happy september

this is a bit delayed, but happy september, everyone. i absolutely love the month of september. our jewish friends were totally on the right track when they decided that september should be the start of the new year. back to school time was my favorite time in the world. and it wasn't really about the clothes. shopping for new binders, folders, pens, pencils, etc, made me so happy. the most important purchase of the new school year? the planner of course. i would spent foreverrrrr looking for the perfect planner. and once i found it, i couldnt wait to put all my favorite important dates in it, most notably my birthday.

and the change in weather in western new york during the month of september is quite possibly my favorite transition of all time. i made mention briefly in my last post about those who dread september because they view it as summers kiss of death. but i see it as a much needed and welcome break from the oppressive heat of august. that first crisp breeze renews my overheated soul in a way that i cant describe.

i had a very hard time last september, because it was the first time in twenty two years that i was not preparing to begin school. this is my second not-returning-to-school september and i am feeling much more confident and excited about it. however, i must say that there is a strong possibility that my love for september is especially strong this year because, oh the irony, i am beginning a whole new chapter of my life in this month of change.

and i am in the final leg of my journey, oh-post-labor-day-readers. i am writing to you from my cousins house in buffalo, making final preparations before i board a plane that will take me to the southwest. but before i look forward, i must take a glance backward and say a few words about the fantastic holiday weekend i just had.

my family owns two lakeside home in southern canada, which has been in the family for fifty one years, and is affectionately known as "the cottage". it has been an integral part of my upbringing and has made me the woman i am today. i spent most of the summers of my childhood running around the beach and chasing after my brother and cousins, who were quick to remind me that i was too little to play with them. i tried anyway, and often was coerced into ideas that seemed great at the time, such as kissing a live worm for twenty five cents. i learned everything i know about fishing from my amazing father, who was so patient with me, even as a threw not one, but two, entire fishing poles in the lake during my first attempts at casting, and once i had mastered the art of holding onto the pole while casting, i often aimed the pole the wrong way and accidently hooked my father in various parts of his body, including hand, leg and the funniest, hat. he and i spent countless hours on the lake in our little boat, while he taught me what types of jigs attact certain types of fish, where fish like to hang out, and that if you sing "here fishy fishy" to them before you cast, your chances of hooking one are greatly improved.

i am noticing the time, and unfortunately, i must steer this post back on track, or i will be late for my flight, but trust, dear readers, that i will write more about my amazing childhood experiences at the cottage in later posts.

anyway, every labor day we have a reunion at the cottage, where family and friends gather to catch up and spend time together before the year begins anew. the weather wreaked havoc on us all weekend, raining and windy, but we persevered and gave it our favorite finger, by setting up a little pop up, donning our winters finest, and drinking our beer on the beach anyway. take that, fifty-two-degree afternoons! though the weather was miserable, i had an amazing time and am continually reminded how incredible my family and friends really are. i am "the baby sister" to everyone, which used to annoy me, but now i recognize how lucky i am to be loved and taken care of by so many people.

i definitely do not have enough time to give an accurate representation of everything that happened over the weekend, but here are some of my favorite highlights:
-fuggles falls off the dock! and swims! and then cries like a baby for about an hour
-cousin spooning in the baby bed
-my eighty two year old grandfather asking me if i had surgery because "about half of me was missing", i'm pretty sure that was a nod to my recent weight loss, thank you papa...
-cut throat contract rummy games
-planning mike and my wedding with dave. ohhhh dear.
-reading by the fire
-four dogs and three puppies getting along
-fires on the beach at night
-canadien light before 12pm
-dinner in shifts
-twenty two people travelling by car and plane, some upwards of 19 hours, to gather together in this amazingly beautiful place, to love and connect with one another.

my plane awaits. the next post that i bring to you will be coming from the beautiful southwest. until next time,

be thankful,
andie.