Fall usually comes later to the Cape than the mainland, but here and there, the leaves are already starting to turn on the Sassafras tree in the back yard and the neighbor’s Burning Bush.
Last evening, I was sitting with a couple of my friends, planning a Labor Day weekend party. Today, I received an email from my favorite local band, Entrain, titled “Summer’s Almost Gone, Boo-Hoo”.
It’s almost Back-to-School time, to the relief of parents and the chagrin of kids AND their teachers. This time next Monday, my friend across the street will be starting her last year of teaching.
Everyone says this summer went by very fast. It wasn’t memorable in a good way for a lot of people – high gas prices, cutbacks on leisure time activities, health problems, job craziness. The jury is still out on whether this was a successful tourist season or not.
Overall, I enjoyed this summer, although there were a couple of rough patches with record-breaking heat and humidity. I got to see most of my friends on a “catch as catch can” basis and until about mid-July, did get to spend time with the grandkids.
The project I’ve been working on since June has been extremely well received, gratifying to be sure, considering all the mornings, afternoons and nights my laptop and I worked so hard on it, often in 80 degree heat.
I got to do some of the things I enjoy the most about Summer at least once: the buffet at Coonamessett Farms, a concert at Nauset Beach, the Mashpee Pops, the free concerts at Popponessett. The annual Blues Festival at Onset Village was a new “not to be missed”.
My deck looks better than it ever has; the cheerful flower boxes boosted my morale dozens of times. Thanks to help from neighbors and the mighty Tacoma, I was able to finally clean up the back yard.
There’s been a modest pick-up in the contract job market, a minor seasonal blip, companies looking to use up some Q3 and Q4 staffing budgets.
We are guaranteed to have a few more days of over-hot, humid weather, but right now, it’s a pleasant morning, and a good one for looking forward to Labor Day plans, the end of tourist traffic and last visits to the seasonal businesses that will soon be shuttered until the Spring.