On Sunday evening, as we were getting into our truck after spending the majority of the day outside, my seven-year-old son sighed, and said the words that I’m sure the majority of us really do not want to hear quite yet.
“I wish it was winter.”
He proceeded to tell me that the truck is always the “perfect temperature” in winter. I had to remind him that it was just a few days ago that he told me he wished it was “as hot as the sun” as we ran from school to the truck on a cool, rainy afternoon.
It must be human nature that we are never satisfied with the weather; after all, it was barely over 20 degrees on Sunday. I’m pretty sure it was just the shock of not seeing the sun after a good week of gloomy days that brought about my son’s lapse of judgement. It may have also had something to do with the sunburn that was appearing on his shoulders.
The first day of summer on Saturday involved pouring rain, gale force winds, and a lot of clouds and gloom; but, it ended with a beautiful sunset and a huge double rainbow in St. Paul – overall, a perfect Alberta day.
Barely 24 hours later, my son was complaining about the heat, and the realization that our days would now start getting shorter sunk in.
Thankfully, there are only a few days left of school and I’m excited for two months of warmer weather, less structure, later bed times, and hopefully a few days mixed in of doing whatever we please.
I am certainly not one of those parents who count down the days during summer holidays. I really don’t crave routine or structure, and I love that my boys enjoy simply being at home. And to me, that’s what summer is all about. I have very rarely heard my oldest son say “I’m bored,” and when he has, there’s always been a quick and simple fix.
A few months ago I was debating planning an actual holiday for our family this summer, but as the days creep closer, I realiz that planning a real holiday would probably make my summer rather chaotic and overscheduled.
Instead, I hope to spend my free days in the area, probably only travelling as far south as Edmonton, and as far north as Cold Lake. Despite the often unpredictable weather that we all like to complain about, I’m quite happy spending my summers in Alberta. I suppose living near a lake probably has something to do with that.
I do enjoy camping, but I also find it to be a rather tiring affair. I never come home feeling rested, but instead I feel the aftereffects of a weekend of eating bad foods and sleeping awkwardly. Both my sons do love it though, and that always makes it worthwhile.
