It’s been several hours and 5 days since you took my summer away…

Summer is over which means it’s report card time! I know y’all have been anxiously waiting to see how it all went down but before I reveal the results of my 100 Days of Summer bucket list, I have decided to change things up a bit based on my friend Tim’s suggestion of replacing the incompletes with alternative fun things that happened. Afterall, we must remember, it is summer and summer should be fun and spontaneous, even for people like me! So without further ado:

1. go on a sailboat*** YES! I did not say “sail on a sailboat”. During the Tall Ships festival, I toured a few boats.
2. watch an outdoor movie*** YES! Erin and I watched Footloose outside at the Chickenburger. 
3. see Shakespeare by the Sea*** NO, BUT… Sarah, Amanda and I went to the play Nothing Less at Two Planks and a Passion Theatre. Outside theatre = same thing. 
4. fly a kite*** YES! It was a last-minute effort with David. We found a plastic kite in the basement and flew it around a parking lot. Not much air but we did it.
5. ride a slip & slide** NO, BUT… What’s better than a slip & slide? Try riding down a waterslide into the ocean. True story. Did it. 
6. visit magic mountain** YES! We probably picked the coldest day of summer to do this. Imagine standing in your wet bathing suit on the top of a hill, holding a wet tube that’s blowing in the wind while you wait in line to go down a cold waterslide. 
7. make homemade ice cream* YES! Thank you Mila for lending me your ice cream maker, it was delicious. 
8. hike Cape Chignecto* NO BUT… We explored Fort Beauséjour in New Brunswick.
9. go to a country fair* YES! Amanda rented a car (#10) and drove Sarah and me to the Hants County Exhibition for a goat yoga class. 
10. ride shotgun in a car driven by Amanda* YES! See #9
11. have a water balloon fight*  NO, BUT… Goat Yoga. See #9
12. have fresh flowers in the house always* YES! Not always the freshest and sometimes more weed than flower but they were always there. 
13. tube down a river* YES! The Lazy River. See #6.
14. buy a summer dress* YES! 
15. mow the lawn* YES!
    ***
16. golf (the real deal golf. not mini) YES! It took us 4 hours to play nine holes. Thanks, Clara, Larry and Mom for your patience.  
17. go to a concert NO, BUT… I was my mom’s date to a birthday party at Fox Harb’r Resort 
18. surprise someone YES! My sister turned 40 and we surprised her with a night out on the town.
19. cheer for someone YES! Team 71. See #20.
20. hike the Skyline Trail NO BUT… I ran up Hunter’s Mountain during leg 17 of the Cabot Trail Relay. 
21. swim in a lake YES! Amanda and I took a dip in Lake Banook.
22. swim in the ocean YES! A beautiful day in September at Crystal Crescent Beach.
23. dive into the water YES! How else does one enter the cold water?
24. go to Eliot & Vine YES! For my birthday.
25. go to the Shore Club YES! A farewell dinner with Kristin, Josh, and Noah before they moved to Ottawa.
26. go to Chain Yard Urban Cidery YES! So good, I went twice. 
27. start a bullet journal YES! 
28. start designing my 2018 calendars NO, BUT… I created a folder and copied last year’s files to it. I need ideas!
29. spend more time on my front porch YES! 
30. host a strawberry shortcake cocktail party YES! I made cocktails and strawberry shortcake but in case you were wondering why you were not invited, it was a very small and unplanned gathering.
31. host a bbq YES! A few.
32. borrow Jill’s pizza oven and host a pizza party YES! When my sister was visiting we had a family backyard pizza party to celebrate Edith’s first birthday.
33. sunrise at the beach YES! Early morning runs by the ocean help make this happen.
34. sunset at the beach YES! See #22.
35. have a lunch date YES! A few.
36. have a brunch date YES! A few. 
37. have a post-work beer date at the Stillwell beer garden YES! Right after doing #38.
