I have delusions about summer — much like my delusions
about the Christmas Season.  Every year,
I approach “the lazy days of summer” with visions of myself knitting for hours
– on the deck in the afternoon (what the heck, even in the forenoon) and while
watching movies or Mariners’ games in the evening.  I imagine I will wake up in the morning
bright with creative energy and that the simpler summer days will leave my mind
free and clear for designing and writing. 
Quiet days – with fewer commitments. 
Long warm days with nothing to do but knit or read….

How I justify these delusions year after year, I have no
idea.  Never has any summer in my adult
life been anything like that.  Maybe a
slow afternoon now and then, but never the stretch of beautiful empty days that
I imagine. 

Our summers are another kind of beautiful – the active,
slightly sun-burned kind with killer games of badminton and parades through the
zoo.  Weddings and trips to fetch kids
from college and a nice long stretch at the beach come August.  Barbeques and board games — and endless
loads of laundry, loads of groceries, loads of dishes. 

The college kids are home – and 2 of Sasha’s friends are
visiting for a couple of weeks (add sightseeing to the list).  It is street fair and farmers’ market season
(add Geoff’s street performances to the list). 
George and I have 5 trips planned over June and July (add packing and
driving and unpacking to the list). 
Sarah and I had a knitting class session fall into our laps (add
teaching on Thursday nights to the list). 
And on top of all this are the exquisite baby grand-daughter and the
delightful 2-year-old grandson (add snuggling, diaper-changing, stroller
pushing, book reading and re-reading…to the list).

And while I optimistically haul my knitting bags with me
wherever I go, I only manage to knit a few rows here, a few rows there.  I am feeling a bit grumbly about it, I
confess –especially as I feel obliged to work on the pieces that have some sort
of deadline rather than on the pieces I am doing “for fun” (like the Gull Pi
Shawl and Hansi Singh’s amigurumi owl). 
Isn’t summer supposed to be fun? 
Isn’t some sort of vacation in order?

A sensible person would…okay, I am so far off the “sensible”
page that there is no point in finishing that sentence.  A wise
person (sensible or not) would embrace the blessing of summer — and try to
sneak in some fun knitting.  I think I will try
to be wise (and a little bit sneaky).