Thursday 13 September 2007

The End of Summer

It was easy to know when summer had ended when we lived in England. It ended when the cricket season was over, and you felt that cool September breeze and had to return to school. It's more difficult in North Carolina to work out when the end of summer comes. The schools start earlier than in the UK -- they go back at the end of August, when it is Bank Holiday Monday in England. And the weather still seems to be roasting hot even now in mid September.

But the moment when the whistle blew on our summer was at 5.50pm on Sunday evening when our neighbourhood pool closed. It's open every year from mid May to early September and it is one of the big bonuses of living here, and one of the reasons we chose this neighbourhood. Over the summer, we have made as many visits to the pool as possible. On school days, we have tried to get down there as soon as the kids are home. Last weekend, we spent as much time as we could there, and on Saturday evening we ate there and stayed until the sun had set, and we "made a memory". On Sunday evening, when the lifeguard blew her whistle for the last time this summer, everyone in and around the pool gave a jokey "boo", sighed and went home. I'm already hankering for next May.

3 comments:

Jacqui said...

Summer is coming to an end in this part of Texas when the first cold front blows through in Mid September and we have our first cool morning of 65f. That happened this week. Unfortunately the day time temps are still in the mid 90's but at least you know the cooler temps are coming.

Jonny Goodacre said...

I think this is where community politics comes in! Why not lobby for it to stay open longer?

Alternatively, how about a sit-in?! And demand it stays open till Thanksgiving!

crystal said...

I can tell it's the end of summmer and the beginning of fall because it's time for new tarps to be put on my leaky roof :-)