38. go prom-watching in the Public Gardens YES! 
39. order a pizza and eat it in a park YES! While waiting for Henry who was at the emergency clinic.
40. bike across the MacDonald bridge (if it EVER opens!) YES! David and I biked home from summer camp one day.
41. bike a trail YES! See #96
42. hike a trail YES! 
43. run a trail YES! Many times. 
44. run by the ocean YES! Many times.
45. run across the MacDonald bridge (if it EVER opens!) YES!
46. go for a run and jump in the water right after YES! Jenna and I ran around Lake Banook and then jumped in.
47. pop a wheelie YES! Ha. 
48. go berry picking YES! Strawberries on the Amherst Shore. 
49. make raspberry jam YES! It was okay. 
50. sleep in a tent NO, BUT… I slept in an Airbnb.
51. ride a roller coaster (or some other carni ride) YES! David and I rode the Gravitron at the Pugwash Gathering of the Clans.
52. spend an evening on an outdoor patio YES! A few times but not enough times. 
53. wash and clean my car (inside too) YES! 
54. run laps on a track YES! At 5:30 am at SMU when no one was watching. 
55. run with a run club YES! Jenna and I have been running with the BLT Runners occasionally. 
56. train for a marathon YES! And I ran it!
57. rollerblade on the Oval YES! I do not like rollerblading but I like the Oval. 
58. visit the Discovery Centre YES! 
59. play croquette NO, BUT… I rode a bicycle built for two. 
60. visit Hope for Wildlife YES! David took me for a tour and it was fabulous. 
61. night swim YES! An early evening swim. 
62. drink my morning coffee outside YES!
63. accidentally get a sunburn YES! 
64. picnic with a basket and blanket YES! Bike ride included.
65. celebrate with sparklers YES! In the backyard.
66. grow tomatoes YES! Thanks to Elissa, I grew three. 
67. have a campfire YES! At my parent’s house.
68. dance in the rain NO, BUT… I ran in the rain and I biked in the rain. 
69. make iced coffee YES! 
70. run through a sprinkler YES! During the Natal Day Road Race.
71. make peach pie YES! Twice. 
72. make rhubarb pie YES! 
73. make key lime pie YES! 
74. rent kayaks YES! David and I rented kayaks and a paddle boat in Saint John.
75. selfie with a lighthouse YES!
76. selfie with a lobster trap YES! 
77. selfie in a boat YES! Cruising down the Wallace River on the SS Minnow. 
78. hear bagpipes YES! Canada Day, Natal Day and I think 2o more times.
79. watch a parade YES! Canada Day and Natal Day.
80. leave the province YES! See #99.
81. leave the country YES! New York for #56.
82. cut my hair YES! But I chickened out on getting bangs.
83. tie dye NO, BUT… I did buy the dye and a plain white tee. 
84. watch fireworks YES! From my bedroom window which totally counts. 
85. toss a frisbee YES! With David.
86. clean my office NO, BUT… I started watching The Office.
87. eat from a food truck YES! I finally tried a burrito from the Gecko Bus.
88. only use the clothesline YES! Always.
89. make cedar-planked salmon YES! We had Brie and Rick over for a BBQ.
90. drink beer from a cooler YES! My mother-in-law had me over specifically to help check this off my list. 
91. drink beer from a pitcher YES! At Maxwell’s Plum with my sister and her friends. Twenty-five years ago this was the dream. 
92. go to a yard sale YES! However, I did not buy anything.
93. go tidal bore rafting NO, BUT… I went wine tasting. 
94. ice cream on the Halifax waterfront YES! Cows. Of course. 
95. try hot yoga YES! Hollie and I went to a Friday night karma class.
96. visit McNabs Island YES! We took our bikes (#41) and spent 4 hours exploring.
97. take a water taxi YES! We hired a boat to take us to #96.
98. plant a tree (or shrub) YES! I finally planted a lilac and a rhododendron. 
99. play hooky YES! David and I tagged along on Mike’s business trip to Saint John. We accomplished #6, 13 and 74 on our 2-day adventure. 
100. write my 40 before 40 list YES! Here.

