How Did YOU Spend It?

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Did you ever actually have to write a  “how I spent my summer vacation” essay when you were a kid? I can't remember actually ever doing that. Though, I imagine, it would be pretty interesting for teachers, and actually, now that I think of it, kind of a genius way for teachers to get to know their new class.

Now I'm really thinking about this. The unwitting revelations, the family dynamics. Certainly socioeconomic standing. Okay, we are all storytellers, don't get me started.

But did you accomplish anything this summer? Did you have any triumphs or challenges or changes or realizations?

I surrendered my tomatoes to the squirrels, and now the squirrels seem to have, knock on wood, disappeared. Leaving us with... tomatoes! (They are planted in the clematis, and there are millions of bees, so wonderful!)

So hurray. Let's hear it for Zen warfare.  Vacation, no, I did not have one of those. Book tour, all fabulous. Though the ferry to our Martha's Vineyard event was, um, interesting.

And Jonathan came with! Here's a wonderful photo he took of the sunset from the Nantucket Ferry. No filter! That's just the rain-spattered window. Very Monet, right?

And now I am mulling over the summer--which I think lasted about a week, truly, it couldn't have been three months.

What one life-changing thing happened during your summer?  And are you a summer-is-over-in September person, or is it over at the end of this week?

RHYS BOWEN: Every summer I make grand plans: picnics at the seashore or among the redwoods, a day painting, a day sitting alone and just reading and enjoying nature. And here it is, the end of August. Have I done those things? Not many. I have been out painting a couple of times but just for an hour or two.

I have met a friend at a yacht harbor and had coffee beside the boats. And we did have our family week on the beach in San Diego. Only that didn’t exactly turn out as planned.

Fourteen of us assembled in a big house on the beach. One of us brought Covid and, like an Agatha Christie plot, one after another family members succumbed. Strangely enough not John and me, the oldies. But it spoiled the noisy evenings we usually have, although they did enjoy the paddle boards and kayak during the day.

I confess I am not a big fan of fall. I like waking to blue skies and long evenings. I get depressed when daylight fades and leaves fall from trees. So I want summer to linger as long as possible (although this year, thanks to climate change, we had a long spell of too-hot weather).

HALLIE EPHRON: The silver lining for me as summer wanes is that the sun is no longer up at 4AM.  I don’t know why but sunrise and I rise. This week I bought a big pot of chrysanthemums. And I have to keep pinching off the top of my basil to keep it from bolting. And the temperature has cooled enough to make it a pleasure to walk again.

This summer’s life-changing event? Nothing comes to mind. It’s been more of a steady-as-she-goes kind of summer which suits me just fine. 

JENN McKINLAY: Growing up in Connecticut, autumn was always my favorite season. The changing leaves, the cooler temps, and being the social sort, I was happy to be back at school with my friends, plus, school supplies! I loved buying my new school stuff. Now that I live in AZ, the change of season is much subtler and is usually in mid-October. *sigh* So for me, autumn arrives a bit later than its calendar date.

As for my summer, it was glorious. I finished my first cozy fantasy (EARLY!), took a long vacation to our summer place in Nova Scotia, and read some amazing books. As for life changing, yes. I was put on an anti-anxiety medication because, frankly, I was struggling with EVERYTHING. It took a few weeks to kick in but I’m no longer having random heart palpitations and brooding tailspins, so I’ll call it a win!

DEBORAH CROMBIE:  No vacations here. My summer was the lead up to back surgery and then the recovery. But, we had an exceptionally cool July for north Texas, and after record rain in the spring, this summer hasn’t seemed nearly as brutal as usual. I just wish I’d been able to hang out in the garden and enjoy it more!

Fall in our part of the world comes maybe in mid October? But my brain clicks over at Labor Day, never mind the temps. And we do start to see some moderation come mid-September. Our forecast next week has highs in the mid-nineties! Considering we hit 107 last weekend, that would send me out for a pumpkin latte. If I drank them…

LUCY BURDETTE: I LOVE fall! Except if I start thinking about the grand meaning of life and where we’re all headed:). But I’m exactly like Jenn, I always loved going back to school, new teacher, new clothes, new pencils! It’s been a great summer but it went by in a flash. I kept saying, I’m going to enjoy this moment and these people, and I’ll write the book later. Well guess what? The book is due September 1. Yikes!

HANK: Yup. I hear you, mine is due Sept 4! And noooo, we are NOT talking about pumpkin spice yet! Though, no kidding, I saw Halloween stuff in the CVS.

PLEEEZE!

How about you, Reds and Readers--did you ever have to write a "how I spent my summer vacation" essay?

What one thing would you put in it this year?