Time flies when you’re having fun, it seems.
Based on the state of our mudroom — and the fact that all the school supplies and class work that came home at the end of June are still littered about — I feel like summer just started.
But despite how hard I wish for that to be true, summer is, in fact, just about over.
I have had the opportunity to spend a lot of great family time with my kiddos at the lake, and I have had a blast watching them make cars out of cardboard boxes, cannonball off the dock and reconnect with the cottage friends.
Seeing my youngest finally get in the water without being attached like an octopus to me or her dad was a definite highlight of my summer, as was dropping my oldest off for her first ever sleep-away camp with one of her closest friends.
I am simply not ready for summer to come to an end.
Unfortunately for all of us, you only need to take a few steps into pretty much any store before you’re smacked over the head with the truth: Fall is not so stealthily creeping up behind us.
In fact, a trip to Costco back in July made me just about turn around and leave when I spotted not only Halloween costumes, but also snow suits and winter coats already on the racks.
Snow gear is slowly replacing kayaks and paddleboards hanging from the ceilings, and, much to my dismay, fall decor and Halloween candy have now pushed Canada Day swag off the shelves. Online ads are swarming my inbox advertising back-to-school sales and everything pumpkin spice.
Don’t get me wrong, I adore fall. The stunning colours of the leaves as they change and the ability to wear jeans and comfy, cozy sweaters without looking like I just left a hot yoga class is one of my absolute favourite things. But I would like to request a pause button, please, as I simply am not ready to say goodbye to summer just yet.
A quick look at the calendar reminds me that the first day of school is only 11 days away! How did that happen?!
That means we need to make sure the kids have running shoes (indoor and outdoor, of course) that fit, as the flip flops and Crocs they’ve been wearing all summer won’t quite cut it for gym class. School supplies will need to be purchased, labelled and those pre-third and fifth grade haircuts I promised my tiny humans back in June need to be scheduled.
I’m sure there’s a plethora of other things that need to be done, too, but I refuse to acknowledge that summer is sprinting to the finish line. I plan to poke my head in the sand and ignore the smell of pumpkin spice and the draw of giant boxes of mini chocolate bars for as long as I can in order to be able to enjoy what’s left of it with everything I’ve got.
So if you see summer lurking about, tell her we're not ready for her to go into hibernation just yet.
Nikki Cole is a reporter at BarrieToday.
