Tips on things to do during the summer

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/05/2021 (1724 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In keeping with my recent focus on moving away from nonstop COVID-19 talk (to be fair, it is the sole topic on everyone’s mind these days) since we finally appear to have summer on the way, I thought it might be timely to share some ideas on how to spend our time in the coming months.

I asked several friends for their thoughts, so please keep in mind that not all mentioned are my ideas. Of course, some of them are meant in jest, which does not always translate on paper.

Given the coming summer weather, I tend to view activities as being “inside” or “outside.” Starting with “outside,” here are some ideas to consider.

Brandon is a great city blessed with excellent walking and biking trails. So get outside, in a socially distant manner, and enjoy yourself. I personally enjoy the walking trails near my house as well as the Riverbank Discovery Centre. These paths are a wonderful investment in the health and welfare of Brandonites. Use them.

I’m a terrible fisherman, but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying it. There are many spots throughout Westman to cast a line. The same is true of kayaking — we have a river running through our city, folks, so let’s use it.

One friend mentioned the long-banned lawn dart game as particularly fun. It’s socially distant, and the idea of throwing sharp metal objects at other people adds a non-COVID element of danger. On reflection, this might be a terrible idea.

How about reading? You can read anywhere, from beach to bedroom. It’s the all-season, all-weather activity. Here are some of my favourite reading choices:

I start with The Brandon Sun. I’m not trying to sell papers, although that’s not a bad thing. Rather, the Sun remains the best place to get a sense of what’s going on in Westman and, to be fair, to enhance our feeling of community. This is particularly true as we cannot meet in our usual coffee or lunch spots. Due to the pandemic, our local paper is more important than ever before.

I’ve been reading the James Michener novel “The Source,” essentially a history book about Israel. It was a birthday gift — and oddly enough, was the top-selling book on the New York Times list the day I was born. How cool a gift is that? At 1,000 pages, it’s no quick read.

For less educational reading, I’m also catching up on my John Grisham, Don Winslow and Lee Child novels. These vary in intensity and enjoyment, but I like them all. I also recommend any of the James Lee Burke books.

How about catch up on fun television? Just as not every meal is healthy for you, the same is true of TV. I’ve been watching older movies — “Jaws,” “Midway,” “Marathon Man” — while I’ve also been consuming far too much reality TV, including “Summer House” and the “Real Housewives,” “The Challenge” on Crave (there are 20 seasons of it to watch!), and now “Temptation Island.”

It’s not unlike sugar — bad for you, but it tastes great!

I also highly recommend the latest season of “Shtisel” on Netflix if you like a family-oriented drama with some cultural twists.

Here’s an optimistic idea — plan a vacation. We are restricted now, but we won’t be forever. As we have witnessed in other countries as they have reopened, people can’t wait to get back to their pre-COVID lives.

I want to go to Greece, Israel and Vietnam … not all on the same trip. I want to see my daughter in Toronto. I want to drive to Minneapolis. I’d like to go on the civil rights driving tour in Alabama and Georgia.

What are your post-COVID plans?

Who doesn’t like a barbecue? Westman has many excellent local butcher shops and bakeries for all your barbecue needs — it’s a fun way to be outside and enjoy our summer.

This is the start of summer ideas for me. The recent weather has me feeling especially optimistic about the next few months. See you on the walking paths!