So Long Summer, Hello Fall

With Last Kid Standing - his older brother and sister have already flown the coop - starting his senior year of high school in two days, I realize Summer is coming to a close. To those of you who love Summer... sorry. For those of us who live for Fall... Woo Hoo!!!

Don't get me wrong, I've always enjoyed Summer. I'm not one of the those moms that dreaded the kids being home all day, getting under foot and whining about how booooored-ah they were by the first Friday they were out of school. I've been a single mom most of their lives. I've had an endless string of odd jobs that usually required me to work evenings and weekends, so being home with them in the morning and on my days off during the week was always a treat.

We'd pack up whatever ratty little car I was driving at the time and head out to the beach at Lake Erie, which is not packed on Tuesday afternoon, by the way, praying it would make it there and then all the way back. We have an amazing zoo here in my city that has free admission to its county residents on Mondays, and tons of beautiful Metroparks. On top of that, when they were grade school and junior high age we lived in a sort of self-contained neighborhood that was safe for them to run and play with their friends all day long.

We always had fun, but I've always been a bigger fan of Fall. I love the changing leaves, the bright colors, the way the fallen leaves sound under your feet and the way they smell. I love the cooler temperatures and wearing all my favorite sweaters. (I'm making myself a cable knit sweater purse! It's going to be so cute!!)  I love jeans with boots, and cute hats and scarves. And I don't think I'll ever outgrow warm, snuggly mittens.

And the holidays... Okay, I won't get started on how much I love those, but only because I'm not ready to start thinking about Christmas just yet.

Fall also means the beginning of long, uninterrupted hours where I'm free to write, edit, whatever, in the mornings after LKS goes to school and before I have to go to work. Which is a good thing, considering I have a novella I'd like to get polished and sent off to Editor some time this week, two sequels to said novella to write (should she accept the first book) and a novel length idea that's been brewing for a very long time. I'm going to need all the time I can get.

Do you have a favorite time of the year?