of all ages, there were older couples, groups of friends, the family pet-you name it. Before the movie started Frisbees were thrown and footballs tossed and there was even a scout troop setting up tents for post show camping. The crowd was friendly and well behaved and we really enjoyed ourselves.


When we lived in NJ the last time, roughly 20 years ago, we used to take our girls to the drive in. We would put their sweet, just bathed selves dressed in princess pjs into the back of our station wagon and they'd watch in style with pillows and blankets.


Hubs and I were smiling as we remembered the last movie we saw there-101 Dalmatians starring the very evil Cruella DeVil. Or Cruella VaDil as she was known in our house. In case you're wondering, those are the sort of thoughts that squeeze the air right out of your heart. If you are in the early years of child raising just know that down the road it will be the little things that will sneak into your memory and tug at your unsuspecting heart strings on some far off day in the future.


Where was I? Oh yeah. At the drive in. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful night...the sky turned all pink and golden as the sun set. It was cool and clear so if the movie got a little weird (Cowboys and Aliens) you could star gaze.

I love a starry starry night.
The song, the painting, and the real thing most of all.

15 comments:

  1. I just wrote about my hubby and I going to a drive-in! It was our first ever together! (We saw Zookeeper)
    Oh, and do I know about those heart-strings. Mine hurt sometimes for all the pulling.

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  2. It's been years since we went to a drive in. We took the kids when they were young as well. Time for a date night!

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  3. Haven't been to a drive in forever...not sure they have them here. What a fun summer to do .....how was the movie! I want to say anything with Daniel Craig can't be bad but you never know.

    Have a great week!

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  4. What an absolutely perfect weekend- memories and all!

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  5. Wow ... a Saturday completely free! How wonderful ... haven't had a day completely free in about the same time period. I think I might have one coming up on Wednesday. Maybe. ha!

    Have never been to the drive-in with DH ... all the local ones have shuttered since before we got married. And in this weather, not sure a drive-in would be all that much fun. ;-)

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  6. Your post tugged at my heart strings as I remembered taking our kids to the drive-inn, too. Such fun times! We used to go on "Dollar a Carload" night.

    We only have one drive-inn left in our area. We haven't been in years!

    Have a great Monday!

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  7. sounds like a great weekend! Years ago there use to be a drive in theater in Ledgewood. I would go alot with my boyfriend. My kids have never been to a drive in theater.

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  8. Haven't been to a drive in since High School! Hubby is very deaf and would have trouble. As it is, we often wait until the movie is out on DVD so he can read the closed captioning.
    However, I love spending time with my Hubby!

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  9. I was about to question why on earth you would leave your house if you didn't have to, and then I saw the picture of the lobster roll. Yum.

    My kids have reached the age where those little kid pictures are KILLING me. Yet it is still nowhere near time for grandchildren. Dangit.

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  10. The Drive In here on Long Island has closed down. I wish they would open another one. It would be fun to take the kids.

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  11. We don't have a Drive In here anymore either. I remember going when I was a little girl but they were absolete when our kids were little.
    :(

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  12. Sounds perfect! I haven't been to a drive-in since our children were little. So glad you went.

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  13. I just read your comment on my blog about going to see Kenny Chesney and the Zac Brown Band...I know I'm not supposed to be, but I'm soooo envious :) Both are among my favorites!

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  14. Your Saturday sounds a little more relaxing than mine ;) Drive Ins are fun. Ours was blown away in a wind storm years and years ago and never replaced. For awhile afterwords, the sign said, "Now Playing Gone With the Wind."
    Clever stuff, I tell ya

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  15. I've never been to a drive-in. There aren't any left around here that I know of. Wow, those bears! I can't get over how close they are to civilization!!! Yikes. So glad you had a relaxing weekend w/ hubs. We had a similar one, with nothing to do of enough importance to actually do, and what with no kids at home for 33 hours...Oh, speaking of Cruella DeVil, I remember the lightbulb moment my son had at age five when he saw the name written. He asked, "Hey, MOM! Did you know her name is spelled like 'devil'? That's pretty cool!"

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