The summer has flown by in a mere instant this year and I’m not looking forward to fall with my usual reverence. Normally by now I am getting excited about the back-to-school sales, the prospect of wearing sweaters again and the thoughts of Thanksgiving and Halloween preparations. By mid September my brain is customarily searching out fall colours – both in shop windows and the tree-lined streets of my neighborhood.
For some reason this year is different.
I lament the end of the summer season and wish it would go on just a little longer. It seems like only a month ago that we brought home a new barbecue and began the plans for our summer grilling menu. It feels as though it was only last week that we were taking Leith to the various swimming pools and splash pads in the neighborhood, talking about how it was going to be a long, hot summer, spent mainly water-side. It does really feel like yesterday that I planted my miniature herb garden out in the backyard and was looking forward to many delicious meals planned around its bounty. Summer has come to an end entirely too soon.
I can’t even try to ignore it like I might have in past years because Tuesday signaled a huge change in this Domestic Goddess’s house. For the first year ever both of my boys went to school. Yes, Leith and S. trotted off with their backpacks and their lunchboxes on Tuesday morning while I went to work. S. has rejoined the University ranks and Leith has at long last connected with the some daycare buddies. My life now revolves around making lunches, planning our dinner menus and telling the two men in my life that "yes, you have to go to daycare/school today…that’s the way it goes".
By the way, if anyone has any suggestions on how to plan weekly dinner menus I’d greatly appreciate you sharing them – I’m still struggling with doing this and the once-weekly shopping expedition.