An Ode to the End of Summer

I may be in the minority here, but I am so not sad to see summer go. It was fantastic, don't get me wrong. We did tons of boating and swimming and fishing and beaching and barbecuing with friends and family. We even took two lakeside vacations. There were s'mores and pool parties and delicious grilled veggies from our garden and …l obster. But I am officially done. I'm ready for pumpkins and jeans and crisp mornings and hot coffee and fires in the fireplace and, well, I pretty much love everything about fall. I'm sure I'll be wistful for the lazy days at some point (like when I'm elbow deep in making school lunches and helping with homework I don't really understand) but for now I'm ready to say goodbye. And in honor of the end of the season, I decided to write a little poem, set to the classic Goodnight Moon. Here goes (apologies to Margaret Wise Brown):

Goodbye Summer

Goodbye endless days, goodbye strong UV rays.

Goodbye oppressive heat and goodbye grilled processed meat.

Goodbye crickets, goodbye sand

And goodbye to the ice cream man who I really can't stand

Goodbye mosquitoes, goodbye Hint-o-Lime Tostitos

Goodbye sand in every crack and goodbye sunburn on my back

Goodbye sweaty cheese and goodbye skinned knees

Goodbye school-less kids, goodbye life off the grid

Goodbye stubbed toes and goodbye freckly nose

Goodbye lugging beach stuff everywhere

Goodbye pressure to be without a care

Goodbye never-ending lawnmower noise, goodbye fighting over beach toys

Goodbye 24/7 sweat, goodbye disappointing Mets

Goodbye sticky popsicle hands and goodbye lemonade stands

Goodbye recurring drowning nightmare, goodbye tangled pool hair

Goodbye sunscreen fights and goodbye super-late kid nights

Goodbye crappy TV shows, goodbye soggy camp clothes

And goodbye to constantly wanting to play with the hose

Goodbye beach-bound traffic jams, goodbye backseats filled with sand

Goodbye blazing, blaring sun

And goodbye needing to make every day FUN

Goodbye blasting A/C, goodbye kids all over me

Goodbye Blurred Lines, goodbye skin issues of all kinds

Goodbye wet bathing suits and goodbye flies nesting on my fruits

Goodbye thick, humid air

Goodbye questionable rides at the fair

Goodbye feet that are always bare

Goodbye summer everywhere.

Full disclosure, I'm eight months pregnant so I'm extra pumped to move on to fall this year. That said, I really do always get to the point where I'm done with one season and ready for the next. One of the many reasons I love living in the Northeast is that we have four very distinct seasons and just when I get sick of one, the next begins. And fall rocks around here. Bottom line: Summer 2013 was one for the books but I am definitely ready for the next chapter. Anyone with me? What about summer are you ready to say goodbye to? (There are more things on my list but I had to stick with words I could rhyme!)