Summer 2021: Days 96-103

That's the summer!

Work has been so busy that I don't even know where the last eight days went. I vowed not to work over the holiday weekend and ended up putting in hours every day. Today was especially a blur of "I know I worked all day and into the evening, but what did I actually do?" The end of August and beginning of September is always like this with my job, and I need to better account for that next summer by ensuring I still do summer things as the days wind down.

The last days did have their moments. Ben and I walked the dog to get a sno-cone, only to discover the shack had already been disassembled for the summer. We instead bought ice cream at Walgreens and admired the sunset from a lawn next to Parley's way.

I went to the pool Monday on my own and lounged for a few hours. The water felt good, and the safety breaks (no kids) were extra long, so relaxing was easy. I also jumped off the diving board for the last times in 2021.

I ran Sunday and Monday mornings, and it felt good. Not optimistic I'll be able to again in the morning, but we'll see when I wake up.

Yikes, that's about it. This is why I should blog every day so I don't forget everything.

My final assessment of Summer 2021 is that it was good. Not spectacular, but good. Of course, it went by too fast, but it always does. I don't feel like I enjoyed all the little things that I love about summer. The pandemic's resurgence hasn't helped damper the optimism we all felt in June. I'm happy Ben and I were able to go to Chicago and we all traveled to California -- and have normal vacations for the most part -- before the decline set in.

I do wish I made it to the pool more, and spent more time in the ocean in California, and went on a few more hikes, and got more yard work accomplished. The heat and smoke interfered with goals and ambition. We all seemed so busy, too, even though life hadn't returned to pre-pandemic conditions. And when we weren't busy, we were exhausted.

So, for next summer, assuming the pandemic finally abates, I need to:

  • Find time for the little things
  • Work through the fatigue
  • Keep running after vacations end
  • Don't let work overwhelm me when August begins
  • Don't be afraid of the waves
  • Find the joy in every summer day

And now, here comes fall. Then winter, then spring, and Summer 2022. This is Michael's senior year, and it doesn't need to go quickly.

Summer can wait.

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