Roving I: Saying Goodbye to Summer

Posted

With Labor Day here and the calendar end of summer only weeks away, it’s time to check your cooler list (summer’s version of the bucket list) to see what items you haven’t crossed off it yet. Here’s a few of the things on my 2012 summer to-do list that are going to have to wait until at least the summer of 2013 to get done, and also some suggestions of suitable fall substitutes for all you roving souls out there:

1. Go to the county fair. The fair ended before I got there, so I’m definitely not going to be able to cross that one off my list. On the bright side, though, that means I can have two servings of deliciously greasy funnel cake next year to make up for the one I missed this year.

However if you are looking for a fall festival to make up for what you've missed over the summer, may I suggest the Maryland Renaissance Fair. There will be great food, including huge turkey drum sticks, and there will also be historical costumes, games, and you will be able to purchase your own baby dragon.

2. Get a tan at the beach or pool. This is hard for me to do, since I’m prone to getting burned by the sun's rays. I’m betting the SPF1000 sunscreen I wear when I go outside doesn’t help me in my quest to get darker. I thank God for self-tanners, and for a husband who’s almost as pale as me and doesn’t care that I’m so white I practically glow in the dark.

If you haven't made it to the pool or beach yet, you have a few choices. Of course it is always summer somewhere, but if you don't have the means to fly down to South America this winter, you might have to improvise. There are local indoor pools, like at the Freedom Center, Chinn Aquatic Center or SwimKids for, well, the kids. However, if you want the tan to match,  I suggest spray tans because they are skin-cancer free!

3. Read a few totally mindless “chick-lit" books. I am a chick and I like to read, so why in the world haven’t I done this yet? I guess I’ve been too busy watching totally mindless reality TV shows. (Honey Boo Boo, I love you!).

While everyone is reading "Fifty Shades of Grey," might I suggest something a little more realistic. "Speak" is the story of a girl who is afraid to speak up due to a sexual assault. It  begins on the first day of school and progresses throughout the school year. It's a story for adolescents and adults alike, and it shows the other side of "Chick-Lit" just right for autumn.

4. Enjoy a vacation. I tried to enjoy a couple of long weekends away from home this summer, but I got sick on both of them. The second time I got carsick before the car was even moving in the parking lot of the hotel as I was getting ready to come back home.  I guess I need to stop taking “homesickness” so literally.

What everyone needs to remember is it's never too late to take a vacation. In the fall, you can head west to Front Royal and Skyline Drive and see the leaves displaying their autumn hues. There are wineries to visit along the way; just be careful not to drink so many free samples that you aren't able to drive.

I hope the rest of you got to do everything you wanted to do this summer. If not, you still have a few weeks left to try and squeeze in whatever’s left on your cooler list. And if that isn’t doable -- well, you can always Photoshop yourself into those photos your friends sent you of their amazing vacations. Happy end-of-summer to you!

By Leigh Giza and Stacy Shaw

autumn, day-trips, featured, full-image, renaissance-festival-maryland, roving-i, summer