When I was growing up, we'd go to Ocean City, New Jersey, for about half the summer. Ocean City was THE best part of my childhood. Sand, sun, fishing, swimming, riding waves, boat rides, riding rides on the boardwalk, the pre-girl innocent fun of youth.
If we went away for the first 6 weeks, the back 6 slid downhill - accelerating to school in an out-of-control skid. I didn't like school, so it was a sour end to vacation.
If we went away for the last 6 weeks, mid July to September 1, or whenever Labor Day hit, it was like living in a better reality, detached from the one you couldn't see approaching at high speed, obscured by the beach, the waves, and play all day.
I think fall always meant school. Like Sunday nights always meant school Monday, and likely, homework to complete. I still flinch on Sunday evening. I flinch from accumulated shirk.
Here in Texas it has been in the high 90s, with a few 104s thrown in. I have to say, this is what I like. We didn't choose Austin casually - we researched climate and a host of other variables before The Decision.
What I can't figure out is why I feel like fall is just around the corner.
The days are growing shorter - true... but what is it exactly that signals the change, I wonder? Cool nights? None here. Changing leaves? None here. The angle of the sun? Could be.
The sun is up by the time I am, and down by the time I go to sleep. So I don't know about shorter days.
Maybe the grade school nuns did it somehow. I blame them for a lot of my world view.
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