Ending

Summer is well and truly drawing to a close. With just three days left (excluding today!) until I start college I am beginning to feel somewhat nostalgic for the passing season. Richard finished his job in the lab a couple of weeks ago and took holidays from Penney’s to coincide so we could get away for a few days. But…we didn’t. Everywhere we looked was just too expensive. While I have been working here and there all summer long the expense of a new laptop has eaten into my savings. I was given more money than I expected for my birthday and I am so grateful but it was too late to go anywhere as Richard’s back to work now and there are always extra expenses once term starts again. I am not ungrateful for the time we did have ‘holidaying’ at home but I couldn’t help be irritable and grumpy at times. It felt as if I would have no stories to tell, no adventures to regale…or at least none that would hold up against backpacking in Thailand, or fishing in Connecticut or interning in New York.
That is not the point of summer though, is it? Adventures are for enjoying, they are not for having and then making sure you tell all your friends about them so you seem better/cooler/hotter/funnier than them. It’s hard, sometimes, not to get caught up in who-did-what or who-went-where, but by doing so it is so easy to lead myself down the path of inadequacy.
I enjoyed my summer. I really enjoyed the baby-minding. I am proud of myself for being able to afford a new laptop without borrowing any money. I also enjoyed having coffee with my boyfriend, going shopping with my girl friends, finding new places to walk the dog, making plans for next year (big, big plans), partying, learning to drive properly, going to my first festival and so many other everyday adventures. It was summer. It was nothing special, but special all the same.

PS Photo of Richard from Bibi’s cafe. So delicious. The perfect place to cosy in from the lashing rain outside.