I am not one to anguish over the end of summer. I enjoy a pool day and fireflies and fruity cocktails and the satisfaction of smelling like grass and sweat and sunscreen at the end of the day as much as the next girl. But even as I revel in those little joys, there is always a low hum under all of it whispering ‘but what if it was 50 degrees and I was sitting by a bonfire wrapped in a sweater?’
I hate being hot (thankfully the climate is only supposed to get cooler as we age! 🥰). My entire life is in pursuit of coziness, and I think it’s impossible to be truly cozy in the summer. I want mosquitos to get the hell out of my life. Et cetera.
But I’m trying to learn not to wish away the seasons so much. Maybe summer can be summer for as long as it wants to be and I can learn to get over it. In that spirit, some things that made me happy over the past few months.
Taking long walks with Carl around our neighborhood or a new part of the city, then watching him slump onto the laminate of our kitchen floor to cool his belly when we’re done.
The new Jackie O’s location in Columbus. A perfect air-conditioned indoors to escape the hellish heat and take refuge from angry July thunderstorms, and a massive patio outside to lounge with a Razz Wheat or four when the weather is more agreeable.
Taking spontaneous drive to Cincinnati and back to see Elly de la Cruz make his MLB debut, and watching my husband absolutely light up with glee over the energy in the ballpark.
Concerts — Pool Kids and Sincere Engineer were pretty huge wish list bands crossed off this summer, both of them in tiny, dark, perfect venues I can’t wait to return to. Also, the late night runs to the 24-hour McDonald’s down the street on our way home from those concerts, or a party, or a late night at the bar. A big Diet Coke and a four-piece nugget, eaten in the car with the windows down, is the perfect midnight snack.
Tony’s absolutely bananas cocktail skills. This man is an icon!!! If he doesn’t know how to make it, chances are he has a little book or a video he’s saved to tell him how. I have drank like a queen this summer.
Outdoor book club, outdoor book club! Sure, this can happen in other seasons, but it’s hard to beat a 7:30 p.m. beer coupled with food truck fries on a late August patio filled with string lights. The pictured book was one we all came together to give a big thumbs down, but the vibes were still immaculate.
There is plenty more I could include, but this is it for now. Maybe summer is OK.