Thursday, September 18, 2008

Farewell to Summer, My Enemy



Summer, I am not sad to see you go. You were a difficult season, to be sure. You are much too hot for a girl raised in a temperate clime and this year you were not just hot, but very sad and trying for me as well.


Mainly I dislike you, of course, because of my separation from E. Your blazing heat made that difficult situation harder than it had to be. Early into that experience, after the decision to separate, but before E moved out, Carmen and I escaped your punishing weather and our sad home at Barnes & Noble. There were many other “browsers” there that day too, all wanting to get away from you, Summer. I discovered the book “Vintage Vavoom” and lost myself in the gorgeous vignettes photographed therein. Once home, I busied myself re-working my china cabinet. Inspired by what I had seen in the book, I attempted to create a more soothing, monochromatic display of creams and browns, with a few hints of blue and pink. I arranged jars of river rocks and sand, a dish of sea glass and my antique vegetable bowl full of pottery shards that we discovered on our hike at Folsom Lake last year. All of these are mementos of happier summers. I also included photos and artifacts from my ancestors. When I look at the cabinet now, I think I was creating a visual story of sentiment and loss. It helped me process the changes our family was facing.


Another thing that made you so objectionable, Summer, was the fact that you were all work and no play this year. There were no vacations and no outings to beaches or lakes or rivers. If not for Uncle Jon and Aunt Deb, my boys would have been prisoners at home. For me, it was work, work, work. I am very thankful to be able to provide the neccessities for my family, but did you need to taunt me with the sight of happy, vacationing families driving past me on the road? Their roof racks proclaimed their purpose and left me feeling sad for all the adventures that I was NOT providing to my children. It’s a pretty sad Summer when a cemetery tour is the highlight!

I am grateful for this new chapter in my life, difficult as it may be at time, but I want you to fully know, Summer, that you made it worse than it had to be.

I’m ready to embrace Autumn, who has always been so kind to me, with her brisk breezes and visual delights. She offers fresh hope for happier times. I am looking forward to decorating my home and china cabinet to welcome her. I am thinking longingly of the new, happy memories I will create with my children and my oven is trembling with anticipation of being put to use again.

But you, Summer, are no friend to me and I bid you a glad adieu.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hia Bettsi, I love your cabinet and the way your display "displayed" the changes that were going on in your life. Hopefully with Autumn you will be able to add lots of positives to it and happy new memories.

We didn't have much of a Summer here in the UK so I started Autumn early then had a Summery day yesterday just because it felt like being awkward. So yes I totally agree Summer you were pants this year so you's better behave better next year!

Anonymous said...

Summer is my least favorite season of the year, and this one was hard for us as well. We lost our dream home and moved back to a place I hoped to never have to live again. The work of moving and tightness of money left us without any vacation and the kids were obviously bored out of their minds. I felt so bad for them.

Thank god for fall, it is like a Friday on a 4-day weekend, full of all the potential and fun of the holidays and cooler weather. May it be kinder to all of us!

Joy said...

I'm happy to see the cooler temps here too.

Your tweaking of your cabinet looks great!

Have a delightful weekend

Robin said...

I'm so sad to see Summer fading away in Virginia......I'm sorry yours was not the best. It was a leap into a new beginning for you...love that cabinet!
We did not vacation either....I feel that my daughter was cheated...but to see Summer slowly leaving me gives me nothing but sadness and dread. I'll take 95 and 100% humidity any day over ice, snow and unpredictible rush hour!

The Feathered Nest said...

Ahh Barnes & Noble, always good for the senses any time of the year for me!!! The smells, the books, the magazines, HEAVEN! What a wonderful post to me ~ I feel the same way about summer, and money's been tight here too. No vacation, just plugging away! I hope that your fall is amazing...filled with fun times with your precious children and you enjoying your new life!! xxoo, Dawn

"Magnolia" said...

Glass high joining you in your toast to bid Summer farewell! She won't be missed here, either!

Your cabinet looks wonderful. Love all the sweet memories you're surrounding yourself with!

Unknown said...

Thanks for joining me, Friends. Robin, you're the exception, but I can understand why when you talk about winter weather!

Thanks for the comments too, on my cabinet, but it just makes me sad to look at it! I'm looking forward to decorating it for fall. Maybe this weekend!

Sweet Cottage Dreams said...

Ohhhh, I love your cabinet!!! Fabulous, fabulous! Like you, I don't like the hot weather, but I do like the longer days.

Looking forward to fall!!!

:) Becky