I Leave a Piece of My Heart When I Go

I’m back in Pennsylvania after a week of blissful relaxation at Grandpa’s house on the shore of Lake Dunmore, just outside of Middlebury, Vermont.  My family has been spending summers at the lake since long before my time, and Grandma and Grandpa bought their lake house in the 80’s.  My aunts, uncles and cousins come from all over - New Jersey, New York, Missouri and New Hampshire - so that we can spend summers together at the lake.

Lake Dunmore

 We go swimming and fishing, waterskiing and wakeboarding.  We drive the motorboat (I’ve had my license since I was 12) and paddle the canoe and kayaks.  We lounge around the grill drinking gin and tonics and American brews.  We stay up late, roasting marshmallows around the bonfire and setting off fireworks on the Fourth of July.


roasting marshmallows
photo courtesy of Pinterest

The Vermont lifestyle is totally laidback, and I’m much more carefree at the lake.  I don’t wash my hair (I go swimming – doesn’t that count?!)  I don’t care when my nail polish chips.  I’m slightly more tolerant of spiders.  I can spend an entire day reading a book in the hammock and not worry about all the work that didn’t get done.