Say it Ain't So - Time to Start Thinking About Back To School Already?

Well, it was bound to happen, folks. The Fourth of July holiday is officially over and summer is finally in full-swing (how 'bout we bottle a wee bit of this warm weather for one of those not-so-hot days six months from now)?!

Anyway, what I'm talking about actually started creeping up on me BEFORE Independence Day, but I chose to ignore them by throwing them in the junk mail pile or hitting 'delete' to the offending emails. Unfortunately, they are starting to get too numerous to ignore. If you are a parent, you probably know what I am talking about - those ever-earlier arriving 'Back to School' catalogs!

Really? REALLY??? Like I said, we are just finally hitting our stride with this summer thing and they want us to start thinking about back to school? It's like Christmas at the mall... every year the red ribbons and wreaths seem to show up earlier.

Honestly, I don't know about you, but I don't want to look at catalogs filled with backpacks and school uniforms while I am sitting by the pool or online perusing the latest SummerFest line-up!

I am now totally fearful of visiting any of our local big-box stores... I do not want to see the school supplies section yet! Fortunately a visit the other day to our local Greendale Walgreen's showed an aisle rightfully still stocked with plastic beach toys and flip-flop sandals.

Speaking of things happening earlier than ever, is it just me or are the lawn chairs and blankets showing up along the village's Fourth of July parade route sooner than in the past? I happened to drive down Broad Street about 6pm on July 3rd and was amazed at what I saw. By the time I returned along the same route around 10 pm, the number had doubled.

Now usually we get up early the morning of the parade to stake out our spot, but I got a little panicky so I caved into the pressure and threw out a few chairs of my own that night. Message to self for next time: remember to factor in the sun for the next day. The spot I had selected ended up on the wrong side of a not-big-enough tree and needless to say, most of our chairs went unused due to the danger of severe sunburn had they been occupied. I guess that's one of the risks of selecting your parade viewing spot by moonlight? 

If I'd been thinking, I could've just skipped putting the chairs out for the parade and headed over to put them on the hill across from the high school where we watch the fireworks - after all, I would've been in good company. I saw plenty of chairs and blankets there earlier than ever this year too. 

Perhaps those folks were just worried about missing out on a good spot to sit and catch up on their catalogs while they waited for the show to begin?