You know I love swimming, summer, and all the memories that it brings. Memorial Day is the official beginning of summer in my book, and we rung it in this past weekend with brilliant sun, juicy watermelon, and even homemade banana coconut ice cream. Does it get any better?

My dear friend Amy Claire has been visiting for the last week, so she, Steven, and I headed for our friend's private backyard pool for a leisurely afternoon. I armed myself with body+soul magazines and my Anne Lamott book, Bird By Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life.

I talked to my dad, and he said their Memorial Day in New Jersey was very much the same - the weather was warm and balmy, and the Madison Community Pool parking lot was packed. Of course, he reported that my mom was one of the few brave ones to enter the chilly waters. After 42 years of the same tradition, that wasn't much of a surprise!

Here are some photos of our day...