The time has come... the crickets say so




I admit defeat. No more pool days. The day temps are lovely, but the breeze is cooler now. And the nights are in the 40s consistently-- the pool water is not going to warm up again. We drained it about this time last year, too. It always makes me sad. It's a material realization that the days of summer are waning, that the easy afternoons of floating and looking at the sky are no more. At least for a space of time. And who knows what will fill that time? The events in the news threaten our peace every single moment of the day, and I fear there will be difficult times between now and next summer.

I'm getting older, and more and more I am aware of the shortness of time. "There's always next year" is no guarantee. It's so hard to grasp at the lovely things and watch them slide through your fingers. I don't mean to be morose, although that seems to be where my heart is trending right now. The days are lovely still. And the garden is producing. And I have a lot of good things going on. But it seems that my mind and spirit have always trended to loss. I used to think it was a character failing, but no... it's just how I process things. I try not to dwell too much on it. 

The crickets are playing the tune they always do-- it's both peaceful and a subtle hint. It's like summer's walk-off music. 

But today, the weather should be fine, and Holly starts soccer! I'm told there's even a couple of games, so that will be a lot of fun. 

I also have a few last things to do to get ready for school to start on Monday. But maybe those will wait for a little bit longer -- just two more of the required modules to refresh our memories about such things as combating bullying and blood-borne pathogens. Every year, we have these to watch, do the little quiz, and get a certificate. I've done them, or attended sessions in person (back when I first started) 38 times now. I think I'm good. My favorite slogan: "if it's wet and not yours, don't touch it." 

Probably great advice for a whole lot of reasons. One thing to look forward to in this cooling of seasons is that I tend to write a lot more poetry in the fall than any other season. Tapping into that melancholy, I guess, is rich fertilizer for a slightly depressed mind. Ah, well. Something to look ahead towards. And I signed up for another online poetry writing class, this time a two-weekend event, to learn how to approach the long poem. I am a poet of brevity: get in, say something, get out. But I want to learn how to expand, to keep going, to dig deeper. So, another class. Add that to the things I can look forward to with eager anticipation. 

And today, I will do the necessary house/errand stuff, and if it gets warm and lovely later, I will plant myself on the deck for an hour and read. I have not done enough of that this summer. I will greedily clutch those moments to my soul. 

Have a good day,

C

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