Goodbye to Summer

It's finally nice and a little cool here in the Chicago area this morning, and I'm reminded of the old days when school started the day after Labor Day and the mornings were always just a little chilly. Now it seems like most schools begin the middle of August. Labor Day in the U.S. typically is the "unofficial" end of summer. Vacations end, pools close and, oh yes, as my mother used to tell me, it's time to put away your white shoes and purse and bring out the cardigans. If it's September, it's always the beginning of  fall for me. Not everyone loves it like I do though. As school starts up again, my kids always used to say: Fun stops. Homework regimens kick in, the days get shorter and the weather cooler and mom gets a little more intense and strict about bedtime and video games. The fun stopped for THEM but it started for me when they were back in school and I had my days free again, LOL.

So I'm officially declaring that summer is over around here even though I'm sure we'll probably still get some 90-degree days. It wasn't the best summer I've ever had, so I can't say I'm sorry to see it go. In fact, I'd like to say good riddance to the heat, mosquitoes and cicadas. I never seem to get much quilting done during the summer and being sick and getting so behind with stuff only made me more stressed, I think. Who needs a stressful summer??

It wasn't a very exciting summer, either. No time for a real vacation with my husband's work schedule. Mostly I spent time with my kids, trying to rest and recover a little, catch up with work and neglected household things, running around at half-speed. Get my daughter ready for college. Make that quilt. A gazillion trips to Target. Then there was the knee thing that really tripped me up and made me slow down and take rests right after my other enforced rest from surgery. Ugh. Too much necessary resting. But I read at least 8-10 books and got much better at phone Scrabble. I enjoyed hanging out at the pool with my sisters and my daughter.

Aren't they cute? They're my older sisters but they're having so much fun playing in the water like little kids. Water Babies for sure. This is what retirement does to you, I guess. Thank goodness I was the one with the camera . . . there are NO pictures of me in a bathing suit, thank you. And if there were, would I be stupid enough to put them on a blog??

Once my daughter goes away to school this week, maybe things will settle down and I'll have more time to myself and perhaps get in the mood to do more quilting, planning. This fall I don't have a book to finish or any other deadlines so maybe I'll be able to make some things for myself under a little less pressure. I really need to make a nice throw for our sofa. Some pillows too. Or, make something out of these maple leaf blocks from last year's block swap and finish the table runner I started a long time ago. I can't wait for fall!

So, Goodbye summer - Hello quilting!