July 4th

I used to joke that when the Fourth rolled around, summer was officially over.

Back when I both did summer school and coached football, by the time early August rolled around summer school was just winding down and then football would start.  So that meant summer was really over.

But now I'm not coaching anymore, so my summer has been extended somewhat.

Regardless, we're already at the halfway point of summer.

Whatever happened to when I was 13 on the old farm and June alone seemed about 90 days long?  I mean it took forever for the Fourth to arrive.  That was mainly because I looked forward to not just the Fourth and blowing off fireworks, but the week before the Fourth was our semi-annual trip to Grand Forks (the other trips was for Christmas shopping).  That meant usually a stop at Mother's Records (if you remember that store.  I think it used to be on Gateway) where I remember buying Van Halen's 5150 and Krokus's Change of Address back in the summer of 1985.  Then we'd head out to Star Fireworks and Generous Jerry's.

The Fourth always meant going over to my sister and brother-in-law's farm (or having their family over to our place) to light off fireworks and celebrate their birthdays (they were both born on July 5th - in fact, our mom and his mom were roommates in the maternity ward!  What are the odds of that?)

Of course back then July (the very heart of hay baling time) seemed to be about 120 days long (especially in the late '80's when the state allowed farmers to bale CRP land because of the draught).

Mercifully August (at least when I entered high school) brought captain's practice and then two-a-days so I could get off the farm more.

Still even if August flew by, those past summers still seemed to last roughly an entire year!

Now, each summer seems to last about a month and a half.

Even back in my junior high and high school days I always looked forward to going back to school, so now once the inservice days roll around at the end of August, I'm like a kid in a candy store!

Bring on September!!!