Total Score: 87% YES + 13% NO, BUTS.

Summer was pretty great. Thanks to all who hung out and helped me check things off my list. I can’t wait to do it all again in 2018. #100daysofsummer

NOTE: *2016 not complete **2015/2016 not completed ***2014/2015/2016 not completed. + Thank you, Dylan, for the title inspiration.

The long weekend is here and that means Summer starts nowish! In celebration, I am launching my fourth annual 100 Days of Summer LET’S DO IT list where I try and make the most of the sweetest but shortest season. I may not get it all done, but here’s hoping… And, I hope you can join in on some of the fun.

Note: I always start with the ones I’ve yet to complete… There are also pick-ups from previous years because awesomeness is always worth repeating.

1. go on a sail boat***
2. watch an outdoor movie***
3. see Shakespeare by the Sea***
4. fly a kite***
5. ride a slip & slide**
6. visit magic mountain**
7. make homemade ice cream*
8. hike Cape Chignecto*
9. go to a country fair*
10. ride shot gun in a car driven by Amanda*
11. have a water balloon fight* 
12. have fresh flowers in the house always*
13. tube down a river*
14. buy a summer dress*
15. mow the lawn*
    ***
16. golf (the real deal golf. not mini)
17. go to a concert
18. surprise someone
19. cheer for someone
20. hike the Skyline Trail
21. swim in a lake
22. swim in the ocean
23. dive into water
24. go to Eliot & Vine
25. go to the Shore Club
26. go to Chain Yard Urban Cidery
27. start a bullet journal
28. start designing my 2018 calendars
29. spend more time on my front porch
30. host a strawberry shortcake cocktail party
31. host a bbq
32. borrow Jill’s pizza oven and host a pizza party
33. sunrise at the beach
34. sunset at the beach
35. have a lunch date
36. have a brunch date
37. have a post-work beer date at the Stillwell beer garden
38. go prom-watching in the Public Gardens
39. order a pizza and eat it in a park
40. bike across the MacDonald bridge (if it EVER opens!)
41. bike a trail
42. hike a trail
43. run a trail
44. run by the ocean
45. run across the MacDonald bridge (if it EVER opens!)
46. go for a run and jump in the water right after
47. pop a wheelie
48. go berry picking
49. make raspberry jam
50. sleep in a tent
51. ride a roller coaster (or some other carni ride)
52. spend an evening on an outdoor patio
53. wash and clean my car (inside too)
54. run laps on a track
55. run with a run club
56. train for a marathon
57. rollerblade on the Oval
58. visit the Discovery Centre
59. play croquette
60. visit Hope for Wildlife
61. night swim
62. drink my morning coffee outside
63. accidentally get a sunburn
64. picnic with a basket and blanket
65. celebrate with sparklers
66. grow tomatoes
67. have a campfire
68. dance in the rain
69. make iced coffee
70. run through a sprinkler
71. make peach pie
72. make rhubarb pie
73. make key lime pie
74. rent kayaks
75. selfie with a lighthouse
76. selfie with a lobster trap
77. selfie in a boat
78. hear bag pipes
79. watch a parade
80. leave the province
81. leave the country
82. cut my hair
83. tie dye
84. watch fireworks
85. toss a frisbee
86. clean my office
87. eat from a food truck
88. only use the clothesline
89. make cedar-planked salmon
90. drink beer from a cooler
91. drink beer from a pitcher
92. go to a yard sale
93. go tidal bore rafting
94. ice cream on the Halifax waterfront
95. try hot yoga
96. visit McNabs Island
97. take a water taxi
98. plant a tree (or shrub)
99. play hooky
100. write my 40 before 40 list

NOTE: *2016 not complete **2015/2016 not completed ***2014/2015/2016 not completed.

The rules are simple. Summer starts this weekend (the long weekend of May) and ends on the last day of September. Here are my lists from 2016 / 2015 / 2014