And now the end is near

I don't want to be excessively melodramatic, but it's time to face the final curtain. Of summer vacation.

I have that same unsettling feeling I get around Christmas morning. You wait for months and months. You plan, you dream, you prepare yourself mentally and physically for the greatest! day! ever! and then.....it's over in 15 minutes.

Sure, summer's lasted a little longer than 15 minutes but not much longer. Next week I'll return to the world of alarm clocks, packing 3 lunches and the 30 minute morning commute. Not that I don't love my job. I do. Well, most of it. I could do without the car line in the morning. I've made no secret about that.

So looking back on my summer, I wonder if it's lived up to the hype. If I accomplished anything. If I met the goals I'd set for myself while enjoying times of rest and relaxation.

Have I lived a life that's full? And traveled each and every highway?

I did travel to Pensacola for a week at the beach. And I traveled to the metropolis of Bell Buckle for the RC Cola & a Moon Pie festival. And I traveled to Smith Lake for some fun with my girlfriends. And I traveled one mile around my neighborhood early almost every morning for a walk. That was one goal I'd set that I'm happy I accomplished. I love the time alone listening to music, watching the rabbits hopping across the lawns and breathing in the fresh air. I suppose I enjoyed the exercise too.

Speaking of that, I'm very proud to still be sticking with Jillian and her sadistic 20 minute workout. I usually do it right after my walk and by the end I'm praying for God to end my suffering and take me home. Another goal I'd set for myself was to find a workout I could do every morning before work. It needed to be quick and efficient, and I suppose I've found it. I just wish it didn't make me gargle my heart (Jillian's words, not mine). So, where was I? Oh yeah.......my summer.

I'm happy I read more books and watched less TV. And I'm happy I saw some great movies. ("The Proposal", "Definitely, Maybe", "Marley & Me" and "Taken" were my faves). I'm glad I got to enjoy the neighborhood pool, our new Rec Center and the slip n' slide.

Regrets? I've had a few.

I regret that I never did get around to cleaning the baseboards or washing all the windows (although I did get through most of them downstairs before I lost my mojo). And I regret that it rained out almost every pool playday on the schedule. And I regret that we only had one girl's night out. And I really regret missing the annual 4th of July party. But, I shouldn't complain.

I did get to dress the whole family up in 80's garb for Selah's skating party. And I got 2 date nights with my wonderful husband. I got to enjoy movies, shopping and a spa pedicure with the Little Ocho. And I got to spend some much needed quality time with my girlfriends. Not bad, I suppose.

So, at the end of the day my house isn't as clean as it should be and I could've used a few more days of sunshine and temps higher than the mid-70's. But I did almost everything I set out to do.

And I did it my way.