I took this picture on Friday, the last day I was on the beach for the "unofficial" summer season. Although it was chilly, I was determined to tough out the only predicted day of sunshine for the next 48-72 hours as the remnants of Hurricane Hermene approached. Needless to report, we saw nary a drop of rain (praise God) but I have not returned to the beach since...and, well, summer is over now.
Granted, that's not to say that if a Saturday or Sunday I'm not working over the next few weeks sports sunshine and manageable temperatures I won't go...but it won't be the same. Labor Day Weekend=the end of summer. The beginning of "the next"...
I've been thankful over the last few years, mostly beginning in 2010 with YouthBuild, to feel more "back" on a school year calendar of sorts. My work with donors and churches falls in line with this. "Stuff" happens in churches during the school year. Donors take vacations during the summer so it's a slower time. We do no major events during the summer, save our annual golf tournament, because it's hard to get enough people to come to anything else. Summer, especially for the last 4 years, has been a defined "let's slow down, let's plan, let's reboot, let's do a retreat, etc." time for my department. My only lament is that I could always count on this starting Memorial Day weekend since one of our annual major events was always in mid-May. This year, however, it was in mid-June so I feel like I started summer "late". Oh well.
Fall begins the first of 2 major event seasons. Between now and the week before Thanksgiving I am running 2 Sleep Out events, plus doing all my other work, which has me working almost every weekend (one or both days). I am not complaining, mind you. I am happy and thankful to be employed and, after all, it comes with the season. After the Sleep Outs comes the holiday madness and insanity as people come out in droves to help and give to our kids--a beautiful thing indeed but can be time consuming and a challenge to manage. The weeks between Christmas and New Years are almost a required vacation time, as most people take off to be with family and our department resembles a ghost town. Things don't get kicking into high gear again until late February and then we are full bore until the annual major event commences (quite possibly in June again next year=oh well!) and then summer begins again.
As I reflected over this summer of 2016, I cataloged all the major events and noteables...This was the summer of no grilling=one of the best parts of summer (and late spring, early fall and whenever else the weather cooperates). Workers descended upon our house on June 18th to rip up our roof and begin what I had hoped was only going to be a few weeks of renovations (roof, deck, siding) meaning we had to dismantle our grill that was connected to a gas line in the house. No hamburgers, no steaks, no veggies...I felt a small sadness about this, believing that we would still be able to enjoy such things later in the summer...but they still aren't done with our house...We made due with going out to eat a lot, take out, and spaghetti with the fixings (which tastes better when it's 20 degrees out, I just have to say=not really a summer dinner). June 18th was also when my nephew got married=3 overnight guests in the house for a few days, 2 groupings of other guests at the house for food and family fun...I did not (no, I did NOT) go crazy with preparations...something I am proud of.
Another summer of beach, of Crazy Orchard Hard Cider (only a summer treat), of fro yo (weekends and date night only), and leaving a bit early on a Friday. Mom and I saw The Lion King (epic trip!) where I reunited with a wonderful past boyfriend who took us backstage for a tour and then made me laugh out loud with parting words. A summer where we watched with delight as my 13 year old niece from Pittsburgh, here for 2 weeks, found her first summer love...mark teased but educated her about "Boys if Summer" (Don Henley song) and how HE was MY "boy of summer" back in the day. She listened with marvel as he told her we had to resort to writing letters and making phone calls as I was in PA and he was in NJ but they had the convenience of Facetime, texting, and email. My, how times have changed.
I bought a new bikini top but kept the same bottoms I've had since 2006...and learned, after a few fateful peeks at my nether regions after hard waves crashing where they ended up halfway to my knees, I need to get new ones or go for a one piece (still holding out hope that I can rock a bikini next summer!) My bangs continue to grow out but my stupid need to be blond (and spraying them with John Frieda lightening spray) has caused them to break...so I look kind of ridiculous if you know to look at broken bangs...and if not, all the better. I read countless books, many I don't remember the name of except "Alligator Candy" and "End of Watch" only because I finished both within the last 48 hours.
A couple of weeks ago I had to start wearing my neon-yellow-with-reflective-tape halter when running in the morning...pre-dawn comes a lot later since June 20th and it's wayyyy dark when I venture out at 5am. All with the season.
It was a good summer...a different summer. And next year will be different also. The one thing I do hang onto moreso this year than last is my rediscovery and taking-advantage-of the beach. We recently gathered at my Mom's house for our annual Pig Out event (and people wonder why I have food issues...) My cousin Kim was there who I hadn't seen since February of 2015. I thanked her for being the inspiration for me to get back to the beach and not rob myself of the JOY and peace I feel sitting in the sand, remembering wonderful times of summers gone by, my grandparents, my family, my youth, and all the lessons that came along with that. I can only hope that if there are a few "after summer" beach excursions they will result in the same effect...but if not, that's okay---there's always Summer 2017!
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