Adieu Summer – 5:00 Fridays

I scaled back my work a few years ago to be home with Bird and Deal until they started school. Those first few summers without preschool left me in tears more often than not. Poor Mac Daddy came home to a hot mess of a wife despite my attempts to present myself as a hot wife. Patience was worn, and all of us were haggard from the day’s tantrums and errands and spats. By mid-summer we were all ready to welcome back routine and diversions. I used to will time to pass and immediately felt guilty for doing so. Each year we evolved to find our way to more happy times and fewer terrible horrible no good very bad days.

This year summer was a breeze. We relished our lazy days and loved not sticking to a schedule. Though there were still plenty of spats, Bird and Deal played well together for the most part or simply went their own ways to read and chill out. We truly enjoyed our time together. I willed time to slow down and immediately apologized to the Fates for wishing my time away from summers past.

Time is a paradox that is both sneaky trickster and a gift.

Now the boys are settled back in school. I’m mom to a third grader and a first grader. My sons can read and tie their shoes and work the Wii on their own. There are still traces of babyness that I can see on a quiet evening if I squint. Bird still has hints of baby pudge on his thighs. Deal still wears his infant face when he yawns. Time is quickly masking these moments, shadowing over them with opaque strokes.

We bid farewell to summer this weekend, as far as tradition goes. Labor Day brings a yearning for fall’s cool nights and college football. And boots. I’ll take boots over flip flops any day. The end of summer took me by surprise, and for a while there I thought I had been off a week on my calendar all season long. It turns out that time speeds up exponentially when you’re a parent. It’s a proven fact, whether Alan Lightman says so or not.

As we bid adieu to summer, I’ll say my thanks for the gift of time and the boys my babies are becoming.

Adieu Summer

1 ounce citron vodka

1 ounce Rain organic cucumber lime vodka

2 ounces lemonade

splash club soda

2 lemon wedges

2-3 cucumber slices (still in season!)

Place a cucumber slice at the bottom of a rocks glass. Add some ice on top. Muddle a few cucumber slices and lemon wedges. Pour in vodkas and shake. Strain and pour into rocks glass. Top with lemonade and a splash of club soda.

You might as well mix a pitcher and sit back…no sense getting up from the chaise lounge as we lazily and hazily bid adieu to summer.