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Oh those short summer months
by Michelle Minnoch

We are upon the August long weekend and I am sure you are asking yourself the same question I am; Is it August already?

Really, where has the summer gone? I remember back in the day, when summers went on for an eternity; there was no sprinkler left that my friends and I hadn't run through, there wasn't I movie I hadn't seen, and by the end of August, my friends and I would take the yearly trip to Woolco for school supplies.

When I was younger, summers actually ment fun-time - the days went on forever and every day was a new adventure. The day started just after breakfast, went through lunch, pausing for dinner, and once or twice a week - a sleep over.

I noticed after I entered college that summers actually did get shorter the older I got. Sure, school was out by May, but the summers just never felt the same again.

During the months off in between the first and second year of college, you had two or three months of earning money for the next round. With the mounting costs of tuition, books, and for some, housing, you always had to watch the bottom line while earning for your education, but having fun in the summer. Unfortunately, with new friends made and some time off, you tried not to spend your hard earned money - on the next round!

While my friends and I always have big plans for the summer - camping, Wonderland, concerts, etc., nothing ever materializes. Everyone has their own schedule to work around and they are not always compatible.

In the end, we stick with the usual - get together, sit on a patio, and catch up. And to be honest, that's perfectly fine with me. There's nothing better then good friends and a good bottle (or two).

Of course, the fading away of summer hits most people in and around the Labour Day long weekend. If you have children, the week before school you have to get them ready, get the routine back into gear and shoo away any fears if they are attending a new school or if they really just don't like to go and want to throw out as many punches as possible.

So, enjoy the rest of the season. Sure, we'll probably have summer-like weather through the month of September, but I go by the school calendar year, and once those puppies are back in class, it's all downhill from there.

Goodbye sunscreen, hello parka.

(Even though the patios may be covered in snow, there's always somewhere you can get together and have a bottle - or two). Cheers!