Summer is kicking my butt

This is my first proper summer home after years of studying away and I’ll be the first to admit it. Summer is kicking some serious butt.

I had forgotten the never ending socializing that is a Newfoundland summer. The endless carousel of weddings, birthdays, festivals and visitors have been impeding my ability to accomplish anything, not to mention the fact that staying inside when the sun is shining is practically painful. I suppose it basically boils down to the fact that we feel we have to pack an entire summer into the three full weeks of proper summer that we actually get.

And by proper summer I mean sun-block, tank top, windows thrown open, it’s warm outside summer. As I write this it is overcast and cold, rain is an eventuality and it’s just August. So on decent days Newfoundlanders head out in big ways and I am basking in the liveliness of it all.

For the past three years I did so much travelling during the summer months that socializing and relaxing became nearly impossible. From May to November of last year for example, I spent no more than three weeks in any one place. The stress involved in constant packing and air travel makes enjoying the sunshine a hopeless fantasy. I spent numerous evenings coveting the weather while waiting at one departure gate or another. All reasonable temperature range opportunities my fair complexion can handle were missed as I flew out of cold June on the Northern Peninsula to unbearable July in Edmonton. I felt like I was in a constant state of reapplying sunscreen and forgetting my belongings at family members’ homes.

This summer couldn’t be more different. I am the person steadfast and the visitors are coming to me ... in droves. For the past five weeks friends and family have been visiting and I am beginning to feel the effects of too much fun fatigue.

One of my favourite bands summed it up quite nicely by titling an album ‘The Good Times Are Killing Me.’

Now this is an exaggeration in my case. The good times aren’t killing me, they’re just making me tired but I’ve decided to suck it up. I’ve haven’t met a party I didn’t like yet and I’m not about to start that in the throes of August.

There is less than a month left before the impending darkness that is fall commences. I plan on squeezing every last drop of outdoor time out of these three weeks and I plan on not feeling one ounce of guilt about it.

Everyone will be forced back into their routines and homes by work/education obligations and nature soon enough anyway, so why not take advantage of the freedom that the summer brings?

And yes, I am one part trying to convince you, two parts trying to convince myself. The thing is regardless of whether or not anyone is convinced to embrace the good times, I am still going to turn off my laptop now, put on a dress and go to a barbecue.

The way I figure it is I’ll sleep, exercise and become a crazy, productive workaholic again when it starts snowing.