When did August 20th become September 3rd?

Summer is all but gone here in the Central Valley of California.   What we have done each year for the past few years is underwater photography with those reusable cameras.  This year there was only a couple of times I wanted to go in the water when CJ was here.  The water has to get warm enough for me to venture in.  :-)

These cameras remind me of the "stone age" when you didn't know what you were taking pictures of?  Remember that?  You went and bought expensive film and then hoped you actually got one good one out of the batch.  (I just realized that I didn't remember how many photos were on a roll...I guess that isn't important right now)  You'd go to the store and get the package and look to see if there was one good one, maybe 2 if you were lucky!  So, most people didn't take many pictures because of the cost.  Most of us have shoe boxes around filled with photos.  They were organized once but they are not now.  I did try and be a great mom and make albums, but you know what I am going to say...they were on that acid paper so....they all turned yellow!  Who had time really?  And the generations before us had even less.  I often shop in thrift stores and want to buy all photos I see just because I feel bad that they are in the store and their families have forgotten or just out lived them.  But I digress....

We got our underwater camera this year and snapped some good photos.  Little CJ is such a joy in our lives.  She is growing leaps and bounds.  Can you believe she will be in second grade?  This year she likes to do tricks in the water.  She does one then I try and preform it.  She doesn't care that I look ridiculous and terrible in a bathing suit! 

She does twists and turns, hand stands and she even can sit on the bottom like a yoga person for the longest time with out floating up.  Well, I assure you I can't do that one!

What is the title all about?  Well, in Southern California school always started after Labor Day.  ALWAYS!  It is how we gauged life.  Labor Day marked the beginning of the year.  Here in the San Joaquin Valley school starts August 20th!  What?  It's still summer!  Why are they robbing us of these precious hours? 
People are buying "Back to School" clothes.  Teachers are going and getting their classes ready.  It all feels wrong to me.  It's like something precious has been taken from everyone and most people don't even know what it is.
Well, that is the state of our society isn't it?  Kids can't play outside.  They can't linger in the warm outside air.  There are no more Wonder Years.  I suppose I am showing my age.  I miss the days of summer the way they were when I was a child.  I miss the carefree moments.  I miss the old days!

I can almost hear her saying...."Come in the water Coco"...and just like that...it's gone.

 

I love you peanut!  Have a great year!  Learn Lots!  Come over soon!