Here We Are

 We have entered September.  The only reason I know that is because the calendar tells me so.  It doesn't feel like September.  I don't know what it feels like.

Usually September feels fresh and exciting.  When I wasn't a mom (or when my son wasn't in school), it often meant a trip to Walt Disney World to celebrate our anniversary.  I miss those trips and relish those memories of fun, friends and things generally being much simpler.  As a mom with a child in school, September meant gearing up with supplies (and how I used to be so vigilant in supply shopping), checking out teachers and expectations.  I always had a plan.

This year I have no plan.  How can I?  How can anyone?

There was supposed to be a plan.  School in my town doesn't start this week or next, but the week after.  This is due to construction on all the schools in town and so initially I had thought with a mid-September opening we could do a September vacation, when traditionally travel crowds are lower.  We could have gone to Disney.  (I miss you Walt Disney World.  Although to be completely honest I miss the WDW of the late 90s and early 00s when you didn't need set in stone plans and things were more laid back and relaxed as we entered the unofficial autumn.)  I've wanted to go to the Keys too and I was pondering that as an option.  (Although I do know it is hurricane season.)  Or perhaps we could have driven up to Maine (where I have never been) and maybe even crossed the border (we have those passports now:  https://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-passport-saga.html) and visited St. John and seen the Bay of Fundy.  (I still obsess about that.)  None of that is possible now.  Even my hope to return to Skytop for our anniversary doesn't look like it's in the cards.  None of this is the end of the world, but it is disappointing.  But then doesn't the word disappoint kind of stand for 2020?

I can't plan for school either because it's not exactly clear what will be needed.  For the first marking period, all my son's classes will be remote.  Will he need notebooks?  He says no.  I'm thinking yes.  I can't ask the teachers because I don't know what teachers he will have.  Which is understandable because I don't know if the school system knows exactly who will be doing what and I am not putting any blame there at all because this whole situation is so bizarre and ever changing and evolving. I think we're just going to follow Michael Nesmith's advice and "roll with the flow wherever it goes."  Great advice; I'm not so sure if I can follow it being with my control freak mindset.  However, let's face it I don't really have a choice now do I?  Whatever is going to happen is going to happen and I (and we all) need to roll with it as best we can and adapt as needed.  Which I think is another word for the year:  adapt.  

The one thing I can proclaim is that since it is now September, pumpkin spice is now officially okay.  (Remember, no pumpkin spice before Labor Day unless Labor Day is later in the month than it usually is and then you're good as of September 1st.  They are my rules and I'm allowed to make adjustments as necessary!).  I have already purchased 2 bags of Wawa pumpkin spice (because they are the BEST brand when it comes to pumpkin spice) and I've got the pumpkin spice creamer on the grocery list this week.  Hubby refuses to make it yet, but I am ready.  As the temperatures dip slightly (and I'm so glad that I haven't needed a/c for the past 2 nights) I am prepared for autumn and despite all the wacky stuff that is happened this year (and let's face it this is the year of total whack), I will remain hopeful for an autumn of...autumnal things?

So here we go September.  Let's wrap up this summer that really wasn't and keep those fingers crossed for a moderate fall.  One where we ALL stay safe and stay well.