Friday, March 9, 2012

Summer House Memories

Maybe you saw the news earlier.  An entire stretch of Humarock beach was destroyed by a wind-fueled house fire that ended with the total destruction of four houses.  House fires destroy properties and personal items but after the fires have been extinguished they will have taken much more.


Summer homes have intrinsic value; there is just something about them, whether you own them or rent the same one for years and generations in a row there is a certain something that happens and memories that are created at Summer homes.

We spent every summer at the beach.  Within days of school ending we would pack up the Volvo and head down to Humarock.  There were 3rd of July parties, weddings, parties and birthdays (more birthdays by the year!) that all only happen in Humarock.  There were first dates, anniversary parties, break ups, arguments and full on fights (no fists) between family members.  The beach house is an enigma, it helps to create memories just because it is.

Sure it helps that there are more than a few places to rest your head, plenty of playing cards, more beer than most have seen and on the best summers a wide open stretch of silvery sand...but even the worst years of rocks at Humarock serve as a talking point...remember the year the rocks were sooo bad? is not an uncommon conversation.  What makes a beach house though, is kids and family.

And so yesterday as the phone calls rolled in I couldn't help but wonder about all the memories that had been created in the homes that burned down (one has burned down twice!) and what will come of the lots and the families and what new memories will be created from quite literally the ashes.

1 comment:

  1. I lost Alice's house, my Pepere used to rent it every memorial day weekend for years and since it was one of the 2 that burned completely to the ground we have to get a replacement :C

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