Summer Skin

This past weekend was positively glorious. Temps in the high sixties and low seventies, low humidity and clear skies. I spend much of it in shorts and a t-shirt as I am painfully aware of what the coming weeks and months will bring. After tomorrow, I have a feeling that the shorts will get packed away for the fall and winter months. 

Knowing this is the end of warm weather - and I am well aware that we are lucky to have it this late in October - I had a chance to reflect on the summer we just finished. It was a great one, albeit too short. We traveled a million miles, but it all seems so long ago. Here are some of the highlights.

Sarah's Graduation

Family came from East and West to see Sarah graduate from high school. She made us all proud as she walked in the auditorium. We followed up with a fun party at a picnic shelter by the Fox River in Waukesha. Lots of food, friends and fun. 

Book Release and Signings

Can hardly summarize how fun these were. The opening at Purple Door was fantastic, followed by an equally fantastic signing at Cafe De Arts. The Piragis signing in Ely was  a great road-trip that included a lot of side trips and one-on-one time with Ben, which I wouldn't trade for anything. In some ways that time was the best part of summer.

Trip to New York

This happened over the fourth of July and was a beautiful trip in its own right. Not only did we visit a couple of really cool gorges and waterfalls, but we managed to take in a minor league baseball game on "Dollar Night". It was a major league night on a minor league budget. I'd sooner go to 10 of these than one MLB game, and probably still come out ahead. Great to see in-laws and a picturesque part of New York State.

Sarah's Move into College

Old home week for me as we took my daughter up to the University of Minnesota where she started her college career. She loves it up there and the move went flawlessly. She has a roommate she likes and respects and all is well. It's still hard to believe she's gone.

The Cabin 

Nary three days after we moved Sarah into college, we turned north again and headed to Mercer for our annual summer-ending cabin trip. It was strange not having her and much of my family there this year. Times change and this seemed like a season of shift. We had a good time with friends nonetheless, but it was different. Still a good way to finish out the summer.

I hate to see summer end, and within a few weeks we'll be done with fall. It's my plan to embrace winter a little bit more this year. I'm starting by getting new XC Ski bindings and boots in an attempt to rediscover my love of that sport. 

I'll let you know how that goes.

I think the song Summer Skin by Death Cab for Cutie best sums up the coming and going of summer, so I'll leave you with those lyrics.

Summer Skin by Death Cab for Cutie

Squeaky swings and tall grass
The longest shadows ever cast
The waters warm and children swim
We frolicked about in our summer skin

I don't recall a single care
Just greenery and humid air
Then Labor Day came and went
And we shed what was left of our summer skin

On the night you left I came over
And we peeled the freckles from our shoulders
Our brand new coats so flushed and pink
And I knew your heart I couldn't win
Cause the seasons change was a conduit
And we'd left our love in our summer skin

Blogging off...

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