Half way through and the end is in sight

Summer. The month on the calendar says it has arrived. It is July after all. Yet the clouds in the sky and the temperatures say otherwise. The Pacific Northwest as had one of the oddest summers on record. And while I'd like a little more sun for my lovely tomatos I won't complain. No floods, tornados or hail. It is all about perspective.

Summer. It's a time for vacations and reunions of all sorts: the family and high school kind, trips to visit family and perhaps along the way find a place where summer has arrived.

One of the disadvantages of working at a college is that time is measured. Semesters come and go with the seasons. We are constantly reminded of where we are in the semester, just in case we forget. Which we never do. My co-workers, rightly so, can't wait for each semester to come to an end with hopes that the next one will have less stress. The issues that come up vary and the ebb and flow of working with young adults can be rather draining.

Especially in student life.

Typically summer is the only time most of my co-workers take off for vacation. This summer all three of my bosses have been gone at the same time. Silly them. :) In their absence I've had a long list of tasks to complete. Half way through the summer I am 97% complete with my list. I can leave on vacation without any looming tasks keeping me from having fun!

I will say that it is nice when summer is here. Plans to get something accomplished rarely go unmet. I catch up on the donkey work that seems to get put at the bottom of the pile.

I have the luxury of a window view so my cubicle gets plenty of sun, whenever it decides to rear it's pretty little head. Clouds, wind, birds, bugs...they all make their way past my view.

When I come back from vacation in August I'll be running. All three bosses will be back and I'll be scurrying around getting ready for the retreat and then, the start of the school year.

But it will still be summer, right? I'd love to take another trip to the beach with the dogs. We had so much fun that last time. I plan to make a journey with Roxy (and maybe Wade) up to visit Kalie in Seattle sometime in August. So maybe I am a little premature in thinking that my summer vacation is over once I get back from San Diego.

But I can see it. The end of summer. It hits me right in the face everytime I take a phone call from a student or parent. Things are ramping up here in the office. August will end with the beginning of school.

And that's the way it goes each year, leaving us with memories of summer that left us before it really began.