Once again I find myself with a large pile of photos and new memories from a nice long visit with friends and family in the States. From dinner in Boston with one set of cousins, to meeting my newest baby cousin visiting from Colorado, to tasting the 17 unique mineral waters of Saratoga Springs and taking a dip in Lakes George and Owasco, plus a quick swim in the Atlantic Ocean at Old Orchard Beach, Maine, it’s been a pretty full month.

I was able to achieve my goal of jumping a horse again, something I hadn’t done since high school; and I spent many a happy hour rolling around on the floor with my parents’ new Irish Goldendoodle puppy, Cooper.

I took my husband on a pilgrimage to Colgate, ate Byrne Dairy chipwiches and saw some old friends around campus. We also explored the National Mall with Sarah and Maddie in the August heat of Washington, DC.

I helped my mom get her classroom ready for the new school year. I saw lighthouses with Aunt Susan and watched baseball with Grandpa Izzy and Uncle Paul. Went to the Blue Ribbon with Lucas, Jumpin’ Jacks with Uncle Danny, and Gershons with Mr. Jones. Laughed a lot with Andy and Maureen. Wore knee socks and made Bumble Beads bracelets with Haley. Heard new stories about Grandma from Dad.

I ate wonton soup, macaroni salad, and peanut butter cups and drank way too much root beer.

Now it’s time to start preparing for the trip back to Barcelona, far away from many people and places that make up a big part of my life. Still waiting for the instantaneous transporter technology that will let me make these trips more frequently…

A toast to summer with Saratoga mineral water. I prefer root beer.

A few nights ago my family and I had dinner at Jumpin’ Jacks, one of my favorite childhood summer spots. Enter Hurricane Irene and it’s now literally under water. (We were sitting at one of the pavilions shown below. Scary.)

Matt Baumgartner over at Bombers Burrito Bar is raising some cash to help Jumpin’ Jacks get back on its feet. If you ever ate a Jack Burger or enjoyed a waterskiing show on the Mohawk, chip in a few bucks. That way next summer we can hear those hard working kids yell “Subway!” when we toss our change in the tip jar. Donate now!