Summer fades to Fall

This is my final weekend before I report back to work (next Thursday).

So what am I doing special?

Not much.

Why not?

Because I like my life. I've had a great summer vacation. I think it's been one of my best ever. Those of you who follow this blog will know that I've not done anything particularly spectacular. So what made it so good?

Because I like my life. If "Happiness is not a destination, but a way of travel," as I heard from my Grand-pa, then life should be full of happy times. My summer has been.



The summer hasn't been all golden moments, but the scene's have been more pastels than dark browns.

One of the labels on this blog is "Navigating Through Life." That's what I've been trying to learn, and what I've learned, I try to pass on. (Hence this blog.)



Summer is now fading into Fall. At first I didn't believe it. I heard it from other bloggers, mostly those who live further north. I've learned a lot this last year as I've "listened" to the voices of fellow bloggers musing on their weather, their lives, and their locations. I've come to see my own weather, life, and location differently.





The local American Elms confirm that summer is fading to fall. They are starting to lose leaves. Other trees disagree, they are putting out blossoms. (Welcome to Southern California.) The temperatures have been climbing, not falling. Late August and early September are some of our hottest times. (My son, when a student in Maine, saw his breath, at noon, in September! Shocking!)



My dog is going to miss me when I return to the work-a-day world, so I took her on a nice walk. Fullerton has horse trails and bike trails. Heidi and I took a nice walk on one. She didn't know it, but it was my going away present to her. (We took pictures!)



Before the heat came, we had a few cool days: we even had cloud cover til noonish. I took advantage of the cool to wax my two cars. I'd been putting off the task, because I remember the day when car waxes required a lot of buffing. Thanks to Turtle Wax Ice, and such products, those days are gone. (I was hoping they were, but I din't know.)

This summer I had the time and inclination to change TV carriers (now I have DVR), refinance my car to a better rate, out-fox my cats and save my sofas, book a half dozen mini-vacations for the next 12 months, fix some lawn sprinklers, and do some writing on my blog and letters to friends. (And that was just highlights from week one of my eleven week summer break.)



Nothing Earth-shattering, just organizing my life, just fulfilling one of my affirmations: My life is an enjoyable POOGI (Process Of On Going Improvement). Sustainable, enjoyable, involvement with life: That's been my summer.

Of course, in many ways, that's what I'll be doing this Fall and Winter. Another personal affirmation/choice is this: "I choose to make a positive difference wherever I go. I let it be easy." That's my intent and expectation.

That's my life. And I like it.



Last Christmas, my oldest daughter and her family were visiting from Illinois. At one meal, my youngest grand-daughter (2) looked up to her dad and joyfully shared her personal epiphany , "Daddy, I'm happy."

Me too.