That sigh in the subject is an ambivalent sigh, not the affectionate and heartfelt sigh one releases when thinking about the return of a long-lost friend. A sort of "it is what it is" sigh. As I sat on my friend's couch yesterday morning, wrapped up in a blanket with sunlight streaming in through the open windows and a cool breeze blowing in off the ocean, I realized that fall has arrived. And for the first time, I'm just OK with it.
I admit, autumn and I are on great terms. Autumn means that there are less tourists in the self-proclaimed Best Climate On Earth (and there are license plate frames all over San Clemente touting this ridiculous sentiment), kids are in school when it's offshore and chest-high at the beach, I can get on the freeway going north OR south at 11am on a weekend and go faster than 15mph, and it's still warm but with a cooling breeze. And all the random varieties of apples start appearing in the stores, which is good because I'm sick and tired of the usual line-up of Red Delicious, Fuji, Gala & Granny Smith. This definitely makes me happy.
But I had such an awesome summer that I'm reluctant to let it go.
I surfed more than I could've hoped for, and many times it was at dawn in nothing but trunks and my wetsuit jacket. I even surfed in just a bikini and trunks thanks to forgetting my jacket and I was still fine!
It was so much fun picking up to 4 ripe tomatoes everyday, a couple of cucumbers every week, seeing my bell peppers ripen to their vibrant shades of red and yellow, harvesting my single solitary butternut squash (and apparently I wasn't alone, this summer was filled with mildew for lots of growers- makes me feel better, I don't know about you), I even enjoyed having to kill caterpillars every morning so that I could have something to eat later down the line.
I learned so much about nursing during my externship, it was liberating and reassuring to realize that I've finally found what I like to do and get paid for it. I mean, getting paid to take care of people, geek out on medical science and learn about life from your patients? Holy crap, what have I been doing since college?!?
Harbor cruising with our bike posse and everytime we rode down Palisades to Doheny Beach thinking, "I am so blessed to live here. I don't want to live anywhere else."
Eating at Swirlz frozen yogurt in Ladera with Kelley and her boys after walking the 2miles there in sweltering heat.
BBQ'ing in our backyard with the lanterns and tiki torches blazing, usually drinking the entire pitcher of sangria that I made.
This summer was all-time, and I don't want to let it go. I know fall will bring its own memories, but they're going to be breezier and cooler than summer's and let's face it- I like it warm. But I've got a soup swap in a couple of weeks, and soup truly is better in the fall. I've somehow got to reclaim my knack for creating awesome Halloween costumes. I need to talk the Tall One into a day trip to Oak Glen for some good apple times. Heck, I just need to survive pediatric nursing!
So to summer, so long. You've stuck around as long as you could, and I know you'll make an occasional appearance as an unseasonable heat wave between now and November. I will be anxiously awaiting your return next year, try and kick spring out as soon as you can- spring is dumb. I'll think of you often, and your daylight savings. Now go and make the Southern Hemisphere happy.
0 comments:
Post a Comment