Summer Adventures

The calendar says it is June this week. June means summer. Summer means fun. I'm still working on my life list for 2017, getting healthier, working on my writing, but there was a pretty big social aspect to it as well such as getting together with friends, actually having friends over, seeing live music that my daughter is not performing in, and items like that. We also have hefty money saving goals. My challenge will be accommodating all these goals, and make sure the "summer means fun" part is alive and well. Google 100 Ways to have free fun, or cheap fun, or frugal fun and you'll find loads. Most are kid and family focused. Nothing wrong with that, but I'd like a bit of grown up fun that making frozen ice pops and having a sleepover in a a tent in my back yard is not going to give me. 

I sat down and came up with a small list of things I want to make sure are included in my summer. None are expensive, all perhaps a bit silly, but also a bit out of the norm for me to call it an adventure.

1. Skip work a day and set out to explore a regional or state park alone, with a back pack filled with water, a light lunch, my camera and a note book. I may not even tell my family I'm doing this. I have both oodles of sick time and vacation time. I will save it for a day when I really want/need a mental health day and in the end, everyone will benefit from the calmer, more sane me. 
2. Pick strawberries (not buy them at the farmers market or grocery store) and make a batch of summer jam, a strawberry pie, and reserve a few to serve with champagne. Enjoy a ladies night outdoors with said treats. 
3. Bring out my inner teenager. Sleep in late some Saturday or get a good nap in. Then, head to the one remaining area drive in and stay for all three movies. This means I'll be driving home at 4:00 in the morning, and I'll probably feel the tired consequences for days, but hey, this is a dying opportunity as pretty soon there may be no drive in movie theaters left.  
4.  A memory I had of my dad was keeping the inning by inning box score of a Minnesota Twins game while listening to the radio. He worked very long hours on multiple jobs so taking two plus hours to sit and just listen was an incredible break for him. With Father's Day in June, even if it takes all summer, I want to sit outside with the game on, box score in hand, with a cold brew (heck-might just be ice tea),  and a bag of peanuts, wearing a Twins jersey and baseball cap, and pay homage to my dad's little treat to himself. 
5. Get up before dawn at the lake, fill a thermos with coffee, and paddle a kayak out to the center and watch the sun rise, no one else invited-well, maybe pup. 

This is what I came up with, but certainly would love more than five. Chime in on your plans for thrifty and personal summer adventures.