IslandVibesIOP.com 23 Our 11 years here on Isle of Palms have gone by in the blink of an eye,” recounted Ann Marie Halleck of she and her husband Steve’s transition from bustling big city to slower-paced, small town beach life. After raising their two daughters in the Metro Atlanta area, Steve accepted a position at a technology company in Charleston, and she retired from an accounting career to embrace living on our beautiful, welcoming island. Ann Marie continued, “Our adjustment to island life was very quick, especially when it was evident how much our girls and their friends loved to come for visits.” The Halleck family’s love of water is clear judging by the amount of time they spend on the Intracoastal Waterway with friends and family. Ann Marie remarked, “Boating and travel are two of our passions. When we lived in Georgia, we had a lake house where we spent many summer weekends enjoying water sports, bonfires and games. Many nights you will find us on our boat, our dock or our deck enjoying the sunset.” Beach visits with their daughter Amanda, son-inlaw Jonathan and their two beautiful grandchildren (ages 3 and 1) are precious to both Ann Marie and Steve. Daughter Caroline moved to Italy to pursue her master’s degree in a saxophone program and advance her career as a freelance musician. Caroline, who also visits often, has performed in Charleston for the past three years, including a series of concerts at Piccolo Spoleto in 2024. She is scheduled to perform at a saxophone and piano concert on Aug. 21 at the Charleston Library Society. Ann Marie continued, “Travel has played a significant role in our family as well. When the girls were young, we traveled extensively within the United States and then began more international travel. Our first trip to Italy sparked Caroline’s interest in studying there. As a warning, be careful what you promise your children when they are younger. Our daughter Caroline extracted a promise that she and Steve would climb Mount Kilimanjaro when she graduated from college. Not long after we moved here, he fulfilled that promise, which also included a safari with the whole family. Our most recent travels were to Switzerland and France this past Christmas.” Ann Marie described the importance of faith and service in the Halleck family. “We feel uniquely blessed to be part of this island community and the meaningful friendships we have,” she reflected. “We also appreciate serving with and supporting the causes of many local nonprofits.” To be frank, when it comes to dropping snacks on the floor, the five-second rule is something I don’t really follow. However, when it comes to the five-second hot pavement rule, I’m all in. Fortunately for me, I am petite, light, dainty even, and my human can easily pick me up and carry me like the regal creature I am when the ground is too hot for my tiny paws. For those canines who are not as blessed as I in the matter of weight, I offer this advice to the humans: place your hand on the surface in question; if you cannot hold it in place comfortably for five seconds, then it is too hot for your pet. Also of utmost importance in the summer months is an adequate supply of fresh drinking water. I prefer a spattering of crushed ice in my water dish and I’m partial to a glass drinking bowl. While I generally would rather not drink from plastic or stainless steel, I wouldn’t presume to push my preferences on other pups. Another benefit of being tiny and quiet is that I can fit perfectly inside my human’s shopping satchel. If we are out and about there is no need to leave me in the car. For the canine friends amongst us who are not quite shopping satchel-sized, please stay home. On a hot summer day, the inside of a car can reach deadly temperatures within minutes. It is simply not a risk worth taking, even if you are parked in the shade or your windows are open a smidgeon. Pavement, asphalt, metal, brick, artificial grass (we shall dive into that particular monstrosity at a later date) and sand have the propensity to heat quickly in the sun and are the top offenders for paw pad surface burns, so please be mindful. Fall will be here before we know it! Until then, stay hydrated, stay cool and stay safe my summer friends. Meet Your Island Neighbors! By Laura Fogarty Home sweet home, Hallecks PEOPLE & PETS TO BE FRANK, Pause for hot paws -FRANK The Halleck family
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