Chapter One:
It is a hot day. The sun feels as if I were inside an oven. The noon whistle has not blown yet, so I still have a couple of hours to get lunch prepared. Its just too hot to eat, much less to figure out what to cook. As I pour myself a glass of sweet iced tea, I lose myself in my memories......
School was closing in a few hours for the entire summer. I couldn't wait to get started on my summer. Swimming, fishing, movies, hanging out with my friends....everything a 17 year old girl loves to do. Nothing or no one was going to drown out my parade. This summer was going to be perfect. As the last bell rang at school, we all ran out to our cars.....the summer had officially began. I pulled up at my grandmother's house, excited to tell her all about my plans for the summer. Walking in the house I was mesmerized by the wonderful smells of cinnamon. Mamaw was baking cookies. She always had something sweet ready for an visitor that may happen by. I called out to my grandmother, she was usually busy in the kitchen, but not today. Something didn't seem right. Why was she not answering my call. Just then she appeared. I could tell by the look on her face, something was wrong. She begans explaining to me that her sister had broken her foot and needed surgery. The surgery meant that she would need someone to help her while she was recovering. My grandmother was distraught because she could not be with her. My grandfather was a farmer and needed my grandmother to help him with the business. I could tell by the look on my grandmothers face that she was crushed beyond words. What was my great aunt going to do? At that moment, I knew my summer plans had dramatically changed. As I chewed my last bite of cinnamon cookie, I looked up at my grandmother and said, "Don't worry Mamaw, I will go help Aunt Sue". The words shocked my grandmother, not because she didn't expect me to offer, but because I had such amazing summer plans and I had let everyone know how nothing was going to interfere with them. As my eyes looked into hers, the words rang back unto me. "I will go help Aunt Sue", what did I just say? Did I really just commit my entire summer to staying indoors? Well, there is nothing left to do now except go pack a bag and tell my friends goodbye. With Aunt Sue living over 6 hours away, weekend visits would be out of the question. So seeing any friends would have to wait until August when school started back again. Suddenly I wished I could turn the months back and have a few more with everyone. Well, goodbye Mississippi, hello Georgia! I am sure this will be a summer I will never forget...........
It is a hot day. The sun feels as if I were inside an oven. The noon whistle has not blown yet, so I still have a couple of hours to get lunch prepared. Its just too hot to eat, much less to figure out what to cook. As I pour myself a glass of sweet iced tea, I lose myself in my memories......
School was closing in a few hours for the entire summer. I couldn't wait to get started on my summer. Swimming, fishing, movies, hanging out with my friends....everything a 17 year old girl loves to do. Nothing or no one was going to drown out my parade. This summer was going to be perfect. As the last bell rang at school, we all ran out to our cars.....the summer had officially began. I pulled up at my grandmother's house, excited to tell her all about my plans for the summer. Walking in the house I was mesmerized by the wonderful smells of cinnamon. Mamaw was baking cookies. She always had something sweet ready for an visitor that may happen by. I called out to my grandmother, she was usually busy in the kitchen, but not today. Something didn't seem right. Why was she not answering my call. Just then she appeared. I could tell by the look on her face, something was wrong. She begans explaining to me that her sister had broken her foot and needed surgery. The surgery meant that she would need someone to help her while she was recovering. My grandmother was distraught because she could not be with her. My grandfather was a farmer and needed my grandmother to help him with the business. I could tell by the look on my grandmothers face that she was crushed beyond words. What was my great aunt going to do? At that moment, I knew my summer plans had dramatically changed. As I chewed my last bite of cinnamon cookie, I looked up at my grandmother and said, "Don't worry Mamaw, I will go help Aunt Sue". The words shocked my grandmother, not because she didn't expect me to offer, but because I had such amazing summer plans and I had let everyone know how nothing was going to interfere with them. As my eyes looked into hers, the words rang back unto me. "I will go help Aunt Sue", what did I just say? Did I really just commit my entire summer to staying indoors? Well, there is nothing left to do now except go pack a bag and tell my friends goodbye. With Aunt Sue living over 6 hours away, weekend visits would be out of the question. So seeing any friends would have to wait until August when school started back again. Suddenly I wished I could turn the months back and have a few more with everyone. Well, goodbye Mississippi, hello Georgia! I am sure this will be a summer I will never forget...........
