Today is August 2. The fat lady is not singing. Elvis is still in the building. However, many of my fellow Vermont barn mates are lamenting the inevitable end of summer. I will not tolerate this heresy.

It’s not atypical. Summer in Vermont is short. Winter is long. Riding outside is a precious gift, one that we lose in mid-November if we’re lucky. We won’t get to experience outdoor riding again until late April or early May.

But why does this fact make people feel like they must dismiss summer just as it begins to feel comfortable? Is it some kind of defense mechanism? I can see it coming: Someone will be discussing a recent horse show where the weather was hot, talk about how much they enjoyed eating out on the deck the other night, how they just booked a weekend at the beach for the end of next month…and then…they get the look. The look, followed by, “because, you know…”

And then I can’t let them finish. Dr. Evil has nothing on me. “Zip, zip, zip it. No! Don’t say it!” This is inevitably followed by, “But, but, but, you, it’s…….” I can’t even let the person finish the sentence. I will not hear it. I will cover my ears and scream, “lalalallalalalalalalalalalalI’mnotlisteningI’mnotlisteningI’mnotlistening.” I can even see this coming in people I don’t know very well, and I have slightly offended a few people in the last week by not allowing them to finish their sentences. I can’t help it.

Do you know what they all want to say? Here goes: “Summer is almost over.” “Before you know it, the leaves will start to turn.” “Winter will be here soon.” “I haven’t even had a chance to enjoy summer, and it’s almost over.”

ENOUGH!

IT’S NOT ALMOST OVER!!!!!

There are 28 days left in August. Four weeks. More time than most of us get for vacation in a year. Stop complaining and start enjoying. Not to mention that we’ll still have summer-like weather in September. Unless, of course, it snows.

Here are the things I can think of that I’ve done in just the last week with the express intention of enjoying summer:

• Drank a beer (OK, two) in front of the barn last night with good barn friends.
• Drank coffee on the deck on Saturday morning with my husband.
• Grazed a horse in the sunshine, taking the time to feel it on my face, arms and neck.
• Went to a horse show and appreciated the fact that I was not cold, it was not raining, and Vermont is a very, very beautiful place.
• Drank glasses of half-iced-tea-half-lemonade with lots of ice.
• Ate ice cream.
• Wore shorts.
• Sweated at the barn while doing chores, so much so, that it looked like I wet my pants.
• Went running outside.

Figure out what you’ve got to do to enjoy the season and DON’T EVEN TRY TO TELL ME THAT IT’S ALMOST OVER.

It’s not.

If you feel like you are suffering from this malaise, go out and do something that means “summer” to you. Report back—I’ll listen while you tell me all about it, and I promise to let you finish.