the return of summer and waiting for winter

     It's almost October, people are enjoying their pumpkin spice lattes and other treats, store shelves are overflowing with Halloween offerings and I have already dug out, and used some of, my cooler weather wardrobe.  You know, sweaters, hoodies, long pants.  And then, bam!  Just like that, summer announced that she isn't quite done with us yet.  She's returned to give it one last go, and boy, has she returned with a vengeance!  As I sit here now, I have to say, whoever invented air conditioning should have a monument built in his honour!  I shouldn't have to use air conditioning at the end of September, but here we are.

All this summer weather has me longing for cooler temperatures, hot chocolate, scarves and frozen ponds.  Maybe this year, I'll dig out my skates.  It's been a long time.  So long in fact, that it's more a case of buying new skates then actually digging any out.  In any event, as I sit here beside my air conditioner, looking at my work on the wall, my eyes can't help but fall on this one, Ice Shadows and I can't help but remember what fun it was to glide around on the ice, free as a bird in the crisp early evening air of winter.  There was always someplace to skate back then, a neighbourhood rink, a rink a friend's dad made in their back yard, or just a perfectly frozen river or lake. Remember, the evening was always the best; it seemed warmer than the daytime somehow, the wind always died down.  We'd skate around, maybe play a bit of hockey, if someone had a net, or we'd pretend there was a net where we placed a couple of sticks or branches.  We'd laugh and skate and then come in for hot chocolate, and then, if it wasn't too late, we'd head back out for a bit.  I wonder if kids still do that.  If not, they should.  Playing Nintendo or Playstation just isn't the same as getting out into the fresh air.  I wonder if I can still skate.  Or would I fall on my butt?  Maybe it's like riding a bike.  Only one way to find out, I suppose.  I'm determined to try to enjoy winter when it comes.  But until then, I'll sit here in my air conditioned apartment and daydream about it.  It'll come soon enough.

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