Summertime

The current Friday Five at at RevGalBlogPals is an invitation to share what I like or dislike about summer.  So here goes:

1.  The relaxed schedule!   I don't have to set my alarm for 4:45, I don't have get on the hamster wheel that has me driving to work at 6:20 and driving home again at 6:20, I don't have to cram all my errands and chores into Saturday, I don't have to always balance what I need to do with what I want to do.  I can stay up past 10 pm if I want to, or go to bed early.  I can have a whole 2nd cup of coffee instead of pouring the 2nd cup and leaving it on the table since I never really have time to drink it during the school year.

2.  My porch!  I love sitting on my porch in the glider/rocker I brought home from my parents' porch, a glass of ice water with lime and mint, and either my knitting or a good book in my hands.  Or sitting there in the dark at night, watching bats swoop around the yard, or the fireflies twinkling.

3.  Open windows!  Despite the fact that the birds can wake me up earlier than I wish them to, I love hearing them as the dawn breaks.  I love the sound of the wind and wind chime in my pear tree.  I even like the sound of the June bugs attacking the screen despite the fact that the sound terrified me as a child.

4.  The sometimes perfect weather like yesterday -- low 80°'s, brilliant blue sky, only the faintest whisp of a cloud, and no humidity.  If I could find a place to live that had weather like that most of the time, I'd be happy.  It's hot enough to go swimming, but not so hot that you can't still get chores done.

5.  Ice cream at the local ice cream stand, fresh veggies from the garden or in our CSA basket, and lots of fresh fruit -- local strawberries, local blueberries, and even  a few cherries from our tree in front, although the crows and squirrels get most of those.

Summer for me is the time to recharge my battery, to rest and vegetate, at least for a couple of weeks.  Then I can start my planning for the next school year - reading the new books I need to read, developing the new lessons I need to plan, getting familiar with new curriculum, and learning whatever it is I need to learn in order to head back into the classroom refreshed and rejuvenated.  If you're a teacher, you know exactly what I'm talking about.