It’s hard to believe summer is almost gone – at least on the calendar. It’s plenty warm and humid where I am in Virginia. Trees are still showing off green leaves and flowers are in bloom, but grass is stressing out from the heat and getting a bit brown. I’m not a huge fan of paying for watering, and besides, my sprinkler system doesn’t work well in places.  So I enjoy the view from my air conditioned house – because I don’t mind paying for that comfort!

A typical summer used to include plenty of motorcycle and camping trips when I had a hubby to do things with. We managed to get in a few trips to Water Country and Busch Gardens also.  This year I haven’t had my motorcycle out at all except in March to get the required inspection sticker updated. I had the camper out once also. Haven’t been to WC or BG at all. It’s just been too darn hot. I’m hopeful that the fall will bring temperature relief and I can still get out some.

It’s not that I don’t get out at all, though. I went to California in April, have been to Minnesota twice already (graduation and funeral), to Pittsburgh (conference), and Washington DC (work twice plus another convention), and Florida (work).  But that’s not quite the same as “summer recess” and the freedom of the open road.

It’s easy to find excuses for staying indoors, like the heat and humidity outdoors.  Or being tired because the heat and humidity wears me out. Thankfully, I can borrow Christine’s 9-year old daughter Malori when I want to go swimming, and when my niece Amanda visited I got to the Williamsburg Winery and drove around sightseeing a little.

I worry that I am wasting my precious time, and yet I know that whatever I am doing, even it’s taking naps or letting my mind wander, it is important for me to be doing that in that moment. I need to remember that restoring my energy is a long process, just like depleting it took decades of hustling to work and raising kids and going to school.  I also need to remember that Kevin gave me this gift of a year for R&R and to figure out The Next Big Thing.  I don’t need to rush it, even if I have a path I’m already working on. Just being Me is a tall order!

So I’m not going to fret over the summer days getting shorter. I am going to look forward to the cooler days of the fall, knowing that I can still ride or camp or nap then if I want to. And now I’m going to go put my feet up for a while.