Last Gasp

I feel like Labor Day weekend is the last gasp of summer around here. The neighborhood pool closes, preschoolers head back to school, and days get noticeably shorter. There will be fewer ice cream faces on the back patio.

We gathered with neighbors in the back yard for maybe the last fire pit of the summer, and the kids ate s'mores and danced around the fire. Even the mosquitoes seem to know summer is ending, as even with a heavy armor of bug spray we were all devoured by the devils. They fed on us like it was their last meal . Casey said, "I'm ready for winter because there are no moquitoes!"

On one hand, I look forward to fall. I love fall. I love the colors, the crisp weather, new boots, chili on Sunday afternoons -all of it. But on the other hand, I know that winter is right on our heels, and that means the inevitable 4 month hibernation that occurs up here. Maybe this year, in the absence of surgeries and low white cell counts, maybe we'll venture out a little more during the cold. Perhaps replace the fire pit with a fireplace? I'll have to work on that. In the meantime, I am also reminded that the change of seasons isn't all bad. At least football is back.