Summer - Le Dolce Vita

And so we are more than half way through August, which always saddens me. The end of my favorite season is signaled by the school supply lists posted in the post office and the starting date of school, which is now hurtling rather than crawling toward us. I cringe to think of the coming changes and brace myself much as I would in anticipation of stepping out into a November wind.

For me summer means a slower pace of life; time to read for fun, contemplate a picnic, or watch a DVD with Mom during our lunch together. I can lollygag in the yard, pulling weeds, or pretend they aren’t there and sit on the deck with an iced tea. Although we may haggle a bit over the air conditioner setting when temperatures are in the 90s, Mom is still more comfortable than in the winter and enjoys getting out more often, which is good for her. I love the summer light, too, which cheerfully streams in the windows and brightens our outlooks.

Because I don’t work in the summer, there is more time to do fewer things. Appointments are easier to get to and we are much less rushed when doing errands. This takes the pressure off of me and makes outings more enjoyable for Mom, whose only speed is slow motion. She and Don can spar over vine-ripened tomatoes picked from his crop outside her bedroom window, while I watch for Hermiston watermelons to appear in the store.

But the countdown is on and these languorous hours will soon shorten into crisp, autumn days. To-do lists will lengthen and time will speed up to work against our efforts. Because I see the end of summer approaching, I tend to spoil these final hours of ease by rushing to do more before it is over. Perhaps this time, I can resist the panic and just enjoy the time that’s left. Want some iced tea, Mom?