Slowing down

In the most recent issue of Martha Stewart Living, the editor, in his cheery little beginning of magazine letter to all the faithful readers, says September is a great time to acclimate to a faster pace of life, after the laid back summer. I don't know what this guy's life is like, but summer is not laid back around here. I love summer. We even have some lazy days. But taken by the whole, laid back in not an adjective that I would use to describe summer. Mostly, it feels like we are going 100 miles an hour and we crash into the first day of school as though it were a totally surprising and unexpected road block. Whaaat? We were supposed to be prepared for this? With new clothes and smiling faces? Well, that is a bit much. But we will grudgingly go along with it. Because life slows down suddenly.

Well, 100 miles an hour is a bit of an exaggeration. Our life is pretty calm. No Wall Street affecting decisions must be made before breakfast. No pictures of us in less than spotless condition (physically or morally) hitting the tabloids and tanking our career. So let's say we go about 43 miles an  hour. But compared to fall and winter's sedate 20 miles an hour, it is a lot faster.

Actually, now that I am thinking about it, if 100 is the fastest, we probably putt putt along at about 5 miles an hour in the summer and 2.5 in the fall and winter. But no matter how you look at it, life seems twice as fast in the summer.

So hello fall! The kids start school on Thursday, which they are excited about. Gilbert starts kindergarten, too. Getting three kids ready, as opposed to two has me a little rattled. Which is goofy, considering that Gilbert can be dressed in approximately 2 minutes, with no hair styling necessary. Still, I have been running through various schedules and routines to ensure optimal organization and time utilization.

My sarcastic alter ego is perfectly delighted by this organizing stuff. "Oh, look! She is at it again!" and my alter ego's sidekick says "Ooh! How fun! I wonder how long she will last this time?" and I retort that this time it will be different. This time I really will get organized and have self discipline. And the sidekick turns to the alter ego and says "Are you sure this isn't just a rerun? I could swear I have heard that line before."

(Does anyone else have more than one sarcastic alter ego? Mine seem to go into overdrive as soon as I start taking myself the littlest bit seriously. Actually, I am not sure if they are actually alter egos, or just the voices of things-my-siblings-might-say. They are mostly useful, like when I start feeling bad for myself or need a push. But they are awfully aware of all the times I have made declarations that fell through in two days. Sigh.)

But this time? It is going to be great. I am going to be a whiz. So there! alter egos. Nothing like winning an argument with the voices in your head to energize yourself, And now that I am energized, (around lunchtime my alter egos point out) I better go do something.

But here are a few pictures before I go. Of a trip we took to Burlington, VT for Gilbert's audiology check up. (His ears have a bit of fluid again, so his hearing is a little below normal, but not horrible.)

Heron in Lake Champlain

Boats in Rouses Point

Rouses Point

For some reason, this barn has stuck in my head from some childhood memory. There is a certain time of year, or trick of light that reminds me of this barn every so often. 

A blurry picture of someone's cutting garden. 

Farm in Swanton off I-89

Burlington and Lake Champlain

Sunbeams on the way home 

This is not an either/or sort of choice. One or the other. 

Boats at Rouses Point in the evening

A houseboat

Trucks and stormy sky

Evening fields