Lazy Summer

Over the years, I’ve had many conversations with French friends about vacations. The consensus is that you really need at least three weeks. The first week you’re still winding down from your regular life and are not yet really on vacation. The last week you are realizing that you won’t be able to do everything you’d hoped to, feeling nostalgic that the end is approaching and starting to think of what is waiting for you – both welcome and less welcome – at home. So it’s really only the week or weeks in between that you are totally and blissfully on vacation.
I’ve been putting this into practice in Charlottesville since I last posted. My friends here go to the beach or New Hampshire or Maine where it’s cooler when it’s time for their short American vacations. They wonder why I come to hot, humid Charlottesville in the summer. I explain that, if you are in vacation mode, Charlottesville feels several degrees cooler and not nearly as humid as it is for them dashing around living their non-vacation lives.
I left Paris with lots of plans -- for blog posts and other things I’d at last have time for. The first week I was halfway between Paris and Charlottesville -- making plans with friends and arranging my various summer activities while checking the internet regularly for Paris weather and the latest news on the political scandal that had been developing daily since June. But gradually, Charlottesville weather seemed much more important and French political scandals not nearly as interesting. I had settled.
When I woke up now I had fewer questions. Shall I go to the pool?



Is this a pilates day?



A knitting day?
Which friend am I meeting for which concert, movie, lunch, dinner or chat?
Is it cool enough to sit outside or is this a day to bless the air-conditioning?



I did exert myself last Sunday to take a three hour bus ride to Washington to meet up with a friend from Maryland. Another lunch and chat – but further afield.


Yes, of course, I was home sometimes. But then it was lounging time. I read. I knitted. I listened to the radio. I napped. I checked Facebook. I thought of my blog and of you, my readers, every day. But in full and blissful vacation mode that’s all I could manage.
Now I’m entering the Last Days. Soon it will be time for my last swim, my last knitting group, my last pilates class until next time. One moment I’m wondering where the time went; the next is filled with good memories that answer that question. There are small regrets. I remember the books I read



But also those I meant to read.



I’m proud of the hat I finished. But sorry I’ll have to finish the matching scarf in Paris.

There’s more fun to come this summer. And I’ll tell you about it, I promise. But now it’s time for another iced tea. And I’d like to finish my library book before I have to leave.