The Feel of August

I love summer! I always have! I'm not a sun worshipper, so it's not about the sun or tanning for me. I just love the "no routine, talking to the kids, staying up watching movies, everything in slow-mo, drinking lemonade, going barefoot, working in the garden, time to think" feeling of summer. And by the end of summer, I'm ready for routine again.

But I'm not there yet. It's mid August and I am in full August mode. We played games last night until way past our bedtime. We laughed and talked and ate popcorn. We slept in and woke up to no alarm. I walked barefoot in the grass to water the flowers. When I got home from a few hours of work, you could just feel "August" in the air. It was tangible. The kids were still in pj's asking if they could stay in them all day. They were playing with a toy they haven't touched in years because it really is too babyish for them, but they were having FUN! They were laughing and happy! A variety of sizes and colors of Flip flops were scattered on the floor. Books were laying around with book marks in various spots. Pillows were on the floor from watching a recent movie. Raspberries were on the table. Watermelon rinds were in the sink. Gardening gloves were by the door. And no backpacks in sight. It looked, felt, and smelled like August.

I'm old enough (or experienced enough) to not come home and tell everyone to get dressed! Clean up the pillows and books! And put the raspberries back in the fridge! There will be cleaning routines soon.

My August advice? Maneuver around the toys and have another ice cream sandwich. Cut up that juicy watermelon and have a noisy slurp. Go outside and let the sun shine on you. Keep your cool about the inevitable August clutter. Run through the sprinklers. Put your To Do list away. It's August! And it won't last.