Sunday with Uncle Markie

It's been a fun summer. It's been a busy summer. But it is so clear to us now that summer really is, over.
Look at that golden end of summer light.
It's been hot here in Oaktown, so we thought we'd finally go up to the Redwood Park pool, but all the pools are now on some sort of "not-summer" schedule- meaning that if you want to swim laps, you'll find a time, if you want to take your kids to cool off in the sunshine, fahgetabout it. Uh oh- it's after labor day... summer is officially...(gasp) OVER!
What's so upsetting, is that it shouldn't be for us! The kids aren't in school. I'm not working. It's hot and beautiful outside (finally here in the bay area- this is truly our summer, weather-wise). But everyone else's schedule says "no more fun". Traffic jams, closed carousels and pools- time to stay home and buckle down. Buckle down to what? During the "off season" there isn't nearly as much to do during the week with two small kids, and it isn't even raining yet. I get a huge knot in my stomach when I think of the long, dark, wet and dreary days ahead. In a couple of months, we won't even have the playgrounds and walks in the park left...
But for now, it's golden afternoons spent catching up with friends who have gone their own way all summer long. Time for barbequeing by the bay, and sitting in the sun.