10:31 p.m. - 05 June 2003
A snapshot of summer
My favorite picture of myself is one that's almost seventeen years old: it was taken during the summer of 1986 on our annual vacation. That year, we went camping in the Great Smoky Mountain National Forest, along with my aunt and uncle who live in Pennsylvania. The picture was taken after a hike to a lake: I was putting my shoes and socks back on after doing some wading and my mom caught my attention. I was sitting on a rock at the edge of the lake, and you can see I'm just about to put one sock back on.
Why is it my favorite picture? I'm not entirely sure. I think it's partly because it's one of those pictures where it was just taken: I didn't have to pose and smile. Plus, I'm very thin. Granted, I was 10, but I've been heavy most of my life and any picture that makes me look thin is a good thing. Unfortunately, I was still recovering from the worst case of the flu I've ever had -- I hadn't eaten much of anything for about two weeks. Not a recommended weight loss technique.
I'm pretty sure that not everyone went on that hike; it was me, my parents, my aunt and uncle, and two of their (at the time) three children. My sisters and cousin stayed back at the campground with someone else, but I can't remember who. I don't think it was a particularly long hike -- an hour or so -- but I do remember that the lake was beautiful, with a big waterfall at one end. My uncle and cousin were brave enough to climb up to the top of the waterfall; my fear of heights was well-developed even then, so I refrained.
The water was cold, I remember that. I think it was still early in the summer -- sometime in June -- and since we were way up in the mountains, I'm not sure the lake ever got really warm. Splashing my feet in the water to cool them was as close to swimming as I cared to get. Plus, I'm pretty sure I hadn't taken my bathing suit with me, nor do I think Mom would have let me go swimming in water that cold so soon after being so sick (I ended up getting a big ol' shot of penicillin the day before we left on the trip. And the first thing I did when we finally got to the campsite was puke out the side door of the van).
As for my train of thought? I was probably enjoying the scenery. I was also probably catching my breath -- I was more fit then, but not by much. Most of all, I was probably waiting to get back to the campsite so I could take a nap in the van. That's what vacations are really all about, right? Long leisurely naps.
This has been an entry for the Summer Writing List
