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Living Matters: Don’t let summer get knocked out by school bell

Officially, summer’s around for another 25 days. But it’s really done on Monday. That’s what a lot of people think anyway.
summer
Summer isn't over yet.

Officially, summer’s around for another 25 days. But it’s really done on Monday.

That’s what a lot of people think anyway.

Next Tuesday, I am sure to bump into someone who will ask: “And how was your summer?”

I will look a bit confused, just as I would in late November if someone suggested that winter had arrived.

“I think summer lasts until Sept. 23 this year,” I will say.

The someone will not be convinced, even if next Tuesday is a scorcher and she’s wearing shorts and flip-flops.

After all, she may have children. Or grandchildren. And ask one of them and they’ll respond with absolute conviction: summer is done.

When the school bell rings, it does more than summon the kids to class. It’s also making a proclamation. The lazy days of you-know-what are over.

This, then, is that peculiar transitional time of year. Call it sautumn. Or fummer. Whatever. No matter what, it’s always been a little bit strange.

Heck, when my kids were in grades one and four, or four and seven, I bought into the summer-is-gone thing. Even if Sept. 10 had set a record high, and even if I had spent half the day watering the lawn and the other half reclining on the couch just to get out of the sun, I would not have considered making a dinner that wasn’t sensible.

There would not have been grilled hot dogs on Sept. 10. But there might have been pork chops, baked potatoes and creamed corn.

When the kids were in grades two and five, or three and six, I would never have considered spending Sept. 12 at the beach, even if the sky was blue and the breeze was balmy. I would, however, have spent part of the day combing through the flyers in search of deals on recess treats, part of it taping a family planner to the refrigerator and part of it shopping for sneakers.

Sept. 14 would still have been days away from autumn, but I would never have considered taking the kids to a water park after dinner. After dinner would have been reserved for bath time, story time and perhaps a snack before bedtime.

Fummer is weird that way. It’s a bit of a seasonal tease, but I’m not going to fall for fall just yet.

I’m no longer hunting for recess deals. I’m going to the beach next Tuesday.