The End of Summer

Everyone have a good summer? Or was yours over before you knew it even started like mine was? I'm still not used to the climate here and the fact that you don't really get a "summer" like I'm accustomed to. Yes, I  complained about the heat and I hated that really awful, stifling, humid, horrid summer heat that even makes it hard to breathe. Yes, summer could be miserable but oh, the blessed relief when fall came around and the weather got cooler, the air had a crispness to it, you could get out sweaters and light fires, drink apple cider and snuggle.

Here I'm beginning to see that there are only two seasons not four: Winter and a sort of Spring/Fall type of temperature that hovers around the 50-60 degree mark. Now and then, and for usually no more than a week, we might get sunny days where the temperature can struggle to get to 70. And it seems to always rain. I can actually think back this summer to ONE day when I actually felt hot and uncomfortable and that might have just have been a hot flush!

Now August is over and September is here. New month, new season and hopefully, new resolve on my part to write more. I do regret not having written more since my last post. I just can't seem to get past the feeling that I don't have anything to write about. I'm like you--most days I get up, have coffee, read the paper and then go about my daily business. And that gives me the feeling--and you might relate to this--I didn't do anything! No great adventures, no activities or thrills to report. Just the everyday, daily life that we all pretty much lead. Thankfully, I also don't have any disasters, miseries, illnesses or accidents to report on either! As my sister is fond of saying: "Boring is good!"

Although, from what I hear and have been following, it has been anything
but boring back in the US, especially on the east coast. I'm sure you're all still cleaning up fallen leaves, branches, etc. in yards after the storms. Not only that but I hear right before that there was a big earthquake! Ok, maybe not BIG according to California standards but just any earth tremor on the east coast is a big thing. Then days later I heard that it had caused cracks in the Washington Monument and the Smithsonian Castle which made the approaching hurricane even more threatening to our national monuments! What a scary thought!

I have to say, without trying to be to self-centered, because I know how tense sitting waiting and then riding out a hurricane can be, it's pretty hard sitting far away and watching these things come at your loved ones and not be able to do anything. Or to be too far away to get there in time to help, God forbid, if anything bad happened. Believe you me, I could barely tear myself away from the internet or some of the news shows for days, waiting and watching to see what Irene would do. Thank goodness for the internet. Facebook and my friends there were great because I was getting almost moment to moment updates from different parts of the country--and even different parts of Virginia Beach before during and after Irene.

Ben lost internet early on Saturday but he did call me and told me he didn't think it would turn out to be as bad as everyone was thinking it could be. Luckily, a great majority of people I knew didn't even lose power or if they did it wasn't for long. Even those without power were using battery charged laptops or cell phones to update their status so we could keep track! How great was that? For good or ill, technology is with us and for the most part I think it's a wonderful thing!

There's always someone! Virginia Beach Boardwalk

I suppose between hurricanes and earthquakes that puts quite an exclamation point on the end of summer. I feel I experienced and lived it all--even if it was in a "virtual" way. Here, we did have one bit of nice sunny weather and Robbie was able to get out the barbecue and we had a Fourth of July celebration of a sorts. We had burgers and I made potato salad and baked beans but for hot dogs I had to substitute some sausages that, as far as they went, were pretty good but they weren't hot dogs. Robbie wanted to cook outside even though I offered to make the burgers and sausages in the grill pan on the stove. I wasn't going to be fussy--but he really wanted to try his barbecue-ability.

Me in my flag sweater

Man with Fire!

Barbecue Man

Substitute for hot dogs. A bit spicy but tasty

They call me "Tater Salad"

It didn't help that we had to wait for him to start cooking until he got home from work. Of course it's not a holiday over here. Then, being a novice, he didn't use enough charcoal so it took forever for the food to cook. We were eating around 9:30! Good thing it stays light here a long time in the summer. All in all, it tasted wonderful and it was quite a nice way to celebrate the 4th of July. After eating we watched the movie version of  "1776" which used to be a family tradition when Ben was growing up. Robbie fell asleep but I enjoyed it. The only thing missing were the fireworks. I'm not a big fan of loud booms but I do miss fireworks on the 4th of July!

The only other excitement here happened this morning when the nurse surprised me in the shower. Before you ask, no, she didn't actually see me in the shower or come upstairs. I was soaping up when I heard the doorbell and she called upstairs. I turned off the water and told her if she'd give me five minutes to rinse off I would be right down. In my defense, she was early today but I did take some time out and check my email and Facebook which I know I should NOT do before I get dressed on those days the nurses come! So between her being early and me delaying getting myself moving, we met in awkward circumstances.

I think I better close before this gets too long. But, STAY TUNED  to my next post when I'll tell you what we finally decide to do with our frozen trout and how it all turns out. Someone at Robbie's work had gone fishing over the weekend and was giving away frozen fresh trout to anyone who wanted them. Robbie brought two fillets home and now I don't know what to do with them. I've never cooked trout before but between us, we're going to give it a try! We'll see how it all turns out....

No, it WON'T  be like this...